SAN ANTONIO — The appetite was strong for Michelin's Texas Restaurant Guide, and on Monday one of the premiere arbiters of taste delivered, naming San Antonio's Mixtli among 15 Lone Star State eateries to be awarded a coveted Michelin Star.
Fewer than 300 U.S. restaurants have been awarded at least one Michelin Star, representing the cream of the crop when it comes to fine dining. But 45 other Texas establishments -- including several in the San Antonio area -- were honored by Michelin in the form of the Bib Gourmand designation, which generally recognizes restaurants that provide high-quality food at the best value. And many others received a lower-tier, still-salivation-worthy Recommended distinction.
So if you're not ready to shell out upwards of $110 for a curated dining experience at Mixtli, Michelin has other options for you. Check out the map and list below for more on all the Alamo City eateries (and another a short drive away) that the Michelin Guide's food inspectors found most delectable.
>>See the full list below
Billing itself as a "progressive" dive into Mexican culinary culture, Southtown's Mixtli received a coveted Michelin Star in the 2024 guide unveiling. Michelin wrote that the restaurant doesn't restrain itself to "the regional diversity of Mexican diversity," but rather that its menus "also draw from the culinary past or even pre-Columbian times" to "trailblazing" effect.
Address: 812 S. Alamo Street, Suite 103
Cost: Starts at $165 per person, according to a September 2024 Texas Monthly review
Cuisine: Mexican
A Pearl district staple since 2015, Southerleigh received a Bib Gourmand distinction for its diverse menu offerings.
Among the highlights noted by Michelin's food inspectors: "fried snapper throats sided by spicy aioli," a "New England lobster roll stuffed with tender, sweet crawfish and Creole butter for dipping," and a "three-layer chocolate cake with ganache and Amarena cherries."
Address: 136 E. Grayson Street, Suite 120
Cost: $$
Cuisine: American, Southern
Launched in 2016 by U.S. Army veteran and Chef Nicola Blaque, The Jerk Shack was heralded by Michelin for its "downhome delicious cooking, from the flavorful jerk chicken to jackfruit tacos and roasted cauliflower curry to the scrumptious sides like caramelized fried plantains or fluffy rice and peas." It received the Bib Gourmand in the Texas Restaurant Guide.
Address: 10234 Texas 151, Suite 103
Cost: $
Cuisine: Jamaican, Caribbean
Having opened in 2016, Ladino at the Pearl offers hungry patrons with options from "all cultures and cuisines of the Mediterranean region." Michelin gave Ladino a Bib Gourmand designation, honoring dishes it says were creative and boldly seasoned.
Address: 200 E. Grayson Street, Suite 100
Cost: $$
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Regional
A "craft BBQ" joint in Seguin, Burnt Bean Co. was awarded a Bib Gourmand designation for meats "notable for their tenderness, delicate smokiness and measured levels of fat."
Address: 108 S. Austin Street, Seguin, TX 78155
Cost: $$
Cuisine: Barbecue
It can be easy to miss this notable near-north-side eatery that received a Bib Gourmand distinction from Michelin food inspectors for its "proper omelets," "doughnuts dusted in powdered sugar," and "sandwiches stacked with smoked brisket, egg and cheese served on beautifully bronzed rolls made in house."
Address: 111 Kings Court
Cost: $$
Cuisine: French, American
This relatively new ceviche oasis has received acclaim since opening in 2023, which the Michelin awarded a Recommended designation for its "seafood dressed up in bright, zippy, punchy flavors."
Address: 318 E. Cevallos Street
Cost: $$
Cuisine: Peruvian
Nestled within La Cantera Resort & Spa, Signature's staff boasts that they "seek out the world's finest ingredients" for their culinary creations. Michelin awarded it a Recommended distinction, commending its large menu, comprehensive wine list and the "attentive staff (that) will keep you on track."
Address: 16401 La Cantera Parkway
Cost: $$$$
Cuisine: French, American
A staple of the San Antonio food scene that's been around since 1962, it isn't unusual to see long lines of hungry locals forming along Fredericksburg Road to get a taste of Garcia's. Come for the breakfast menu of eggs and warm flour tortillas, stay for the dinner menu of enchiladas, chili con carne, hard-shell tacos and more.
All those offerings earned Garcia's a Recommended designation from Michelin.
Address: 842 Fredericksburg Road
Cost: $
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
A downtown-area dessert bar that says it "challenges your expectations," Nicosi earned a Recommended distinction from Michelin for its creativity and "unexpected elements." For example: A buñuelo filled with beef jelly and chocolate ganache and topped with cold brew coffee gel.
Address: 221 Newell Ave.
Cost: $$$$
Cuisine: Contemporary, Creative
This east-side barbecue joint's reputation has been steadily growing over the past seven years, to the point of earning a Recommended designation from Michelin for their "terrific" meat options and the way it's incorporated Mexican influences like pickled nopales and street corn.
Address: 2731 S. WW White Road
Cost: $
Cuisine: Barbecue, Mexican
If the bright-red barn exterior and rustic indoor confines don't tell you the food here will be worth it, the grub itself will.
Having served hungry Texans for more than 30 years, Barbecue Station received a Recommended distinction from Michelin for its "mouth-watering meats and delicious sides," including "juicy turkey with a slight smoky flavor."
Address: 1610 NE Loop 410
Cost: $$
Cuisine: Barbecue, Regional
Little Em's doesn't just look "downright darling," according to Michelin's food inspectors. It also offers delicious oysters, lobster rolls "packed with prime, meaty pieces" and a "richly satisfying plate of linguine, glistening in garlic-butter sauce."
All that earned this Southtown spot a Recommended distinction from Michelin.
Address: 1001 S. Alamo Street
Cost: $$
Cuisine: Seafood, American
