The tourist core around the River Walk and El Mercado, where Mi Tierra runs 24 hours and the Esquire Tavern keeps the longest wooden bar in Texas.
Order Enchiladas with chili gravy, pan dulce from the panaderia, a margarita with the mariachis.
Mi Tierra has run 24 hours at Market Square since the Cortez family opened it in 1941, a Tex-Mex landmark with strolling mariachis and an in-house bakery.
Order Brisket, beef rib and jalapeno cheese sausage.
Pinkerton's Barbecue brought Texas brisket downtown; get there at opening before the beef rib and brisket sell out, and order by the pound to a nearby bench.
Order Esquire burger, fried pickles and a cocktail at the long bar.
The Esquire Tavern has poured downtown since 1933 and keeps the longest wooden bar in Texas, serving the Esquire burger and cocktails over the river.
Order Carnitas by the pound with tortillas, salsa and lime.
Carnitas Don Raúl on West Jones brings Michoacán-style carnitas to San Antonio, a husband-and-wife operation rooted in a 1991 Morelia family recipe.
Order Brisket-and-egg breakfast tacos.
La Villita Cafe sits in the historic La Villita arts village downtown, serving brisket-and-egg breakfast tacos and Tex-Mex plates to a mix of office workers.
Order Espresso and curated brunch cocktails
Box St. All Day at Hemisfair pairs a compiled espresso bar with an all-day brunch menu, a daylight Hemisfair Park option between the Tower and Yanaguana.
Order Cafe con leche with pan dulce
La Panaderia's downtown cafe pairs conchas with a cafe con leche, and a full breakfast and lunch menu makes it more than just a quick coffee stop.
Order Mexican hot chocolate with pan dulce
The panaderia counter at Mi Tierra in Market Square sells conchas, empanadas, and Mexican sweet bread around the clock, a 24-hour bakery window for the city.
Order Conchas and the croissant-concha hybrid
La Panaderia's downtown flagship near the River Walk is famous for conchas and its croissant-concha hybrid, a Mexican-French bakery worth the queue.
Also on this listMi Tierra Panaderia
Akhanay Coffee Roasters imports Southeast Asian beans from Thailand and Laos, a small downtown cafe known for Hanoi egg coffee and Thai milk teas.
Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar sits in a historic downtown building steps from the River Walk, with a cellar of more than 4,000 bottles and a candle-lit courtyard.
Tre Trattoria downtown pairs a Tuscan-leaning Italian list with its pastas, where happy hour is an easy way in for a glass and a snack before a fuller meal.
Drink Tropical tiki cocktails
Hugman's Oasis is a river-level tiki bar on the River Walk where tropical cocktails meet mid-century flair, named for the architect who designed the river.
Drink Cocktails with burgers and Texas oysters
Double Standard is a downtown American tavern with a serious cocktail list, chef-crafted burgers and small bites, and fresh Texas oysters on ice.
Drink Prohibition-era cocktails with live jazz and blues
Bar 414 is a downtown speakeasy stirring 1920s-style cocktails with house-made ingredients, named for the Gunter Hotel room where bluesman Robert Johnson.
Drink Texas whiskey flights and cocktails
Maverick Whiskey is a downtown distillery in a historic late-1800s building, where the Lockwood Bar pours Texas whiskey flights, cocktails and house brews.
Drink Craft beer in a downtown taproom
Roadmap Brewing is a rare downtown taproom within walking distance of the Pearl, pouring its own wide-ranging craft beer with a rotating food truck out front.
Also on this listThe Esquire Tavern
On this list, shown aboveCarnitas Don RaúlMi Tierra Cafe y PanaderiaLa Panaderia
Back Unturned Brewing on Brooklyn Avenue is a downtown brewpub pouring craft beer brewed on site, with a pizza-led kitchen and a dog-friendly patio.
Also on this listRoadmap Brewing Co.
Historic Market Square, or El Mercado, is the largest Mexican market in the United States, three blocks of shops and restaurants anchored by Mi Tierra.
The bakery counter inside Mi Tierra at Market Square is a 24-hour panaderia selling conchas, empanadas, and Mexican sweet bread to a steady stream of locals.
Hemisfair downtown hosts seasonal markets in its Yanaguana Garden, gathering local food vendors and makers in the redeveloped park on select weekends.
Free three-day Día de los Muertos festival at Hemisfair, started in 2013, with 80-plus altars, two processions, food and artisan vendors, 23 to 25 Oct 2026.
On this list, shown aboveSchilo'sLa Villita Cafe
Order The Sunday brunch spread on the river terrace.
Las Canarias at the Omni La Mansion del Rio runs one of downtown's grandest Sunday brunches, a riverside terrace spread for special occasions.
Also on this listLa PanaderiaBox St. All Day
On this list, shown aboveMi Tierra Cafe y PanaderiaThe Esquire Tavern
Bonham Exchange is a long-running downtown dance club set in a historic building behind the Alamo, drawing a mixed, largely LGBTQ crowd across multiple floors on weekends.
