Everyone knows about dinner table manners. Sit up straight, don’t stretch at the table, chew with your mouth closed, and of course use utensils...Right? Not always. I know sometimes you just get tired of forks and knives and want to just use your hands. Well lucky for you I have made a list of foods that all consist of hands as your utensils! So time to get sticky, San Antonio!

WINGS

Ahh, the messiest of them all… wings. Who doesn’t love a good saucy wing? I know I do. With a big cup of ranch and a side of fries. I love to get down and dirty when I eat my wings. There’s no shame to a messy face when enjoying them, especially at Pluckers. I love Pluckers wings. They have such a wide variety of sauces and side options. My favorite is the teriyaki flavor! Be sure to give them a try next time you’re craving wings!

BBQ

If Texas is known for anything, it’s it barbeque. Ordering a big rack of ribs or brisket smothered in BBQ sauce with a side of coleslaw or green beans is a must. Down in the South, we take our barbeque seriously, especially at the award-winning Texas Pride BBQ. Hands down the best BBQ in Texas (in my opinion). My mom and I have been coming here ever since I was a child and I love it more and more each time. Texas Pride has been featured on Guy Fieri’s show “Diners Drive-Ins and Dives” and has received multiple awards and has also been included on Food Network and their website. If that doesn’t convince you yet to try them, then I don’t know what will.

CRAB LEGS

There’s nothing like a big plate of crab legs smothered in seasoning and butter to get your hands and face all messy. I love crab legs, especially because they are prime finger food. I also like it when I can customize how I want them to be cooked and what they will taste like. If you like all of that too, I would suggest heading over to Smashin Crab. They have such a good variety of boil sauces and different levels of spiciness. Everything is always cooked to perfection and you don’t even eat on a plate!

KAMAYAN BOODLE FIGHT

The boodle fight was inspired by a military-style tradition now experienced by most Filipinos. It is a traditional communal-style Filipino feast where all utensils and dishes are a no-go. This dinner is best served off of banana leaves consisting of crispy pata, kabocha squash, pickled green papaya, rice and much more. The best part about the feast is that you can eat as much as you want and there are no utensils involved. Everything is consumed by hands! A spot known for their boodle fights here in San Antonio is Sari-Sari. They have such a wide selection of traditional Filipino foods and they also are a market and a bakery! 

MEATBALL SUBS

Mhh I love sandwiches, especially if they contain meatballs and marinara sauce, loaded with a ton of mozzarella cheese. There’s nothing like a good old fashion meatball sub to warm the tummy. I love it when you bite into the sub and the marinara sauce comes oozing out all over your fingers. A great place to grab yourself a meatball sub is at Pizza Italia. They use their homemade meatballs and Marinara sauce to create the perfect sub. They even get a little fancy by adding some onions and bell peppers into their sauce. Give it a try next time you visit!

ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

If you love sweets as much as I do, then you know how yummy ice cream and cookies are. But put them together, talk about a party in your mouth. I love a good cookie ice cream sandwich just like any other sugar addict. But I have never had a better ice cream sandwich then what I have at The Baked Bear. You can even pair your sandwich with a brownie! They will also even warm the cookie and brownie when they make the ice cream sandwich and you can add toppings! It is a super messy dessert but also a super delicious one too! Next time you’re craving something sweet, I would check them out.

HOTDOGS

There’s nothing like a warm sunny day to sit down, pop open a cold one, and accompany it with a big, fat, messy hotdog. Who doesn’t love a decked-out hotdog? Covered in mustard, ketchup, and relish. Now I’m hungry. I love how easy a hot dog is too. No need for utensils, just a bunch of napkins. If you love hot dogs as much as I do, you’ll definitely love The Dogfather. Talk about hot dogs on steroids. They have all types of unique hot dogs that are loaded with different types of condiments. They have anything from a Frito Pie hotdog to a hotdog slathered in Hot Cheetos, queso, and fried jalapenos. This place is a must if you are looking for a good dog. Not to mention they have a special on Sundays where all their hot dogs are just $5.

NACHOS

The traditional fingerpicking food. Nachos are the perfect game day snack for you and your friends, and they are so customizable. You can load them up with all different types of things, or simply just eat them with cheese. That’s why I love Chachos. Known for their amazing nachos, Chachos has anything from simple cheese nachos, all the way to what they call “Monster Kong Nachos”, which has about everything on them. The options are endless. So, if you’re looking for some good quality nachos, I would hit up your nearest Chachos!

WHOLE CORN

Whole corn or also referred to as “elote entero” is a very popular food item in San Antonio, especially around Fiesta time. It is an ear of whole corn dressed up in Mexican crema, cheese, butter, and lime. Let me tell you, it is delicious. But if you don’t want to wait until a special event or holiday to eat it, you can stop by Wicho’s Mexican Deli and enjoy all the corn you want. They have such a wide variety of condiments that you can add on to your corn including Hot Cheetos, Takis, Nacho Cheese or you can even add an ear of whole corn on top of a plate of nachos! I know it is just corn, but it is a-maize-ing.