Culture
What the pho?! Top pho places in San Antonio
What the pho?! Top pho places in San Antonio
by R Intern, Lauren Patterson
So what is pho and how do you even say it? Pho, pronounced fuh, is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat. It is essentially like ramen, but technically speaking, pho is the type of white rice flour noodle used in the dish, while ramen is a dish of Chinese origin that uses Chinese-style ramen noodles. We’ve compiled a list of our top pho places in San Antonio along with some of our favorite activities to do before or after enjoying a meal.
First off, we have Pho Kim Long. Funny name, serious pho. Located at 4230 McCullough Avenue, 78212, Pho Kim Long offers superb, traditional pho for a great price. May we also recommend the spring rolls? They won’t disappoint. After you enjoy your meal, hop on over to Meadow, a local boutique in Olmos Park with high-end fashion and jewelry. Now if that’s not a fantastic Girls Night Out, we don’t know what is.
Second on the list is Berni Vietnamese Restaurant at 8742 Wurzbach Road, 78240. From beef to chicken to even meatballs, Berni delivers when it comes to pho. Our favorite is the original Berni Pho, which is a combination of rare steak, brisket, tripe, tendon and meatballs. Whoa, talk about a loaded pho. And only four minutes up the road is Wurzbach Ice House, which is a fun-atmosphere bar with indoor and outdoor games, perfect for any post-pho date night.
photo credit: Savor.tooth
Next up is one of our personal favorites, Kimura. Located at 152 E. Pecan Street, Suite 102 (on the corner of E. Pecan and St. Mary's), Kimura serves up some of the best Japanese dishes and is one of San Antonio’s best izakayas, or Japanese pubs. Now, technically Kimura serves ramen, not pho, but it just had to make the list because it’s that good. We suggest the Tonkotsu with pork belly. And after dinner, how about a walk along the River Walk to end the night?
photo credit: cook and kate
Last but surly not least is Viva Pho, located at 2114 NW Military Highway, 78213. Its menu is extensive and the pho is off the chain. And what’s more perfect to pair with your pho than a boba tea drink? Make sure to try out the milk green tea with boba and jelly, yum! But wait, before you dive into that big, warm bowl of pho, we suggest driving a few more minutes north and taking an indoor cycling class at JoyRide Texas at Alon, a high-intensity workout studio that is sure to get you good and hungry for all of that yummy Vietnamese food.
In its origin, pho is eaten as a breakfast food, like cereal for us. But we won’t judge you if you devour it at night. So go get your pho on!
Top 5 Coffee Spots in San Antonio
As much as we love R office, sometimes we need a change in scenery. Here are five of the top coffee spots in San Antonio where we get our caffeine fix while also getting some serious work done.
LOCAL COFFEE: Six locations, localcoffeesa.com
We R all about the keep it local vibe. Local Coffee owner, Robby Grubbs, was one of the first to bring good coffee to San Antonio, and obviously it has stuck since Local now has six locations. While each location has a different vibe and some spots are more crowded than others, the overall aesthetic is the same — comfy and cozy with varied seating options. Go here to enjoy locally roasted beans — Merit Roasting Co. — and to work to the hum of conversation, steaming milk and pulled espresso.
Photo by: Brown Coffee
The Brown Coffee Co.
1800 Broadway, Ste 113, San Antonio, TX 78215
The Brown Coffee Co. opened in 2005 and definitely jump-started San Antonio’s third wave coffee scene. If you have time, be sure to chat with owner Aaron Blanco. He’s passionate about his coffee and will give you a great little mini lesson on his coffee beans, which he travels the world to find and then roasts in town. Brown’s scene is very minimalist, so if you’re easily distracted by your surroundings, this is the place to focus.
Photo by: Commonwealth
CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery
118 Davis Ct, San Antonio, TX 78209
While the coffee here is good, we keep coming back for the food and ambiance. The inside of the place is beautiful and the croissants and other baked goods are to die for. Best part? If you’re having one of those work days where you have to bring your kid along, lots of sugary sweet French goodies to entice good behavior bribing. The back patio at CommonWealth is perfect for keeping a kid penned in and occupied — and if he’s naughty, you can always lock him in the chicken coop. Just kidding, sort of.
Rosella Coffee
203 E Jones Ave #101, San Antonio, TX 78215
TV news anchor Charles Gonzalez opened up Rosella and named it after his two daughters, Olivia Rose and Ella Sofia. Adorable, right? Rosella roasts its own beans, which is always a plus, and the food menu is so good. We can never visit without also grabbing lunch, especially the avocado toast, which is a local favorite, even if we’ve just come from lunch. Best part: If you work a long day, you can reward yourself with a glass of wine or a beer from the small, curated menu, or meet friends at The Luxury, which is right next to Rosella and is one of R very favorite spots to eat and drink al fresco.
Revolucion Coffee + Juice
7959 Broadway Street, Ste # 500, San Antonio, TX 78209
Had a long weekend with too little sleep and maybe a bit too much booze? Revolucion will have you feeling back to normal in no time. Not only does the shop sell espresso drinks, it specializes in cold-pressed juice and lots of uber-healthy snacks. Plus, the vibe is very clean and fresh — perfect for focusing and centering yourself.