San Antonio dining spots Leche de Tigre and Mixtli advance as James Beard finalists

San Antonio’s esteemed Leche de Tigre and Mixtli have advanced as finalists for 2025 James Beard Awards.

Chef Emil Oliva of Leche de Tigre, a Peruvian eatery on East Cevallos Street, was named a finalist in the Best Chef: Texas category, while Mixtli, a Mexican fine-dining restaurant in Southtown, moved ahead in the Outstanding Hospitality category. They’re the only restaurants to advance among the 11 San Antonio spots named as semifinalists in January.

The James Beard Foundation will announce its 2025 winners Monday, June 16, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Akin to the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Awards recognize the best of the culinary industry, from outstanding restaurants, bars and bakeries to exceptional chefs, restaurateurs and beverage professionals. 

San Antonio’s had multiple James Beard Award nominations over the years, but no one in the city has yet taken home the big prize.

Oliva’s sophisticated take on Peruvian cuisine earned Leche de Tigre a nod in Texas Monthly’s Best New Restaurants of 2023 list. The 2025 James Beard Award nomination is Oliva’s first.

Mixtli — helmed by chefs Rico Torres, Diego Galicia and chef de cuisine Alexana Cabrera — took home San Antonio’s sole Michelin star last November. Bar manager Lauren Beckman and sommelier Hailey Pruitt also snagged the first-ever Texas Michelin Guide Award for outstanding service.

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This article appears in Apr 2-15, 2025.