American Eatery at Hotel Emma

My new favorite hotel is in an old brewery. In addition to the stellar restaurant, Supper, there’s a lobby bar, Sternewirth, named for a tradition entitling brewery workers to free beer (love that).

Chef John Brand deftly marries comfort and creativity, using seasonal, local products in time-tested dishes — with twists that work. A favorite shared plate features roasted green beans with a dipping remoulade that incorporates toasted seaweed. Grilled slices of steak topped with a chimichurri wrought from roasted tomatoes, parsley and garlic plays well against fries cooked in duck fat. Dessert was never sweeter than in a ricotta-vanilla beignet, served with berry jam and dusted in rosemary-scented powdered sugar.

Supper has quickly become a favorite among area eateries for its open kitchen and part-European bistro, part-Southern farmhouse style. Known for his grounded, flavorful compilations and unexpected details (don’t be surprised to find a spoonful of roe in your green beans, or slices of savory sweet potato garnishing your panna cot-ta), self-taught chef John Brand orchestrates the menu to provide artfully composed, seasonal fare from breakfast to, well, supper.

Hotel Emma showcases its culinary prowess in multiple ways, but it's on-site restaurant, Supper; located along the northern extension of the San Antonio river walk, is their best representation of what good food is all about. This farm-to-table restaurant almost dares you to not like veggies. Their menu is largely vegetarian, but each dish is so flavorful you don't miss the meat…A meal at Supper is an utter delight, not only because of the food and clear spirits cocktails, but also because of the stellar staff, beautiful views of the river from their outdoor patio, and the simple feeling that you're somewhere special.

Supper, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, is a light and airy space with an open kitchen commanded by Chef John Brand who brings with him a menu of refined farm-to-table offerings.

Chef John Brand wanted a hotel restaurant that didn’t seem like one, and he succeeds with Supper, where the farm-to-table magic and mundane (beet salad, anyone?) are elevated by his imagination. […] The crisp black, white, and stainless steel look of the dining room is well suited to the restored historic building at the Pearl, and the servers in their red-checked shirts add a touch of nostalgia.

John Brand is a vegetable whisperer who transforms small plates into crave worthy dishes. […] Even though Brand and his team shine brightest with small vegetable plates, they execute main dishes with aplomb…manager Michael McClellan and Brand have trained their staff well. […] They’ve created a restaurant that complements the hotel but could stand on its own as a culinary destination in its own

The friendly staff and well-lit dining rooms reinforce a comforting sense of family meals.

Supper at Hotel Emma is worth every single bit of hype you’ve heard. Chef John Brand delivers in a spectacular way with each dish meticulously attended to with brilliant distinction.