On the fine-dining end of the spectrum, Executive Chef Steve McHugh’s Landrace opened in the city’s new Thompson Hotel last year showcasing Texas ingredients in options like the Wagyu tartare served à la “toad in the hole” with a quail egg dropped into a toast round, topped with American caviar and surrounded by dollops of smoked crème fraîche.

San Antonio is an American city that feels like no other. It carries the distinction from UNESCO as being named one of only two “Creative Cities of Gastronomy” in the U.S. (Tucson is the other), citing the San Antonio’s wide-ranging culinary heritage, including Mexican, Spanish, Indigenous, Asian and African, as well as its support of innovative culinary endeavors. The Flavor & The Menu team wanted to experience that mix of authenticity and creativity firsthand, so we set off on a flavor scouting trip, seeking out the dishes, flavors and ingredients that are driving culinary innovation in San Antonio.