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

Closing News

Mediterranean restaurant in Dallas' Deep Ellum to close after 11 years

Zatar

Chicken at Zatar

A restaurant in Deep Ellum will close after more than a decade: Zåtar Lebanese Tapas & Bar, which opened at 2827 Commerce St. in December 2016 as a rare Lebanese restaurant in Dallas, has decided to close.

According to the owners, they're closing due to ongoing construction and other operational challenges, and will be closing by the end of August.

"This wasn’t an easy decision," they say. "Over the last two years, we’ve fought through one challenge after another. We poured everything we had into keeping our doors open because we truly believed things would turn around. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the ongoing construction and other challenges have made it impossible for us to continue."

Zatar was originally opened by partners Marc Mansour and C.K. Khoury, both natives of Lebanon, with a menu that included tapas, specialty dishes, and Lebanese desserts such as the traditional knafeh. The restaurant stood out both for its authentic Lebanese cuisine and its welcoming ambiance.

Mansour and Khoury sold the restaurant in 2019 to restaurant veteran Sam Fawal, who also owns Pokeworks in Uptown Dallas and Addison. (Mansour and Khoury relocated to Atlanta where they are currently wowing diners with Bey Mediterranean, which they opened in Roswell in 2024.)

In recent years, Zatar shifted from its original focus on "authentic Lebanese" and more towards a casual destination with a nightlife component, including the addition of hookah pipes.

Meanwhile, the conversion of Commerce Street in Deep Ellum from one-way to two-way street has dragged on and on through multiple delays. Completion just got pushed back again to 2027 — which Fawal confirms was a factor.

"Yes, the continued delays with Commerce Street construction definitely played a big part in the decision," Fawal says. "It's been a frustrating situation, the project started in June, 2024 and it is still going. Unfortunately, I think we're going to see more businesses impacted by it."

His post gives thanks to the staff and to "everyone who walked through our doors, shared a meal with family and friends, celebrated special occasions, or simply made Zatar part of your life," before inviting fans to come visit before they close.

Fawal says they're finalizing the closing date, but anticipates on or around August 23.

"We still have a few weeks left, and we’d love the opportunity to see our customers one last time," he says. "Come enjoy your favorite dishes, have one more drink, smoke one more hookah, and help us celebrate the memories we’ve created together."

deep-ellum closings