Tastemaker Final Four

Final 4 best new restaurants in Dallas face off in Tastemaker tournament

For our first-ever CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards, we are celebrating the talent in the local food and drink community. Our editors selected the nominees, and a panel of experts chose winners in nine categories — which will be revealed at our big event on May 6.

But for the Best New Restaurant, you get get to decide who will take home the prize by voting in our tournament.

We started with 16 nominees. Winners of those matchups moved on to the next round. From those elite eight, we are now down to the final four.

Cast your vote now, then join us on May 6, where you can continue to vote for your favorite new restaurant through a social sharing contest from our friends at Smilebooth. The champion will be declared during the event, along with the rest of the Tastemaker Award winners.

In the meantime, read all about the final four competitors:

Barter
Brothers Patrick and Michael Halbert tapped chef Tim Love for menu consultation and direction for their new concept in the Private Social space. With chef Andrew Dilda behind the wheel, Barter skews younger than its predecessor with an emphasis on snacks; pick-up items like tacos; and a fun, kitschy, tiki-themed Sunday brunch.

CBD Provisions
Located at The Joule hotel, CBD Provisions is an American brasserie developed and operated by Consilient Restaurants serving American comfort food with an artisanal sensibility. Menu items range from coddled eggs with house-baked bacon bread for breakfast to seasonal salads for lunch to pan-fried organic chicken for dinner. CBD is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. It serves Sunday brunch and a complete menu until midnight on the weekends.

Chino Chinatown
Trinity Groves restaurant fuses Chinese and Latin cuisines. Owners Adrian Verdin and Uno Immanivong were inspired by "barrio Chinos," which translates to "Chinatown" in Latin American cities. Their menu includes lamb tacos, sea bass with a Thai chili glaze, and a banh mi sandwich with steak. For dessert, there's a pina colada upside down cake and a Mexican chocolate cake with coconut ice cream and mole ganache.

CrushCraft
Bright, colorful and fun, CrushCraft serves spicy Thai "street food" from drunken noodles to the comforting curry noodle dish called khao soi. The level of execution is high, reflecting the four-star experience of chef Paul Singhapong, who has worked at the French Room, Beau Nash, Melrose Hotel and Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. CrushCraft might be the perfect restaurant: It stays open late, and prices are incredibly low.

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Come celebrate the Tastemakers with us on Tuesday, May 6, at Seven for Parties in the Dallas Design District. To learn more about the event, including information about our beneficiaries, judges, participating restaurants and ticket sales, visit our Tastemakers website.

CBD Provisions

Photo courtesy of CBD Provisions

CBD Provisions

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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.