The historic Pearl District in San Antonio, Texas, reminded me of old-school warehouse districts in Detroit but more gentrified. I found it lively and well organized – two traits we can all support.
On weekends they host the Pearl Farmer’s Market. There are no places in any city that are better for getting to know the people and the culture. At big farmer’s markets, you can truly mix with the local farmers, artisans and residents and learn what is unique about the place.
There’s plenty unique about the San Antonio Pearl District.
Pearl District History
The district is a historical landmark that formerly housed the Pearl Brewery. One of my favorite things to do in a new location is trying their local brew – and this one’s a classic.
The historic Texas brewery sold Pearl beer from the late 1800s until 2001, when Pabst acquired it. The district, however, still honors its history. The beer isn’t anything to write home about, but you drink it for its history.
Now, parks, restaurants, shops and weekend public events, including the farmer’s market, fill the 16-block Pearl District neighborhood. It’s also home to San Antonio’s first food hall, aptly named “The Bottling Department.”
Food, Art and History in the Pearl District
I, of course, went to the Pearl District in search of baked goods from Bakery Lorraine, which specializes in French pastries and, my favorite – macarons. I’m not proud of my sugar addiction, nor my weakness for delicate baked goods, but I won’t hide it either. I am who I am. (send help)
Besides the sugar, I also went for the history and murals. The district still has the massive Pearl Beer can be seen from the nearby highway, and the Pearl name is on the enormous smoke tower. Another great Pearl District icon is the hotel Emma, an architectural gem that harkens back to the early 1900s.
The hotel and former brewhouse were named for Emma Koehler, who ran the brewery after her husband, Pearl president Otto Koehler, died in 1914. Gotta love our entrepreneurial ladies.
How much time You’ll spend
The Pearl District isn’t that big, and you can walk around the whole place in an hour or less if you don’t stop. But the fun is browsing, eating, drinking and participating in an event. It also backs up to the River Walk so that you can make a long walk. The heart of the River Walk is about 1.5 miles away.
While there, I strolled through the picturesque streets, window shopped in various storefronts selling books, gifts, home décor, clothing and accessories, and another of my favorites: Ten Thousand Villages. They’re a small chain nonprofit that sells handicrafts from independent crafters and disadvantaged artisans worldwide.
It’s a pleasant way to spend an afternoon learning about the products and foods local to the region. What’s more, you can still get the famous easy-drinking Pearl Beer from many restaurants, but now it’s produced by Pabst.
The Pearl District farmer’s market is held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Other shops and restaurants are open all week with various hours.
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