Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group’s Pullman Market, the largest culinary market in the Southwest, opened at Pearl on Tuesday, April 23. Visitors will be able to enjoy the market’s specialty grocer, featuring Texas-based produce and goods from over 150 suppliers throughout the state. Guests will also find a whole animal butcher, a sourdough bakery, five quick-service eateries and more. Two of the market’s four restaurants, Fife & Farro and Mezquite, are also set to open on April 23.
“Pullman Market is the first project of its kind in San Antonio and the region. We’re most excited about providing a space for guests to get a taste of the ideals that make this city great: community, hospitality and high-quality food,” said Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group Partner in a statement. “There’s something for everyone at Pullman Market. You can grab a quick bite, stay awhile at one of our restaurants, discover fresh local ingredients or grab something premade to make mealtime easy – knowing it’s all been sourced with a commitment to quality and sustainability in an effort to offer the best we can for our community.”
The 40,000-square-foot market is located in the former Samuels Glass Company headquarters at Pearl, which has continued to evolve as a culinary hub of San Antonio. Pearl is a dynamic neighborhood built around the historic Pearl Brewery located just north of downtown San Antonio. Located in the heart of Pearl, Pullman Market was designed by Texas architecture firms Clayton Korte and Burton Baldridge and interior design firm Joel Mozersky Design.
Within the historic Samuels Glass building, the original materials show history and patina and provide a stunning contrast to the new elements. Visitors are drawn into the market’s vibrant atmosphere by way of light-filled patios created by infill between structural elements that connect to the rest of Pearl’s bustling pedestrian experience. By preserving the building’s existing structure and shell, the project not only eliminated tons of waste from local landfills, but also added to the historic and cultural fabric of its context.
“Collaboration with bakers, butchers, baristas, chefs, and fishmongers was at the heart of the design process. Each artisan had a hand in shaping the space, with the owner’s chefs, department managers and bar managers working closely with the design team to display, front and center, the process each artisan undergoes for their craft,” said Sam Manning, AIA and Partner at Clayton Korte. “It is truly special to witness and learn from these craftspeople as they create their culinary masterpieces, a testament to the power of collaboration and the art of craftsmanship.”
Pullman Market celebrates all things food and is about creating easier relationships between local producers and the community. The specialty market features over 150 Texas vendors supplying fresh produce, meat, cheese, wine, beer and more. The market also features a retail section with a selection of locally sourced home and beauty goods, chef supplies, toys and more, as well as a high-quality grab-and-go meal case. Visitors will also be able to pick up provisions from the on-site tortilleria, sourdough bakery and whole animal butcher.
In addition to the specialty market, Pullman Market features five casual to-go concepts with items such as burgers, tacos, ceviche, sandwiches, coffee and ice cream, the latter of which includes flavors created by Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Pullman Market also includes four restaurant concepts, two of which will open on April 23: Fife & Farro and Mezquite.
Fife & Farro is a family-friendly, no-reservations-required eatery specializing in wood-fired sourdough pizza and handmade heritage grain pasta. Fife & Farro is open for dinner only from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Mezquite focuses on the cuisine of Sonora, Mexico, with a dedicated mezcal bar named Mezcaleria. Mezquite and Mezcaleria are open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday and for dinner only from 5 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
The remaining Pullman Market full-service restaurants, Isidore and Nicosi, are slated to open later this spring. Isidore will feature an elevated dining experience where reservations will be required and the menu will change regularly, highlighting the best ingredients of the season. Nicosi, created by Bristol-Joseph, will be an intimate dessert bar with 20 seats and a no-phone policy. Stay tuned for an opening announcement in the coming weeks.
Led by partners Kevin Fink, Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Alicynn Fink, Berty Richter and Rand Egbert, Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group is a Texas-based restaurant group that manages seven renowned restaurant concepts including Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimotxo, Canje and Ezov in Austin, as well as Ladino at Pearl in San Antonio. Pullman Market is an extension of the ethos the hospitality group has applied to their restaurant concepts over the last nine years. At each of the restaurants, they bake their own bread and bring in the best quality ingredients – all of it rooted in a commitment to quality, sustainability and supporting local farmers and producers. For the project, Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group also partnered with Tom Schnuck, the son of a grocer who co-founded and managed a restaurant group while also assisting and investing in young chefs to create many successful restaurants that collectively hold five Michelin stars.
Pullman Market is located at 221 Newell Ave., San Antonio, TX 78215. The market’s operating hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
