Lauded San Antonio restaurant Mixtli snags AAA’s top rating

Mixtli, San Antonio’s sole Michelin-starred restaurant, has a new award to add to its growing display of accolades — a rare five-diamond rating from the American Automobile Association, or AAA.

Much like Michelin does for its ratings, AAA dispatches anonymous reviewers to assess restaurants nationwide on a checklist of elements. To achieve a coveted diamond-level score, dining spots must pass an assessment made up of 57 elements, from outstanding hospitality to the tip-top cleanliness.

The select few who receive five-diamond status offer innovative cuisine, extraordinary service and a remarkable setting, according to the AAA website.

“That places Mixtli in the top half-percentile of restaurants in the country,” said chef Diego Galicia, who co-founded the Mexican fine-dining restaurant with business partner Rico Torres in 2013.

Speaking to the Current about Mixli’s latest accolade, Galicia said it’s vital for the restaurant to stay grounded even as its success grows.

“We don’t chase these things. It’s never been the goal,” he explained. “You can’t open up a restaurant to chase accolades. If you just do the work, success arrives like a magnet.”

Led by Galicia, Torres, chef de cuisine Alexana Cabrera, executive pastry chef Karla Espinosa, sous chef Nico Garza and 2024 Texas Michelin Guide Service Award winners Hailey Pruitt and Lauren Beckmann, Mixtli’s seasonal pre-fixe menus take guests through a culinary journey in various eras of Mexican history.

Mixtli’s team, who have also been nominated for a 2025 James Beard Award for Hospitality, still have one core mission in mind, Galicia added.

“In the sense of creativity with our food, we still have a long way to go,” he said.

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This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 1, 2025.