Bread News

One Dallas baker makes the list of Best Bread by Food & Wine magazine

Sourdough bread.

Photo courtesy of Kuluntu

One of the biggest pandemic foodie trends was a surge in popularity with bread, and here is national food magazine Food & Wine exploiting that trend with a new best-of list.

Called "The Best Bread in Every State," the article is a list of breadmakers in each of the 50 states, including Texas.

With Texas being so large, the blurb highlights bakeries in three cities:

Written by David Landsel, the magazine's editor, the article references the "quiet revolution taking place within American bread" spurred by the pandemic, with bakers cooped up at home that led to "an absolute explosion in the cottage baking industry."

The blurbs are written in a conversational style - heavy on chattiness, light on stats.

Here's the Texas summary:

Bread in the Lone Star State has come very far in not very much time at all, which is to say that 2018 already feels like ages ago. That's the year Ryan Goebel took the bold step of opening ThoroughBread in Austin. At his modest-seeming shop, tucked away from view in the Zilker neighborhood, Goebel was, from the very start, turning out some of the finest naturally-leavened loaves in the state, back when there weren't a ton to choose from. These days, that's still true, but there's no denying that the drought is officially over. From the sprawling North Texas suburbs on down, sourdough is kind of a big deal right now. There are two standouts: the beautiful, catch-them-if-you-can loaves at the online-only Kuluntu Bakery in Dallas, and Magnol French Baking in Houston, where chefs Otto Sanchez and Brittany native Matthieu Cabon have been shaking things up since 2019.

There's no question that all three of these breadmakers are doing great bread. But the "Best Bread in Texas" headline might be a little misleading, as the list bypasses some well established names, and instead skews towards new, hipster, and independently owned entities. Maybe "Best New Post-Pandemic Breads"?

It also seems to be focused on bakers who are doing sourdough breads. Maybe "Best New Post-Pandemic Sourdough Breads"?

ThoroughBread in Austin fits the filter: Founded in 2019, they're a small operation that does only five breads, dominated by sourdough: white sour, wheat sour, rye sour, white loaf, and wheat loaf. (Non-bread-wise, they also do cookies and their signature kolache-style "Burridoughs.")

Kuluntu in Dallas does incomparably amazing breads and baked goods, but it's not something you can just walk in off the street and buy. Founded in 2018, it's a cottage business, requiring that you order via email, then pick it up at a house in Oak Cliff a few days later. The selection is limited and changes every week, but follows the article's sourdough-centric theme, offering 2-3 sourdough options, plus seasonal items such as a fall croissant filled with Delicata squash, goat cheese, & sage.

Magnol in Houston was founded in 2019 by two veteran bakers, one a native of France, and has a big wholesale business supplying bread to restaurants such as Bludorn and Coltivare. They're bigger than the other two Texas bakeries that made this list, with a broader menu that focuses on French breads rather than sourdough. They definitely have hipster cred, with big lines on weekends.

Landsel, the author, very likely sought advice from local "experts" since he could hardly have, for example, ordered bread from Kuluntu. Or did he go by Instagram photos? (Neither he nor the magazine's PR team responded to a query regarding their methodology.)

"Two years later, where are we? This list aims to answer that question, and one thing is clear—we're left with far more good bread than we started with," he concludes.

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Where to Eat

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 10 new restaurants for October

Photo courtesy of Sophia's

Red snapper ceviche at Sophia's Cantina

CultureMap's monthly Where to Eat column highlighting the best restaurants to try returns for October with a theme of new and diverse. Every restaurant on this list is a recent arrival, including at least one that has been open for only a day. If you want hot, fresh, and new, you've come to the right list.

The list represents an exciting array, encompassing a one-of-its-kind test restaurant, a fashionable coffee shop, steakhouse, Mexican cantina, Italian speakeasy, and not one, not two, but three places to get dumplings.

Here's where to eat in Dallas for October 2026:

Coach Coffee Shop
Unique cafe just opened inside the Coach handbag store at Allen Outlet Malls, one of seven locations across the U.S., including Austin, which opened in 2025. The drink menu features coffee, espresso drinks including cappuccinos and lattes, cold brew, matcha lattes with rotating seasonal flavors, and lemonade. There are two signature items: Tabby Cake — an adorable chocolate treat shaped like Coach’s trademark Tabby bag and Lil Miss Jo Cookie — an edible version of the chain's coffee-cup animated mascot used in company ad campaigns. They also serve pastries such as salted chocolate chip cookies, blueberry muffins, vegan carrot cake muffins, cinnamon rolls, savory scones, ham and cheese croissant, and soft-serve in waffle cones.

Curry Tei & Bar
Hip Asian restaurant comes to downtown Plano courtesy of Michelle Vi Pepping, who also owns buzzy Okaeri Cafe in Richardson. Curry Tei gives her the opportunity to focus more deeply on favorite Japanese comfort foods, especially house-made curry and crispy katsu, along with a full bar featuring sake, Japanese whisky, and handcrafted cocktails. The curry can be ordered over rice or udon noodles, then topped with a choice from 10 proteins: tonkatsu fried pork cutlet, katsu fried chicken cutlet, tofu katsu fried tofu cutlet, shrimp katsu, karaage fried chicken, Japanese sausage, fried potato croquette, sliced beef, hamburger patty, or gyoza dumplings. Their bowls and noodles run the gamut from chicken teriyaki over rice to chilled green tea soba noodles with vegetable tempura. Popular starters include edamame, dumplings, and karaage fried chicken.

The chocolate bag is one of a few too-cute-to-eat treats at Coach Coffee Shop. Coach Coffee Shop/Instagram

Docent Steak
After two years in the making, the newest restaurant from Harwood Hospitality Group is open in the Harwood No. 14 development as a steakhouse with a menu centered on HWD Beef, Harwood’s exclusive beef product. Prime cuts include filet mignon, NY strip, ribeye, bone-in strip, Chateaubriand, and porterhouse. Docent also serves Kobe beef, including A5 Wagyu available by the ounce, and a rotating Kobe flight featuring five cuts. Non-steak options include crab cake, Kobe potstickers, steak tartare sliders, tempura lobster, oysters, spicy tuna tartare, and a seafood tower. As befits a steakhouse, there's a grand wine list, but also a big selection of sake. The main dining room has a white-tablecloth fine-dining ambience, while a lower level has a casual atmosphere with TVs. There's lots of art, a Harwood trademark.

L's Dumplings
Chef-owned Asian spot just opened on the Lewisville/Carrollton border, where it's doing dumplings and Hong Kong-style dim sum. There's an expansive menu with dim sum-style dishes, dumplings, and even Chinese-American staples like General Tso's Chicken. While the restaurant does not have room for the cart service that often goes with dim sum, it does have a dim sum menu with a dozen dishes you'd find at a traditional dim sum brunch: beef tripe, black pepper short ribs, siu mai topped with roe, Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce, steamed pork ribs with garlic, sticky rice chicken, wontons, and chicken feet in black bean sauce. Dumplings are offered in more than a dozen varieties including soft steamed dumplings, pan-fried dumplings with a crispy bottom, and soup dumplings, famous for containing broth inside the wrapper, creating an especially juicy filling.

Momo2Go
Well-regarded dumpling chain from Canada has opened a location in the Preston Lebanon Crossing shopping center, taking over a space previously occupied by Lalo's Cocina Mexicana, which closed in July. Momo2Go specializes in momos — the dumpling that's a foundation of Himalayan cuisine — and is a spinoff of a family-owned restaurant called Himalayan Kitchen, which debuted in Toronto in 2012. Their momos were so popular that they launched Momo2Go in 2016. They now have 10 including one in Irving, which franchisees Karma Gurung and Tashi Chetan opened in 2023. Frisco is their second location.

Veggie dumplings are a favorite at L's Dumplings.Photo courtesy of L's Dumplings

Ono Hawaiian BBQ
Fast-casual Hawaiian plate-lunch chain from California just opened a location in McKinney, specializing in island-style plate lunches that combine some form of meat plus white rice and macaroni salad. Meats include BBQ chicken, Kalua pork, kalbi short ribs, fried chicken katsu, and Spam musubi, consisting of a block of rice topped with a slice of Spam and wrapped in seaweed. A slightly healthier option combines the meats with rice and a side salad. McKinney is the second location in Texas, following Plano which opened in July. If all goes according to their plan, they will soon be ubiquitous, with 10 locations plotted for DFW.

Open House
New restaurant concept being tested by KFC has opened its very first location in McKinney, with a goal to put a modern twist on Colonel Sanders' fried chicken concept. The location has tableside service, touchscreen kiosks, breakfast, boba drinks, and more. New and unique menu items including sides such as Southwest corn, fried green beans, spicy pickles, and rainbow slaw, as well as the first breakfast lineup featuring chicken tenders sandwiches, hashbrown sticks, mini cronuts, brewed coffee, and iced lattes. The McKinney restaurant will serve as a testing ground for KFC, giving them a chance to try new food, drinks, service, and design ideas before rolling them out across the country.

Red: Italian
Unusual new restaurant in Denton is a subterranean spot in the basement of Ruby Rodeo, a bar and live music venue on Denton Square, where it's serving Italian food and speakeasy charm. The 58-seat underground space — which includes 10 seats at the bar — serves Italian classics, priced from $25 to $40, such as spicy sausage lasagna with arrabbiata sauce, cacio e pepe bucatini, chicken piccata, shrimp diablo, and espresso-crusted filet mignon with Italian seasoning. Appetizers include fried mozzarella, stuffed mushrooms, grilled artichokes, bruschetta, meatballs, flatbreads, and a classic Caesar. The concept comes from Victor García and Mike Church, who also own Ruby Rodeo, as well as the similarly-red-named Scarlett Lounge in Deep Ellum.

Sophia's Cocina & Cantina
Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch is the new home of Hugo Miranda, the well-respected hospitality figure who previously helmed Hugo's Invitados, a Mexican concept that he opened in 2018 with entrepreneur Mark Hulme. Highlights from the menu (which has not yet been uploaded to the restaurant's website nor their Facebook page) include oysters, pork belly chicharron, sopa de Cebolla, mixed grill, ribeye black Angus tomahawk sliced tableside, whole Pacific snapper, crudos, and upscale tacos such as blue crab with spinach; and salads such as red beet carpaccio with arugula, goat cheese, avocado, and pumpkin seeds.

Yo-Chi
Aussie fro-yo chain known for self-serve bowls, bountiful topping bars, and lively vibe has made its U.S. debut in Dallas near Inwood Village, at 5710 Lovers Ln. #101, to be followed by a second location at NorthPark Center. Yay us. Founded in Melbourne in 2012, Yo-Chi first expanded outside Australia in 2025 with a location in Singapore, followed by London. They tout their use of "fresh milk" in their yogurt, with flavors such as vanilla, salted butterscotch, tart, acai, coconut, matcha, and cinnamon banana. Plus 40-plus toppings arranged in a communal, self-serve station, including mini mochi, pistachio spread, cookie dough, sauces, brownies, fruit, and more. In its Down Under home turf, Yo-Chi locations are said to have a club ambience, with people going there on dates and bouncers at the door on weekends.

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