A 24-Hour Guide to San Antonio’s Hippest Neighborhood

When you visit San Antonio, carve out a day to spend in the historic Pearl District San Antonio, a quaint little neighborhood north of downtown that sits at the edge of the city’s famous River Walk extension. A trip here is a must if you love beer. Or food. Or shopping.

This San Antonio travel guide gives you a deeper look into the charming and lively rich history this village boasts. The Pearl District is the renovated legacy of the Pearl Brewing Company’s complex, which was built in the early 1880s, survived Prohibition and eventually became the largest brewery in Texas. Since the brewery closed in 2001, the space has become a popular destination for locals and visitors. Each restaurant, shop and apartment adds its unique character to the neighborhood, and year-round musical, culinary and cultural events attract thousands of people every week.

Start your day with breakfast at Supper

Supper serves every meal of the day, but its breakfast menu will make your mouth water. Chef John Brand has spent 25 years in the restaurant business, starting in his teens as a dishwasher. His greatest achievement? His poached egg on avocado with ciabatta, tomato Provençal and arugula will make you excited about eating your veggies.

Get a taste of San Antonio at the farmers market

After breakfast, walk over to the Pearl Farmers Market, held every Saturday and Sunday. Everything sold at the market comes from within 150 miles of San Antonio, and only producers who planted, tended and harvested themselves are able to sell their goods here—ensuring the market’s 3,000 weekly visitors can buy local.

Stretch your legs during a waterside stroll

Admire a portion of San Antonio’s River Walk on the west end of Pearl, near the amphitheater and the grassy knoll behind La Gloria. You can also roam through Pearl’s Parkito and Plaza—it’s a great spot for people- and dog-watching.

Find the lunch spot made for you

If your visit to the farmers market made you hungry again, hit another Pearl District restaurant. Vegans and their meat-eating friends will feel right at home at Green. If you’re looking for an interesting blend of cultures, head to Botika (pictured above), a Peruvian-Asian restaurant offering variations on the traditional dishes of Asia and Latin America. For a special treat, order the pastrami-style beef short ribs at Granary ‘Cue & Brew; they’re offered only on Tuesdays.

Shop local

Bikers, book lovers and bohemians will all find something to love in Pearl’s shops. More than a dozen independent retailers call Pearl home—there’s stylish men’s wear at Dos Carolinas, artful jewelry and women’s footwear at Leelee Shoes, unique goods for babies and youngsters at the boutique store Roo and Me, and authentic Latin-American kitchenware and foods at the Melissa Guerra Latin Kitchen Market.

Taste Pearl’s original claim to fame

Pearl beer still exists, even though the Pearl Brewery doesn’t. You can get an ice-cold glass at Blue Box Bar or Cured. Or stop by Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery, where you can order one (or several) of the original-recipe craft beers it brews at the original Pearl Brewhouse site. If you’re hungry, order a small plate of fried alligator or a full-size rib-eye steak with a side of gulf crab mac ‘n’ cheese.

Catch one of the regular (free) events

Pearl hosts a variety of unique celebrations—including the annual Tamales! Holiday Festival in December—but one of the neighborhood’s most popular is First Thursdays at Pearl, a monthly event with live music and extended shop hours.

What’s for dessert? Roasted beet ice cream

Round out your day with dessert at Lick Honest Ice Creams, which stocks locally sourced treats in imaginative flavors. Everyday favorites include dark chocolate, olive oil and sea salt; goat cheese, thyme and honey; and roasted beets and fresh mint. Seasonal options include Lady Bird lavender crisp, lemon poppy seed thyme and cilantro lime.

Cap off the night with live jazz in a cool club

Drink a craft cocktail, order fresh south Texas cuisine and soak in the setting of Jazz TX, a music venue housed in the cellar of the old bottling house.

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