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    Tastemaker Awards

    16 best new restaurants in Dallas vie for Tastemaker title — vote now

    Teresa Gubbins
    Apr 3, 2019 | 2:20 pm
    Petra and the Beast
    Petra pasta.
    Photo courtesy of Petra and the Beast

    The 2019 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, our annual event honoring the best in local food and drink, puts the spotlight on the best bars, best neighborhood restaurants, and rising star chefs.

    Those categories are decided by our panel of judges consisting of previous winners and restaurant industry insiders.

    But for Best New Restaurant, you get to decide via our Tastemaker tournament, a bracket-style competition where 16 new restaurants go head to head.

    You can vote once a day for your favorite. It will go four rounds, at which time two finalists emerge.

    We'll announce the winner at our party on April 25 at Fashion Industry Gallery, with an awards ceremony plus tastings of food and drink. Tickets start at $60, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting North Texas Food Bank.

    To vote, click here. Don't delay: The first bracket ends on April 7.

    Here are the nominees:

    Billy Can Can
    Stylish restaurant in Victory Park from Tristan Simon is fashioned after a 19th-century dining saloon. Chef is Matt Ford (Americano, CBD Provisions, Craft Dallas), whose menu is modern Texas with a French influence and some Mexican dishes. Menu items include oyster sliders on sweet-potato rolls; a seafood tower; venison tartare; Gulf snapper with succotash; and Wagyu tomahawk for two with roasted bone marrow and wild-arugula and green-tomato salad.

    Doc B's Fresh Kitchen
    The Uptown Dallas location of this Chicago-based chain opened in June with burgers, bowls, and more. It has a kind of Houston's polish and a menu with something for everyone: sandwiches, salads, pizza, and entrées such as filet mignon, hot chicken, and brick chicken — but also eight entree salads and a quinoa plate with a grilled artichoke.

    Fish N Fizz
    Fish and chips restaurant in Richardson from husband-and-wife Nick and Kelli Barclay has authenticity in its genes since Nick is English and has the know-how to do it right. In addition to fish and chips, there are British specialties such bubble & squeak and Cornish pasty in two versions: traditional filled with meat and vegetables, and a veggie pasty with cheese, onion, and potato. Sides are also quite British including mushy peas, smashed minted peas, and baked beans.

    Hibiki
    Hibiki comes from a pair of chefs — Franky Shin and JB Kim — who worked together at a sushi restaurant in Las Vegas. It's a little like an izakaya, Japanese pub concept, with small plates, drinks, and snacks. They're also filling another big niche — the affordable lunch — with bento boxes. They have a massive selection of specialty rolls, Japanese whiskeys, sake, sake bombs, and other cocktails.

    Imoto
    Victory Park has sushi again, with this upscale Asian restaurant and traditional sushi bar from Kent and Tracy Rathbun. The sushi bar is overseen by Jimmu Duke, formerly of Nobu, who's rolling out not just classic sushi but items such as sushi topped with Wagyu beef. Jennifer Newbold is the head chef covering the non-sushi options such as Korean fried chicken, tempura lobster shooters, and Vietnamese duck spring rolls.

    Izkina
    Izkina (meaning "corner" in Basque) is the onsite restaurant-bar attached to the Deep Ellum Hostel, serving Spanish-influenced cocktails, classics, and tapas in a relaxed atmosphere. Chef is Joel Orsini who takes an inventive approach to traditional Spanish favorites. They don't take reservations, and there are no hosts or servers; you order your food at the bar.

    Ka Thai
    Restaurant in a new building on McKinney Avenue just north of Knox Street does a modern spin on Thai food. There are curries, stir-fry dishes, fried rice, and noodles. In addition to staples like chicken satay, tom kha soup, and pad Thai, they do signatures such as Kra Tong Tong, a combination of corn, carrot, pea, chicken, and shrimp served in a crispy golden cup; and delectable Thai chicken wings, served with a traditional Thai sauce or their special Thai take on buffalo sauce.

    Local Traveler
    Upscale-casual restaurant serving dinner seven nights a week is both bicycle- and food-friendly, in an environment that's upbeat and fun. The restaurant's logo includes a bicycle front and center, and they back right up to the Santa Fe Trail with a huge patio in back. Menu includes flatbreads, salmon, roasted half chicken, pastas, salads, and shareables such as hummus and a charcuterie plate.

    Macellaio
    Restaurant-wine bar from husband and wife David and Jennifer Uygur is just down the street from its big sister, the acclaimed Italian restaurant Lucia. It takes the house-made salumi and bread that Lucia did and blows it up, adding seasonal dishes from Italy and Spain. To make the most of the experience you really gotta like animal to eat here, as they specialize in salumi and unusual items such as duck tongues in confit.

    Merchant House
    Latest concept from Apheleia Restaurant Group (Oak Dallas, Pakpao Thai, El Bolero, Royale Burgers) is two places in one, with a restaurant on the bottom floor and a separate upstairs. The signature dish is duck wings with a Chinese spicy sauce. They're also doing avocado toasts, a fritter with crab and jack cheese, a hot dog in a bao bun, soft pretzels with a sirloin carpaccio, a French onion soup "dumpling," and a fried clam-and-kale po'boy.

    Petra & the Beast
    Highly acclaimed restaurant in a former 1930s gas station is award-winning chef Misti Norris' ode to foraging, fermenting, and whole-animal cookery, as Texas Monthly put it. Norris is doing smart, creative dishes with loads of heart and soul, such as fried chicken hearts wrapped in a pale-green garlic crepe. The restaurant is small and highly personal, with new creations being rolled out all the time.

    San Martin Bakery
    Bakery and restaurant chain from Guatemala makes its entry into the United States market with a first location in Uptown Dallas, in the former McKinney Avenue Contemporary space. It offers fantastic European-styled baked goods including sourdough breads, croissants, and other puff pastries, at crazy bargain prices, along with a cozy cafe open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    Taco & Vino
    T&V comes from longtime wine professional Jimmy Contreras whose goal is to make wine more mainstream and to make tacos with bold flavors. There are tacos, a few appetizers, quesadillas, and desserts. The wine-by-the-glass program includes Contreras' take on a mimosa called a "frescamosa," combining bubbly with aqua frescas like watermelon. They do a funky drink called a "Kalimotxo," consisting of half Mexican Coke and half wine, usually without ice. They also offer retail sales of wine for those who want to take a bottle home.

    The Charles
    Dallas Design District stunner is an Italian-inspired eatery with a wood-fired grill, fresh crudo, and house-made pasta. A signature dish is the cappelloni with white ragu – ground veal and pork stuffed into hat-shaped pasta. Their risotto uses ancient grains such as farro, quinoa, and kamut, and they have a large assortment of vegetable dishes including grilled kale, grilled broccoli, and grilled beets.

    Tulum
    Upscale Mexican restaurant is from Mike Karns, chief at Firebird Restaurant Group (El Fenix, Meso Maya, La Ventana, Tortaco), but is a separate pet project between Karns and his wife, Valerie. Devised by Firebird executive chef Nico Sanchez, the menu is not specifically Mexican, although there are Mexican ingredients and inspired plates, with seafood and dishes cooked in a wood-burning oven.

    Vidorra
    Meaning "the good life," Vidorra is a Mexican restaurant in a cool Deep Ellum building with a rooftop patio offering views of the downtown skyline. The menu boasts bold Mexican flavors, along with a large tequila selection, unique cocktail program, and lively social experience.

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    news/restaurants-bars
    series/dallas-tastemaker-awards-2019

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    Restaurant News Roundup

    Catch up on all that's happening in this Dallas restaurant news

    Teresa Gubbins
    Apr 15, 2026 | 3:15 pm
    Mar Y Sol
    Chase Hall
    Latin flavors at Mar Y Sol

    There's always a lot going on in the Dallas restaurant world, but the action this month seems unsurpassed. There are openings, closings, relocations, expansions, rebrandings, and new owners. So much news. There's also a wave of new menus just introduced for spring, because it's that time of the year.

    Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

    Delhi6 Indian Kitchen & Bar, an authentic Indian restaurant in Highland Village, has moved to a new, larger location at 2420 Justin Rd., in the former Lost Colony space. The restaurant was previously located at The Shops at Highland Village. Driven by growing demand and a loyal customer base, owner Vipul Jain made the decision to relocate and elevate the dining experience. A full-service bar is set to open soon, alongside an expanded menu that will feature Indian-Chinese specialties and creative fusion dishes. New offerings include wraps; tacos; pizzas; and an indulgent dessert selection, highlighted by cheesecakes infused with unique Indian flavors.

    Too Thai Street Eats, a Thai restaurant that opened in Carrollton in 2017, now has a second location in Frisco, at 9150 Warren Pkwy. #100, in a shopping center at Preston Road that is home to Asian chains such as 99 Ranch, Daiso, Teso Life, Royce Chocolate, and 85 Bakery. Specialties include khao soi, a coconut chicken curry noodle dish from northern Vietnam, and pad kra pao, a stir-fry with meat, garlic, chili, and basil, served with jasmine rice and a fried egg. Owner Kunya Chaiwasun, a native of Bangkok, also owns Best Thai Signature and Boba Tea and Treats.

    Honeybird, a small local chain specializing in sandwiches, doughnuts, coffee, and matcha drinks, has opened a location in Allen at 803 E. Main St. #G, in a strip center off Greenville Avenue. They do fried chicken sandwiches with buttermilk fried chicken and Havarti cheese, and a roast beef sandwich with onion and Gruyere cheese. Doughnuts are decadent, such as Banana Pudding with maple icing, or the Churro Cronut — a croissant doughnut with cinnamon sugar and cream cheese frosting. They stay on top of trends like their recent debut of the Dubai Chewy Cookie with a kataifi filling. Allen is their third location, joining their original location in Flower Mound which opened in 2022, and a location in Plano.

    Deviled Egg Co., a small local chain, just opened at The Sound at Cypress Waters at 3001 Olympus Blvd. #100 in Coppell, where it's serving deviled eggs in 18 varieties: traditional, everything seasoning, smoked salmon, south of the border, sriracha bacon, jalapeño popper, crab rangoon, chicken bacon ranch, Cali roll, Buffalo blue cheese, Buffalo chicken, chicken n a pickle, chicken Caesar, gyro, cheeseburger, BBQ chicken, gyro, and a rotating flavor. In addition to deviled eggs, they also offer protein bowls, coffee, and bagels. The company was founded by entrepreneur Raechel Van Buskirk and has three other locations: McKinney and Rockwall, which are, like Coppell, takeout only; and the original in Denison, which is also dine-in with a more extensive menu that includes appetizers, shareable dishes, and a full bar of fun cocktails.

    Hide Bar at 1928 Greenville Ave. quietly closed at the end of March, following the St. Patrick's Day festivities. The bar — which originally opened in Deep Ellum in 2017, then closed in 2020 during the pandemic — relocated to Lower Greenville in 2022, following a time-consuming and expensive makeover. Owner Nick Backlund told the DMN that he was closing Hide because he was not allowed to keep the bar open after midnight, due to limits in the neighborhood.

    Mirador Whipped ricotta with spring peas at Mar Y Sol.Mirador

    San Marzano Italian, a New York restaurant that opened a location in Uptown in 2024, has closed. The original location opened in New York's East Village in 2014, where it draws locals and NYU students for its mix-and-match approach where you choose a pasta and pair it with choice of sauce from selections, such as Bolognese, wild boar ragù, tomato-vodka, pesto, meatball, or shrimp scampi. They opened on a prominent corner at 3700 McKinney Ave., in the spot previously occupied by Public School 214.

    Dave's Hot Chicken has opened at 4909 Ross Ave. #100, in Dallas, in a space that was previously Marzano's Pizza. This is Dave's 15th location in DFW, joining Mesquite, Richardson, Irving, Addison, Plano, Arlington, Lewisville, Hurst, McKinney, Fort Worth, and Denton.

    Bit of Grub is a new restaurant in North Dallas at 19129 Preston Rd. #100 with a wide-ranging menu of American and Tex-Mex basics including fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, nachos, chicken-fried steak, Caesar salad, smashburgers, chicken sandwich, patty melt, onion rings, banana pudding, and fried apple pie. That location was previously a Dunkin Donuts, a Kenny's Cafe, and a Mexican place called Casa Mama's for a decade.

    Stan's Blue Note at 2908 Greenville Ave. has a new ownership team in Mo Sherbi & Reid McRae, who state that they are honored to carry on its legacy while bringing fresh energy. They're hatching a new menu, a new upstairs private E-lounge (a private area that can host game-watching parties or people can play games), and upgrades to the bathrooms and patios. They're adding a smashburger, but they promise that the patty melt is "safe and sound," as well as fried mozzarella sticks and spaghetti and meatballs.

    Ellie's Cafe & Tea Room is a renamed and refreshed cafe and tea room now open Plano in the High Street Antique Mall at 800 N. Central Expy., in the former Chocolate Angel space. The owners and staff are the same, but the name change took place because the Chocolate Angel license expired and was not renewed. The menu — featuring deviled eggs, avocado toast, spinach salad, quinoa bowl, turkey and Brie sandwich, and more — has been updated with new recipes and an overall refreshed experience.

    Bulla Gastrobar in Plano has a new menu for spring that includes calamari slow-cooked in its own ink, pork belly with piquillo confit, roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese spread, cannelloni pasta filled with lamb and Idiazabal cheese, tempura asparagus with goat cheese and yogurt, and dulce de leche cheesecake.

    Mar y Sol, the Latin American restaurant, has updated its menu including adding a dedicated Nikkei section, showcasing Japanese-Peruvian inspired crudos and tiraditos; new street tacos; and a new Wood Fire Grill section. New dishes include lobster rice with lobster bisque, tacos with skirt steak or shrimp, quesabirria, branzino, and Lomo NY strip.

    Mirador has new dishes for spring including ricotta with English peas, butter lettuce salad, and cavatelli pesto with green garlic and arugula. New cocktails include a white Negroni with Bombay Sapphire and bianco vermouth, and a Ruby Spritz with hibiscus-infused tequila, elderflower, and prosecco.

    Hash Kitchen Ube pancakes at Hash Kitchen.Hash Kitchen

    Lazy Dog Restaurants has a new menu of seasonal dishes and cocktails for spring. Highlights include Korean fried chicken bao buns, chicken shawarma salad, deviled egg salad sandwich, chili-garlic cucumbers, and rigatori with burrata cheese and greens. New cocktails include a watermelon margarita and a yuzu skinny margarita. It's available at all six DFW locations in Addison, Allen, Arlington, Euless/Glade Springs, Plano, and Garland.

    Hash Kitchen has a new lineup of limited-time brunch items available through June including ube buttermilk pancakes with blueberry compote; strawberry shortcake pancakes layered with cream cheese frosting and strawberry compote; and the Hash brunch sammie with bacon, hash browns, eggs, cheddar, and hollandaise, served with fries.

    Snooze Eatery is expanding beyond its breakfast-and-brunch roots with a new lineup of lunch dishes rolling out nationwide: The Rachel sandwich with turkey, Swiss, slaw, and spicy bacon Thousand Island; Grilled 3-cheese and tomato soup; Cobb salad with habanero pork belly, avocado, pickled red onion, and chickpeas; beef-and-cheddar smashburger on pretzel bun; whipped cottage cheese toast with balsamic date spread; and steel-cut oats with maple cinnamon vanilla cream, berries, and toasted brown butter granola.

    Cantina Laredo has new dishes for spring at its Addison and Frisco locations, including carnitas nachos, sopecitos with carnitas and black beans; mahi mahi with cilantro lime rice and asparagus; and chopped salad with field greens, black beans, avocado, strawberries, queso fresco, spicy pumpkin seeds, and cilantro-lime vinaigrette. New tacos served with Mexican rice and ranchero beans include carnitas, chicken in cascabel sauce, and Angus beef brisket.

    Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden has contracted Proof of the Pudding, an Atlanta-based catering operation, as its preferred food and beverage provider. Proof's portfolio includes the PGA Tour, Gas South Arena, and The World of Coca-Cola, among others. They'll be doing the food for events such as neo-expressionist artist Hunt Slonem: Bunnies, Birds & Butterflies Exhibition (April 20-September 30) with a limited-edition drink that brings the magic of the exhibit to the table in a whimsical, themed tea at the DeGoyler House; plus new menus and picnic offerings for the Cool Thursdays Concert Series from April 23-June 11. For the first time, guests can also pre-order food.

    Hotel ZaZa has appointed new corporate executive chef Chad Blunston, who will oversee culinary operations across all properties including Group Therapy in Austin, Dragonfly in Dallas, Tipping Point in Memorial City, and Monarch in Houston. He previously served as VP of culinary at HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts.

    openingsclosingschefslistsfood news
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/dallas-tastemaker-awards-2019

    most read posts

    10 Dallas restaurants that have just debuted and more popular stories

    Dallas Tex-Mex institution Desperados brings the puffy tacos to Plano

    Storied Dallas hotel aims to reclaim grand status with new restaurant

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