Each week seems to bring a splashy new restaurant to the San Antonio area, but a few noteworthy eateries still fly under the radar. Don’t worry; we’re here to help you catch up with a new batch of hidden gems.
These recently opened San Antonio restaurants may not have publicists or a savvy social media team, but they’re getting a lot of locals raving through word-of-mouth. From a quick-service joint devoted to Chinese bao to a spot offering all-you-can-eat Viet-Cajun boils, these may just become your next favorite haunt.
Bay Leaf Stir & Curry House
This pan-Asian spot at 5500 Babcock Rd #116 has been drawing raves for a menu that brings many of the continent’s most popular dishes under one roof. Although the main attraction is Thai-style curries, the spot also dishes out its own riff on Indian samosas, Korean bulgogi, Japanese yakisoba, and Nepali momo dumplings. Have a friend group divided between passionate plant-based eaters and die-hard carnivores? Bay Leaf’s proteins span beef, salmon, and tofu.
K-Cafe
This Live Oak cafe at 8320 Pat Booker Rd. bills itself as a coffee shop, and, sure, it has the usual assortment of lattes, hot teas, and smoothies. But good luck finding bibimbap at a Starbucks. The all-day menu also features other Korean classics like bulgogi, kimbap (seaweed rice rolls), and tteok-bokki, spicy simmered rice cakes served with boiled egg and hot dog wieners.
Beautiful buns at Kung Fu BaoBao.Kung Fu BaoBao/ Instagram
Kung Fu BaoBao
One might notice that this spot at 9429 Fredericksburg Rd. looks suspiciously like a notable purveyor of cherry limeades. While the ordering is much the same, this isn’t Sonic. Swap out corn dogs with stick buns filled with steamed pork, beef, or mapo-style tofu and other savory Chinese snacks like flaky savory pancakes and braised pork trotters.
Quesadilla King
OK, so this concept isn’t strictly new. It’s been knocking people’s Sketchers off for a few years as a food court staple of Ingram Park Mall. But it has graduated to a brick-and-mortar at 6811 Bandera Rd. in Leon Valley. The spot serves street tacos, burritos, and even loaded fries, but go for the massive quesadillas advertised in the name. They are from royalty, after all.
Shawarma Boys
The ace up the sleeve of this strip mall eatery is a pair of pint-sized Instagram spokesmen screaming out the menu. We don’t begrudge them their enthusiasm. The halal menu at 6330 De Zavala Rd. #112 is everything that gets us excited — crispy falafel, jajeek dip, gyro plates, and mounds of biryani rice. And the desserts blessedly include knafeh, a spun pastry layered with cream cheese and soaked in a floral sugar syrup,
Storm Crab
Although the name evokes a very niche superhero, this 7915 W Loop 1604 N eatery fills a gap in San Antonio’s Asian dining landscape. Storm’s Viet-Cajun boils aren’t quite as chef-y as the much-missed Pinch Boil House, but this spot does throw a lot of different kinds of seafood into the pot, including lobster, green mussels, Manila clams, and Dungeness crab. And during happy hour, 2-5 pm Monday through Friday, you can get an all-you-can-eat boil for only $29.99.