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San Antonio Market Square Tex-Mex Food and Shopping Tour
Welcome to the birthplace of Tex-Mex
Highlights
- Experience the best Tex-Mex in San Antonio in the place where Tex-Mex was invented.
- Shop the largest Mexican market in the United States with over 30 vendors!
- Listen to authentic mariachi music at Mi Tierra Cafe.
- Eat at La Margarita, birthplace of the fajita, and enjoy $5 margaritas all day.
- Hear the fascinating stories of the Chili Queens who introduced America to Texas chili con carne in the 1860s.
What you'll do
On this delicious culinary adventure, experience Tex-Mex cuisine at San Antonio’s Historic Market Square, the birthplace of authentic Tex-Mex.
Texas food culture meets Mexican food culture here in a way not found ...
On this delicious culinary adventure, experience Tex-Mex cuisine at San Antonio’s Historic Market Square, the birthplace of authentic Tex-Mex.
Texas food culture meets Mexican food culture here in a way not found elsewhere, and the result is spectacular. If you love the unique blend of brisket, pork, and chicken flavored with cumin and Mexican spices served in a festive atmosphere, you’ve come to the right place!
Not only will you get a delicious, authentic Tex-Mex meal at each stop, but you’ll also learn how this culinary fusion came about in the place where it happened.
We’ll visit La Margarita for their signature chili con queso and learn how the Chili Queens made this brand of chili famous right across the street in Military Plaza. You’ll also hear the story of how La Margarita came up with the idea for a Tex-Mex staple, the fajita. Don’t forget to grab yourself a margarita to go!
From there, we’ll stroll through the historic market, where you will have time to shop from over 30 vendors. They offer a dizzying variety of products that celebrate the cultural, artistic, and ethnic influences of the Southwest and Mexico, from clothing to wood carvings to tasty local treats and candies.
The tour would not be complete without stopping at Mi Tierra for homemade flan, tres leches cake, or anything from their wide assortment of bakery goods. It’s the perfect way to end our San Antonio Tex-Mex food tour.
Our unique pay-as-you-go model lets you enjoy more of what you want for less money, a better value than comparable food tours. Simply hand the guide $30 cash on your arrival, and the guide will take care of the rest. They’ll pay for the entire group at each of our four stops, minimizing wait time. Paying cash also makes it easy for each restaurant to offer more food so you’re guaranteed Texas-sized servings.
Itinerary
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Market Square
Historic market with shops and restaurants in a festive setting of stone fountains and ornamental street lights
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La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Original home of the sizzling fajitas, where you can enjoy chili con queso, roasted poblano con crema y queso
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Elote en Vaso, or “corn in a cup”
A comforting classic, sold throughout Mexico and on the Texas border, of boiled corn kernels with salty butter, crema mexicana, cotija, chili, and a splash of lime and hot sauce
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El Mercardo
Your chance to shop locally owned stores celebrating the cultural, artistic, and ethnic influences of the Southwest and Mexico
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Mi Tierra Cafe
World-famous bakery since 1941, serving a botana platter of assorted miniature flautitas de pollo, cheese quesadillas, and chalupitas de picadillo, plus flan and more for dessert
Plan your trip
Tour ending point
This tour ends at Mi Tierra inside Market Square
Refund policy
We offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours before the start time.
Meeting point
Meet your guide outside the Market on S.Santa Rosa Avenue. The guide will be to the right of the Historic Market Square sign wearing a blue shirt that says ExperienceFirst.
FAQs
This tour covers half a mile at a leisurely pace. If mobility is an issue, please contact us for a private tour.
What is the rescheduling policy?
We understand plans change. We offer a 100% refund or the option to reschedule up to 24 hours prior to your tour start time. Within 24 hours of your tour, we would have incurred hard costs and therefore cannot allow rescheduling or cancellation without costs.
When should I get there?
Plan to show up 15 minutes early. The tour starts promptly, and you may not be able to catch up if you arrive late.
What if it rains?
Our tours run rain or shine. If there’s extreme weather and we have to cancel, you’ll get a full refund.
Are gratuities included?
Tips aren’t included but are always appreciated by our guides. If you think your guide did an outstanding job, a tip is a great way to show that.
