A Toast to the Tastemakers

Celebrate Dallas' culinary all-stars at the 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

We'll see you in May to toast the Dallas Tastemakers.

Photo by Ashley Gongora

Get ready to raise a glass to Dallas' restaurant and bar stars. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards returns this spring — and tickets are on sale now.

Join us May 12 at Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G.) for an evening honoring the very best of Dallas' culinary scene.

The fun begins with our signature tasting event, where you'll sample special bites from this year's participating nominees and sip an array of cocktails, beer, and more. The night culminates in our annual awards ceremony, once again helmed by Dallas comedian CJ Starr.

The Tastemaker Awards nominees are determined by a panel of industry experts, including past winners. Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the local restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity.

The 2022 Dallas program will honor Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bar of the Year, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year, Bartender of the Year, Wine Program of the Year, Best New Restaurant, and Best New Pizza.

The nominees will be unveiled in our special editorial series leading up to the big event.

On May 12, we'll reveal the winner in each category, including the readers' choice winner for Best New Restaurant, which will be determined by you in an upcoming online tournament.

A limited number of Early Bird tickets are on sale now at discounted rates of $60 for general admission and $99 for VIP (includes early access to the event, valet, and a dedicated bar). Prices will increase April 1, so grab your tickets now for this sell-out affair.

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The event is brought to you by Stranahan's Rocky Mountain Single Malt Whiskey, Maestro Dobel Tequila, Deep Ellum Brewing Co., and Topo Chico. A portion of proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, Harvest Project Food Rescue.

cocktails tastemakers

Taco News

Award-winning Dallas chef launches taquito concept at Oomi Kitchen

Yelp

Revolver Taco Lounge is known for its tacos.

An award-winning Dallas chef is taking on taquitos: Called Taquitos Ross, it's a new brand from award-winning chef Regino Rojas, owner of Revolver Taco Lounge in Deep Ellum, who will bring his celebrated flavors and techniques to Oomi Kitchen, the digital food hall on 3510 Ross Ave.

Taquitos Ross will be available through the oomi ordering platform and will make its debut on November 19 — bringing a fresh addition to Oomi’s diverse lineup of food concepts.

The focus will be on taquitos filled with premium carefully-prepared ingredients. The opening menu will feature:

Carnitas taquitos
Chicken Tinga taquitos
inventive nachos

Taquitos consist of a rolled-up tortilla filled with ingredients and deep-fried until crisp. So far, they have not been "elevated." The partnership with Oomi promises not only to elevate the taquito experience — taking it from crunchy snack to refined, flavorful dish — it will also bring Rojas' food to a wider audience. Rojas opened Revolver Taco Lounge in Deep Ellum in 2017.

Oomi founder Markus Pineyro says in a statement that "We’re incredibly honored to work with chef Rojas on Taquitos Ross. His passion for quality and tradition aligns perfectly with our mission to bring exceptional, creative food to our customers. Taquitos Ross is a brand that we believe will not only bring people together but also spark a love for taquitos like never before.”

Pineyro is a career innovator who previously founded the Urban Taco chain in 2007, helping pave the way for chains such as Velvet Taco. He founded Oomi Kitchen, a digital food hall just outside downtown Dallas in 2022, as a one-stop shop for bold concepts, with a focus on delivery and take out. Customers can order from multiple concepts at once — providing a solution for groups with varying tastes — with $2 delivery.

His innovation has put him on the national radar and landed him an invitation to participate in the recent Spongebob Krabby Patty promotion, one of a limited number of restaurans across the U.S.

Oomi house brands include: include Bodega Sandwiches & Wraps, Okie Dokie Smash Burgers, Love Bowls, Clucky’s Damn Good Chicken (fried chicken & wings), Savage Rabbit (salads), Hot Lips (Asian-inspired dishes) and Bowlrito (bowls and burritos). Partner brands currently offered include Urban Taco, Pacuigo, and Tribal Juices.

trends tacos