Hip wasn’t exactly what I was expecting when visiting San Antonio for the first time. The city is known for Fiesta and its River Walk – both famous, but not exactly trendy. Then I ventured into the San Antonio Pearl District, a mix use neighbourhood with inventive restaurants, boutiques and the palatial Hotel Emma – on the old site of The Pearl brewery. To say San Antonio enchanted me, would be an understatement.
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The Pearl San Antonio
The Pearl is a historic San Antonio TX neighbourhood that sprung up in the 1880s – around the same time Laura Ingalls was frolicking on the prairie. Around this time, the Pearl Brewing company also began operations. Linked by the river and the brewery, the Pearl neighbourhood is now gentrified after years of neglect since the brewery closed in 2001.
Now it’s a cultural and culinary destination, sporting a vibe like Austin rocked before it reached peak hipness. If you’re looking for a warm, cultural getaway, think San Antonio. Then make a beeline for the Pearl. Here’s a game plan for your time there.
The Pearl San Antonio Restaurants
There are many fantastic restaurants to eat at in San Antonio and many of them lie within Pearl. Jump-start your day with a French-style patisserie from Bakery Lorraine. The pastry chef owners met while working for Thomas Keller at Bouchon Bakery in Napa Valley.
The loft style space has an industrial feel about it, but cheeky political art dotting the walls warms it up. You line up and order at the counter, then meals are brought to your table.
Chocolate lovers are sure sure to ooh and ahh over the European-style hot chocolate. It’s so thick, it coats your teeth. I was in heaven sharing a gooey croque madam, then moved onto white corn grits topped with roasted mushrooms, piperade (stewed tomatoes and onions) and a perfectly poached egg.
Lunch is also worth popping in for with elevated sandwich fixings crammed between thick slices of pinch-ably soft house-made bread. The kitchen closes at 6 p.m., so earmark this for your breakfast or lunch destination.
For dinner in Pearl, consider Cured, where Chef Steve McHugh is a multi James Beard Foundation Awards Finalist for Best Chef Southwest.. This is the spot for house-made cured dishes from pickles to charcuterie (regular and fancy speciality meats like Pineapple Chile Pork Rillettes). One summer, they had a five-course corn tasting menu!
Music lovers visiting San Antonio can’t miss Jazz, TX. Situated in the cellar of the bottling house of the former brewery, it’s as atmospheric as you might expect. The menu at this upscale jazz club is small, but full of soul. Think sausage stuffed quail, jalapeno corn fritters with mole and brisket tacos.
There are only three Culinary Institute of America outposts in the U.S., and one just happens to be situated in San Antonio, in the Pearl District. This CIA offers public classes! You can sign up for a two to five day boot camp to get schooled by the world’s top culinary instructors.
Pressed for time, or perhaps afraid you’ll get yelled at by a chef? Chose to dine at their restaurant: Savor, operated by students.
Pearl District Shopping
Between meals, there’s plenty of places to indulge in a little retail therapy. It’s all indie shops – many of which focus on local artisans and South Texas culture.
The Tiny Finch offers earthy, one-of-a-kind gifts, homewares, clothing and jewelry. Likewise, Feliz Modern POP offers a dash of colour and candy to Pearl.
Beware, you could lose hours inside Twig Book Shop, San Antonio’s most well-known independent book store. For the modern gentleman, The Sporting District carries clothing, accessories and lifestyle merchandise. And Dos Carolinas is the spot to get a bespoke Guayaberas shirt made.
Hotel Emma San Antonio
The pulse of Pearl beats at Hotel Emma. Until 2001, it was a brewery. Now, it’s one of America’s coolest hotels. A brew aficionados dream, its stunning restoration preserved the brewery, yet the space feels more intimate than industrial.
A stay here is more like visiting a well appointed home versus checking into a hotel. We’re talking 19th century architectural bones here. So while it is all very grand (as evidenced by the AAA Five Diamond hotel designation), the old world charm doesn’t come with a side of pretension. We’re still in Texas, y’all.
Contributing to the big hearted hospitable vibe is the hand crafted margarita all guests are issued in the library immediately upon check-in. Go ahead and explore the 3,700 book collection or skulk around the property.
You’ll also find repurposed Co2 tanks and bottle fillers transformed into chandeliers. Guest rooms are all about the details, from Frette towels to a hidden icebox stocked with provisions. If you like little luxuries like this, you’ll want to check out these other resorts in Texas.
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Pearl Brewery Restaurants
In addition to the hotel, this old Pearl Brewery sports a few restaurants. Sip a cocktail at Sternewirth bar and you might get seated inside a brewery tank.
For light eats, check out the Larder Cafe, a bustling mercantile dishing out prepared meals like salads, house-made biscuits and gourmet groceries. For a more substantial bite, hit up Supper, an American eatery that offers creative, seasonal dishes.
For sure the next time I visit, I’m going to park myself next to the rooftop pool with another handcrafted margarita by my side.
I didn’t expect to become so smitten with San Antonio, but that’s the beauty of travel. It opens your eyes to wonderful places you never had on your radar. And there’s so many things to do in Texas I know I’ll be exploring more of the state.
The city is less than a three-hour drive from Houston. I know I’ll be back, especially since Houston is such a hub and pretty much every major U.S. and Canadian city offers direct flights to Houston. From Houston, you can drive or take a short flight into San Antonio. You can also score connecting flights directly into San Antonio from hubs like Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, NYC and Denver, too.
Have you ever been to San Antonio? What are your favourite spots in the city?
That hotel looks INCREDIBLE on the inside! I love decor like that – industrial chic 🙂 And set in a neighborhood like that? I don’t have any experience with Texas, but now I want to. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Hotel Emma is pretty spectacular. Love your term ‘industrial chic’!
I’ve never been to San Antonio, and clearly the Pearl District is a Must-Do when I do visit! I love the hotel that was re-purposed from an old brewery. It appears that they’ve done a really great job of making a functional cozy hotel, but still preserve the history. I’d love to spend a weekend there doing some shopping and kicking off my days at Bakery Lorraine. That quiche looks to-die-for! Thanks for putting this very hip district on my radar!
Yes, they’ve done a fantastic job of preserving the history of the hotel and the neighbourhood. You’re sure to love it.
What a unique neighbourhood! Hotel Emma looks very cool, I love the decor inside and all the repurposed artefacts. And take me to Patisserie Lorraine now – that quiche looks to die for! I live just across the French border and it’s making me want to take a day trip right now! Will definitely try and find our way here if we are ever in Texas, thanks so much for sharing!
I’m so jealous you live right across the French border!
Wow, this is really surprising, If I was to think of San Antonio, admittedly being from England I don’t know too much about it. However I wouldn’t think of it being a hip place. I have to admit it wasn’t on my list of places to visit when I eventually do my USA trip but reading through this post I might just have to add it on. Also would love to visit the JazzTX I love quirky bars in weird places 😀
I didn’t know much about San Antonio either. But I did know about the Alamo. I was shocked that it’s right downtown!
I have only heard different things about Texas, and San Antonio looks lovely. A lovely hotel like that fits oerfectly in a pretty neighborhood like this. Hope to be there someday!
Yes, Texas is so very different. I was surprised by the diversity.
I love your description of the “pinch-ably soft house-made bread”! I had no idea that San Antonio had such a cool “hip” neighborhood. I’ve been to the River Walk but nothing like this. Hotel Emma is definitely a place I would stay. My hubby and I love craft brews so we’d be right at home there.
Okay wow that Hotel Emma sure looks so picture perfect! Loved the decor so much. I really like staying at hotels with charming and chic qualities like this one. I’m definitely checking this hotel out when I visit San Antonio.
I hope you do. Please circle back and let me know if you made it.