State Fair of Texas adds serious gourmet treats from local restaurants

State Fair News

Chimichurri

The 2022 State Fair of Texas commenced September 30. On the foodie front, for the first time, they've added seven new food stands from some notable Dallas restaurants.

These are above and beyond the usual concessionaires, and also have nothing to do with the Big Tex awards (which this year include a Fried Charcuterie Board and a sweet called Peanut Butter Paradise).

No, these are serious gourmet goodies that range from irresistible empanadas to gourmet soft-serve ice cream to Neapolitan pizza topped with BBQ.

These are the seven brand-new vendors joining the lineup at the 2022 State Fair of Texas:

Empanadas and fries from Chimichurri & Milagro Taco Cantina
Award-winning chef Jesus Carmona’s new stand will be serving dishes from his two Dallas restaurants, Chimichurri and Milagro Taco Cantina. He'll be doing two types of empanadas, plus a campeona taco, a burrito Texano, and mole fries, drizzled with mole sauce, crema fresca, and cotija cheese. Carmona was nominated for Rising Star Chef in CultureMap’s 2018 Tastemaker Awards and appeared on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.

Candy pickles from Di-Licious Candies Pickles Factory
Known as the “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” of pickles, the family-owned and -operated Di-Licious Candies Pickles Factory is the “first original candy pickle factory in the entire world” and has more than 250 flavors of candy pickles. Featured dishes include their signature chamoy candy pickle along with candy pickles in a cup, Rainbow Brite candy pickle sundae, and cotton candy pickle roll crunch.

Pumpkin spice cheesecake on a stick from Drizzle Cheesecakes
Olympic athlete Stephen El Gidi and his partner Walid founded Drizzle Cheesecakes in 2018. Their business has made appearances across North America from southwestern Ontario to our neighbors at Six Flags Over Texas’ Holiday in the Park. Drizzle’s New York-style cheesecake on a stick is dipped in magic-shell Belgian chocolate and rolled in a variety of toppings including crushed Oreos, red velvet cake, strawberry crumble, and more. Their stand will feature specialty flavors developed just for the State Fair of Texas including pumpkin spice cheesecake.

Loaded queso fries by Enjoy Foods
Founded in 2012, Enjoy Foods started out as a gourmet kitchen store in Rockwall from owners Dwaina Morris and her husband They'll be serving loaded queso fries, loaded queso nachos, fried chicken tacos, root beer floats, brownie sundaes, daiquiris, and fried jalapeños. One extra-unique item is their adult-infused jumbo Texas pickle infused with daiquiri mix.

Gourmet soft-serve ice cream by Once Upon a Cone
Once Upon a Cone has been soft-serving delicious ice cream treats all over Texas for the past 12 years. They do premium vanilla, chocolate, and swirled soft-serve ice cream along with specialty sundaes, shakes, floats, and malts. Their dipped cones are available in chocolate, cherry, butterscotch, and birthday cake flavors.

Nashville hot chicken by Palmer’s Hot Chicken Dallas
The Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant concept from Dallas native Palmer Fortune and his partner and chef Mills Garwood will serve the Motherclucker sandwich, a fried chicken sandwich with pimento cheese and pickles; jumbo tenders; banana pudding; and tots, plain or smothered in pimento cheese queso). Plus their Frosé wine slushy made with pureed strawberries, hibiscus, and lime.

Neapolitan-style burnt ends pizza by Texapolitan Pizza
Stephan Nedwetzky of Pit Commander Barbecue is using barbecue as the topping on his favorite type of pizza, Neapolitan. Each pizza is made from 00 flour imported from Italy and needs only 90 seconds in the 900-1,000-degree stone oven to reach thin, crispy perfection. Four personal-sized pizza pies will include margherita, pepperoni, cheese, and smoked pork belly burnt ends. That one consists of red sauce, mozzarella, smoked pork belly burnt ends, jalapeños, cotija cheese, and Pit Commander Barbecue Sweet Heat BBQ sauce.

State Fair of Texas

State Fair of Texas unleashes 10 creative fried foods for 2022 Big Tex Awards

State Fair News

The 2022 batch of fried foods has arrived: The State Fair of Texas has chosen the finalists for its annual Big Tex Choice Awards, with 10 state fair vendors who will compete for acclaim with their various kooky concoctions.

This year's competition drew 51 entries from 36 concessionaires. Entries are evaluated on uniqueness, creativity, presentation, and taste.

The finalists will participate in a competition on August 28 when a panel of judges gives three awards, for Best Taste – Savory, Best Taste – Sweet, and Most Creative.

The finalists are:

SAVORY

Chicharron Explosion Nachos, Glen & Sherri Kusak
Fried pork rinds with Cajun-style seasonings topped with beef fajita meat, queso, and BBQ chopped beef.

Deep Fried BLT, Tom Grace
A 12-inch rectangular tortilla filled with bacon and cheddar cheese is fried, then used as sandwich bread to hold lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Served with garlic parmesan potato chips.

Deep Fried Lasagna Roll, Parish Family
Lasagna made with ricotta, parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, and meat sauce is rolled, dipped in cheddar-herb batter, fried, then garnished with marinara, mozzarella, and basil. Served with zucchini fries.

Fried Charcuterie Board, Tami Nevins-Mayes & Josey Mayes
Mozzarella, salami, and green apple wrapped in a wonton wrapper and fried, topped with goat cheese and hot honey.

Holy Biscuit, Isaac Rousso
Biscuit topped with brisket, street corn queso, bacon, honey, and fried pickles.

SWEET

Cha-Cha Chata, Garza Family
Horchata milkshake with caramel, cinnamon, whipped topping, crushed candy, cinnamon galletas de gragega, and fried arroz con leche bites.

Deep Fried Rocky Road with Blue Bell Ice Cream, Cody & Lauren Hays
Rocky Road fudge coated with batter and fried, drizzled with chocolate syrup, sweetened condensed milk, mini marshmallows, and cinnamon glazed nuts, served with a cup of Blue Bell Ice Cream vanilla ice cream.

La Bluebonnet, Milton & Grace Whitley
Citrus juice, blueberries, and sugary base poured over ice.

Peanut Butter Paradise, Chris Easter & Nicole Sternes
Honey bun injected with caramel, topped with peanut butter, Reese's Pieces, Crushed Butterfinger, peanut butter cups, and more caramel.

The Ultimate Brookie Monster, Juan & Brent Reaves
A "brookie" consisting of a brownie with chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, and marshmallows baked inside, then battered and fried. Served with vanilla ice cream, then topped with cheesecake crumbles and strawberry sauce.

The 2022 State Fair of Texas will open in Dallas on Friday September 30 and run through Sunday October 23. Here's how to get every possible discount.

Courtesy photo

How to get every possible discount at the 2022 State Fair of Texas

Deals for Days

The 2022 edition of the State Fair of Texas starts its 24-day run in Dallas' Fair Park on September 30, with music, games, and food.

But what we're here for is discounts.

There are a multitude of discount ticket options and deals being offered by the State Fair and other entities, meaning there's no reason you should ever pay full price.

TICKET OPTIONS
General admission ticket prices are tiered depending on the day of the week you go:

Monday-Thursday: $15 for adults, $10 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over
Friday: $20 for adults, $15 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over
Saturday-Sunday: $25 for adults, $18 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over

Visitors must choose which specific date they want to attend, and tickets are good only for the date chosen and cannot be used on another day. Be careful with purchases; tickets are not eligible for reschedule, refund, or transfer.

General admission tickets go on sale September 12, and can be purchased online or at the gate.

Premium tickets are $24 and allow you to come on any day. Two-pack and four-pack combos for premium tickets with food and ride coupons are also available. As a bonus, CultureMap is giving you $15 off a ticket & coupon two-pack when you use the promo code 22mapCOMBO.

Premium tickets went on sale August 1, and are available online only.

DISCOUNTS
Below are the many ways we've found for you to save money on tickets to State Fair of Texas.

The season pass
If you plan on going to the fair more than two times, individual season passes are the only way to go. Prices are $50 at BigTex.com and include one single-day, Bring-a-Friend ticket; a State Fair reusable bag; a 10 percent off coupon for State Fair merchandise; and more. The upfront cost, which can be done in advance or at the gate, pays for itself on the third visit.

If you want to buy food/ride tickets without waiting in line once you get there, you can also buy the $150 Season Pass 2-Pack Combo, which includes two season passes and 50 food/ride tickets (worth $50). As a bonus, CultureMap is giving you $30 off the combo when you use the promo code 22mapPASS.

Food/ride tickets remain at $1 per coupon. As always, if you have old coupons, don't worry; all coupons, even ones from the bygone 50-cent price, will be honored.

Go after 5 pm
If you can wait until after 5 pm to head out to the fair, you can save a good chunk of change as everyone pays child’s prices once the clock strikes five. The deal is good any day of the fair. No promo codes are needed — the discount is automatically applied at the gate and online.

Opening day deals
The half-price deal on opening day continues: Anyone who brings two jars of peanut butter to donate to the North Texas Food Bank will receive $10 admission at the gate.

Military/First Responders Appreciation
All active military, retired military, and veterans, as well as active and retired public law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency services agencies, can save $5 off on weekdays (Monday-Friday) and $7 off on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) when they present valid documentation of service at the gate or online. Spouses of service men and women with a valid Military Spouse ID and accompanying children under the age of 18 also receive discounted admission. First responders receive up to three discounted admission tickets for their family members.

McDonald's coupons
The next time you eat at Mickey D's, make sure to check your tray liner or bag for State Fair coupons. You'll find ones for $5 off on weekdays (Monday-Friday) and $7 off on weekends (Saturday-Sunday.) All coupons are only good for tickets purchased at the gate and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Dr Pepper Value Days
Visitors can purchase their admission ticket online for a reduced price of only $10 on Dr Pepper Value Days, every Tuesday and Thursday. Fairgoers must be a Big Tex Insider to receive the promotion code; you can sign up now at BigTex.com/Insider. (Or — psst — you can use the code 22Culture to get the same deal on Tuesdays only; general admission tickets go on sale on September 12.)

North Texas Food Bank Wednesdays
One of the best deals continues to be North Texas Food Bank Wednesdays. By bringing five canned food items, fairgoers will receive admission for only $5. All canned donations go to the North Texas Food Bank, which helps feed members of the community.

Senior steal
Guests age 60 and over had it made in the shade in past years, as they were able get a discount ticket every day. That deal is now gone, but they'll still have Senior Days every Thursday, when they can get in for just $5.

Thrifty Thursdays
Guests can save while snacking during Thrifty Thursdays, where participating food vendors offer one of their signature menu items at a reduced price, ranging from mini versions to regular-size items.

Discounts on Midway rides
Designated as Thrilling Tuesdays, that day of the week is a great time to go to the fair. Not only can you get your $10 Dr Pepper (or CultureMap) ticket, you can save more inside, when most rides are offered at a reduced price.

State Fair of Texas

Judges drop a surprise at 2021 State Fair of Texas Big Tex food awards

Deep-fried baller

The 17th annual Big Tex Choice Awards, the fried food ritual that's a part of the annual State Fair of Texas, had a bit of a shocking outcome in 2021. Only two competitors won awards.

This is the contest in which Texas State Fair vendors submit new creations to be judged. The state fair people winnow the list down to 10 finalists, who can win in three categories: savory, sweet, and most creative.

That means there is room for three vendors to win.

But at the judging event on August 29, the judges gave two of those awards to one competitor. So this year, rather than three winners, there are only two.

Get ready to be shocked:

Best Taste – Savory and Best Taste – Creative: Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls, Gourmet Royale
The gumbo balls contain shrimp, chicken, crab, and andouille sausage that are mixed into a roux, rolled into balls, coated in saltine cracker and breadcrumb batter, then fried. They're topped with chicken-fried okra spears and served with a side of dark gumbo roux sauce, a small bottle of hot sauce, and saltine crackers.

Best Taste – Sweet: The Armadillo, James Barrera
Armadillo Cookie Butter Ice Cream Sandwich features cookie butter semifreddo — an Italian rendition of ice cream that means semi-frozen — drizzled with cookie butter and sandwiched between two deep-fried Armadillo-shaped cookies, made with a branding iron.

They were two finalists from a field of 10 that also included: Crispy Crazy Corn, Deep Fried I-35, Lucky Duck Dumplin', Pork Shots, Brisket Brittle, Deep-Fried Halloween, Fernie's Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake, and Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake.

The five judges consisted of three chefs and two media personalities, as follows:

Chef Tiffany Derry
Chef Uno Immanivong
Sports radio personality Donovan Lewis
Chef Kent Rathbun
96.3 FM DJ Michelle Rodriguez

They must have loved them some seafood gumbo balls.

It's a bit of a puzzle, given that some of the contestants sounded very creative — more creative than seafood gumbo balls and, at the very least, creative-sounding enough to win the award for Most Creative. Deep Fried I-35, Pork Shots, Brisket Brittle, and a sloppy mishmash called Deep Fried Halloween: These all sound far more creative than seafood fritters.

It's also a bit of a lost opportunity, given that there are some fairgoers who seek out the winners. The judges could have spread the wealth to a third contestant.

But one hesitates to second-guess since one was neither a judge nor an attendee at the awards ceremony, which was closed to the public this year. Perhaps the judges were wrestling with personal demons we can know nothing about. Perhaps it was like an episode of Law & Order with a hung jury that could not reach a verdict.

That said, choosing only two winners for the three awards is not unprecedented: It happened in 2017, the first year that three awards were given out. (Previously, the fair had only given out Best Taste and Most Creative awards until 2017, when Best Taste was broken out into savory and sweet categories.)

In any case, all 10 finalists will be serving their entries during the 2021 State Fair of Texas, which begins September 24.

State Fair of Texas

Top 10 finalists named for State Fair of Texas Big Tex Choice Awards

Texas-sized snack attack

The State Fair of Texas has narrowed down the list of finalists for the 17th annual Big Tex Choice Awards, its much-vaunted competition of various fried foods that will be served at the 2021 event.

There are now 10 finalists, who will compete to win in three categories: savory, sweet, and most creative.

This year, 43 entries were submitted by 26 concessionaires, and 32 were selected as semi-finalists. The final winners will be selected by a panel of judges at the Big Tex Choice Awards event on Sunday, August 29.

In prior years, they've made the Big Tex Choice Awards an increasingly hyped event with lots of fanfare and an effort to ramp up the celebrity value of their judges. But this year's will be closed to the public, due to the you-know-what.

SAVORY

Crispy Crazy Corn, Ruth Hauntz: Whole kernel corn is battered and fried, then topped with pulled pork, pineapple slaw, jalapeño crema, and cilantro.

Deep Fried I-35, Clint and Gretchen Probst: Fried kolache dough topped with brisket, slices of peach, and barbecue glaze made with peaches and Dr Pepper.

Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls, Gourmet Royale: Gumbo balls with Gulf shrimp, chicken, crab, and andouille sausage are rolled in saltine cracker and breadcrumb batter, then fried, then topped with chicken-fried okra spears and served with a side of dark gumbo roux sauce and saltines.

Lucky Duck Dumplin', Bert Concessions: Fried dumplings filled with fluffy cream cheese, duck bacon, and corn, served with Thai chili dip.

Pork Shots, Glen and Sherri Kusak at Hans Mueller: Smoked sausage is wrapped with bacon to form a tiny bowl that gets filled with mac and cheese and sprinkled with barbecue rub.

SWEET

The Armadillo, James Barrera: Cookie butter ice cream sandwich has two armadillo-shaped cookies, made with a branding iron, sandwiching cookie butter semifreddo with cookie butter drizzle.

Brisket Brittle, Ruth Hauntz: Like peanut brittle, but replace the peanuts with Texas brisket.

Deep Fried Halloween, Isaac Rousso: Chewy pretzel is fried, then bathed in candy corn syrup, then piped with orange and white icing, then stacked with Halloween candies like M&M's, Reese's Pieces, Mini-Twix, Oreo crumbles, and candy corn, then topped with marshmallow whip cream, a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Hershey's chocolate syrup caramel sauce, and candy corn drizzle.

Fernie's Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake, Winter Family Concessions: Chunks of cake doughnuts, English toffee morsels, and almonds are blended with custard, dipped in an "egg product" and panko and vanilla cookie crumbs, and fried. It's topped with mocha coffee whipped cream and a mini chocolate covered toffee bar.

Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake, Michelle Edwards: Texas-shaped pumpkin cake with vanilla glaze, caramel, and whipped cream.

The 2021 State Fair of Texas will open on Friday, September 24, and will run through Sunday, October 17. Here's how to get every possible discount.

Courtesy photo

How to get every possible discount at the 2021 State Fair of Texas

State Fair on the Cheap

The State Fair of Texas, which starts its 24-day run at Fair Park on September 24, is coming back after a year off due to the pandemic, and with it comes the multitude of discounts the fair offers annually.

For the first time, general admission tickets will be tiered depending on the day of the week you go to the fair. Adults can get in for $15 on Monday-Thursday, but the price goes up to $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday and Sunday. Admission for kids ages 3-12 and seniors ages 60 and older is $10 Monday-Thursday, $15 on Friday, and $18 on Saturday and Sunday.

Daily tickets can be purchased at the gate or online after September 9. A big change this year is that you must choose which specific date you want to attend. Tickets are only good for the date you choose, not any day of the fair. Be careful with your purchase; tickets are not eligible for reschedule, refund, or transfer.

This year more than ever, you'd be a fool to pass up the multitude of discount ticket options available. With deals being offered by the State Fair and other entities, there's no reason you should ever pay full price.

Below are the many ways we've found for you to save money on tickets to State Fair of Texas:

The season pass
If you plan on going to the fair more than two times, individual season passes are the only way to go. Prices are $50 at BigTex.com and include one single-day Bring-a-Friend ticket, a State Fair reusable bag, a 10 percent off coupon for State Fair merchandise, and more. The upfront cost pays for itself on the third visit. You can get $15 off that price by entering the code 21valpakPASS through September 8.

If you want to buy food/ride tickets without waiting in line once you get there, you can also buy the $150 Season Pass 2-Pack Combo, which includes two season passes and 50 food/ride tickets (worth $50). You can get $30 off that price by entering the code 21mapPASS through September 8.

Unfortunately, food/ride tickets have increased in price from 50 cents to $1 per coupon. With efforts to be more sustainable, the fair is hoping the price increase will reduce coupon paper printing waste by 50 percent. If you have old coupons, don't worry; all old coupons will be honored at the new $1 value.

Go after 5 pm
If you can wait until after 5 pm to head out to the fair, you can save a good chunk of change, as everyone pays child’s prices once the clock strikes 5. The deal is good any day of the fair. No promo codes are needed; the discount is automatically applied at the gate and online.

Opening-day deals
The half-price deal on opening day continues, but it's a little different this year. Anyone who brings two jars of peanut butter to donate to the North Texas Food Bank will receive $10 admission at the gate.

Military/first responders appreciation
All active military, retired military, and veterans, as well as active and retired public law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and employees of other emergency services agencies, can save $5 off on weekdays (Monday-Friday) and $7 off on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) when they present valid documentation of service at the gate or online. Spouses of service men and women with a valid Military Spouse ID and accompanying children under the age of 18 also receive discounted admission. First responders receive up to three discounted admission tickets for their family members.

CultureMap code
We here at CultureMap are teaming up with the State Fair for a deal on the new Premium Tickets, which cost a bit more but offer the flexibility of coming any day of the fair instead of having to choose a specific date. By using the code 21mapCOMBO at BigTex.com, you will get $15 off the Premium Admission 2-Pack Combo price of $98. The combo includes two one-day tickets and 50 food/ride tickets.

Senior steal
Guests age 60 and older had it made in the shade in past years, as they were able get a discount ticket every day. That deal is now gone, but they'll still have Senior Days every Thursday, when they can get in for just $5.

Thrifty Thursdays
Guests can save while snacking during Thrifty Thursdays, when participating food vendors offer one of their signature menu items at a reduced price, ranging from mini versions to regular-sized items.

Discounts on midway rides
Now designated as Thrilling Tuesdays, that day of the week is a great time to go to the fair. Not only can you get your $10 Dr Pepper ticket, you can save more inside, when all rides (except for thrill rides and the Texas Star) are discounted.

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Property Showcase

San Antonio rent prices increased 7 percent from 2022, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. San Antonio rent prices increased 7 percent from 2022, report finds. Despite rent increases showing small improvements month-over-month, overall prices in the San Antonio area are still on the high side from the previous year.

2. Popular San Antonio doggy daycare opens new location in Alamo Ranch. The award-winning Dogtopia has gained so much love from the local community thanks to its thoughtful design approach and programming.

3. Bask in local artistry with the inaugural San Marcos Studio Tour in April. The inaugural, self-guided San Marcos Studio Tour will feature more than 50 artists all across San Marcos and the surrounding area.

4. Own a piece of Utopia with this Hill Country riverfront retreat listed for $2.5M. This secluded, tree-filled, riverfront estate boasts nine guest cabins and "the Fortress," a historic lodge that can sleep 12 guests.

5. Blockbuster Western art exhibition and sale stampedes into San Antonio. The Briscoe Western Art Museum's annual Night of Artists Exhibition and Sale returns to San Antonio March 24 through 25.

These 6 San Antonio brunch spots are worth a return visit (or two)

brunch hunches

Anyone who says magic doesn't exist clearly hasn't snagged a coveted reservation at the Box Street Social for brunch. It's one of the local spots that nails that sacred ritual, brunch with the besties: a magical experience where Monday doesn't exist and stress is forbidden.

Here are some of our top local brunch spots that'll leave both your appetite and your soul satiated (even when Monday actually hits.)

Box St. All Day
Not only does Box St. All Day look like the dreams that Instagram reels are made of, it's got a high quality menu to match, courtesy of chef and co-owner Edward Garcia III. The all-day brunch restaurant (at 623 Hemisfair Blvd, Ste 108) offers hearty options like strawberry cheesecake French toast, steak-eggs and frites (the fries alone are dangerously delicious), the Box St. Brekky sandwich made with house-made bread, and more. Pair your meal with one of its cute coffees, cocktails, or zero-proof cocktails, and save room for plenty of pictures with your brunch buddies before you leave — the details in the decor have a sophisticated feminine flair, thanks to Box Street's innovative creative director Caroline Garcia-Bowman. Reserve on Toast.

Full Belly
Tucked away in its own cozy corner of the world in the Stone Oak/1604 area is Full Belly Cafe + Bar. Where else can you order a plate of pecan pie French toast while gazing at an incredible hand-painted mural of classic animated characters like Jessica Rabbit, Marvin Martian, Stewie Griffin and more brunching together? Executive chef James Moore also serves up plenty of savory brunch options if you don't have a sweet tooth, like the pork belly benny or a baked eggs and toast plate with roasted garlic and thyme cream. Reserve at fullbellysa.com.

Ocho
Did you know that Chef Kirk of Ocho, Hotel Havana's in-house restaurant, is the only local chef to win an episode of Food Network's Chopped? Brunch at Ocho is also a photo-worthy experience, where brunch items like pan de platano (banana bread), plantain cakes con carnitas (plantain pancakes), and more are served up to guests with a side of San Antonio sunlight, given that Ocho is located in a beautiful (and air-conditioned!) glass conservatory. Reserve on Resy.

The Hayden
The Smoke Shack might be the best spot to get your brisket fix on Broadway, but The Hayden is the spot to be for brunch. You can't miss The Hayden's classic retro sign right in the center of The Boardwalk on Broadway. The interior lives up to the welcoming feel of a Jewish deli, complete with menu options from executive chef Bill Corbett like fried chicken and latke waffles, or a bagel and lox. And don't worry — if you're craving the comfort of pancakes, The Hayden's got you covered with The Hayden pancake stack, among other options. Reserve at buzztable.com.

Vegan Avenue on Main
Chef Griselda Muñoz's entirely vegan menu will make believers even out of the most dedicated meat eaters. The cinnamon roll "bettermilk" pancakes have to be tasted to be believed. (Yes, even the sweet cream in the pancake is dairy free!) If you're missing a classic breakfast sandwich but trying to stay meat-free, try Vegan Avenue's "Honee-Butter Chick'n sandwich" with vegan eggs and crispy, fried plant-based chicken. If you're not near Vegan Avenue but craving its vegan breakfast tacos, you can also get your fix at Vegan Avenue's sister restaurant on TPC Parkway, Plantology. Reserve at squareup.com.

Barbaro
One of the best hair-of-the-dog cocktails in town is Barbaro's delicious Garibaldi, a simple concoction of Campari and orange juice, but you can't go wrong with the "Keep It Coming" Bloody Mary bar and Mimosas: For $15, you can alternate between the two until you've had your fill. Soak up Saturday night with eggs Barbaro (two poached eggs on homemade focaccia, Benton's country ham, hollandaise, and spinach) or dive into a skillet pancake (whipped lemon ricotta and seasonal berries, plus extra fine bacon, ricotta salata, and maple syrup).

The 8 best bars in San Antonio have the right mix

MEET THE TASTEMAKERS

Though it's easy to quaff a decent cocktail almost anywhere in Texas, San Antonio's watering holes offer a little something special. Maybe it's the friendliness of the patrons trading rounds with complete strangers. Maybe it's the prescience of the bartenders who know hundreds of regulars' orders. That generosity of spirit is found at almost every spot in town.

But the best of the best mix in something extra — inventive flavor profiles, enveloping atmosphere, and an "it" factor that is hard to define. But we know it when we drink it — we've seen it in all the nominees CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Bar of the Year perhaps too many times.

So, we salute the unassuming dive bars, the swanky lounges, and happy hour haunts. Alamo City wouldn't be half as fun without them. Join us in raising a glass to our finalists below, then pop a cork as we name the winner at the Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe Museum on May 18. Buy tickets now before they sell out.

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.

Bar Loretta
At many upscale restaurants, the cocktail menu is an afterthought. List a serviceable Old Fashioned, add a martini, and call it a day. Not so at this endearing Southtown spot. Though guests can certainly swan with a Gatsby-era Mint Julep, the originals really bring the fireworks. A Lucinda Williams homage, Junebug vs. Hurricane, balances strawberries with Peychaud's bitters. Mariachi Static burns the house down with a dash (or three) of hot sauce.

George's Keep
The three-martini lunch may be a thing of the past, but still, the Éilan Hotel's resident bar knows how to get down to business. Leather banquettes and hunter-green wainscoting set the scene for some hard bargaining of what patrons will order next. Heady tipples like George's signature mix of VSOP Cognac, Cointreau, and lemon keep the deals flowing, even if they are just on Ameritrade.

Hotel Havana - Havana Bar and Ocho
This artfully designed downtown property knows a thing or two about chiaroscuro. The darkness comes from the dimly lit basement at Havana Bar, where peccadillos slink into the shadows. Blazing light illuminates Ocho upstairs, refracted through the turquoise accented panes of a glass conservatory. All revelers have to do is follow their mood.

La Ruina
In a tequila-obsessed town, this East Side hideaway has made a name by focusing on rum. Former Modernist owners Gerry Shirley and Olaf Harmel stir up a vacation's worth of concoctions, from tiki classics like Mai Tais to Brazilian bombshells like Caipirinhas. Steal the tropically wallpapered booth if you can get it. Rum was meant for languor.

Pastiche
Don't be surprised if you see the occasional cat slumbering at this louche East Side bar. Felines know a thing or two about posh surrounds. Guests will purr just as loudly over co-owner Benjamin Krick's sly barcraft. The back bar is an apothecary stocked with hard-to-find European spirits, cordials, and fortified wines — all used in some of the most unexpected cocktails in the city.

The Moon's Daughters
Perched atop the glittering Thompson Hotel, this rooftop lounge is usually recommended for the breathtaking downtown view. The interior offers just as much scenery. San Antonio's see-and-be-seen set sprawl on the luxe furniture, sipping CBD-infused cocktails and nibbling Mediterranean bites. The hospitality program isn't all just for show, of course, but it never hurts to gild the lily.

Three Star Bar
As much fun as it is to clink Baccarat, most days, we'd rather crush cans. For a weekday drink, it's hard to beat the wood-paneled slump of a neighborhood bar. This Grayson Street dive lets guests loosen their belts over craft beers and shots. The new ownership — Los Angeles-based Pouring With Heart — tinkered a bit with the drink menu but kept the meat and potatoes.

Photo by TX Troublemaker

It's all about love at Amor Eterno

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