Texas Tastemakers

These are the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2017

Each year, we hold a Texas-sized celebration of two of the things we love most: food and drink. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards honors the top restaurant and bar talent in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

The program started in Austin in 2012 and has expanded to include every city we cover. Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. Here's how it works. First, we collaborated with industry experts to determine a list of nominees in each city. Our local panels then selected winners in every category, except Best New Restaurant, which was determined by you, our savvy readers.

The winners were revealed at our swanky tasting events and awards ceremonies, held April 18-20 in Houston, Austin, and Dallas. (See highlights from the Dallas party here.)

Meet the winners below, and join us in toasting the best of Texas dining right now.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: Emmer & Rye
Chef of the Year: Todd Duplechan, Lenoir
Rising Star Chef of the Year: James Dumapit and David Baek, Old Thousand
Pastry Chef of the Year: Abby Love, Dai Due
Bar of the Year: King Bee Lounge
Bartender of the Year: Josh Loving, Small Victory
Brewery of the Year: Hops & Grain
Wine Program of the Year: Bufalina
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: June's All Day
Best Burger: Contigo
Best New Restaurant: Sophia's

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: Lucia
Chef of the Year: Julian Barsotti, Nonna, Carbone's, Sprezza
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Josh Sutcliff, Mirador
Pastry Chef of the Year: Sarah Green, The Joule
Bar of the Year: Armoury D.E.
Bartender of the Year: Charlie Papaceno, Industry Alley Bar
Wine Program of the Year: Gemma
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Bbbop Seoul Kitchen
Best Fried Chicken: The Slow Bone
Best New Restaurant: Pie Tap Pizza Workshop + Bar

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Tokyo Cafe
Chef of the Year: Jesus Garcia, Oni Ramen
Best New Restaurant: Tortaco

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Coltivare Pizza & Garden
Chef of the Year: Ryan Pera, Coltivare Pizza & Garden
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Martha de Leon, Pax Americana
Pastry Chef of the Year: Victoria Dearmond, One Fifth/Underbelly
Bar of the Year: Eight Row Flint
Bartender of the Year: Leslie Ross Krockenberger, Reserve 101
Wine Program of the Year: Pappas Bros Steakhouse
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: State of Grace
Favorite Taco: Tacos Tierra Caliente
Best New Restaurant: State Fare

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: The Bin Tapas Bar
Chef of the Year: Stefan Bowers, Feast
Best New Restaurant: Sangria on the Burg

Emmer & Rye, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

Emmer and Rye 2015 Austin restaurant grain salad

Photo by Melody Fury

Emmer & Rye, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

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Pizza News

Famed pizzeria Slice House by Tony Gemignani to debut in Frisco, Texas

Slice House

A famous pizza is coming to Texas, starting right here in the Dallas area: Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the fast-casual pizza brand by world-renowned pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, will open its first Texas location in Frisco at 5995 Preston Rd.

According to a release, it'll open in January 2026.

Gemignani is the 13-time World Pizza Champion who, inspired by a pizzeria in Naples, Italy, founded Tony's Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco in 2009.

He opened the first Slice House in San Francisco's North Beach in 2010, then began franchising in 2023; there are now nearly 30 locations open and many more in development.

The concept features an extensive menu with four styles of crust:

traditional New York
homestyle Grandma
rustic Sicilian
Detroit-style

… all available by the slice or whole pizza.

“Opening our first Texas location in the heart of Frisco is a huge milestone for Slice House,” Gemignani says in a statement. “With the dedication of our brand partner, Daniel Hawkins, we look forward to becoming part of the local community and sharing our signature menu and Slice House craft as we expand into the South.”

Slice House Frisco will feature an expansive menu of Gemignani’s famous New York, Sicilian, Grandma, and Detroit style pizzas available by the slice or whole pizza with gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options available, as well as fresh pasta, wings, and salads.

The drink menu will include craft beers and premium wines, in addition to non-alcoholic sodas and juices.

The new pizza spot will have indoor seating for 30 people, outdoor seating for 8 people and will offer takeout, online ordering, and delivery. It will be open seven days a week – from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

“We’re proud to partner with world champion pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani to introduce his acclaimed pizzas and artisanal offerings in Texas,” said Daniel Hawkins. “Slice House’s expansive pizza menu, commitment to quality, and lively atmosphere, will quickly make it a local favorite in Frisco. Whether guests are grabbing lunch with friends or taking a pizza home to enjoy with family, we can’t wait to open our doors and welcome everyone soon.”

Slice House Frisco will open at 5995 Preston Road, a shopping center that’s home to a mix of dining, retail, and service-oriented businesses, including Kolache Factory, Koto Hibachi and Sushi, and Classique Jewelers. Expect a variety of exciting grand opening events, which will be shared over the coming weeks.

pizza openings