14 Best Restaurants in Alamo Heights and Brackenridge Park, San Antonio

An Alamo Heights casual but upscale staple since 1977, Cappy's features exceptional menus of innovative dishes against a warm, two-level modern backdrop of brick architecture, tall windows, and pleasant outdoor seating. Well-prepared and presented dinner entrées include Faroe Island salmon, rib eye with smoked tomato confit, and seafood paella with saffron risotto. They have an extensive wine list and craft cocktail menu, and abundant varieties of scotch and bourbon. Weekend brunch is a treat, with classic Benedict and lobster grilled cheese. A rotating gallery of art showcases local artists.

Laying claim as San Antonio's oldest Mexican restaurant, La Fonda opened in 1932 and has had an ardent following ever since. The robust menu offers traditional Tex-Mex plus some dishes from the interior of Mexico. Tex-Mex fare includes appetizers, tacos, enchiladas, and oak-grilled fajitas. The family-friendly spot features a beautiful dining room that opens onto an inviting outdoor patio. Desserts include vanilla bean flan and house-made pralines. The vibrant, welcoming bar delivers tasty margaritas. This is a very popular and often busy place. Reservations are highly recommended for dinner and weekend brunch.

Part of the Alamo Quarry Market shopping complex, this upscale spot may make you wonder whether you're going to dinner or a wine tasting. Well, why not have both? The selection of vintages is overwhelming, but the sommelier will help you make the right choices to pair with a small menu of entrées ranging from Stilton-stuffed chicken breast to a NY strip. This is also a great place to wind down from a day at the boutiques with dessert and a glass of port.

Though its former filling station location is inconspicuous—apart from the line of hungry patrons—this family restaurant meets any barbecue hankerings. Mouthwatering, dry-rubbed beef brisket, beef ribs, chicken, turkey breast, pork ribs, pulled pork, and sausages are served with tangy sauce (on the side), pickles, and slices of white bread. Scratch-made sides of creamed corn, potato salad, green beans, pinto beans, and coleslaw help soothe the palate.

Pick up fresh Mexican pastries from this long-standing neighborhood panaderia (bakery) in Monte Vista. They make all the traditional pan dulce plus novelty cakes and frosted cookies. Conchas are soft and fresh, while pumpkin empanadas are a favorite. The line can get long on weekend mornings, so plan accordingly.

Located in Sunset Ridge in Alamo Heights, this little place is big on coffee, tea, and bagels. As in, a case full of every type of bagel imaginable. You can watch the bagels getting made. Get in queue to peruse the offerings and decide exactly what you want when it's your turn to order. Choose from butter, jam, Nutella, or peanut butter spread, or select a 6-ounce house-made schmear. Or go all out with bagel sandwiches Texican Scramble, Slammin' Salmon, Ultimate Grilled Cheese, Aunt Katie's Chicken Salad and more.

For a smallish place, Cheesy Jane's has a surprisingly varied menu, with big burgers, milk shakes and malts, and nostalgic decor dominating this throwback to old-time malt shops. Flavors for shakes and malts—made with Cheesy Jane's ice cream—include plain vanilla, peppermint, Dreamsicle, chocolate peanut butter, amaretto-espresso, and more. Ground-chuck burgers come in different sizes, with variations like a deluxe bacon burger with applewood-smoked, sugar-cured bacon; a Wurst burger topped with Kiolbassa sausage; and a bean burger with refried beans, cheddar, and Fritos corn chips. Adventurous diners should definitely try the Spicy Splinters—battered and fried slivers of onion and jalapeño peppers.

A San Antonio institution since 1977, Chris Madrids is synonymous with burgers. The six varieties of hamburger—which locals and tourists alike consider among the best anywhere—come in two sizes: the regular quarter-pound and the Macho half-pound. Options include fan-favorite Cheddar Cheezy, the house-specialty Tostada Burger, the Cheeseburger, Porky's Delight (bacon slices and melted cheddar cheese), the Old Fashioned (no cheese), and the Flaming Jalapeño Cheddar burger. Grilled chicken sandwiches, homemade hand-cut fries, nachos, chalupas (open-face tacos), and a kids' meal (10 and under) round out the menu. The place can be boisterous and bustling, but it's fun.

A French twist on the usual coffeehouse scene, with friendly staff, freshly baked bread and pastries in a hip, stylish location within a beautifully renovated historic home in Alamo Heights. They offer breakfast and lunch favorites like croissant béchamel and croque madame, while the robust beverage menu has signature and seasonal coffee and tea varieties. Enjoy your meal on the lovely outdoor patio.

They call it an oldie but a goodie, with good reason. "Jo Street" is famous for dishing up steaks and whiskey since 1979 in an early-1900s building on the outskirts of downtown, Steaks come in all shapes and sizes, from a tasty chicken-fried variety to a 12-ounce Texas T-bone. For something different try the pork chops or liver and onions. Don't miss the baked-fresh-daily peach cobbler, for a belly-busting finish.

You'll know this drive-through spot by its lime-green structure that practically glows in the distance, guiding you to what some are saying is quite possibly the best burger they've ever had. The menu is wonderfully simple: burgers, fries, and shakes, but it does it all very well. Don't be put off by the "wet" sauce option on the burgers—it's just au poivre, or peppery French steak sauce, for $1.50 extra. The fries are hand-cut and perfect, and the shakes are thick and cold. The place gets very, very busy.

A warm, almost clubby atmosphere lets you know to expect more than the typical Tex-Mex fare at this Alamo Heights mainstay since 1997. Tempting offerings as varied as enchiladas verdes (covered in green tomatillo salsa), tacos de Cameron (grilled shrimp), and pollo con mole (chicken breast in authentic mole de xico sauce) are sure to please. For dessert, the tres leches cake alone is worth the trip.

If you've never had a breakfast taco, this is the place to try it in San Antonio. Newbies may pause at the number of possibilities, including chorizo and egg, chilaquiles, and migas (eggs scrambled with fried tortilla strips, cheese, and peppers), but first-timers really can't go wrong with a basic potato and egg taco. Breakfast plates, appetizers, soups and salads, and substantial lunch plates round out the taco extravaganza. Don't be afraid of the long lines out the door, as the morning crowds move quickly.

This Alamo Heights standard has served fresh, healthy food since 1981. Regulars and visitors love it because it's a neighborhood spot with a tempting bakery case and a varied menu for breakfast and lunch, including some Mexican favorites. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, and a bit quirky. Breakfast is a special treat with a good assortment of omelets, including vegetarian, cowboy, and vaquero (Mexican cowboy), plus Mexican favorites like chilaquiles, migas, and even tofu rancheros. Lunch offers homemade soups and freshly made salads and sandwiches. Brunch is served on Saturday only.