ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

10 San Antonio restaurants making Christmas merrier with dine-in and to-go menus

Why not leave the cooking to someone else?

While one's inner Ina might fantasize about effortlessly whipping up a crown rack of lamb for Christmas, most San Antonians could use an assist. Our advice? Save the effort for tradition — making only those dishes no yuletide season should do without. Then, let local restaurants fill in the gaps, whether a full meal at a restaurant or just a few supplementary sides.

Of course, mulling over menus can be a stressor in and of itself. Trust these 10 picks to deliver more jolly and less folly.

Dine-in restaurants

2M Smokehouse
One of the area's most acclaimed barbecue joints will be open from 11 am to midnight on Christmas Day, a blessing for those who think smoked brisket trumps prime rib. As always, the family can nosh on meats by the pound and unexpected sides like Mexican street corn and crunchy chicharron mac 'n' cheese.

Dashi Sichuan Kitchen & Bar
Long a tradition of American Jews, eating Chinese food on Christmas has been adopted by people of all faiths. Give the ritual the respect it deserves by dining at one of San Antonio's best purveyors. Fill the table with specialties like cured duck, crispy fish, and cumin lamb lollipops, and remember that the holidays are a season for sharing.

Landrace
Wake up to a truly effortless brunch courtesy of chef Steve McHugh. Landrace's glorious spread includes a ham carving station, brisket Benedicts, a lavish array of cheeses, and more. While at it, sneak in a tipple or two. White elephants are infinitely more fun with a buzz.

Range
Located in the middle of Houston Street's holiday display, this downtown steakhouse is bringing its own magic to its Christmas prix fixe. The $59.95 menu includes roast turkey, warm butter rolls, Brussels sprouts with a blood orange agrodolce, and pecan pie. Make the dinner more festive with luxe add-ons like a Frangelico Old Fashioned or cognac lobster bisque.

Supper
Though larger seatings are available, the Hotel Emma's resident eatery is perfect for more intimate celebrations or two. Start a new tradition by running up the tab with grilled Black Angus ribeyes, spiced crab cakes, and as many sides as the appetite can handle. Pop a bottle of Champagne to toast your good culinary fortune.

Supper San Antonio Supper is decked out in its holiday finest. Supper/ Facebook

To-go options

Bakery Lorraine
Your family will forget all about those sugarplum visions when presented with desserts from one of River City's most acclaimed bakeries. The pies elevate classic American flavors, adding tart cranberry to an apple pie or whiskey to traditional pecan. For true oohs and ahhs, go for the Buche de Noel decorated with adorable mini mushrooms.

Bilia Eatery
Though San Antonio is not quite as tropical as Miami, the latter's Latin cuisine is perfect for Alamo City's usually balmy Christmas. Bilia delivers the sabor with family-style platter of mojo pork roast or asado negro. There are plentiful sides for those who want to tackle the mains, like a bechamel-rich casserole layered with eggplant, plantain, and shredded beef.

Cooper's Meat Market
Should one feel ambitious, the Broadway market has prime rib, crown roast, and other Yuletide showstoppers ready for a personal touch. But the prepared main courses are just as sure to impress. Order roasted or fried turkeys, spiral ham, or a giant turducken, or cater a festive cocktail party with starters like mini beef Wellingtons, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, or a smoked salmon platter.

Four Sisters Catering
This long-running business' flair with Mediterranean flavors enlivens its Christmas menu. Impress guests with gorgeous green and red feta rolls, chicken in a rich cognac sauce, or pumpkin hummus for dessert. Double up on baked goods like raspberry crumble bars or Key lime squares. Santa already gets his share of cookies.

Two Bros. BBQ Market
Give the holiday feast some yeehaw vibes with this barbecue joint's complete package. The feast feeds 10-12 people and includes a spiced whole smoked turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and other essential sides. For bigger crowds, there is also a selection of a la carte sides, including mac' n' cheese, banana pudding, and beans.

dinner lunch brunch breakfast holidays

NYT loves AUS

Pastry chef from San Antonio makes New York Times Best Bakeries list

Comadre Panadería/Instagram

Comadre Panadería is known for nostalgic Mexican bakes with feminine flair.

The New York Times has once again shined its spotlight on Austin’s culinary scene. It included Comadre Panadería, an Austin bakery by San Antonio native Mariela Camacho, on its new list of the 22 of the Best Bakeries Across the U.S. Right Now.

Interim food critic Priya Krishna praises pastry chef Camacho’s pastries that include conchas and her signature pink cake. “Despite their saccharine appearances, not one of the desserts is overly cloying, and even the coffee drinks (Texas pecan horchata! Cranberry vanilla agua fresca!) strike the playful tone of the pastries,” she writes.

Comadre Panadería has been widely recognized, including by this publication; Camacho, who is now based in Ausitn, won Pastry Chef of the Year in the 2023 CultureMap Austin Tastemaker Awards. She also earned a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.

Camacho and Comadre as a whole are both invested in using baked goods to make a more equitable world, from the bakery's early days as a fundraiser for disaster relief, to a current insistence on charging enough to support ethical and organic foods, and paying staff enough to keep up with rising costs in Austin.

Although Camacho was born in San Antonio and started her baking career there, she also spent a significant time in Seattle, Washington, where Comadre started as a pop-up. According to Austin Monthly, she then moved back to San Antonio, and then to Austin. But no matter where she is, the Mexican cooking traditions of her ancestors take precedent.

Mariela Camacho of Comadre Panaderia in Austin Mariela Camacho, Comadre Panaderia. Courtesy photo

The Times also recognized Houston's Koffeteria. Krishna hails the bakery for pastry chef-owner Vanarin Kuch’s creative fare that includes dishes such as beef pho kolaches, Chinese sausage breakfast tacos, and butter mochi.

“Some of Mr. Kuch’s offerings are rooted in his Cambodian American identity — he makes cornbread with the coconutty, scallion-forward flavors of Cambodian street corn — while others are odes to Houston’s multicultural makeup. But most of the fun of Koffeteria is having no idea what Mr. Kuch will do next, and eagerly awaiting his next innovation,” Krishna writes.

Open since 2019, Koffeteria has been riding high this year. It earned a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Bakery and a CultureMap Houston Tastemaker Award for Pastry Chef of the Year.

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Comadre Panadería and Koffeteria are the only Texas establishments to make the Times’ list. Only California and New York City, which each have three representatives, earn more recognition.

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