New dining destinations are always popping up in the Alamo City. So many lately that it can be hard to keep track.
Fortunately Yelp reviewers have been busy stuffing their faces and tapping out five-star love notes to some of the city’s hottest new restaurants.
This slideshow rounds up the freshest spots earning rave reviews from Yelpers — the kind of places where the lines are long, the food exceptional and the service dependable. They also happen to be places where the hype usually holds up.
18. Oak & Amber
222 S. Alamo St., (210) 714-8200, themonarchsa.com.
“The steak is cooked to perfection. The rigatoni is delicious as well. The carrot cake was rich! Everyone was nice and attentive. I had the best experience and everyone does a great job at coming to your table to introduce themselves and to ask if you need anything. I love the attention to details.” — Stephanie H.
17. El Pastor Es Mi Senor — Stone Oak
19211 Huebner Road, Suite 2, (210) 233-6333, elpastoresmisenor.com.
“We ordered the sirloin tacos, sirloin torta and the gringa. All delicious, not greasy, and the meat was tender and well seasoned. The salsas are so savory and spicy too! We will definitely be back.” — Jessie V.
16. Morea Italian Steakhouse
101 Club Drive, Floresville, (830) 393-2811, instagram.com/moreaitaliansteakhouse.
“10 out of 10!! We had lunch on Saturday here and the service and food are both amazing. Had the Pollo Bronx Parmigiana and my husband had the sole topped with scallops. Both were absolutely delicious! Definitely coming back soon!” — Stacie S.
15. Pizza Vagabonda
9354 Bandera Road, (210) 369-8565, pizzavagabonda.com.
“If you want excellent, fresh-off-the-boat Italian pizza from Naples, this is your place. It is a mom-and-pop shop with fresh pizza — everything is fresh and delicious. Their pesto is homemade and refreshing. Their burrata pizzas are fantastic. The crust is a thing of beauty that you will dream about!! Give them a try — you will not be disappointed.” — Kim O.
14. Q Sushi
248 N. Main St., Boerne, (210) 650-9923, facebook.com/qsushischertz.
“Hands down some of the best sushi I’ve had — and from a food truck?! Super fresh, amazing flavor, and great service. Don’t sleep on this spot!” — Ashlyn G.
13. Old City Hall
200 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, (830) 292-4085, oldcityhalltx.com.
“Great new edition to the New Braunfels restaurant scene, both indoor and outdoor are beautifully decorated. Service was excellent! Keep in mind that this is considered an “upscale” restaurant, so portions are smaller to allow a multi-course tasting experience which I personally loved! Perfect for a date night or group get together, I would recommend making a reservation to ensure you get a spot.” — Cori B.
12. Pope’s Pizza Place
13486 San Pedro Ave., Suite 103, (210) 650-9923, popespizzaplace.com.
“Same owners as the Hungry Howie’s that was here. They are awesome people and their product is just as good! They didn’t miss a beat switching over to their own place! Pizza is better than before IMO, but they also offer more options now that are very good as well! Garlic knots are great! I will definitely keep coming back.” — Jonathan K.
11. Iraqi Cafe
2250 Thousand Oaks Drive, Unit 218, (210) 233-9405, instagram.com/iraqiicafe.
“Even when serving you an appetizer, the staff here goes all out. Food is delicious and I love the ambience, including the music and decor not to mention having hookahs available is a plus.” — Ruby H.
10. Richie’s Hot Chicken
11224 Huebner Road, (210) 891-8443, richieshotchickensatx.com.
“Food was really good and the employees were very fast and friendly when we went to pick up our order. Did not get to see inside because we used the drive thru but hopefully they get an official sign on the outside when things get more settled in.” — Rose M.
9. Thai Fire Lime
4503 De Zavala Road #124, (210) 999-5875, thaifirelime.fronteats.com.
“I have been looking for quality Thai (especially Pad Thai) since I landed in SA back in 2021 and this place has answered! Tried the noodles for lunch and it was done right! Good sauce (and the right amount) lots of heat and fresh. Service was quick after a call in and staff was friendly. Will be frequenting this spot to try the rest of the menu soon. Welcome to the neighborhood!” — Joseph M.
8. Pizzería Buonizzimo
1151 Harry Wurzbach Road, (210) 560-2229, buonizzimo.com.
“Finally tried out this new spot today and was impressed by everything! Absolutely delicious food made with top‑quality ingredients. The owner and his peer were friendly, warm, knowledgeable, and made the experience feel personal. The kitchen was spotless, and you can tell they take real pride in every detail. A standout spot I’m excited to return to. We had the spaghetti a la bolognese, the Mediterranean salad and a calzone — ALL tasted just like at home and fresh!” — Natasha K.
7. Thiru Kuppusamy
14602 Huebner Road #126, (224) 312-5875, tkusanantonio.com.
“Fantastic southern Indian food!!! It’s on Huebner and North West Military, where the El Dorado was. We love Indian food, but had never tried southern Indian food, but ordered a to go and everything was extremely good (albeit a little spicy, even when ordering “medium” spice). The interior of this restaurant is largely unchanged from the recent El Dorado, which was a very nicely done interior. Beautiful setting with ample seating areas. We ordered the Pallipalayam Chicken which is an appetizer, it was so good. And we got the Parotta / curry combo spicy but delicious. they described the parotta as kind of like a tortilla. It’s a layered, flaky tortilla or close in concept to naan. Chicken Biryani was fantastic, not too spicy. It was plenty for 2 people. Will be back!!!” — Nori F.
6. Treasure Buffet
5237 Walzem Road, (210) 257-0394
“First time visiting since they opened and visited for dinner. The quality of the food was amazing! It was truly delicious and better than anticipated. I am used to a certain taste to the Asian buffets in the area, and this place truly surprises me. The food was fresh and very tasty.” — Fast W.
5. Pinthouse Pizza
5534 N Loop 1604 W, (210) 305-4300, pinthouse.com/pizza-san-antonio.
“We’ve been really looking forward to Pinthouse opening in San Antonio, as we love the Austin locations. They did not disappoint! We went on opening night and had an amazing time. We were bummed that they don’t offer the OG, but the three pizzas we tried were all excellent! Each of the beers we tried were amazing. The staff were all super friendly, calm, cool and collected even though it was incredibly hectic. We were so impressed all around by the quality and service. Shoutout to Marc who made sure that everyone had a top tier experience. Can’t wait to go back!” — Rob M.
4. Sin Yolanda
415 E Commerce St., (726) 239-6779, sinyolandatx.com.
“Hands down the best spot on the Riverwalk for good food and a great time. We stopped in here while celebrating my sister and brother in law’s one-year anniversary! The atmosphere was great with music, dancing and singing. Everyone was having a blast. The Aquachiles were perfect. This is the first place that we have had Aquachiles that reminded us of what we have had in Mexico. Jasmine was our waitress, and she was fantastic. Despite having a huge party that she was waiting on, she still was attentive to everything we needed and was helpful with food recommendations … We will definitely come back here anytime we are in San Antonio!” — Jason S.
3. Aleteo
222 S. Alamo St., (210) 714-8200, themonarch.com/aleteo.
“We visited Aleteo in the evening as the sun set, which I think is the best time of day to experience this place. The views are hands down some of the best in San Antonio. We had the black garlic skirt steak and tostada steak tartare. Both were tasty and well seasoned. We also had two drinks, which were passable but nothing special. Service was fine. The only downside was the outside table. It’s small and low, not ideal for eating real meals (compared to snacks and drinks). Overall, go for the views and some good food. Great ambience!” — Drew V.
2. Liva Mediterranean Grill
2026 Austin Highway, (726) 627-9807, facebook.com/liva.mediterranean.
“Delicious, Delicious, Delicious. That is all I can say. Mia, our waitress, was very attentive and friendly. The restaurant is a nice size, so they will be able to accommodate a group of friends. The complementary tea, bread with yogurt dip and baklava are enough to sell you, but stay for the amazing food. I had the mixed grill for one, and my friend had the chicken swish wrap. The plates came hot and full of food. It did not disappoint at all. I cannot wait until I can come back again. Sooo good.” — LaRonda G.
1. Katerina Restaurant
18740 Stone Oak Parkway, (210) 972-9200, katerinarestaurant.com.
“I can honestly say that I have not been this impressed by a new restaurant in SA in a long time. We had dined at the Mexican restaurant that was here prior to Katerina Restaurant, and we could tell that the owner put a lot of thought into the new design and decor.” — Trish G.