Mixtli Chef Diego Galicia Opens Filleman House Near Pearl
Chef Diego Galicia of the Michelin-starred San Antonio Mexican restaurant Mixtli is opening a new solo neighborhood concept called Filleman House at 517 E. Grayson St., in the former home of Restaurant Claudine near Pearl, with a late November debut planned. The venture marks a departure from Mexican cuisine, offering brasserie classics and a cocktail program led by Michelin-recognized beverage director Lauren Beckman.
A Neighborhood Brasserie Rooted in Local History
Filleman House takes its name from August Filleman, a Swiss immigrant and Pearl Brewery worker who originally owned the 1910 bungalow. According to reporting by the San Antonio Express-News, Galicia spent time considering names like The Greyhound and The Clam before deciding on a title that reflects the historic roots of the Government Hill property. The space will seat 60 guests across indoor tables and a tree-shaded patio, alongside a 12-seat bar in the front room.
The transition comes after a four-year run by Restaurant Claudine, which closed its Southern-influenced concept in June. Architectural and interior adjustments are currently underway, with Linda Romero designing the layout, according to an AOL report.
French-Inspired Fare and an Award-Winning Beverage Program
The menu draws heavily from Galicia’s personal cookbook collection and international travels. Diners can expect brasserie staples, including caviar service at an approachable price point, foie gras mousse, lobster beignets with hollandaise, East Coast oysters in the garden, beef tartare, steak au poivre, short-rib raviolo, Dover sole meunière, and pasta bolognese made with nilgai antelope, as detailed by the San Antonio Express-News. Additional items include a dry-aged Filleman burger with fries, Basque cheesecake, and a banana split.
Complementing the food menu, Lauren Beckman will oversee the bar operations, offering both high-octane and zero-proof cocktail selections, as reported by AOL. Beckman brings recognition from her ongoing role as bar manager at Mixtli, where she earned the 2024 Michelin Guide Texas Service Award. Operating hours will run from 5 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday through Saturday, featuring happy hour specials Tuesday through Thursday.
Broader Culinary Shifts Across San Antonio
The launch of Filleman House coincides with other major culinary changes among San Antonio’s elite chef circles. Galicia’s Mixtli co-founder, Rico Torres, announced plans for a red-sauce Italian steakhouse named Rosso in the former home of Cured at Pearl, partnering with Gabe Erales and André Natera, according to the Express-News. Both Galicia and Torres maintain that their new independent projects will not impact their ongoing leadership at Mixtli.
“For Rico and myself, it’s been 13 years of our life that we’ve been dedicated to Mixtli,” Galicia told the Express-News. “It’s good for us to see ourselves away from Mixtli for a little bit. To see who we are away from it.”
With Filleman House, Rosso, and an upcoming project by Houston chef Aaron Bludorn in the former Carriqui space, the local dining scene faces an influx of high-profile concepts.
Filleman House has not established an exact opening date, though OpenTable reservations are slated to launch soon.