It’s perhaps unsurprising that the generation who took Lunchables to school has grown up to love a charcuterie board. But is there really anything better? Whether it’s a cozy date night for two at home, something to nibble on when your girlfriends come over for wine or margaritas, or a huge grazing table for a party, a charcuterie board fits the bill perfectly. Crunchy crackers, meats, cheeses, a sweet treat, and a well-paired beverage—we’ve come a very long way (but in reality, not too far at all) from the Lunchables of our school days.
While your local H-E-B counter undoubtedly has a commendable selection of cheeses and meats to help you put together your own board, San Antonio has been blessed by a number of local businesses providing incredible charcuterie, cheeses, grazing platters, and more. There’s literally nothing I love more than grazing on fine meats and cheeses, so I felt it was my duty (and privilege) to share their spoils with you.
Whether you want an easy, low-effort date night feast or the kind of big, fat spread that’ll make your next party really pop, these San Antonio businesses are bringing their A-game.
1. Honey & Pickle
If you’re looking for the crème de la crème of charcuterie and local deliciousness, look no further than Honey & Pickle—so named because of their use of local honey and scratch-made pickles on their tasty and beautiful boards.
Perfect for weddings, birthday parties, showers, date nights, book clubs, family brunches, meetings, and more, Honey & Pickle creates fun combinations of flavors using local, continually changing seasonal produce. Cheeses, fruits, meats, nuts, honey, pickles, sweets, pies, sandwiches… whatever your dietary requirements or tastes, Honey & Pickle can cater to you. Vegan options are also available!
Based in San Antonio, boards and boxes are available for local delivery (or, in the case of parties, set up) or collection from Los Patios (2015 NE Loop 410, 78217). You’re going to want to follow Honey & Pickle on Instagram, where you’ll find inspiration for your next event AND limited release boxes, picnic baskets, and boards created in conjunction with local bakers and more. Yum.
2. The Board Couple
San Antonio’s “original and best charcuterie company,” The Board Couple has come a long way! Monica Nino and Bryan Gonzales are the power couple behind TBC, and their passion for great food, wine, and celebrating every day shines through everything they do—and boy, do they do it all!
I first learned about and met Monica and Bryan at a charcuterie board masterclass and have loved watching their business grow into a local success story.
Their picture-perfect signature boards are the ideal accompaniment to your next night in, however large or intimate. They also offer adult Lunchables, cheese-only boxes, and gift baskets. Their recently-opened location at 2218 N. Zarzamora is the home of their “Wine Down Wednesday” (4–8:00 p.m.) where you’ll find specially selected wines, craft beers, and delicious bites. They are also open daily for lunch and wine specials, including their freshly made charcuterie-inspired sandwiches. I can’t say enough good things about TBC and the casual but refined fun things they are doing here in San Antonio.
3. Charqutie
Charqutie is the new kid on the charcuterie block, but she won’t be for long! The brainchild of Joanna Hawkins, Charqutie was born out of a desire to show acts of kindness to members of our community during the pandemic. Joanna began blessing friends, family, local school teachers, health professionals, and elderly community members with mini gift boxes packed full of delicious treats.
These boxes still form the cornerstone of Charqutie’s offering: from the “original mini” box to special edition boxes that change with the season (from back-to-school, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more) to larger graze boxes perfect for intimate date nights or an evening with the girls. She also offers adorable “char-cones,” which are the perfect bite for adults attending kids’ parties.
Want the whole package? Joanna can create a floral centerpiece, then add extras like decorative cheese spreaders, smoked citrus and herb olives, homemade preserves, and sweet treats to your order. You could also spoil yourself with a brunch box, which has everything you need to start the day with mimosas, waffles, parfaits, smoked salmon, and more. The recipe for a perfect weekend.
4. Cured at Pearl
If your idea of charcuterie heaven means being out of the house and away from the unending mess created by your tiny tyrants, a much-loved eatery at the Pearl has you covered. Cured opened in 2013 in the former administrative building, and chef Steve McHugh has been doing incredible things with local produce (and a great deal of flair) ever since.
The foundation of Cured is their sharing boards, which are bold in flavor combinations and high on butchery (and curing and aging) skills. From smoked duck ham to bresaola (cured salted beef), 30-day lamb salami, and apple-jalapeño pork rillettes—this is definitely not your average charcuterie board.
Cured also has a range of other entrées and lunch/brunch options if you’re dining with people who see charcuterie as more of an appetizer than the main event. As you’d expect from its location, they have an excellent list of beers to pair with your board—as well as whites, reds, rosés, and cocktails. There’s even an orange wine (Kivelstadt’s Roussanne), my own tipple of choice to go alongside a range of cheeses, salumi, and pâté.
5. Cheese & Honey SA
Jenness is a native San Antonian with a passion for cheese! She grew up sharing Roquefort (and other fine cheeses) with her grandfather and has many special memories of that time. Her love of cheese and charcuterie followed her from childhood, through school, college, and her work-life, until a friend and mentor encouraged her to start her own business sharing the thing she enjoys most with others.
Her boards are loaded with cheeses, meats, fruits, herbs, and more. From snack packs for couples headed to the golf course to ready-to-gift charcuterie boxes that fit over a bottle of wine, or three-, six- or 12-month subscription boxes; Jenness makes gifting tasty treats easy. Her large grazing boards and tables are also perfect for your next gathering.
I’m excited for the upcoming holiday season and the perfect excuse to order one of her baked bries. Whether you like melty cheese paired with sweet fig jam or San Antonio’s own Brushfire Farms Chile Pequin jam (How about both?!) this is the perfect low-effort appetizer for a holiday meal, potluck, or party.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this roundup of the amazing charcuterie board scene happening in SA right now! Whether you want to up your date-night game or provide a memorable talking point for your next party, I hope you’ll consider supporting one of these local businesses.
