A taste of Texas

The Tastemaker Awards toasts the best in Texas dining for 2022

Guests raised a toast to our Tastemaker nominees.

Photo by Guillermo Rosas

CultureMap trekked across Texas this spring to toast the Tastemakers during our annual culinary awards program — and this year was bigger than ever. In addition to our longstanding events in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, we brought the party to Fort Worth and San Antonio for the very first time.

The series began April 26 with our inaugural San Antonio event before returning to Austin's Fair Market on April 28. The Texas culinary tour then headed to Cowtown for our Fort Worth debut on May 10, followed by an evening at Dallas' Fashion Industry Gallery on May 12. The foodie fun wrapped up May 25 in Houston with another sold-out night at Silver Street Studios.

The 2022 Tastemaker Awards served as a Texas-sized celebration of the culinary scenes they honored, with guests savoring bites from participating nominees, sipping signature cocktails alongside culinary stars, and raising a glass to the winners during our live awards ceremonies.

Nominees were selected by local panels of industry experts, including past Tastemaker winners and CultureMap editors. The panels then selected all winners, except for Best New Restaurant, which was determined by readers in our online tournament.

Meet all of the 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners, listed by city, below.

Dallas:

Restaurant of the Year: Meridian
Chef of the Year: Ji Kang, Sloane's Corner
Bar of the Year: Rattlesnake Bar
Best New Restaurant: Hawkers Asian Street Food
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Aldo Lugo, Jose
Pastry Chef of the Year: Amy La Rue, Carte Blanche
Bartender of the Year: Reid Lewis, Atlas
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Hillside Tavern
Brewery of the Year: Vector Brewing
Wine Program of the Year: Monarch
Best New Pizza: 400 Gradi

Fort Worth:

Restaurant of the Year: Belenty's Love Vegan Mexican Restaurant
Chef of the Year: Jenny Castor, Luckybee Kitchen
Bar of the Year: The Lobby Bar at Hotel Dryce
Best New Restaurant: Dusty Biscuit Beignets
Best Breakfast: Ol' South Pancake House

San Antonio:

Restaurant of the Year: 2M Smokehouse
Chef of the Year: Jason Dady, Jardín
Bar of the Year: Bar 1919
Best New Restaurant: Dashi Sichuan Kitchen & Bar
Best Brewery: Dorćol Distilling & Brewing Co.

Austin:

Restaurant of the Year: Cuantos Tacos
Chef of the Year: Edgar Rico, Nixta Taqueria
Bar of the Year: Tiki Tatsu-Ya
Best New Restaurant: Wax Myrtle's
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Amanda Turner, Olamaie
Pastry Chef of the Year: Susana Querejazu, Lutie's
Bartender of the Year: Cory Starr, Tiki Tatsu-Ya
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Wine Program of the Year: Birdie's
Brewery of the Year: Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Best Vegan Restaurant: Counter Culture

Houston:

Restaurant of the Year: Street to Kitchen
Chef of the Year: Aaron Bludorn, Bludorn
Bar of the Year: Tongue-cut Sparrow
Best New Restaurant: d’Alba Craft Kitchen & Cocktails
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Benchawan Painter, Street to Kitchen
Pastry Chef of the Year: Christina Au, Blacksmith
Bartender of the Year: Sarah Crowl, Better Luck Tomorrow
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Click Virtual Food Hall
Wine Program of the Year: Tiny Champions
Best Pop-up: Luis Mercado and Paolo Justo, Neo

Aaron Bludorn, right, was named Houston Chef of the Year.

2022 Tastemaker Awards Silver Street Studios

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Aaron Bludorn, right, was named Houston Chef of the Year.

tastemakers

Henderson Avenue News

Dallas bar High Fives will close on Henderson Avenue after 10 years

High Fives/Facebook

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A nightlife staple on Dallas' Henderson Avenue is closing: High Fives, the bar located at 1804 McMillan Ave., will close in early January, after more than 10 years.

According to a release, the actual closing date will be tied to the Texas Tech Red Raiders' game schedule in January.

"To all our neighbors, the Red Raider faithful, and everyone who has made High Fives their home—we are saying goodbye by raising our hands high for one last High Five," says owner Phil Schanbaum. "This establishment was built on community, spirited rivalry, and countless memories. We are deeply thankful to every single patron and, especially, to all of our incredible staff who were the heart and soul of this place."

High Fives opened in mid-2015, part of the portfolio of This & That Hospitality, the company Schanbaum founded with partner Brandon Hays, next door to its sibling bar The Whippersnapper (which was rebranded into a concept called Boogies in October 2025.)

Schanbaum says that they're unsure of what will go in the High Fives space after it closes — but that the closure "paves the way for the ongoing evolution of Henderson Avenue."

The property is owned by Acadia Realty, the New York-based company that is partnered with Dallas development firm Ignite-Rebees on a 161,000-square-foot, creative, mixed-use development currently underway on Henderson Avenue between Glencoe Street and McMillan Avenue at the eastern end of Henderson Avenue.

High Fives' closure is part of that plan to transform the quarter-mile stretch into a walkable destination featuring restaurants, retail, and office space.

"To Henderson Avenue, we look forward to further expansion and to making this street even better. We are excited for the neighborhood's renaissance, which will bring new experiences, retail, and dining concepts to the area," Schanbaum says.

Moving target
The actual closing date will depend on the outcome of the season for Texas Tech's football team the Red Raiders.

"The final chapter for High Fives will be written alongside the almighty Texas Tech Red Raiders. The bar's ultimate closure is tied directly to the team's success," the release says.

The next game day is on January 1, when doors open at 10 am.

If the Red Raiders advance past the game on January 1, High Fives will remain open for subsequent Texas Tech game days until the team's run ends. Meanwhile hours in December will be Thursdays & Fridays from 8 pm-2 am, and Saturdays: from 2 pm– 2 am.