Austin- and San Antonio-based multidisciplinary firm Clayton & Little has unveiled the Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antonio. The new craft beer and dining concept is housed within a 1890s structure previously inhabited by the historic Pearl Brewery, which shuttered in 2001. In collaboration with fellow Texas designer Joel Mozersky, the project showcases a gritty grandeur that revives the brewhouse’s original splendor while adapting it for a contemporary audience.
Vestiges of the historic site are retained for both functional and decorative purposes, with the copper mash tun and boil kettle as a key focal point for the 5,000-square-foot venue. Production line conveyors were upcycled to serve as decorative wall cladding above the central bar, where salvaged bottling line parts come together to create a unique pendant light fixture overhead. Totaling 15 feet in height, original stainless steel kettle tops are used as the centerpiece of the rear dining room, while the 60-foot-tall grain silo was reimagined as a private dining room. Interior walls and structural features were positioned to display a distressed, unfinished appearance alongside expansive double-hung wood windows.
The second floor and mezzanine accommodate the brewing operations, spread across 2,600 square feet. The steel and concrete space becomes a dramatic backdrop for diners with reclaimed white oak floors, zinc countertops, and leather seating set against new brick and plaster walls. An outdoor terrace also wraps the facility.
