Lunch at the Guenther House in San Antonio

Stevan Stanisic
Oct 9, 2017
3 min read


The Guenther House, San Antonio, TX

The Guenther House (GH) in San Antonio, TX is the home of flour magnate Carl Guenther. GH was originally built in 1857. Carl Guenther was the founder of Pioneer Flour Mills, a business that still operates today on the grounds of GH. In contemporary times, GH functions as a museum, conference center, gift shop and restaurant. On a recent trip to visit friends in San Antonio, it was suggested we go there for lunch. They had never been, nor had I, so why not?

GH is located in the King William district adjacent to downtown San Antonio. This is one of the oldest historic districts in Texas, and was settled in the 1840’s. It is a 25 square block area laden with oak trees and Victorian, Italianate and Greek Revival architecture. The north path of the Riverwalk of the San Antonio River runs through this neighborhood, and the area is very pleasant and scenic.

Riverwalk north path, King William district, San Antonio

The number of diners GH can accommodate is limited so there is frequently a wait, especially on weekends. Midday on a Sunday, we were told there was about an hour wait. That was OK as were were able to explore the neighborhood a bit and walk along the river. One of the entrances to the Riverwalk is across the street from GH.

GH has a number of dining areas both indoor and outdoor. The indoor dining areas were constructed in the early 20th century and still have the original floor tiling, light fixtures and stained glass.

Indoor dining area, Guenther House

My dining companions and I were seated outside, which was also a very nice space. The shade and well-fanned area almost made you forget about the Texas sun.

Outdoor dining area, Guenther House

We sampled a number of items from their Menu, all being very good. I started with their champagne chicken enchiladas. You are offered the choice of fruit or salad with your entree, and I decided on the latter. The salad, although a very small portion, was good and was comprised of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and in-house made croutons.

Champagne chicken enchiladas

The enchiladas were also very good. The enchiladas (two) were filled with cumin- and garlic-spiced shredded chicken, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and a white chicken gravy made with sour cream. They were topped with more cheese, jalapenos and cilantro. What was striking about this dish was the freshness of the tortillas. They tasted as if they were prepared from scratch for each order. If they were, that would not be surprising with a commercial flour mill on premises.

The other two items ordered were from the breakfast menu, which is served all day. One of these was the breakfast tacos.

Breakfast tacos

You are given a choice of 3 fillings for your tacos, though more can be added for an additional charge. Eggs, cheese, apple wood smoked bacon, country sausage (pork or turkey), refried beans or potatoes are among your choices. Salsa verde and a choice of sides, in this case fruit, finished the dish. This menu choice looked really good and my dining companion really enjoyed it.

Strawberry waffles

My other friend chose the strawberry waffles. These were topped with powdered sugar, fresh strawberries and cream, real maple syrup and apple wood smoked bacon. The waffles were made from scratch and everything was fresh and delicious.

The food at Guenther House was very good, recommended and served in a very pleasant atmosphere. If it’s a nice day, I thought the outdoor dining option the best. If you are not in a hurry then the Guenther House is for you. While you wait for a table you may want to explore one of the most historic areas in the country. All in all, a nice dining option when in San Antonio.

That’s that for another post on Forks.