Two Bars Defining San Antonio’s Cocktail Scene

Located in the heart of downtown urban San Antonio, both Jet-Setter and Pastiche are one-of-a-kind establishments that were carefully designed to prioritize the integration and enhancement of the local community.

Deriving their inspiration from international excursions, each bar features the highest quality spirits, wines, and beers from across the globe.

Jet-Setter’s vibe is sleek, a mid-century modern with a nod to the 1960s airport lounge. Nestled in a neighborhood just a few blocks away, Pastiche is set in a quaint blue house, offering guests a cozy, French/Swiss feel with vintage furnishings and glassware.

When inquired about the characteristics that make his bars to stand out, co-owner and manager Benjamin Krick hastily points to their menu. “It’s filled with sophisticated cocktails made with quality international ingredients that you won’t find anywhere else in the city.”

Their cocktail selection correlates directly with the diversity of the city they inhabit. San Antonio is home to a limitless multitude of flavors, extending far beyond the likes of a simple Margarita. Many of said flavors are captured in “The Alamo City,” a Jet-Setter cocktail that portrays the combination of Texas and Mexican cultures through a blend of Blanco Tequila, Crème de Cacao, Ancho Reyes, Piloncillo, Lemon, and grated Abuelita Mexican spiced hot chocolate.

Pastiche soaks in the heavy German influence found throughout the city, dedicating several beers they offer to that matter. In terms of cocktails, they most frequently sell a splendid creation titled “The Petra.” It’s made with Apricot Rakia, Italicus, Ratafia Champenois and Sparkling Rose.

While the menu’s content has a huge role in both bars, Krick insists there are other aspects that ought to be held to a higher regard for the sake of success. He quotes “The biggest thing that sets our bars apart is the level of service. We offer exceptional hospitality with humility at the forefront. Our team is also highly educated. We internally raise incentives for our staff with life and health insurance programs and we help with educational costs. Finally, we are committed to sustainable efforts. So, when you spend your dollars with us, they go further because of the circles we impact in terms of things like our zero-waste effort. We are constantly trying to push the envelope and absorb ways to increase our level of sustainability and decrease our carbon footprint. We are stewards in that respect.”

In Europe, the bar industry is a trade, often a family business, and the employees are in it for the long haul. Ben wants to recreate that exact opportunity for his employees. He reinforces, “Health and life insurance are one way that we can make our employees realize that we are as committed to their success as they are.”

On the eco-friendly side of the spectrum, Krick’s establishments go beyond paper straws and biodegradable utensils. The kind of environmental consciousness they employ reaches every area of businesses from using a tankless water heater, washing and hand drying linens on site, and self-producing their own cleaning products. In addition, menus are printed on recycled paper, and cocktails are created without citrus forward recipes in order to eliminate all the extra waste citrus produces.

Lastly, the bonds between employees consist of respect and mutual desire for a unity of prosperity.

“We have more of a ‘coach/player’ relationship here than a ‘boss/employee.’ We are in the trenches with them working alongside them—not yelling orders at them from across the bar. We have an all for one mentality and we all do what is needed to keep the flow going.