Meet the Tastemakers

Here's your taste of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2018

Each year, we hold a Texas-sized celebration of two of the things we love most: food and drink. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, presented by Woodford Reserve, honors the top restaurant and bar talent in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making each city's culinary scene special. First, we collaborated with a panel of experts, including previous Tastemaker winners, to determine the nominees in each city. The panels then selected winners in every category, except Best New Restaurant, which was determined by our readers in a tournament presented by Whole Foods Market.

It all culminated in our series of signature tasting events and awards ceremonies, held in Houston, Austin, and Dallas, where guests mixed and mingled with top culinary talent and fellow foodies, while we unveiled the 2018 Tastemaker Awards winners. Join us in toasting the best of Texas dining right now.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: L’Oca d’Oro
Chef of the Year: Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Zach Hunter, The Brewer’s Table
Pastry Chef of the Year: Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Emmer & Rye
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Texas French Bread
Best New Restaurant: Be More Pacific
Favorite Food Truck: Veracruz All Natural
Bar of the Year: Nickel City
Bartender of the Year: Erin Ashford, Olamaie
Brewery of the Year: St. Elmo Brewing Co.
Wine Program of the Year: Texas French Bread

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: Town Hearth
Chef of the Year: Omar Flores, Whistle Britches
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Anastacia Quinones, The Cedars Social
Pastry Chef of the Year: Keith Cedotal, The Joule
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Nova
Best New Restaurant: Ferris Wheelers
Best Biscuits: Crossroads Diner
Bar of the Year: Parliament
Bartender of the Year: Trevor Landry, Jalisco Norte
Wine Program of the Year: Bullion

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Piattello Italian Kitchen
Chef of the Year: Lanny Lancarte, Righteous Foods
Best New Restaurant: B&B Butchers & Restaurant
Bar of the Year: Proper on Magnolia

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Xochi
Chef of the Year: Chris Shepherd, Underbelly Hospitality
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Jason Vaughan, Nancy’s Hustle
Pastry Chef of the Year: Jillian Bartolome, Aqui
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Paulie’s
Best New Restaurant: Field & Tides
Poke Restaurant of the Year: Izakaya
Bar of the Year: Better Luck Tomorrow
Bartender of the Year: Alex Negranza, Better Luck Tomorrow
Brewery of the Year: Eureka Heights Brewing Company
Wine Program of the Year: a’Bouzy

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: Battalion
Chef of the Year: Pieter Sypesteyn of The Cookhouse
Best New Restaurant: Tenko Ramen
Favorite Coffee Shop: Bakery Lorraine
Bar of the Year: Downstairs at the Esquire Tavern

Fort Worth Restaurant of the Year, Piattello Italian Kitchen.

Photo by Brian Hutson

Fort Worth Restaurant of the Year, Piattello Italian Kitchen.

tastemakers texas bests

Sushi News

Fun conveyor-belt sushi restaurant debuts at McKinney mixed-use

Photo by Jakob Layman for Kura Sushi

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A Japanese-inspired restaurant that brings you sushi on a conveyor belt is now open in McKinney: Called Kura Revolving Sushi, it’s located at 8585 W. University Dr. #150 in the West Grove mixed-use development, where it debuts on April 25, with an opening party taking place all weekend from April 25-27.

"We are thrilled to open our sixth DFW location in McKinney, which is one of the fastest growing cities in the country with a population that's increasingly diverse and open to new culinary experiences," says Chief Development Officer Robert Kluger in a statement. "We believe the West Grove shopping center is the perfect place to share our authentic Japanese dining experience with this growing community."

Kura Sushi USA was established in 2008 and has grown to be the largest revolving sushi chain: Small plates of sushi and sides are placed on a conveyor belt that snakes around the restaurant, allowing customers to grab items as they pass by.

They have more than 100 menu items, including sushi, ramen, and popular Asian starters like edamame and wontons. Each item is charged separately starting at $3.45 a plate.

There are two conveyors as follows:

Revolving Sushi Bar. The primary belt that snakes through the dining area, with plates of sushi that are protected by the chain's Mr. Fresh ventilated sushi lid. They say it limits airborne exposure and has plate-tracking technology that monitors how long the item has been circulating, ensuring food remains fresh.
Express Belt. Referred to as the "sushi highway," the express belt is positioned above the primary belt and is used to deliver special orders.

Bikkura Pon Prizes
An integral part of Kura Sushi USA’s tech interactive dining experience, Bikkura Pon is a machine that dispenses prizes after customers dispose of their plates properly. A touch panel registers the number of sushi plates dispensed into the plate disposal slot. After five plates, a short animation plays; after every fifteen plates, a prize such as a keychain or phone mount pops out.

Kura has more than 550 locations in Japan, U.S., and Taiwan. There are 70 locations in 20 states and Washington D.C. McKinney is the sixth location to open in DFW; other locations include Carrollton, Euless, Plano, Frisco, and Fort Worth.

openings

Meet the Tastemakers

Here's your taste of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2018

Fort Worth Restaurant of the Year, Piattello Italian Kitchen.

Sushi News

Fun conveyor-belt sushi restaurant debuts at McKinney mixed-use

11 Dallas suburbs soar as fastest-growing U.S. cities in last decade

Restaurant-bar near Uptown Dallas unveils tiki-themed summer pop-up

Mixed-use East Dock will revive 1915 building in Dallas' Oak Cliff