How to Spend 24-Hours Eating and Drinking at the Pearl in San Antonio

Eater

24-07-2025

The Historic Pearl District got its start back in 1883, when the Pearl Brewery created the footprint of the site — it is the home of Pearl Beer, Texas's second most famous can behind Lone Star. The brewery closed in 2001 and developers quickly purchased the area. By 2010, the Culinary Institute of America opened a campus on the property, and there were a few restaurants. With the opening of Hotel Emma in 2015, foot traffic began to grow. Today, it is home to multiple restaurants, shops, apartments, and events — and even a grocery store stocked with locally sourced produce and meats. It's easy to spend a whole day cruising around the Pearl with plenty to do, see, and eat.
Grab a cuppa at Mila on your way to the Pearl. Courtney E. Smith
9 a.m. Coffee on the way and a stroll through the shops with a pastry in hand
The Pearl has more than a few coffee shops, but do yourself a solid and stop at the Mila Coffee just a few minutes outside of the District on Broadway. Many consider the truck the city's best coffee, and part of the secret is the Tweed Coffee Roasters beans it uses. The blend Mila flavors leans toward rich and chocolatey, which is probably why it works so well in the best-selling Mexican vanilla flavor. Don't stay put to drink it: take it to go and park at the Pearl's southeast entrance (it is free Monday to Thursday, free before 3 p.m. on Friday, and $13 for the day on Saturday and Sunday). Walk in and head to Bakery Lorriane for a warm, crusty, sweet almond croissant, a couple of doughnuts made in-house, or a sleeve a macarons (yes, that does count as breakfast). Or grab a table and stay for breakfast dishes like quiche Lorraine or French toast.
If you do opt for a light breakfast, take it with you to the souvenir shop through locally made goods at Feliz Modern Pop (to impress the Gen Zer in your life), Rancho Diaz (something cool for the knick-knack collector you adore), and Twig Bookshop (pick something up for yourself).
Sternewirth at Hotel Emma. Hotel Emma
11 a.m. Take a tour of Hotel Emma and sample some ice cream
Cross over the lawn and into Hotel Emma, which dominates this part of the Pearl District. Enter anywhere and take in the hotel's design. Named after Emma Koehler, the wife of Otto Koehler, the president and co-founder of San Antonio Brewing Association, later known as Pearl Brewery, the Koehlers have quite a history. Emma took over the brewery after her husband died under mysterious circumstances (two other Emmas, with whom he was having affairs, were possibly involved) in 1914. During Prohibition, Koehler cleverly kept the business going by changing to produce near beer, ice cream, and soda, and adding auto repair and dry cleaning services using the equipment. The design marries existing elements, like the plaster walls of the brewery, with newer elements made to look original, like the black iron windows with hand-blown glass. Former brew tanks in the hotel bar have been renovated into booths for private tables; tucked away in the lobby, find a plaque documenting the history of the Koehlers and the brewery. If you're down for a morning cocktail, grab one — but mocktails and iced tea are also available.
Brewery equipment is part of the lobby decor at Hotel Emma. Hotel Emma
After, head over to Lick Honest Ice Creams for a sweet treat. Owned by Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier, these ice creams are made from scratch using local, seasonal ingredients and milk and cream from a Central Texas dairy. The fresh mint and chocolate chunks scoop from the everyday menu is a winner. Enjoy it slowly while you people watch on the lawn.
A pretzel and beer cheese goes great with any brew at Otto's Ice House. Courtney E. Smith
1 p.m. Lunch at an ice house and exploring a local grocer
Otto's Ice House (yes, named after Otto Koehler) is a bit of a walk across the district, but you'll be glad you took it once you order the German soft pretzel with beer cheese made from a recipe developed by owner Levi Goode. Goode decorated this ice house using the Pearl's archives and his collection of Pearl-related decor, so check the walls for rare pin-up calendars and promotional materials that date back 100 years. For lunch, grab a plate of redfish on the halfshell grilled over mesquite embers, coated in lime butter, and served steaming hot in parchment paper with a side of tortillas. Hang out on the patio for a while, looking at the river and treating yourself to an ice-cold draft beer in a schooner. There are also micheladas, or a choice of two frozen drinks from a pair of machines named Willie and Waylon.
The bar inside Pullman Market only makes shopping friendlier. Pullman Market
When you've had enough sitting around and shooting the breeze, just across the way is Pullman Market, a local grocer and food ecosystem developed by Emmer and Rye Hospitality. There is produce from local farmers, a meat counter with steaks, chickens, and more from local ranchers, and a ton of products made in-house under the Emmer and Rye label. Go home with mesquite-infused olive oil, sauces made exactly like those served in its multiple restaurants on-site, and a bottle of Pullman Market rosé.
Mousse de foie et rillettes makes a great snack at Brasserie Mon Chou Chou. Brasserie Mon Chou Chou
4 p.m. Slow down for a little detour to France
Pop into Brasserie Mon Chou Chou for an afternoon espresso, a glass of Champagne, some pomme frites, and perhaps go for a crème brulee. The brasserie has lots of outdoor tables for people watching — its location near the drive-up entrance to the Hotel Emma means you can see who is checking in and what they're wearing.
Texas steak is on the menu at Isidore. Courtney E. Smith
6 p.m. Head to dinner, Texas-style
The place to experience and not just eat dinner in the Pearl? Isidore. It's a Texas restaurant, but that doesn't mean chicken-fried steaks or chili. Instead, Isidore showcases all the elements of Central Texas food, including some out-there dishes like Cherkoee tomatoes served with a kombucha, beets with pecan butter layered in, and popcorn chicken that includes tiny popped pieces of sorghum dotting the plate, Indigenous preparation techniques, and killer cuts of steak. Chef de cuisine Ian Lanphear is a fan of foraging, so expect something in the meal to be straight out of the Texas woods, like lichen or wood-ear mushrooms. Bread service arrives tableside in the style of the Comanche people, who ground wheat and used things like sorghum to bind it into carb-heavy travel provisions. Keep an eye out for the Texas wines on the menu — they're sure to be the best in the state. Don't be afraid to linger over dessert.
Beets and pecan butter are a winning combination at Isidore. Isidore
8:30 p.m. Listen to some music
Check the listings for Stable Hall, the brewery's stable converted into an intimate venue where bands like Fitz and the Tantrums, the Old 97s, or Gillian Welch and David Rawlings play. Or head over to Jazz TX, part jazz club and part Texas dance hall — which has a bar, of course. Live jazz, big band, bluegrass, swing, and more acts play nightly, with dancing not only welcomed but encouraged. Nothing says Texas like a cold beer and some two-stepping.