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Photo by John Arano on Unsplash

Inflation isn’t the only thing bringing down the vibes (and the balance) of your bank account. However, San Antonio is a far cry from the most expensive city in the country if you want to have a few drinks on a night out.

In fact, San Antonio is the No. 2 most affordable U.S. city for a night out and the most affordable in Texas. That’s according to a new study by price-monitoring website PriceListo.

The study looked at cost-of-living data from U.S. cities with populations over 500,000 to discover the average prices of a cocktail, cab fare, bottle of wine, and a pint of beer. They also collaborated with hotel deal-finders Vio to determine the median price for a single-night stay in the city.

Here's how the Alamo City stacks up: The median single-night price for a hotel stay in the city will set you back $94.71, while the cost of a three-mile cab fare is $7.58. One cocktail at a downtown club costs an average of $8, while a bottle of good-quality red wine for the table is $12. If you cap off the night at a pub, a pint of beer is just $3.27. And if you need to eat some food to offset the impending hangover, a McDonald’s combo meal costs $9. All of that adds up to the second most affordable night out in the United States. But don't forget to close out your tabs.

One U.S. city was slightly more affordable than San Antonio: Las Vegas. A night out in Sin City costs $120.76. Fort Worth was the only other Texas city to appear in the top 10 most affordable nights out, ranking No. 9 with their price for a night out at $172.14.

The top 10 cities that are the most affordable for a night out include:

  • No. 1: Las Vegas, Nevada – $120.76
  • No. 2: San Antonio, Texas – $134.56
  • No. 3: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – $136.98
  • No. 4: San Francisco, California – $142.94
  • No. 5: Fresno, California – $145.55
  • No. 6: Albuquerque, New Mexico – $157.47
  • No. 7: Jacksonville, Florida – $162.42
  • No. 8: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – $168.74
  • No. 9: Fort Worth, Texas – $172.14
  • No. 10: Chicago, Illinois – $173.81

Other Texas cities fared worse than San Antonio. In a comparison of the most expensive U.S. cities for a night out, Austin ranked as the third most expensive, with the overall cost adding up to $221.23. San Diego (No. 1) and Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 2) had slightly higher costs for their single-night outings, at $225.27 and $224.75, respectively.

Houston is home to the No. 9 most expensive city for a night out with their overall cost adding up to $209.54. Dallas, on the other hand, ranked No. 24 with the most expensive price for a cocktail ($25) but the cheapest three-mile cab fare at $5.41.

The top 10 most expensive cities for a night out are:

  • No. 1: San Diego, California – $225.27
  • No. 2: Charlotte, North Carolina – $224.75
  • No. 3: Austin, Texas – $221.23
  • No. 4: Memphis, Tennessee – $216.25
  • No. 5: Columbus, Ohio – $212.47
  • No. 6: Boston, Massachusetts – $211.16
  • No. 7: Seattle, Washington – $210.61
  • No. 8: Washington, D.C. – $210.39
  • No. 9: Houston, Texas – $209.54
  • No. 10: Tucson, Arizona – $203.39
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CultureMap Emails are Awesome

San Antonio International Airport clears runway for 1st nonstop flight to Europe, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor's note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. From international flights to local delights, here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. San Antonio International Airport clears runway for 1st nonstop flight to Europe. Passengers can now book tickets for flights from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) to Germany's Frankfurt Airport (FRA).

2. Hot San Antonio hotel brings back popular live fire dinner series for fall. Executive chef Michael Collins will keep grilling on the patio at Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails.

3. New honky-tonk surprisingly two-steps into St. Paul's Square. When Steve Mahoney first relaunched Francis Bogside and Anne’s, rumors circulated on how he would use the expansive upstairs space.

4. Nola breaks new ground and a Hill Country eatery heads to City Hall in San Antonio food news. This week's food news saw the expansion of a popular brunch spot, cookbook and website features, and more.

5. Here are the top 7 things to do in San Antonio this weekend. There's much to do this weekend, including beer festivals and a great standup set.

Hugely popular San Antonio restaurant Ladino celebrates first anniversary with Mediterranean party

Luck be Ladino

Although Ladino has only been a Pearl gem for one year, the mediterranean hotspot already feels like a San Antonio staple.

Helmed by executive chef Berty Richter and Emmer Hospitality, Ladino is slated to celebrate its first anniversary this Sunday with a festive party celebrating the restaurant's success as well as its future. Guests will enjoy a welcome beverage (and more cocktails for purchase), plus unlimited grilled meats, pita sandwiches, and other bites. DJ Zain will keep the energy up, while guests play yard games and kids get their faces painted.

Chef Richter tells CultureMap, '"In the world of restaurants and hospitality, we always strive to progress, keep learning, and improving."

When Ladino opened last September, it represented a promising branching out from its Austin-branched hospitality group parent, which had prior (and has since) earned acclaim from national publications for its cultural vibrancy — and deliciousness, of course.

In Ladino's case, the cultural touchstone is the Judeo-Spanish language of the same name that Chef Richter spoke growing up, which also included elements of Castellano, French, Italian, Greek, Turkish, and Hebrew. Richter's Turkish mother inspired many parts of the restaurant's popular Mediterranean menu.

Despite a strong point of view, the restaurant does have something for everyone, and is very accommodating to patrons with dietary restrictions. Signature staples include the sourdough-based pita bread (which comes unlimited with the hummus dip), kibbeh nayeh with Wagyu tartare, shishbarak (lamb and pork dumplings), and saffron chicken. The Wagyu Denver steak is a consistent standout, with a perfect crispy edge surrounding the medium rare middle.

Chef Richter plans to keep the menu generally the same for now, with the ongoing tradition of rotating some dishes out based on seasonal availability.

"We are excited to continue exploring the cuisines and cultures that Ladino represents, while strengthening our relationships with local farmers, growers, producers, and the communities of San Antonio," says Richter.

Now open seven days a week, Ladino offers a happy hour on weekdays from 5-6:30 pm. Deals include six dollars off of the hummus dip and pita, $5 off of Ladino's signature cocktails and wines by the glass, and deals on other plates like babaganoush, a spicy Feta plate, and more. The happy hour specials are only available at the upstairs bar, which is easily accessible catty-corner to the main Ladino entrance at the Pearl.

Tickets ($40, $15 for kids) to the anniversary celebration on October 1, from 4-8 pm, are still available via Eventbrite. Regular reservations and to-go orders may be made at ladinosatx.com.

Botanical Garden's Lightscape mesmerizes with new exhibits and discount tickets

THAT OL' RAZZLE-DAZZLE

Call it the grown-up version of posing with Santa Claus. Since its dazzling debut in 2021, the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s Lightscape has been the essential stop for holiday photoshoots. Planners are already working hard to ensure the annual tradition is more brilliant — and accessible — than ever.

Tickets are now on sale for the showstopping exhibition, running November 17 to January 1. The festivities will include familiar displays and brand-new illuminated works from global designers.

French creative studio Pitaya will return with a new installation, "Spark Ballet." The work features dozens of hanging lanterns glowing with firefly lights as a flickering guide around the lake. Visitors will also be treated to a pair of large-scale spectacles from UK outfit ArtAV, including an array of sparkling stars and a 40-foot-high LED tree.

Some of last year’s favorites will make an encore. The "Heart Arch Walk" allows guests to stroll under a tunnel of love while "Floraison" canopies explorers with brightly lit poppies. As always, the "Winter Cathedral" provides one last selfie spot.

The ever-popular "Bluebonnets" will also mesmerize sightseers, this time with an army of life-sized cowboy nutcrackers. The "Fire Garden" will have a new addition, too — the 25-foot dragon last seen in the blockbuster Imaginary Worlds: Once Upon a Time exhibition.

Peak date tickets cost $28 for adults and $18 for children, with VIP packages and member discounts available. For the first time ever, the garden also offers Value Nights on select dates in November and December. Revelers can score tickets as low as $18 for adults and $10 for kids online.

San Antonio Botanical Garden Lightscape

Photo courtesy of San Antonio Botanical Garden

The Pixel tree makes an ideal selfie stop.