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We've compiled the best of the best in North and Northwest - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
South Texas meets the South of France doesn't sound like it should work, but it does, and beautifully—blending French and Texan cuisines in seasonally sublime ways. Everything here is fresh, fresh, fresh, right down to the on-site garden of herbs and vegetables. The menu changes regularly based on seasons and availability. Look for standouts on the Sunday brunch menu like wild mushroom and goat cheese omelet, and smoked salmon and avocado sandwich. Reservations highly recommended.
A perennial favorite with locals for four decades, Alamo Cafe is far from the actual Alamo, but you'll still remember it for its fresh tortillas and no-frills approach to Mexican dishes. This is a good place to try fried jalapeño starters, sizzling fajitas, quesadillas, and puffy, soft, or crispy tacos. Alamo Cafe is extremely family-friendly, with a very good kids' menu featuring Tex-Mex and All-American favorites.
Enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at this upscale restaurant. The warm and inviting space features a wide menu of appetizers, entrée salads, pasta, seafood, poultry, beef, and chops; try the salmon Pavarotti, the quaglia all griglia (quail), or the brasato (braised boneless prime short ribs). Fresh, well-prepared dishes are paired with attentive service. Dessert standouts are Aldo's signature cheesecake and lemon ricotta cake.
Known for luxury takes on Texan fare—think bison meatballs, Texas charcuterie, and chili-coffee-crusted elk carpaccio—this elegant restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa also has lighter options like vegan garden ravioli. The centerpiece of the dining room is a huge chandelier with more than 500 sets of naturally shed antlers. The dress code is resort-casual, and reservations are required.
The name sounds stuffy, but the dining room is everything but at this European-inspired location far removed from downtown's urban closeness. Views of the forest through large windows and comfortable seating prepare you for a greatest hits approach to continental cuisine, with some unexpected twists such as ostrich fillet. Savory sauces drape chicken, prime rib, and rack of lamb. The on-site bakery serves up fresh breads and pastries. Outdoor dining is plentiful, but beware mosquitoes after dark.
Since 1975, this family-owned restaurant has been a 40-year favorite for innovative Mexican cuisine. It's tough to choose from the ample menu, with standout specials like chicken mole, portobello mushroom enchiladas, and sizzling shrimp fajitas. Start with the botana (sampler) platter to get a taste of all the flavors.
La Fogata's rambling, hacienda-style indoor dining areas plus its lush, tropical outdoor patio put you in the mood for the authentic Mexican dishes to come. A top-shelf margarita helps you relax and enjoy an enormous selection ranging from spicy shrimp enchiladas to a rich, flavorful calabacita con carne de puerco (pork stew with squash and corn). The expected Mexican cornucopia of tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas is kicked up a notch with fresh ingredients and attentive service. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend dinner.
It may feel like you're walking into a centuries-old hacienda at this enormous outpost just outside Texas Loop 1604, but the tacos, nachos, and enchiladas have a modern twist. Try the enchilada assortment—five delectable takes served with guacamole salad. Entrées include El Mofofo Grill, a specialty combination of marinated beef and pork and served on a grill for two or more diners.
Chef/author Diana Barrios Treviño—a frequent guest on TV food and talk shows—oversees the kitchen at this family-run restaurant, known for its authentic gourmet Mexican dishes since 1979. Try the enchilada dinners, beef steak ranchero, or breakfast chilaquiles.
A much-loved breakfast institution, Magnolia prides itself on dishes made from fresh and wholesome ingredients. The fluffy buttermilk pancakes are a mainstay, but for something different, try the Bodega Bay omelet or Oma's puffed apple pancake made with Granny Smith apples and Haus secret spices, served with powdered sugar and European-style whipped cream. Breakfast is served all day, but at lunchtime a diverse selection of Haus-made salads, soups, burgers, and deli "sammies" round out the menu. No reservations are allowed, so be prepared to wait at this very popular spot.
What looks like an old gas station is actually home to some of San Antonio's favorite barbecue. The wait to place your order is worth it once you bite into some tender brisket (their original "sause" is on the side) or smoked turkey dry-rubbed with flavor and cooked in wood-fired pits.
