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San Antonio wraps up 10 entries on Texas Monthly's top 50 tacos list

Stix & Stone's Big Red and barbacoa taco flight.

Football may be the state's obsession, but arguing about food is a close second. When an authoritative list like Texas Monthly's 50 Best Tacos in Texas is released, plenty of armchair quarterbacks argue over what taco editor José Ralat got right — and wrong.

Although Ralat has served in his post since 2019, the October 21 rankings were his first definitive overview of Texas' best tacos. The editor traveled 14,000 miles, tasting tacos from Amarillo to Brownsville. As might be expected, San Antonio had a strong showing, including one taco in the coveted top 10.

Leo Davila of Stix & Stone secured the No. 8 slot with his Big Red and barbacoa taco flight, a dish Ralat called "groundbreaking." The editor praised the inventive ways the chef played with Alamo City's quintessential, working soda into masa and a strawberry jam.

In all, San Antonio secured 10 of the slots on the introductory survey. Though tradition factored into Ralat's reasoning, he also considered unconventional tacos, assessing the overall taste and the tortilla. Besides Stix & Stone, the local winners range from classic San Antonio taquerias to new upstarts.

Con Huevos Tacos: The Carmen
Eddie's Taco House: Bacon and egg
El Pastor es Mi Señor: Taco al pastor
Garcia's Mexican Food: Pork chop
La Generala: Guiso rojo
Los Weyes de la Asada: Mamón
Original Donut Shop: Bean and cheese
Ray's Drive Inn: Beef puffy taco
San Taco: Asado de puerco

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin boasted eight entries on the list, led by No. 10 contender Nixta Taqueria. Houston and Dallas rang in with five entries each: Azteca Taco House repped Houston at No. 3, followed by Dallas' Revolver Taco Lounge at No. 4. The top spot, however, went to Ana Liz Taqueria in Mission. Led by Ana Liz Pulido, the winner of the James Beard Awards' Best Chef: Texas nod for 2024, the taqueria scored high marks for its deconstructed chile relleno taco.

The full list is available at texasmonthly.com.

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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.”

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