My friend Aaron (@210_Local on Instagram) recently had a great point about the restaurant scene here in San Antonio- everyone is so excited to try out every new place that opens up and we tend to forget about the spots that deliver consistently outstanding food and drinks.  I totally agree with him because these restaurants and bars deserve some credit since they are what makes our city’s food scene so special.  This blog post is the first of many that will give a shout out to places that are just always so freakin’ good.   Let’s start with Fratello’s.

Located on Broadway, south of Brackenridge Park, Fratello’s occupies the completely renovated old Bonanza building.  If you don’t know what a Bonanza is, you are:  A) under the age of 30, or  B) lucky.  Or was it a Sizzler?  Either way, the restaurant bears no resemblance of the cheap steak/buffet place that was once there.  And that’s a good thing.  They nail the casual Italian decor perfectly without being too cheeky.

For either lunch or dinner, everything on their menu is just so good.  I usually go for a sandwich or a pasta.  You can’t go wrong with the Pappardelle Bolognese or the spaghetti and meatballs.  Want extra meatballs?  You can ask for them in an order of 2 on the side.  The lasagna and chicken parmesan are two other classic comfort foods to enjoy here.  If a sandwich is more your speed, try out the meatball sandwich or the Lombardo, a breaded chicken sandwich with fontina cheese and roasted tomatoes.

Pappardelle Bolognese (Pasta and meat sauce)

They even get the salads on their menu right.  Looking to try something lighter than what you would normally choose from an Italian menu but still hungry?  Try the La Griglia salad- topped with grilled chicken breast, roasted tomatoes and asparagus, this salad will fill you up.  This salad can also be ordered as a sandwich for a heartier option.

@donfoode gets it right with this picture of The Lombardo- served on fresh bread with homemade chips.

Finally, I need to make sure to mention that you cannot skip dessert.  Take a look at the dessert case when you walk in and you will understand what I mean right away.  On a recent visit, a light green slice of cake in the case caught my eye.  When it comes to desserts, I am a sucker for anything pistachio or lime related so I just assumed that it was one of the two.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was actually a Basil Tres Leches cake instead!  Basil Tres Leches?  Some times Tres Leches cake can be too soggy for my taste but this one was perfect- moist and a great fresh flavor that wasn’t too sweet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ4CW_WgWGK/?taken-at=133750747

@lizastro is correct- the Basil Tres Leches cake is DELICIOUS.

Pro-tip #1:  Fratellos’s is a great place to have a celebration dinner for a birthday or some other occasion.  Just call ahead of time to reserve tables and order food for your party to be served family style.

You can view their full menu on their website at http://www.fratellosdeli.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram for more pictures and special events.

-CL