Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at popular Grayson Street bar on Memorial Day

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Three Star Bar/ Facebook

With new restaurants seemingly opening daily, San Antonio’s culinary scene is more exhilarating than ever. But even those with a packed reservation schedule sometimes crave something different.

Enter pop-ups — a San Antonio obsession that grows more popular each month. The latest to enter the fray is Restaurant Claudine chef Mel Cavazos, who will debut Throwback Sammies, a one-night-only concept sprouting up at Three Star Bar on May 29.

“I want to do something comforting that everyone can relate to,” explains Cavazos of the nostalgic concept. “I want the menu to read simply but totally unexpected when you eat it.”

The small menu includes a trio of dishes that evoke childhood memories. Cheese bread is reimagined with Romesco sauce, burrata, and basil, while another sandwich has all the fixings of a Sunday pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and gravy. Those desperately waiting for fall will no doubt flock to the Thanksgiving Meltdown, complete with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry.

One dish, however, is even more personal. In honor of a recently passed friend, Cavazos added a “secret” vegan sandwich featuring buffalo cauliflower and homemade pickled vegetables.

“He loved his vegan wings,” Cavazos remembers.

The chef tells CultureMap that Throwback Sammies is just the start of a series of pop-ups she hopes to hold monthly. As she continues developing a career at Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality’s ever-growing restaurant empire, she sees the pop-up series as a chance to keep exploring her culinary voice.

“I want to expand and explore more options,” Cavazos says, adding, “I love sandwiches, but that’s not what I like to be known for.”

Throwback Sammies starts at 8 pm and runs until supplies run out. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

From Your Site Articles

Singh's Vietnamese/ Facebook

Buzzy Vietnamese spot bowls over Northwest San Antonio with new location

OFF THE STRIP

Fans of Singh’s Vietnamese currently have two choices — get out a lunar rover to traverse the treacherous valleys of the St. Mary’s Strip or pay a poor delivery driver to do it for them. But according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing, locals will soon have a third option.

State records reveal that the buzzy restaurant is opening a new outpost at 7331 N. Loop 1604 W. Construction is set to begin in late June and wrap up by the end of September.

The project will diverge from the brick-and-mortar location in offering no indoor dining room. A video posted by designer Victor Hinojosa of Cognitive Creative reveals that an ample patio will be serviced by a food truck. The renderings also feature what appears to be a bar area, although it's not clear whether the spot will have a full beverage program.

According to the filing, the space will also play double duty as a commissary kitchen. Local delivery drivers are currently breathing a sigh of relief.

The opening will be a return to Singh’s food truck roots. Co-owners Eric Treviño and Louis Singh first gained recognition serving banh mi, bun, and rice bowls out of their wildly popular North Side trailer in 2013.

In 2018, the team brought that menu to 7331 N Loop 1604 W. on the Strip, serving the same favorites plus beer, wine, and eventually cocktails. The move established them as a favorite of late-night revelers before bond-funded street improvements revved up in 2021.

The construction, delayed by weather and utility issues, has become a flashpoint of San Antonio’s bar and restaurant community as owners have increasingly spoken out about the loss of revenue the detours have caused in the once vibrant nightlife hub.

La Tuna/ Facebook

5 things to know in San Antonio food: Longtime restaurateurs ditch Southtown for Government Hill

NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

The family behind La Tuna Icehouse & Grill is opening a new concept this summer in Government Hill. According to San Antonio Business Journalreporting, the owners have decided not to extend their lease at La Tuna past December, although the business expects to attract new operators. The Ridge on the Hill will be located at 2119 I-35 Frontage Road, the former home of Eastside Kitchenette and 88 Cerveceria. The new spot will be family friendly, but there’s no word on the cuisine. A nascent Instagram profile shares no details.

Another local restaurant has bowed to post-Covid pressures. Long-running Tex-Mex spot Martha’s Mexican Grill took to its Google Business page to announce it was calling it quits. The owners explained that pandemic hardships coupled with the overall state of the economy made the eatery unsustainable.

Iced tea stand HTeaO is keeping San Antonio hydrated with two new locations. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations show the Texas chain is building a new storefront at 9711 Potranco Rd. with construction set to wrap up by the end of June. Although that location has yet to appear on the company website, another spot at 4120 N. Foster Rd. in Universal City is. There’s no word yet on when that outpost will debut.

Other news and notes

Visit San Antonio has announced it is serving the second annual Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival on October 26-29. The event, a partnership between VSA, Culinaria, and the James Beard Foundation, promises a lineup of top U.S. and Mexican chefs. While still keeping mum on the headliners, the event is now selling tickets to the grand tasting for $60-$120.

Downtown’s Landrace is getting into the takeout game with its new Box’d Lunch meals. Each portable provision includes two Fire Roasted Chicken Salad Sandwiches, house-made blue cheese potato chips, and brown butter chocolate chip mesquite cookies. The fancifully ribboned packages, retailing for $50, arrive on Memorial Day weekend.

Photo by Blake Bonillas

Arizona wine bar and café pours into San Antonio with two locations

WINE AND DINE

With its tradition of neighborhood ice houses, San Antonio has long been considered a beer town. But don’t tell that to the many entrepreneurs who are lately bringing wine-based concepts to Alamo City.

The latest to pop the cork is Phoenix-based Postino. After opening several outposts in the Houston area, the all-day wine bar and café will make its local debut with two locations — one in the Rim shopping center in June, followed by a second restaurant at 2600 Broadway in early 2024.

According to a release, each location will have a 40-plus wine list augmented with more than 30 domestic and local beer selections. For those who like to get a little soused before afternoon Zoom meetings, Postino features a happy hour until 5 pm with $6 glasses of wine or craft beer pitchers.

The food menu is mostly made up of Italian-inspired snacks like an olive mix, meatballs with goat cheese, shrimp scampi, panini, and mozzarella with tomatoes. In addition, guests can order charcuterie, cheese, or veggie boards or customize a bruschetta tray.

The brunch service, however, is a more decadent affair, listing a croque madame as a mere “table bite.” Mains include meatball shakshouka and a focaccia stack with avocado, prosciutto, fried egg, and Marcona almonds. Though the joint does not carry liquor, it does make great use of its lower octane stock in cocktails like a Madeira and sherry Bloody Mary.

The release kept most of the design details general but did promise vintage light fixtures, “wide-ranging” art, and installations reflecting the character of each neighborhood. Though renderings of the San Antonio were not available, other locations sport a variety of nostalgic bric-a-brac and plenty of art books.

Each location will also open up with garage-style doors and an indoor-outdoor patio bar. Undoubtedly, that will be dotted with the company’s distinctive canary yellow umbrellas.

Photo by Blake Bonillas

Postino is opening two San Antonio locations.

Photo by TX Troublemaker

Alamo City's best bars and restaurants crowned at 2023 Tastemaker Awards

TOAST THE TASTEMAKERS

Ah spring! The wildflowers are blooming, the sandals are coming back, and our celebration of the best of San Antonio hospitality — the Tastemaker Awards — is once again heating up the night.

For the past few weeks, you’ve read about all the stellar nominees, then voted for your favorite new restaurant in a hard-fought tournament. Now, it's finally time to unveil the winners.

On Thursday evening, the all-stars of Alamo City’s restaurant and bar scene gathered with their hungry fans at the Briscoe Museum for our second annual tasting event and awards ceremony. Guests feasted on delicious bites from some of the area’s best restaurants, before applauding the proud winners.

And what a crew they are. Our 2023 CultureMap San Antonio Tastemaker Awards winners represent the crème de la crème of the city’s red-hot culinary scene. Meet them below and join us in raising one last glass to the Tastemakers. Drum roll, please.

Restaurant of the Year: Carriqui
There's no reason to pretend otherwise; you've had this food before. Maybe it was over a few beers at a backyard barbecue or a buzzing Rio Grande restaurant, but it is as familiar as a family group text. This Pearl spot's genius was in giving South Texas fare the respect it deserves. Instead of being fettered by the honey assumptions that regional foods should be cheap, Carriqui fires Wagyu on custom Mill Scale grills. Instead of settling for hominess, it announces South Texas as a destination.

Best New Restaurant: Reese Bros BBQ
With the cult-like status that some barbecue joints enjoy, some hot spots have forgotten there doesn’t have to be so much bite with the bark. Make no bones about it; the licorice black crust that forms on the brisket is as mouthwatering as it comes. But that alchemy is not just a flex obscuring the other parts of the operation. Reese Bros excels at sausage, flour tortillas, and simple market sides. It also excels at hospitality, not letting endless acclaim harden into an ego trip.

Chef of the Year: Robbie Nowlin — Allora, Arrosta
Casual San Antonio offers scant opportunities to dress up, so we’ll give you a reason to wear a jacket. Though no jackets are required, Arrosta’s offerings invite one to be a little more buttoned up. Nowlin’s Reggis Ova caviar is the most luxurious dish in town, even if it’s served on a humble fried dumpling. Even the fried potatoes are so gorgeously presented that they demand some decorum. Can’t imagine wearing hard pants? Waltz next door to Arrosta to experience the chef’s prodigious fare in a much more casual setting.

Bar of the Year: Amor Eterno
It's there in the name. This Southtown lounge delivers everlasting romance courtesy of velvet curtains, fuchsia lighting, and orchids languishing on the edge of coupes. The atmosphere gets a little steamier after a couple Bella Noche shots. Suddenly, disco thumps through the speakers, inamoratos file in, and the back booth becomes the most inviting spot in Alamo City.

Best Brewery: Künstler Brewing
The owners of this Southtown hot spot, Vera and Brent Deckard, are exceedingly well-traveled, a fact that informs their magpie approach to beer. The descriptions read like a travelogue — taking drinkers from San Diego beaches to Ecuadorean farms to hikes near Aschau, Germany. The flavors are equally international. Head brewer Vera works in dozens of styles, using her sharp palate to deliver inventive creations like a matcha milkshake IPA and a briny oyster stout.

Neighborhood Restaurant: The Magpie
This newly expanded East Side bistro is hard to describe. Chef Jungsuk “Sue” Kim doesn’t let genre hold her back, dishing out Korean specialties like dak galbi and Italian rabbit ragu. The wine list has an equally well-stamped passport, exploring traditional and low-intervention winemaking in equal measure. The Magpie doesn’t need to be easily categorized to make an impact. Guests happily gobble up whatever comes into the nest.

Pastry Chef: Sofia Tejeda — Hotel Emma
An alum of Mixtli and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, Tejeda was the first San Antonian to be nominated as “Outstanding Pastry Chef” by the James Beard Foundation. It’s easy to see why. Her dishes combine cultural specificity (see the German and Mexican influences) with a luxury fitting of the boutique hotel. We think Emma Koehler — the property's namesake — would be proud.

Wildcard: Best Burger — Last Place Burger
Maybe owner Mark Villareal stumbled upon a djinn. It seems impossible that five simple ingredients could produce so much flavor. We do know that one of our three wishes would be a never-ending supply of this food truck's astoundingly great OG burger.

Photo by TX Troublemaker

Bar of the year: Amor Eterno

Pizza Guys/ Facebook

Hot Californian pizza chain eyes San Antonio for major expansion

WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYES

It's not just you. Californians are so hot for Texas right now. The state's exploding population makes it a golden goose for any chain looking to carve its niche. No wonder Sacramento-based Pizza Guys is champing at the bit to enter the Lone Star market.

Via release, the company announced plans to open almost 200 locations in Texas' major metropolises — including 26 stores in the San Antonio area. Though Pizza Guys didn't divulge the targeted locations, it is rapidly recruiting potential local franchisees.
Operating at a similar price point to Papa John's and Pizza Hut, Pizza Guys promises pies made with whole milk mozzarella, daily-made dough, and sauce made from fresh-packed Californian tomatoes. However, the restaurant sets itself apart with an array of specialty pizzas.

Although pepperoni is on the menu, the chain digs deep into the pantry for varieties like Artichoke Fiesta — a garden vegetable pie by way of a taco salad. Other offerings include chipotle chicken, curry chicken, serrano chili, a couple of choices using Impossible vegan beef, and Texas Barbecue. (See? So Obsessed!) Customers can also customize their toppings on various crusts or, seasonally, on an amorous heart-shaped pie.

"Customizable restaurant options have become exponentially more popular since customers prefer the autonomy of creating what they're craving over ordering the same thing," CEO and co-founder Shahpour Nejad explains via a release.

In addition to the pizzas, the chain offers flatbreads and the usual mix of accompaniments like wings, cheesy bread, salads, and pasta. Stores will also have the opportunity to double as ghost kitchens under the company's Pizza Piatta and Calzone Life.

Piatta specializes in flatbread pies, including a saucy selection striped with the colors of the Italian flag. The marketing is a little more upscale, with its condiments presented as "sauce pesto, sauce marinara, and sauce ranch." Switching the usual order of descriptions is the most efficient route to fanciness. Just ask Parfums de Couer.

Calzone Life, which would look fetching as an Old English tattoo, serves up gorgeous latticework pies in flavors mostly named after Californian towns. Santa Monica inspires a chicken riff with taco seasoning and cilantro, while Monterey is fond of Franks RedHot Buffalo sauce.

It's still to be determined when locals can try Pizza Guys. The chain is aggressively recruiting early franchise adopters with generous sign-on discounts. Once the expansion plans are realized, it will give the company a bigger brand presence than many homegrown franchises such as Pizza Patrón and Mr. Gatti's.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Latin lords Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull team up for Trilogy tour headed to San Antonio

the big 3

Three of pop music's biggest powerhouses are headed to San Antonio for a star-studded fall tour. Latin superstars Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull will share the stage together for the first time ever as part of The Trilogy Tour, which will hit arenas across America this fall.

This new 19-city tour produced by Live Nation kicks off in Washington, D.C., on October 14. The tour hits San Antonio on Sunday, November 19 at the AT&T Center as part of three-city Texas stop. Other shows include a stop at American Airlines Center in Dallas, on Friday, November 17 and Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday, November 18.

As one would expect, the megastars promise to deliver an electrifying mix of their biggest, career-spanning hits with tastes of reggaeton, salsa pop, dance, and electronic all thrown in for good measure. Each showman will backed by world-class production and state-of-the-art visuals, per an announcement.

Live Nation recommends that fans register now through Sunday, June 4 at 11:59 pm ET for the Verified Fan presale here. Those who are selected to receive an access code will be able to participate in the Verified Fan presale starting on Wednesday, June 7. (More information on Verified Fan can be found here).

A limited number of tickets will be sold during a general on sale starting at 10 am Friday, June 9 at Ticketmaster.com — while supplies last.

Expect a slew of VIP packages and experiences, which include perks like an invitation to the pre-show VIP lounge, exclusive VIP tour poster, specially designed VIP gift item and more. More VIP information can be found at vipnation.com.

From prince to King Enrique

The son of Latin king Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias has evolved from promising pop prince to arguably the biggest Latin recording artist in music history, with a wow-worthy 154 No. 1 single’s across Billboard charts and 27 No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart. Iglesias currently holds the record for most number ones in the chart’s history.

At once a sultry crooner and poppy persona, he fluidly moves between English and Spanish and genres to the tune of more than 180 million albums sold worldwide, released 11 studio albums, and three greatest hits compilations. To date, Iglesias has headlined 10 sold-out world tours and performed in front of more than 10 million fans.

Known for big collabs with Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, Pitbull, and more, he boasts multiple Grammy, Billboard, ASCAP, and more major awards. His 14 billion views on YouTube/VEVO and 14 billion in streams make him one the most streamed and viewed artists on the planet.

"I am incredibly excited to be going on tour with my friends Pitbull and Ricky," Iglesias said in a tour announcement. "The Trilogy Tour will be an amazing experience for ALL of our fans. It’s going to be a once in a lifetime tour."

La Vida Ricky

A fresh-faced poser boy for '80s pop group Menudo, Ricky Martin grew up before fans eyes into a hunky, bellowing singer known for leaving it all out onstage. Often dubbed the "King of Latin Pop," Martin has scored more than 180 awards and multiple Grammy Awards, most recently for the EP Pausaa nd the album PLAY, which features collaborations with Bad Bunny, Residente, and Sting.

The Puerto Rico native is also an accomplished actor, flexing his chops and earning an Emmy nomination in FX's The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. He's next set to star in the highly anticipated Apple TV series Palm Royale, alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, and Carol Burnett.

Martin has championed HIV and AIDS causes and founded the Ricky Martin Foundation, which actively fights against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. He is a Global Ambassador for UNICEF, has received the Hispanic Federation's "Humanitarian Award" and the Human Rights Campaign's "National Visibility Award." The City of New York declared "Ricky Martin Day" to honor his musical legacy and charitable work.

"Going back on the road with not only Enrique, but now with Pitbull it’s very exciting," Martin notes in a statement. "This tour will be a wild party from beginning to end so get ready, it's going to be epic!"

Mr. Worldwide

Grammy-winning showman Pitbull — aka Mr. Worldwide — has a golden touch when it comes to singalong party anthems and killer shows. As an artist, the Miami performer boasts billions of audio streams and video views plus hundreds of gold and platinum certifications. As an entrepreneur, he co-owns the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse and tours with life strategy guru Tony Robbins on motivational speaking engagements.

Famed for his fiesta vibe, Armando Christian "Pitbull" Perez is dead serious about education as he helped establish the nationwide Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!), tuition-free public charter schools.

“It’s a true honor to tour with Enrique and Ricky, 2 music icons, who broke global music barriers for our culture and open doors for someone like myself,” said Pitbull. “We’re excited to take The Trilogy tour around the world and give our fans the time of their Trilogy lives, Dale!"

Here are the official dates for The Trilogy Tour:

Sat Oct 14 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Tue Oct 17 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Fri Oct 20 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Sat Oct 21– Boston, MA – TD Garden

Thu Oct 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Sat Oct 28 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Wed Nov 01 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Fri Nov 03 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Thu Nov 09 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center

Fri Nov 10 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

Fri Nov 17 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Sat Nov 18 – Houston – Toyota Center

Sun Nov 19 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center

Fri Nov 24 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Sat Nov 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center

Thu Nov 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Wed Dec 06 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center

Fri Dec 08 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Sun Dec 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Enrique Iglesias/Facebook

Music royal Enrique Iglesias joins Ricky Martin and Pitbull.

San Antonio arts soar with these 8 June exhibits

State of the Arts

Awaken your artistic muse this summer with these exhibits to inspire and ignite your creativity. Angela Guerra Walley weaves joy into her series of deconstructed quilt dresses at Artpace; a big spotlight shines on the little stages or maquettes at the McNay exhibit, “Big Little Stage"; Alethea Jones woos her viewers with neon colors and fantastical landscapes in “Floating Between Chaos and Peace”; and a group exhibit examines both cultural and social-economic commentary in “I Am Not Your Mexican” at Ruiz-Healy Art. Seize the summer and make it an artful one.

Artpace

“Angela Guerra Walley: We Are Quilted Together” — Now through September 3
Angela Guerra Walley, who is also a local documentary filmmaker and frontwoman for the band Dreambored, says she has come back to a place of “love, joy and comfort” in her art. Her new subject material comforts her as she pays tribute to the lineage of quilt-and-clothing-making women that she comes from. “I’m interested in dresses as symbols of beauty and femininity as a gender-ﬂuid, queer person. I brieﬂy pursued dressmaking, but I realized the most satisfaction I found was in ripping my worn dresses apart at the seams and sewing together textile collages from the pieces.” “We Are Quilted” displays her series of “quilt dresses” made from fabrics that were cut apart, reconﬁgured, and sewn back together.

Un Grito Gallery

“Joao Quiroz: Fluxus” — June 1 through 15
Mexican visual artist Joao Quiroz settled in San Antonio in 2019 and established himself as an urban landscape impressionist. His work is eclectic, outwardly impressionist, and inwardly expressionist, exploring classical art and the avant-garde. Quiroz also has a sense of humor, as witnessed in his painting of the artist Frida Kahlo wearing a Buc-ees t-shirt.

The McNay

"Big Little Stage" — June 1 through February 25, 2024
“Big Little Stage” is an exploration in how designers "present creative visions for stage productions through small-scale and large-scale models called maquettes." A variety of materials are used: "Papier-mâché, fabric, and wood ... as well as sleeker materials like stainless steel and plexiglass." Some of the stage pieces on view include a miniature Hanging Gardens of Babylon (1860), Pablo Picasso’s pastel maquette for Le Tricorne (1919) and a futuristic set by Ralph Koltai for Shakespeare’s Othello (1985).

Sala Diaz

"Alethia Jones: Floating Between Chaos and Peace" — June 2 through 30
In this vibrant exhibit with pieces that look like they were made from collage, Alethia Jones explores her personal mental health through her work. Neon colors and "fantastical landscapes" with "hints of recognizable objects" captivate the viewer. Jones says of her experience, “Like so many people on the planet, I have spent the majority of my life living with mental illness. This body of work exposes the helplessness of one grappling with negative current events, but also suggests that hope does exist, and there is still much beauty to behold in this world.”

Blue Star Contemporary

"Actions for the Earth: Art, Care & Ecology" — June 2 through September 3
18 artists, including Yoko Ono, have created an exhibit that "considers kinship, healing, and restorative interventions as artistic practices and strategies to foster a deeper consciousness of the interconnectedness with the earth." They are putting their concerns about the planet, social inequity, and public health into a creative outpouring. This touring exhibit invites the public to participate in "instruction-based meditation and deep listening among other actions."

Ruiz-Healy Art

“I Am Not Your Mexican" — June 7 through September 9
Featuring works by six different artists, “I Am Not Your Mexican” is a title inspired by James Baldwin’s documentary film “I Am Not Your Negro,” and "is a glimpse into an international macro-cultural phenomenon," according to the gallery's description. Artist Jesse Amado came up with the series name in reference to understanding art that may at first appear to be "highly conceptual or purely abstract." Instead, it prompts visitors to reconsider what belongs in a contemporary canon for this century. Amado’s series is "innovative" in its use of "chicharrón (pork rind) and Styrofoam fast food containers, products with both cultural and social-economic commentary."

San Antonio Art League

"Wax and Wildflowers" — June 11 through August 11
The International Encaustic Artists Annual Juried Exhibition, which is a mouthful to say, simply celebrates layered wax art. The encaustic medium consists of natural bees wax and damar resin (crystallized tree sap), heated or burned. The theme of the all-encaustic exhibit is “Wax and Wildflowers” and invites national, international, and regional encaustic artists to interpret the theme of wildflowers. If you are not familiar with this process, this show is definitely worth discovering.

San Antonio Museum of Art

Photo courtesy San Antonio Art League

Shary Bartlett, Vancouver BC for Wax and Wildflowers at SAALM.

“Still Brewing Art” — June 29 through September 3
Once upon a time, SAMA’s Romanesque style grand brick and stone building was the Lone Star Brewery, the first large, mechanized brewery in Texas. “Still Brewing Art” shares the history of the building with "historic photographs and artwork including belle époque large format brewery posters." In addition, the exhibition will "explore San Antonio’s history as a brewing city and how the San Antonio River fits into the story." The renovated complex reopened in 1981, accompanied by the slogan, “We’re Brewing Art.”

Here are the top 5 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

Weekend Event Guide

Artful experiences, comedic commentary, and a little bit of bubbly are on our agenda over the next few days. Enjoy brunch by Landrace with sparkling wine on the barges at Go Rio, or see comedian Joe Gatto live for a night of laughs. Check out the top five things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, June 1

McNay Art Museum presents "Big Little Stage"
Explore a selection of small-scale and large-scale models of stage productions, known as maquettes, at the McNay Art Museum’s newest exhibition. Featured small-scale maquettes include a miniature Hanging Gardens of Babylon (1860) by Victor St. Leon and a substantial ship’s prow by William Dudley for Billy Bud (1976). Large-scale pieces displayed include the Trojan Horse by Helen Pond and Herbert Senn for Les Troyens (1972) and a futuristic set by Ralph Koltai for Shakespeare’s Othello (1985). Following opening weekend, this exhibition on display through February 2024.

Friday, June 2

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts presents Josh Gates: An Evening of Legends, Mysteries and Tales of Adventure
Explorer and Discovery Channel star Josh Gates shares stories of his most notable adventures, and insights on famous mysteries live at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. Fans can expect an immersive and exciting recount of Gates’ global journeys and discoveries with sharp detail. Ticket options include general admission and a VIP meet and greet package offering.

Majestic Theatre presents Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy
Joe Gatto brings his comedic talents to the stage for an evening of certain laughter. He’s best known for his improvisational roles in hit shows Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index, both of which require thick skin and an impenetrable sense of embarrassment. Check out majesticempire.com for ticket details.

Max Stalling in concert
Country music singer-songwriter and Texan Max Stalling takes the stage at Gruene Hall for one night only. He’s best known for his live projects, including a full-length DVD, and hits songs “The Pila Song” and “Ping Pong, Pool.” General admission tickets are available at thundertix.com.

Sunday, June 4

Joe Gatto/Instagram

Joe Gatto takes the Majestic Theatre stage on June 2.

Thompson San Antonio Bubbles + Bagels Brunch on a Boat
Float into the new week ahead on an effervescent cloud of boozy bubbles at this brunch-inspired Thompson San Antonio boating event. The swanky hotel’s restaurant, Landrace, is now offering a brunch experience complete with sparkling sips on the historically famous Go Rio river barges. Get more information and tickets on Eventbrite

View All Listings