Mex & Tex-Mex
Daniel’s Café
The food at Daniel’s defines hearty and homey: Rich refried beans, savory caldos, tasty asada, and addictive papa con chorizo tacos. The milanesa is one of the best in town, and the family-staff are warm and welcoming. 5008 S Presa, (210) 533-6222
El 7 Mares Seafood Restaurant
Mariachis, ceviches, cocteles de mariscos, soups brimming with sundry seafood, and crisply fried smelts chased with cold beer are just some of the staples in this seashore meets border-baroque environment. 3831 W Commerce, (210) 436-6056
La Gloria
This spin on Mexican street food tucked behind the Pearl along the newly expanded River Walk does a decent transplant job. The molcajete dishes are rich and satisfying; the ceviches are fresh and tangy. Don’t skip the camarones aquachile or coconut flan. 100 E Grayson, (210) 267-9040, lagloriaicehouse.com
Barbecue & Soul Food
Jones Sausage & BBQ House
An ethereally smoky, tender, and moist sliced brisket sandwich is served on white bread, the way God intended, and the sausage at this economically sized Eastside joint is no slouch, either. Save room for 7UP pound cake for dessert. 2827 Martin Luther King Dr., (210) 224-6999
Mama Lee’s Soul Food
Sweet and downhome, Mama Lee’s earns its Soul Food designation with loaded plates of freshly prepared classics. The fried pork chops, fried chicken, and fresh takes on okra and collard greens are especially notable. 310 Valley Hi Dr. #205, (210) 675-6262
Americana/New American
Big’z Burger Joint
The most down-to-earth gourmet burger you’ll find. Order it “dirty” and don’t skip the house-made potato chips. An outdoor patio and fenced yard makes it a perfect post-soccer-game family hangout. 2303 North Loop 1604 West, (210) 408-2029, bigz-burgerjoint.com
The Grill at Leon Springs
L’Etoile is dead; long live Thierry Burkle’s new star, which serves updated, casual, continental fare (with Asian accents) in a classy country kitchen. Check the website for live music. 24116 IH-10 West, (210) 698-8797, leonspringsgrill.com
King’s Court Frankfurter Express
These ambitious dogs blow our minds (deep-fried with bacon, please!) but not our pocketbooks, and the front-porch and patio hangout make us feel 20 again. 111 King’s Court, (210) 737-7774, frankfurterexpress.com
Luther’s
The gayest place to get a burger in town, served homestyle and late-night, but suitable for casual business lunches, too. 1425 N Main, (210) 223-7727, lutherscafe.com
The Monterey
With a jewel-box of a dining room and excellent patio space, this well-oiled gastropub rightfully puts flavor ahead of any protein-carb calculations, offering street-level luxuries like pork bellies, bacon grilled cheese, and roasted bone marrow. 1127 S St Mary’s, (210) 745-2581
Italiano
Dough Pizzeria Napoletana
The finest pie in town (and authentically, officially Neapolitan), with a crisp and savory crust topped with fresh, milky mozzarella melting into the sweet and tart sauce. Excellent appetizers, too. Current readers named Dough Best Local Pizza in ’08 and ’09. 6989 Blanco Rd., (210) 979-6565, doughpizzeria.com
Il Sogno
Andrew Weissman’s Italian outing is everything we hoped for, from the perfectly tender squid in the squid-ink orzo to the delectable wild-boar ragout with polenta to the regional (and affordable) wine list, all served in an elegant but informal dining room. Arrive early and start with prosecco on the patio. 200 E Grayson, (210) 223-3900
Around the globe
Ilsong Garden
Starters such as the “pancake” filled with squid and oyster are an easy introduction to the kitchen’s authentic style, but don’t skip the Korean barbecue and the treasure-like array of panch’an. 6905 Blanco, (210) 366-4508
Moroccan Bites
Rich, savory meat-and-fruit stews played against fragrant couscous and rice dishes. Run by a Moroccan family by way of New Orleans. 5714 Evers, (210) 706-9700
Pasha Mediterranean Grill
Delicious Mid East fare with an especially good, smoky baba ghannouj, and excellent saffron-marinated Cornish hens. 9339 Wurzbach, (210) 561-5858, gopasha.com
Thai Chili Oriental Restaurant
Fresh, piquant, and authentic Thai cuisine makes it hard to pick a favorite dish, but we’re currently stuck on Rice of the Drunks and the Chicken Larb. 4303 Thousand Oaks, (210) 656-8589, 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy., (210) 402-4042, thaichili.net
Steak
Bohanan’s
An elegant, old-school steakhouse that offers adventure in the form of wild game and a hot new downstairs bar. 219 E. Houston, 2nd Floor, (210) 472-2600, bohanans.com
Little Red Barn Steakhouse
The cowgirl outfits and suffocating ranch memorabilia aren’t satirical, podna, and the dirt-bottom prices are the real-deal, too. Don’t feel like you have to finish the enormous and satisfying Porterhouse in one sitting. 1836 S Hackberry, (210) 532-4235
Little Rhein Steakhouse
With one of the best positions on the River Walk, Little Rhein could coast on its location laurels, but its dependable menu of Prime steaks and chops is a perennial crowd pleaser, and the award-winning wine selection is among the best in the city. In good weather, pick the patio. 231 S Alamo, (210) 225-2111, littlerheinsteakhouse.com
Waring General Store Steaknite
You pay $20 at the side door of the Waring General Store, and get gorditas, quesadillas, a ribeye steak or chicken breast, a foiled potato, and grandma-made desserts — plus a Hill Country band and Texas atmosphere to burn. 6-9pm Wed. 544 Waring Welfare Rd., Waring, (830) 995-4377, steaknite.com
French & Fancy
Bistro Bakery
Savor a rich quiche in a flaky crust, or a deliciously rustic pâté in the charming dining room, then wow your significant other with take-home almond croissants. 4300 McCullough, (210) 824-3884
Le Midi
Jean-Francois Poujol brings the comfortable finesse of Soleil Bistro downtown. Dishes such as rillettes de porc, escargots Bordelaise, and snapper a la tapenade, are both French Mediterranean and contemporary traveler, and you’ll find plenty of pairing options on the wine list. 301 E Houston, (210) 858-7388, lemidirestaurant.com
Lüke
This French-German brasserie — with a dash of Creole — serves up satisfying gumbo, craft beers, and 50-cent oysters during happy hour. 125 E Houston, (210) 227-5853, lukesanantonio.com
Sandbar
Bigger and fancier than its former location, Sandbar at the Pearl is known for sophisticated sauces and accompaniments. It’s strenghs are still fish in any form, and its special way with lobster. 200 E Grayson, (210) 222-2426, sandbarsa.com
Vegetarian & Sustainable
Green Vegetarian Cuisine & Coffee
The menu is kosher as well as meat-free, but the food aesthetic is homey and filling, making it a good transition restaurant for new herbivores and a great compromise for mixed food partners. 1017 N Flores, (210) 320-5865, greensanantonio.com
The Cove
Justly famous for its fish tacos, the Cove is also a good location for locavores and vegetarians thanks to owner Lisa Asvestas’s commitment to sustainable food sources (she can tell you where to find raw milk, too). Beer and wine tastings, plus live music and the adjacent laundromat make it a one-stop lifestyle shop without the Austin attitude. 606 W Cypress, (210) 227-2683, thecove.us
Pavani Express Vegetarian Cafe
Newcomer (as of December 2010) Pavani is an all-vegetarian Indian fast food eatery serving up breads (puri, chapati, naan), a wide selection of subjis (vegetables), lemon and coconut basmati rice, sweets (gulabjamuns, burfi) and appetizers (pakoras, samosas). 5755 Evers Rd, (210) 680-3134
Margaritas y micheladas
The Friendly Spot
Madhatters’ Rene Guerrero reimagined SA’s old Friendly Spot as a family-accommodating ice house with a playground, a worldly beer selection, interior-Mexico tapas, and excellent micheladas, and we’re grateful. 943 S Alamo, (210) 224-BEER, thefriendlyspot.com
La Fogata
La Fogata’s brightly lit rascuache patios and fountains feel like a holiday any night of the week, making it the perfect setting for sipping the margaritas that earned it the nickname “I Forgotta.” 2427 Vance Jackson, (210) 340-1337, lafogata.com
