Vino Grotta is a wine bar in North Side, San Antonio.
Vino Grotta opened in the far Northwest near Cross Mountain to give that part of the city a proper wine bar, with a broad list and small plates; book on Resy.
Food program: Small plates and cheese
Tip: A genuine wine bar in a part of town that lacked one. Book a table on Resy for a weekend evening.
Address: 19338 Babcock Rd Ste 209, San Antonio, TX 78255
Bar Loretta in King William is a restaurant and bar in one where wine pairs with modern Texas plates; the happy hour is the value entry, with bottles to go.
Signature pour: A glass to pair with the Texas-inspired plates
Wine focus: Choice wines with proper cocktails
Food: Modern Texas cuisine
Tip: It is a restaurant and bar in one; the happy hour is the value entry. The adjoining market sells bottles to go.
Stella Public House in the Blue Star complex pairs a curated international wine list and 20 rotating taps with Neapolitan pizza, a relaxed Southtown room.
Signature pour: A glass to drink with the wood-fired pizza
Wine focus: Internationally curated by-the-glass list
Food: Neapolitan pizza and Italian plates
Tip: The wood-fired pizza and a glass off the international list is the move. The patio overlooks the Blue Star complex.
Sternewirth, the bar inside Hotel Emma at the Pearl, pours wine and cocktails beneath the old brewery's restored cast-iron tanks in a striking room.
Signature pour: A glass under the brewhouse tanks
Wine focus: Wine and cocktails in a historic brewhouse
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Go for the room as much as the wine; the converted brewhouse is spectacular. Snacks come from the Emma kitchen.
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.
Signature pour: A Tuscan red with the pastas
Wine focus: Italian-leaning list with Tuscan focus
Food: Tuscan-Texas Italian plates
Tip: The Italian list pairs naturally with the pastas. Happy hour is a good way in for a glass and a snack.
Decanter is the wine lounge inside the historic St Anthony Hotel downtown, a polished room for a glass and a charcuterie board in one of the city's grand hotels.
Signature pour: A glass in the historic hotel lounge
Wine focus: Wine bar at the St Anthony Hotel
Food: Light bites and charcuterie
Tip: The historic hotel setting is the draw. A civilised stop for a glass before dinner in the heart of downtown.
Hola! at the entrance to Southtown is a Spanish tapas bar with a wine list to match, with a patio looking out to the Tower of the Americas and Hemisfair.
Signature pour: A Tempranillo with the patio tapas
Wine focus: Spanish-leaning by-the-glass and bottle list
Food: Spanish tapas and small plates
Tip: Order a spread of tapas with a glass off the Spanish-leaning list. The patio with the Tower of the Americas view is the seat to want.
