Disclosure: On my second visit to So Bro Pizza Co, I was a guest of the restaurant and enjoyed complimentary food and beverages. However, all opinions are mine.
Some businesses in San Antonio understand, inherently, how to use social media to connect with their followers, expertly turning them into friends and loyal customers through creative sharing and genuine interactions with them online.
I first “met” So Bro Pizza Co on Instagram, months before they ever opened. Through the photos they shared there, they invited me (and all of their followers) to join them on their journey to open their restaurant.
I watched as a blank slate of a space in the Mosaic Building on South Broadway transformed into a chic, bright, and welcoming restaurant.
The photos and comments they shared on Instagram showcased their dramatically high ceiling, the abundance of natural light flooding in from windows that face Broadway, and, of course, tantalizing peeks at their pizzas and salads as they developed their menu.
Due to So Bro’s clever and continuous social media communication (and reciprocation – they followed me back and commented on and liked my photos frequently), I became a fan and felt like we were friends long before I met anyone at the restaurant and without ever having taken even one bite of their pizza!
One Saturday in early May my family and I dropped in for lunch to see, in person, the place I’d watched blossom on Instagram for many months.
While the restaurant doesn’t offer a kids menu, it is kid-friendly.
High chairs are stacked in a far corner. And our server suggested the kids split a pepperoni pizza. Spiderman (aka the son of Julie Ord, So Bro’s social media manager) made an appearance (part of the reason we chose that day to visit) because it was opening weekend for his movie franchise’s latest release. Our kids were happy, they loved their pizza, and seeing Spiderman (and getting his autograph) was something they talked about for a solid week afterwards.
My husband and I split the Rucola salad (arugula with balsamic dressing) and the FigJam pizza, a white pizza with figs, gorgonzola, proscuitto and arugula. Both were fresh and delicious. My husband found the fig pizza to be a little too sweet for his tastes (he helped himself to a slice of the kids’ pepperoni and really liked it) but I thought it was a nice change of pace. We finished our lunch with a cup of the house made chocolate mint with chocolate chips gelato (the best gelato I’ve tasted in San Antonio!).
In addition to being a great place for families, So Bro’s upscale menu, accessible wine list, and modern atmosphere also make it perfect for date night or a girls’ night out.
For my second visit to So Bro Pizza Co, I was an invited guest, along with other food bloggers from San Antonio. A five-course menu, including wine pairings, was served and we met owners Paul Hughes and his partner, Russell Ricks, to hear how they worked with their business partners, Mon and Gerry Shirley (of Mon’s Thai a few miles north on Broadway), to bring So Bro Pizza Co to life.
The upholstered bench seating (chosen by Russell) wraps around the inner part of So Bro and showcases two different textures in a metallic color.
The wood used on the counters and throughout So Bro came from pecan trees in east Texas. The giant, otherworldly balls floating above the dining room, providing pretty, opaque lighting were created by Paul who saw something similar in a magazine and realized he could make them himself. They are a unique and stunning touch. The decor is at once chic, yet warm; welcoming, yet reflective of the elevated dining experience you’re about to enjoy.
From the house salad to the pizzas we tried (one vegetarian, the other the So Bro pepperoni with kale and cashews – a winning combination with the salty, thinly-sliced crispy meat and the rich, creaminess of the nuts), to the beef braised mushrooms to the incredible gelato (this time a chocolate with coconut Chips Ahoy cookies smashed in), we bloggers were in foodie heaven.
But I’d be leaving out an important (and wonderful) part of the evening and So Bro Pizza Co’s offerings if I didn’t mention the wine. So Bro’s wine list is reasonably priced and their staff, including John Roussin, are so friendly about sharing their knowledge of it, they’ll have you feeling like a sommelier-in-training in no time.
The best part about the So Bro wine list? If you like the wines you try, you can buy bottles to take home at 40% off their list price. I purchased the house red and a bottle of their Cinzano Prosecco-Veneto for a steal!
Located in the Mosaic Building on the corner of Broadway and Grayson, very near the Pearl area, So Bro Pizza Co is easy to get to and you can park for free in the Mosaic garage. Take the kids for a fun lunch or, better yet, take your significant other out for great dinner in a swanky atmosphere with some of the best pizza in town.
Cheers!
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Looks amazing! I’m sold….definitely going to being trying them out. Two of my favorites…pizza and wine 🙂 The crust on the pizzas looks really good. Can’t wait to try it.
Yum! Definitely putting this on my must-try list. Looks like a beautiful restaurant!
What a beautiful place to enjoy beer and pizza. On my list!
Their pizza and gelato are the best homemade options I’ve had to date!!
And, you look fantastic! 🙂