Tastemakers of Texas

Relish this list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2019

Each spring, CultureMap tours Texas with our annual Tastemaker Awards, celebrating the top restaurant and bar talent in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. These events have become some of the most popular food affairs of the season, with almost 3,000 folks across Texas joining us in 2019.

This year, the party started in Houston on March 27, stopped in Austin on April 10, and wrapped with a Dallas finale on April 25. At each party, we noshed on savory and sweet bites from top restaurants and chefs, sipped specialty drinks, and mingled with local culinary talent. And, most importantly, we celebrated all of the nominees and toasted the winners during our coveted awards ceremony.

So, how did we determine the best of the best? CultureMap editors collaborated with expert panels, including previous Tastemaker winners, to select the nominees in each city. The panels then selected winners in every category, except Best New Restaurant, which was determined by our readers in a heated bracket-style tournament.

The result is this list of the best of Texas dining for 2019. Savor it, and join us in raising a glass to all of the winners.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: Olamaie
Chef of the Year: Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Amanda Turner, Juniper
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Best New Restaurant: Discada
Pastry Chef of the Year: Laura Sawicki, Launderette
Bar of the Year: The Roosevelt Room
Bartender of the Year: Caer Ferguson, The Roosevelt Room
Brewery of the Year: Vista Brewing
Wine Program of the Year: June's All Day
Favorite Taco: Vaquero Taco

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: Bullion
Chef of the Year: Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Eric Freidline, Sevy's
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Mot Hai Ba
Best New Restaurant: Taco Y Vino
Pastry Chef of the Year: Andrea Meyer, Bisous Bisous
Bar of the Year: Shoals
Bartender of the Year: Chris Unruh, Tiny Victories
Wine Program of the Year: Al Biernat's
Best Pizza: Zoli's

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Clay Pigeon
Chef of the Year: Juan Rodriguez, Magdalena's
Best New Restaurant: Four Sisters
Bar of the Year: Twilite Lounge

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Nancy's Hustle
Chef of the Year: Manabu Horiuchi, Kata Robata
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ian Levy, Better Luck Tomorrow
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Giacomo’s cibo e vino
Best New Restaurant: Blood Bros. BBQ
Pastry Chef of the Year: Ruben Ortega, H-Town Restaurant Group
Bar of the Year: Anvil Bar & Refuge
Bartender of the Year: Sarah Troxell, Nobie’s
Brewery of the Year: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Wine Program of the Year: Coltivare
Favorite Burger: Bernie’s Burger Bus

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: The Cookhouse
Chef of the Year: Diego Galicia & Rico Torres, Mixtli
Best New Restaurant: The Jerk Shack
Bar of the Year: The Modernist
Favorite Taco: Carnitas Lonja, Carnitas

Olamaie, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

Photo by Robert J. Lerma

Olamaie, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

tastemakers

Now open

Taiwanese restaurant in Frisco brings soup dumplings to 2nd DFW location

Photo courtesy of Kitchen Master

Kitchen Master's menu spans traditional dumplings, fresh sashimi, prime cuts, and house noodles.

A Taiwanese restaurant known for its handmade soup dumplings has debuted in Southlake: Kitchen Master is now open at 3311 E. State Hwy. 114, in the space previously occupied by Mughlai Fine Indian Cuisine, which closed in 2024.

The first restaurant opened in Frisco in 2020, followed by locations in Tamsui, Taiwan, and Suwanee, Georgia.

Kitchen Master is owned by Ian Peng, a Taiwanese entrepreneur who moved to the U.S. when he was 8 years old. He comes from a family of restaurant owners in Taipei and grew up working in the kitchen before moving on to Japanese restaurants and eventually launching his own concept.

While the original Frisco location focused on authentic Taiwanese cuisine, the Southlake restaurant expands into broader Pan-Asian influences, along with a deep selection of Japanese dishes inspired by Peng’s background.

Highlights of the Southlake menu include:

Mala Berkshire pork house soup dumplings
Szechuan Berkshire pork wontons infused with Chinese spices
Lamb chops with homemade chimichurri and lemongrass aioli
Hamachi crudo with strawberry vinaigrette and yuzu juice

There’s also a nigiri tasting sampler, described as a mini omakase experience featuring chef-selected fish and toppings.

Most entrees are priced under $30, while noodle and rice dishes stay under $20. The restaurant also features a raw bar with traditional sushi rolls starting at $10 and signature rolls at $16. For lunch during the week, an assortment of stir-fry options is available for around $15, each served with soup and a rice bowl.

“Our focus is on the best ingredients we can use," Peng says. "We elevated our menu with prime cuts and better meats that result in a more flavorful and delicate dish."

A full bar serves cocktails made with premium spirits, with an emphasis on artful presentation. A happy hour menu will launch soon, they say.

Craft cocktails at Kitchen Master feature house-made syrups, fresh garnishes, and premium spirits.Photo courtesy of Kitchen Master

Spanning 9,000 square feet, the Southlake location includes a raw bar, dedicated cocktail bar, spacious main dining room, and patio.

“For our new restaurants in Georgia and Taiwan, we introduced a more modern look and a relaxed eating environment, and we’ve brought that same vision to Southlake,” Peng says.

Hours are 11am-9 pm Tuesday-Thursday and 11 am-11 pm Friday-Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday.

While the restaurant is already open for service, they are planning a grand opening event in September, they say.

asian cuisine openings southlake

Tastemakers of Texas

Relish this list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2019

Olamaie, Austin Restaurant of the Year.

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Now open

Taiwanese restaurant in Frisco brings soup dumplings to 2nd DFW location

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New botanería pairs drinks with free bites near Dallas Farmers Market

This is how dramatically Dallas rent prices have dropped since last year