Last Friday, Feb. 22, was the National Margarita Day and that – aside from making us crave some Margaritas – made us remember our trip to San Antonio, Texas, a city where we had many, big and very good Margaritas!
Our favorite spots to sip on that delicious concoction of tequila, triple sec, limes and sugar, were Mi Tierra, Rita’s on the River and Café Ole. Of course, there are plenty more bars and restaurants in the city, which is the number one tourist destinations in the Lone Star State.
The first stop for us after arriving at San Antonio was the Market Square, a mercado-like place with shops and little restaurants. One of them, a not-so little one, is Mi Tierra Café y Panaderia. It is divided in two main areas, a bakery, outdoor bar and all are heavily decorated with Mexican staples and it is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after hour snacks and drinks. If you want a true Tex-Mex experience, this is the place to be. You will tell by the wait time to get a table. Food is good, a little bit expensive for what they serve but the Margaritas are well worth it. It is definitely an experience that everyone must have when in San Antonio.
One of the most popular places in San Antonio is the famous River Walk, with its restaurants, bars, hotels and beautiful scenery. Be warned, that spending time at the River Walk during the day is very different that at night.
During the day, you can peacefully admire and explore the area, take in the sites, snap pictures, etc… at night, everything changes… The atmosphere changes as the day progresses… music gets louder, people get rowdy and there’s a lot of drinking.
One of the nicest places to get your drink on, have a nice meal with normal conversation sound level are Rita’s on the River and Café Olé, which is the home of the 60oz Margarita. And yes, we had one and it was delicious!
Other places that we had drinks and meals on the River Walk like Wacky O’Connor’s Irish Pub, County Line Legendary BBQ, Dick’s Last Resort and Coyote Ugly, just to name a few. For more information and a list of restaurants and bars that you can find at the River Walk visit http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/
Beyond the River Walk
If you want to explore what’s in the city beyond the famous River Walk, you are in luck… San Antonio has a lot to offer and it is very close to other cities like Austin and the Hill County. But if you want to stay in SA, you definitely have to pay a visit to The Alamo.
The so called Cradle of Texas Liberty is the site where 188 Texas defenders died in a battle against a Mexican army. The Plaza and the Church are filled with protesters, street performers and tourists. The best time to go visit is in the afternoon when it is not that crowded.
If you are looking for more culture, the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park is what you need. Keep in mind that this is not a walking trail as the missions have 2 – 3 miles in between. The trail starts with the Conception Mission, one of the prettiest ones…. Espada is close second. However, the most popular is the fourth one, the San Jose Mission, which provides the most historical and architecturally interesting one. The story of the missions start with the Franciscan friars that walked all the way from central Mexico (yes, they walked!) to central Texas in hopes to build a community of God.
If you have a sweet tooth or if you like breakfast, you can’t miss these two places: Lulu’s Bakery & Café and Magnolia Pancake Hause. In the first one, you can find the largest cinnamon bun that you could ever have! The restaurant, actually it is more like a diner, was featured in the Travel Channel’s Man vs Food show.
Magnolia Pancake Hause was an unexpected find. The breakfast and lunch only restaurant is a family owned place that has been serving the best homemade pancakes since 2000, with recipes that are over 30 years old. Their World Famous Pancakes include the delicious bananas foster, apple cinnamon and bacon pancakes, yes bacon!
As you can see, even though San Antonio is a Tex-Mex heavenly city, there is a lot to do other than to drink Margaritas, although we will drink them any time!
