Alamo City’s upcoming The Monarch San Antonio hotel may have already earned a lot of buzz, but it has remained a little coy about its three resident restaurants. Now, the posh property is revealing what diners can expect when they first visit the Hemisfair anchor, opening March 3.

All three concepts will be led by Executive Chef Jae H. Lee, a veteran of revered New York restaurants like One White Street, Little Park, Daniel, and the Dining Room at The Met, where we hope he got to see a few celebrities. Since moving to Texas in 2019, he has worked with some of Texas’ fanciest hotels, including Austin Proper and Dallas’ The Joule.

Although classically trained, Lee’s cooking is grounded in international flavors ranging from Korean to Mexican. According to a release, he will use his global palate to give each of the three restaurants — Oak & Amber, Aleteo, and The Nectarie Café — distinct points of view, though French techniques will be used throughout.

“Each restaurant has its own identity, but they’re connected by a shared foundation,” says Lee via the release. “Technique, consistency, and respect for the fundamentals and the ingredients are what allow creativity to happen. This program is about creating places people want to return to — whether they’re staying at the hotel or live down the street.”

Graceful arches loom over the Oak & Amber dining room.Photo courtesy of The Monarch

Oak & Amber
Anchoring the lobby, Oak & Amber makes the most of its mesquite-and-oak hearth. The dinner menu is inspired by Texas geography, including Texas ranches, Gulf waters, and the state’s many orchards.

Among the standout dishes are sea urchin with shiso, smoked roe, and whiskey barrel-aged shoyu; lobster Thermidor with béchamel, mustard, and Gruyère; and steak services such as a prime rib trolley featuring 28-day dry-aged Texas beef ribeye, carved tableside and finished with Cabernet jus and horseradish. From there, the restaurant golds the lily with raw bar classics like East Coast oysters, clams, scallops, shrimp, and formal caviar service paired with a 300-plus label wine list.

Aleteo is perched on the rooftop.Rendering courtesy of The Monarch/ OpenTable

Aleteo
Perched 17 stories above downtown, Aleteo is esoterically “informed by movement, energy, and altitude.” Back on the ground, it takes its cues from Yucatán cuisine, matching the mains with mezcal cocktails.

Highlights include octopus Maya with bone marrow, salsa macha, and wild greens; beef rib mole with grilled allium and salsa verde; suckling pig lechon asado with yuca fries and cilantro-cumin rice; and dry-aged Crescent Farms duck, featuring a breast dry-aged in-house for seven days with a confit leg.

The “raw and cured” section features a variety of aguachiles, ceviches, and tartares, augmented by more than half a dozen house-made salsas. Aleteo also makes its tortillas in-house from imported corn ground on volcanic stone, each cooked to order.

Light floods the the Nectarie Café.Rendering courtesy of The Monarch.

The Nectarie Café
Located off the lobby, the sunny Nectarie Café is meant to be enjoyed during the daytime. Open for breakfast and lunch, the bistro boasts a pastry program inspired by the Hill Country’s German heritage, including a Nutella cruffin, almond croissant, franzbrötchen (essentially a flaky cinnamon roll), and a smoked jalapeño and Cheddar kolache.

The more substantial dishes are straight out of a Paris café: beef skirt steak frites with peppercorn sauce, house-cut frites, and herbed aïoli; chicken paillard à la Française with lemon caper sauce, parsley, arugula, and fromage blanc; and salade niçoise with seared big eye tuna, haricots verts, confit potato, tomato, and egg.

As with any hotel worth its salt, Monarch also includes a lobby bar, aptly called the Lobby Bar. There, guests can munch on booze-friendly bites like a rich signature burger made with brisket and dry-aged beef tallow served on a sesame gruyere bun and a French dip sandwich with shaved prime beef ribeye, creamy horseradish, au jus, and rosemary beef tallow fries. There’s also a caviar happy hour if one needs an occasion to wear a monocle.

“I’m inspired by San Antonio, especially at a moment when the city’s culinary scene is earning national attention,” continues Lee. “It’s where deep-rooted traditions, ambitious chefs, and a growing appreciation for global technique are shaping one of the most dynamic food cultures in Texas.”