Agarita is turning its Southtown loft into a supper club for the next three months, teaming up with Clementine chefs Elise and John Russ for a three-night concert series that pairs chamber music with dishes built around each evening's program. The series kicks off Friday, October 23, with coloratura soprano and Phantom of the Opera star Meghan Picerno, and runs through mid-December with stops for American composers and a Tchaikovsky finale.
The series, called Music, Food & Wine at the Agarita Loft, is built around curated themes, some with special guests, and matches the menu to the music, according to CultureMap San Antonio. The opening night lets Picerno celebrate the Great American Songbook while guests sample iconic U.S. desserts and Champagne, per the same report. Those desserts come from Clementine chef Elise Russ, and tickets for the October 23 show run $75 per person with capacity limited to 75 guests, according to Agarita.
American Composers Take Over in November
The second installment lands November 18, with a program devoted to American composers and savory cuisine. Agarita's own event listing frames it as a nod to the nation's 250th anniversary, pairing the rich sounds of American composers with new dishes created for the music by Clementine chef John Russ. Like the opening night, tickets for the November 18 concert cost $75 per person with seating capped at 75.
The series closes December 18 with Agarita performing Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, his ode to Italy, alongside fine Italian cheeses selected by Chef John Russ and Italian wines from Alexander Vineyards, the ensemble's event page notes. It is a fitting bookend for a run that has, so far, tied each musical theme to a specific flavor on the plate.
A Free Concert Bridges the Loft Series
Two days after the series opens, Agarita and Picerno will present a separate, free concert October 25 at the San Antonio Botanical Garden's Betty Kelso Center, located at 555 Funston Pl. The show traces the roots of America's musical identity from the blues to Broadway and features violinist Haerim Elizabeth Lee alongside Picerno, per CultureMap San Antonio. Admission is free, though a $100 donation to Agarita's nonprofit reserves premium seating.
This is not the first time Agarita and Clementine have joined forces around a shared table. Back in 2020, the ensemble paired a five-course meal from chefs John and Elise Russ with a streaming concert, charging $25 per person for curbside pickup, according to the San Antonio Current. That fall slate also included a socially distanced outdoor concert at Mission Marquee Plaza with San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, part of a broader push by Agarita not to let the pandemic slow it down.
Clementine's Own Reinvention
The current collaboration also reflects changes on Clementine's side of the kitchen. The restaurant's chefs have said 2024 was a tough year that pushed them to diversify their revenue streams and rethink our programming, as they told the San Antonio Current in a report on the restaurant's push to be more than a date-night spot. Partnering with Agarita on a recurring concert series fits that broader shift toward events beyond the dinner table.
From Rehearsal Space to Supper Club
Agarita opened the Loft upstairs at 724 S. Alamo St. in 2024, giving the ensemble a rehearsal base, concert venue and gallery space in Southtown. In 2025, the group acquired an additional 1,642 square feet of adjacent space, expanding seating capacity for up to 100 guests. That expansion lines up with a busy season ahead: the Agarita Loft is slated to host more than 30 events during the 2026-2027 season, including performances, lectures and special ticketed experiences, according to ArtSceneSA.
Founded in 2018 by pianist Daniel Anastasio, violist Marisa Bushman, cellist Ignacio Gallego and violinist Sarah Silver Manzke, Agarita has built a reputation for bringing classical and contemporary music to unconventional spaces, including performances at San Antonio Children's Hospital and the Spanish Governor's Palace. The group's Humble Hall trailer lets it set up performances anywhere, and the broader 2026-2027 season leans into that mobility, with plans to reach all 10 San Antonio City Council districts and all four Bexar County precincts. Education Coordinator Aimee Lopez is also set to oversee more than 40 Agarita Inspires! performances in schools and libraries across the city, per ArtSceneSA's season announcement.
