A New Era of Dining

Michelin Guide plates up first Texas picks, with 13 in San Antonio

Mixtli earned one Michelin star.

Mixtli/Facebook

The first ever Michelin Guide in Texas has finally made its picks known. At a black-tie event in Houston on November 11, the guide has announced that 13 San Antonio restaurants have won recognition.

To many, these are the most prestigious and coveted markers of a restaurant worth visiting. Others have questions about how locals should take outside opinions of their own local favorites. Either way, the presence of the Michelin Guide will doubtlessly change the Texas dining landscape.

After spending some time in Texas, the Michelin Guide’s famously anonymous reviewers have decided which restaurants are Texas' best. The guide is officially in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

Service Award
A special award for exceptional service and presentation went to Hailey Pruitt and Lauren Beckman of Mixtli.

Michelin stars
The peak Michelin distinction "awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking," according to the guide. One star is very good, two are excellent, and three are the best rating available.

One star: Mixtli, Diego Galicia and Rico Torres

Bib Gourmand
"Restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices."

Burnt Bean Co. (Seguin)
Cullum's Attaboy
The Jerk Shack
Ladino
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery

Recommended
A step down from a star, but worth trying.

Barbecue Station
Garcia's Mexican Food
Leche de Tigre
Little Em's Oyster Bar
Nicosi
Signature Restaurant
2M Smokehouse

Green stars
“Restaurants that are leaders in sustainable gastronomy”

Two Austin restaurants won the only green stars

In-slider knowledge

Well-known brunch eatery adds location at changing Riverwalk mall

Photo courtesy of Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia

Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is joining a growing list of businesses flocking to the Shops at Rivercenter.

The well-known San Antonio brunch spot Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is continuing its takeover of the city with a third location. The new eatery is expected to open in March 2025 at 849 E. Commerce St., adjacent to the Shops at Rivercenter.

The new restaurant will span a 7,000-square-foot space, including a 1,200-square-foot patio, which will host a total of 250 guests. San Antonians may remember the space from its days as Enrique Tomás, an upscale Spanish restaurant. Things will be different at the very casual Alamo Biscuit Co., which operates more like a diner.

Biscuits are, of course, the anchoring menu item, and are served in sweet and savory flights when they're not providing support for other dishes like Nashville hot chicken, eggs Benedict with various proteins, or a classic sausage, egg, and cheese. Other specialties include pancakes (sometimes with extravagant toppings), French toast, and tacos.

The new location comes with new menu items that haven't been announced with, plus a full bar and espresso bar, according to a release.

Alamo Biscuit Co. is hiring 80-100 team members starting in January, according to the release. That will include "management, servers, cooks, and dishwashers."

The Shops at Rivercenter are in the middle of a larger renaissance. The mall opened in 1988, and has weathered the coming and going trends of retail. Since 2005, it's been owned by Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which also owns famous properties like Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace and New York City's Plaza Hotel.

Just in 2024, projects announced at the Shops at Rivercenter include an overhaul of dining by celebrity chef Jason Dady, as well as the San Antonio debut of the trendy Australian mini-golf chain Holey Moley.

“To be invited to open a location on the San Antonio River Walk is an incredible honor and a blessing,” said Alamo Biscuit Co. owner and UTSA graduate John Vale in the release. “In just five years, Alamo Biscuit Co. has become a part of San Antonio’s culinary fabric, and now, we’ve been given the opportunity to share our passion for great food and community in what I believe is the best location in Texas. This is a gift from God and a privilege we don’t take lightly.”

brunch riverwalk openings