It may be cold outside, but the new year is coming in hot with a lot of exciting bars and restaurants we can’t wait to try.

A couple are popular food trucks and popups opening their first brick-and-mortar locations. Others are expansions of popular local eateries. And some are popular chains from further afield that are finally making their Alamo City debuts.

From pizza to pancakes and Korean to cocktails — we’ve got you covered. 

Elsewhere Too 4507 N. Loop 1604 W. Access Road, (210) 201-5595, elsewheretexas.com The owners of popular downtown hangout Elsewhere Garden Bar and Kitchen plan to open Elsewhere Too in June, located on six acres on San Antonio’s North Side. Elsewhere Too will have a larger kitchen and bar than the original Elsewhere location, as well as a dedicated dog park area and a kiddo-friendly play area. Credit: Photo via Instagram / elsewhere1604
Adair Kitchen
4108 Broadway, (713) 554-0022, adairkitchen.com
Locals were sad to see the Broadway Jim’s location go, but the good news is that Houston-based Adair Kitchen is opening in its place. Get ready for locally-sourced ingredients served up home-cooking-style for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this Alamo Heights location. Credit: Instagram / @adair_kitchen
Alamo Biscuit Co’s new River Walk location849 E Commerce St, (210) 602-8439, thelionandrose.comAlamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is bringing its loaded biscuits and breakfast dishes to a River Walk location, set to open in March featuring a full liquor bar and espresso bar. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Alamo Biscuit Co.
The Lion & Rose British Pub 2330 I-10 West, thelionandrose.comFans of the Lion & Rose, previously located at The Rim, can expect a similar British Pub-inspired menu complete with a full-service bar serving up craft cocktails and a scratch kitchen. Credit: Facebook / The Lion & Rose British Restaurant & Pub
Las Perlitas’ first brick-and-mortar
2302 N. Flores, lasperlitaslatinstreetfoods.com
Las Perlitas has built up a following as a popular stall at the Lombrano Food Hall. Now, it’s getting ready to open its first brick-and-mortar on January 31. The Latin cuisine and bodega spot will be located across the street from San Pedro Springs Park. Credit: Facebook / Las Perlitas
Credit: Photo via Instagram / ilfornosa
The Baked Bird’s first brick-and-mortar5822 Babcock Road, (989) 975-2521, thebakedbirdsa.comHoping to open in early February, The Baked Bird is taking over the Northwest San Antonio location that formerly housed Mi Gente Comida y Cantina and, before that, Martha’s Mexican Restaurant. Credit: Courtesy Photo / The Baked Bird
Merci Jones Bar
1101 Broadway, instagram.com/mercijonesbar
This cocktail bar from Empty Stomach Group started as a cocktail pop-up in Southtown. Empty Stomach Group is the entity behind many other food and nightlife spots in San Antonio including Wav Room, Paper Tiger, Barbaro’s, Hot Joy, Extra Fine, Double Standard, Little Death, Midnight Swim, Rumble and High Horse. Follow Merci Jones on Instagram for updates on an opening date. Credit: Instagram / @mercijonesbar
Mexico Ceaty 849 E. Commerce—The Shops at Rivercenter The old food court at the Shops at Rivercenter has big plans ahead, thanks to local restaurateur Jason Dady. The Tex-Mex food hall and market, dubbed Mexico Ceaty, will feature four new restaurants and bars as well as a Mexican-style market and art activities. There will be a speakeasy with agave tasting, a 300-seat bar and panaderia, as well as many other entertainment and dining experiences coming in early 2025. Credit: Courtesy / Giant Noise
The Mermaid Cafe
14415 Blanco Road, themermaid.cafe
With the help of her parents, Chef Leah Meyer is opening The Mermaid Cafe, scheduled to start serving up coffee and gluten-free bites in early 2025. Close to the heart of Chef Leah, who has Down Syndrome, the business will also employ people with disabilities, a statistically under-employed population. Credit: Courtesy Photo / The Mermaid Cafe
Revolución’s new Olmos Park location
223 E. Hildebrand Ave., Suite 101, enjoyrev.com
Revolución Cafe is opening up another location, and this one is in the Olmos Park space previously occupied by the short-lived Greenhouse Coffee. The Olmos Park location is scheduled to open by end of January or early February. Revolución is known for its responsibly-sourced coffee, plant-based and locally-sourced food, and eco-friendly packaging. Credit: Sanford Nowlin
Lovers Pizzeria
105 E. Ashby Place, (210) 538-4036, https://www.facebook.com/loverspizzeriar
After temporarily closing in 2024 to relocate, Lovers is back. Opening January 2025, Lovers Pizzeria’s new location will be in the Monte Vista neighborhood at 105 E. Ashby Place, offering up New York-style pie. Credit: Instagram / lovers.pizzeria
Stranded Coffee 1203 S. Alamo St., strandedcoffee.com In an ode to the emo kids who now have caffeine addictions, Stranded Coffee, whose logo is an homage to Warped Tour, serves drinks out of its coffee truck in Southtown. Its menu features espresso drinks using beans roasted by Proud Hound Coffee in Cincinnati, Ohio. Photo via Instagram / strandedcoffeeclub Credit: Photo via Instagram / strandedcoffeeclub
The Capital Grille 17446 Fiesta Texas Drive, (512) 322-2005,thecapitalgrille.com The Capital Grille is a fine dining restaurant and steakhouse that calls Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Plano home. Now, it’s finally coming to San Antonio. An opening date has yet to be announced, but state filings show that construction is scheduled to be completed in March. Credit: Photo via Facebook (The Capital Grille)
Gen Korean BBQ House 11745 I-10, Suite 410, genkoreanbbq.comPopular chain Gen Korean BBQ is making its San Antonio debut sometime early 2025. The chain already has over 40 locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawai’i, Nevada, New York, Texas and Washington. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Eric Polk
Famous Toastery’s San Antonio location location TBD, famoustoastery.comThough it hasn’t secured a location yet, Famous Toastery has announced that a San Antonio location will be the first expansion west of the Mississippi for the chain, which has 25 locations in North Carolina and South Carolina and Virginia. Famous Toastery offers mimosa flights, sandwiches and breakfast fare. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Famous Toastery
Screaming Goat’s San Antonio location 14242 W. Loop 1604, (830) 402-4656,screaminggoatyard.comScreaming Goat Yard & Tap will open its San Antonio location in fall of 2025 across from UTSA hangout Hills & Dales Ice House. The Spring Branch flagship location serves cocktails and a large selection of beers on tap in addition to featuring an outdoor space full of yard games and picnic tables. The business also books live music and hosts events such as trivia and yoga classes. Credit: Instagram / screaminggoatyard
Luz Roja
419 N. St. Mary’s Street, (210) 248-9985, luzrojatexmex.com
Luz Roja Fresh Mex Cocina y Cantina is set to open up this month in the North St. Mary’s space occupied for 45 years by Blanco Cafe. Get ready for a fresh, elevated take on Tex-Mex standards. Credit: Instagram / @LuzRojaSATX
Cuishe Cocina Mexicana
119 Heiman St., (210) 960-8935, cuishemx.com
This San Antonio-born restaurant brings the native flavors of Central Mexico to the heart of downtown for a culinary experience that is second-to-none. Experience it for yourself, especially from 2-7 p.m. on weekdays during happy hour. Credit: Photo via Instagram / cuishe_cocina
Singh’s Cantina
7331 N. Loop 1604 W., instagram.com/singhs_sa
Popular Vietnamese restaurant Singhs is known for keeping things fresh on the St. Mary’s Strip. Now, it’s preparing to launch a fresh new cocktail concept with Singh’s Cantina, to be located at the corner of Loop 1604 and White Fawn in Northwest San Antonio. Though a concrete opening date has yet to be announced, owners say they are aiming for “early 2025.” Credit: Instagram / @singhs_sa