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Patio dining in the Hill Country - The Desert Spoon, Spring Branch, TX

The Desert Spoon

4.5 (115)
$31 to $50
Farm-to-table
11355 US-281, Spring Branch, TX 78070-6301

Make a reservation

A photo of The Desert Spoon restaurant

The Desert Spoon

4.5
$31 to $50
Farm-to-table
Spring Branch

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for brunch
  • Charming
  • Great for outdoor dining
Where the Hill Country landscape meets the art of the table. Sustainably sourced and seasonally inspired, The Desert Spoon brings the beauty of the land to every plate.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Farm-to-table, American
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Wed–Sun 9:00 am–3:30 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–7:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Chef Tatu Herrera
  • Catering
    Every private event at The Desert Spoon is backed by our full scratch kitchen — no outside caterers, no compromises. From the Gathering Haus to a full restaurant buyout, our culinary team designs and executes your menu on-site, delivering the same farm-to-table experience our guests love.
  • Private party facilities
    From intimate gatherings to full celebrations, The Desert Spoon offers four distinct spaces for private dining. Our open-air Main Dining Room, Glass Room, and Back Patio are available for buyout, or reserve the entire restaurant. For complete privacy, The Gathering Haus accommodates up to 75 guests.
  • Neighborhood
    Spring Branch
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Counter Service

    1 - 8 people

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM,Wed - Sat - 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
    Wednesday – Sunday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Grab & go sandwiches, coffee, homemade pastries, and beer.

  • Happy Hour Wed-Thurs 5-7 pm

    1 - 8 people

    Multiple dates available
    Wed - Thu - 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Wednesday & Thursday | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Desert Spoon.

4.5

4.5
(115)
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Antonio

    Great for brunch

  • San Antonio

    Great for outdoor dining

  • New Braunfels

    Best Ambiance

  • New Braunfels

    Healthy

  • New Braunfels

    Neighborhood gem

  • New Braunfels

    Great for outdoor dining

  • New Braunfels

    Romantic

  • New Braunfels

    Good for special occasions

  • New Braunfels

    Lively

  • New Braunfels

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Desert Spoon delights with "amazing food" and "wonderful ambiance," featuring locally sourced ingredients and creative cocktails. While service can occasionally be slow, the attentive staff and beautiful garden setting create a "great experience." Highly recommended for brunch or a relaxed dinner, this Hill Country gem is perfect for any occasion.
115 Reviews
  1. Kim Gold

    San Antonio2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    This place has so much potential but it just feel short in every aspect. The host and the server were very kind; however, our food took over an hour to come out and not a single person checked in or apologized the whole time. We finally had to go inside and ask about the food and still didn't receive any acknowledgment about the wait. My smash burger was dry, the steak sandwich was chewy and bloody, everything else was pretty sub par. The only saving grace was the French toast we got for the table was pretty good but would've been even better if it came out earlier. On top of everything, there were so many flies! Definitely won't be coming back. Such a cute place, but what a bummer.

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  2. Holly

    Austin1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 28, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Desert Spoon! The food was amazing—everything was incredibly fresh and packed with flavor. I also love that they locally source their ingredients, which makes the experience even better. The cocktails were fabulous, and the service was excellent from start to finish. Our server was especially helpful and offered great insight and recommendations about the dishes, which made it much easier for us to decide what to order. Everything was delicious, fresh, and thoughtfully prepared. We will definitely be returning to Desert Spoon! Highly recommend!

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  3. Audrey

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 25, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful ambiance and delicious food! The french toast was amazing!

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  4. Colleen

    San Antonio4 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on October 25, 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Sunday brunch very busy and only one bartender. Drinks took too long. Chicken was dry and tough on Cobb salad.

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  5. Hollie

    Houston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was really good and the patio was a nice experience on a fabulous October evening.

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  6. Jon

    San Antonio21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our first visit was for lunch in the fall, and despite the garden being out of season, we were still able to get a few things that burst with freshness and craftsmanship. We had a lovely shakshuka that was perfectly balanced with richness and not too much acidity, and a fantastic blackened shrimp taco plate served with a tasty arugula salad. We capped off our meal with one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever had. Creamy, rich, perfectly spiced, not overly sweet. It was simply devine.

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  7. Tanya Gold

    San Antonio58 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent brunch spot. Place to shop and buy plants.

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  8. Michelle

    San Antonio1 review

    4.0

    Dined on October 17, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    We showed up 30 mins early for our 1pm reservation for a table for 2 for brunch. The hostess was super nice and said she would text when the table was ready if we were still outside. We came back inside at 1:05 and she said they would be clearing our table in a few mins so we sat in the waiting lounge area. We watched a few people come in and be seated and get their food and then a little before 145 she came back over and walked us to a table near the lounge. At this point there were 3 tables right near each other that were just cleared. We were asked what we wanted to drink and were served the water and beer we asked for. About 15 mins later the server came over, her name was BeBe and she was amazing. She asked again if I would like something other than water and I asked for an Arnold Palmer as I do not drink alcohol. Very sweet and talkative. It was almost 230 before we were served our food and it was delicious! I don’t usually like to complain but it just seemed like if we make a reservation we should at least be seated at or around the reservation time as opposed to being a walk in from the Nursery who was seated before us. We enjoyed the ambiance and the conversation with the server and the food so it wasn’t a completely awful experience but it just seemed like we were forgotten about or not checked on etc.

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  9. Christèle

    Dallas11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on October 17, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I wished they offered European dry rose wine. Most restaurants have it now.

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  10. Jeanette

    Austin11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 4, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place for brunch. Food was all delicious, family friendly and a great vibe.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Farm-to-table, American
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Wed–Sun 9:00 am–3:30 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–7:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Chef Tatu Herrera
  • Catering
    Every private event at The Desert Spoon is backed by our full scratch kitchen — no outside caterers, no compromises. From the Gathering Haus to a full restaurant buyout, our culinary team designs and executes your menu on-site, delivering the same farm-to-table experience our guests love.
  • Private party facilities
    From intimate gatherings to full celebrations, The Desert Spoon offers four distinct spaces for private dining. Our open-air Main Dining Room, Glass Room, and Back Patio are available for buyout, or reserve the entire restaurant. For complete privacy, The Gathering Haus accommodates up to 75 guests.
  • Neighborhood
    Spring Branch
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Yes, The Desert Spoon is frequently recommended for date night, with guests celebrating anniversaries, Valentine's dinners, and enjoying the patio and sunset views.

Yes, The Desert Spoon offers outdoor seating on a garden patio and shaded porch that many guests enjoy, with water features and fans mentioned for comfort.

The French toast is a recurring favorite, multiple guests rave about it and it appears on the current breakfast menu.

The Desert Spoon serves brunch Wednesday–Sunday 9:00 am–3:30 pm, dinner Wednesday–Saturday 5:00 pm–9:00 pm, and happy hour Wednesday–Thursday 5:00 pm–7:00 pm.

The Desert Spoon can feel busy at peak times, several guests report waits and occasional loudness, while some visitors find Tuesdays and Wednesdays especially quiet and peaceful.

The Desert Spoon feels like a peaceful Hill Country retreat, bright dining rooms that open to garden views, a soothing water feature, and thoughtfully finished interiors create a relaxed, upscale experience.

Smart casual is the guideline, polished but not formal, and many guests dress up a touch for special occasions.

For a standout visit try brunch (served Wednesday–Sunday, 9:00 am–3:30 pm), guests consistently praise the brunch food and experience.

Guests frequently describe portions as generous, several visitors say brunch entrees and sides were plentiful and left them well satisfied.

Yes, the restaurant runs a weekday happy hour and also stages special prix‑fixe events; guests have enjoyed the seasonal multi‑course dinners.

Yes, guests describe The Desert Spoon as kid‑friendly: families enjoy brunch, bring children, and appreciate the gardens and relaxed outdoor space.

The Desert Spoon is especially lovely for brunch, brunch runs Wed–Sun 9:00 am–3:30 pm, and guests frequently rave about the French toast, smash burger and the peaceful patio.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Antonio
  4. New Braunfels
  5. Spring Branch

Make a reservation

A photo of The Desert Spoon restaurant

The Desert Spoon

4.5
$31 to $50
Farm-to-table
Spring Branch

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today
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