Tastemakers of Texas

Relish this list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2019

Each spring, CultureMap tours Texas with our annual Tastemaker Awards, celebrating the top restaurant and bar talent in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. These events have become some of the most popular food affairs of the season, with almost 3,000 folks across Texas joining us in 2019.

This year, the party started in Houston on March 27, stopped in Austin on April 10, and wrapped with a Dallas finale on April 25. At each party, we noshed on savory and sweet bites from top restaurants and chefs, sipped specialty drinks, and mingled with local culinary talent. And, most importantly, we celebrated all of the nominees and toasted the winners during our coveted awards ceremony.

So, how did we determine the best of the best? CultureMap editors collaborated with expert panels, including previous Tastemaker winners, to select 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 heated bracket-style tournament.

The result is this list of the best of Texas dining for 2019. Savor it, and join us in raising a glass to all of the winners.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: Olamaie
Chef of the Year: Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Amanda Turner, Juniper
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Best New Restaurant: Discada
Pastry Chef of the Year: Laura Sawicki, Launderette
Bar of the Year: The Roosevelt Room
Bartender of the Year: Caer Ferguson, The Roosevelt Room
Brewery of the Year: Vista Brewing
Wine Program of the Year: June's All Day
Favorite Taco: Vaquero Taco

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: Bullion
Chef of the Year: Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Eric Freidline, Sevy's
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Mot Hai Ba
Best New Restaurant: Taco Y Vino
Pastry Chef of the Year: Andrea Meyer, Bisous Bisous
Bar of the Year: Shoals
Bartender of the Year: Chris Unruh, Tiny Victories
Wine Program of the Year: Al Biernat's
Best Pizza: Zoli's

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Clay Pigeon
Chef of the Year: Juan Rodriguez, Magdalena's
Best New Restaurant: Four Sisters
Bar of the Year: Twilite Lounge

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Nancy's Hustle
Chef of the Year: Manabu Horiuchi, Kata Robata
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ian Levy, Better Luck Tomorrow
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Giacomo’s cibo e vino
Best New Restaurant: Blood Bros. BBQ
Pastry Chef of the Year: Ruben Ortega, H-Town Restaurant Group
Bar of the Year: Anvil Bar & Refuge
Bartender of the Year: Sarah Troxell, Nobie’s
Brewery of the Year: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Wine Program of the Year: Coltivare
Favorite Burger: Bernie’s Burger Bus

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: The Cookhouse
Chef of the Year: Diego Galicia & Rico Torres, Mixtli
Best New Restaurant: The Jerk Shack
Bar of the Year: The Modernist
Favorite Taco: Carnitas Lonja, Carnitas

Olamaie, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

Photo by Robert J. Lerma

Olamaie, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

tastemakers

LOADS OF FUN

Chicks member Emily Strayer opens laundromat coffee cafe in Texas

Photo courtesy of\u00a0SOAP Laundry Lounge

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The Chicks' Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Emily Strayer is opening an unusual coffee bar concept: Called SOAP Laundry Lounge, it'll be a swanky laundromat and coffee bar opening in San Antonio.

According to a release, it'll open on December 4.

Strayer grew up in Dallas. She and her husband, musician Martin Strayer, are often on the road, but they purchased the building as a long-term investment in their adopted hometown. She envisioned the spot as both a neighborhood amenity and a community hub.

“SOAP was born from the idea that everyday tasks can be enjoyable,” Emily says in a statement. “I wanted to create a space that’s not just functional but inspiring, a place that brings people together and helps elevate how we live, even in the simplest moments, like laundry.”

The laundromat portion of the 5,500-square-foot building will feature 64 slow water, energy-saving machines — 28 washers and 36 dryers — outfitted with the Aquawing Ozone Laundry System, a hospital-grade sanitization technology that kills 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses.

In addition to self-service, SOAP offers a wash-and-fold option starting at $4 per wash. The laundromat uses a card-based payment system, which allows customers to load funds via cash, card, or EBT. The cards can be used throughout the concept, including the coffee bar.

The menu includes espresso drinks, teas, lemonades, and pastries alongside a few seasonal favorites like a Mexican mocha and a peppermint cold brew. With the complimentary WiFi, the concept almost functions like a coworking space.

Dallas is no stranger to laundromat-combination businesses: In the 90s, it was home to a beloved lounge in Exposition Park called Bar of Soap, which was a combination laundromat and punk rock bar, hosting both local and national name-brand touring bands.

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