Alyssa
When we first launched Twenty Something SA in January 2015, one of the first restaurants we reviewed was CommonWealth Coffeehouse across from the University of the Incarnate Word. When we heard Jose Campos, owner of CommonWealth, opened a pop-up restaurant at the San Antonio Museum of Art, you couldn’t keep us away. Sketch at the Museum is unlike any restaurant in the entire city and although it’s a pop-up, we’re excited to say the cuisine is here to stay!
Across the pavilion at the San Antonio Museum of Art is the entrance of Sketch. As soon as you walk through the door it’s as if you never left the outdoors. Wooden birds hang from the ceiling and a gorgeous tree sits in the middle of an extra large, colorful table, inviting you to take a seat underneath. The smell of French pastries fills the air and a jug full of flavored water rests near the back door. Before placing my order, I took a lap around the restaurant and quickly realized the table was not the centerpiece of Sketch. The extra large back patio looks over the San Antonio River with several tables for enjoying coffee and a meal. There are times where I enter a restaurant and completely forget where I am in the universe, and this happened on Sketch’s patio.
When the San Antonio Museum of Art approached Jose at Commonwealth, the idea of a pop-up bistro was a mere dream, until Campos and SAMA made it all a reality. Campos and his team built the kitchen from scratch and Sketch opened its doors on December 22, 2015. The food is similar to Commonwealth, with a few twists, of course.
“Our two chefs, who are originally from France, work at Sketch as well. The museum is international and we have a chef from France. We want to fuse the restaurant with the museum,” says Campos.
Sketch serves up salad, soups and sandwiches. Chef Olivier also features a daily special. I opted for the eggplant pizza (the most amazing dough!) on special and Jacqueline ordered the popular chicken mango sandwich. Other menu items include a Parisian hot dog, croissants and mouthwatering crepes.
This beauty is the Nutella crepe. It may look thin, but the inside of the crepe is filled with sweet, sweet Nutella.
Along with amazing food, Sketch showcases local artists, many from the University of the Incarnate Word, and occasionally brings in artists to work live. Art changes on a monthly basis and the artists receive 100% of the proceeds.
While Sketch at the Museum is a pop-up bistro, Campos has plans to open a fine dining restaurant in the exact same location come summer. We’ll keep you updated!