Tastemaker Tournament Finals

Which of these best new Dallas restaurants will emerge victorious? Up to you.

For our annual Tastemaker Awards, there is one category that isn't judged by our panel of food and beverage industry experts: Best New Restaurant. Instead, we pit the nominees against each other in a tournament so our readers can determine the winner.

Let it be known the competition has been fierce, and it's down to a face-off between two restaurants: Dallas Grilled Cheese Co. and Clark Food & Wine/C'Viche.

These two have so far competed masterfully, emerging from a pack that began with 16 nominees. We matched them up, bracket-style, then waved the checkered flag. They beat strong contenders such as Remedy, Small Brewpub and Cafe Momentum. They endured through three rounds of voting to make it to the finals.

You have until May 13 to help decide who wins; you can vote once a day. The winner will be announced at our Tastemaker Awards grand tasting event on May 14, where you will also learn who emerged victorious in categories such as neighborhood restaurant, breweries, bartenders, bars, burgers, chefs and rising star chefs.

Need help deciding where to place your vote? Here's our summary:

Clark Food & Wine/C'Viche
After a tenure in the corporate world, former Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek chef Randall Warder dives back into the restaurant fray by opening two adjoining concepts side-by-side, in the hottest stretch of Greenville Avenue. Clark Food & Wine is an American restaurant with a modern European sensibility. The menu features shared plates and house-smoked meats. C'Viche is a casual drop-in with several varieties of ceviche and a fabulous bar with sangria, tequila, mojitos, caipirinhas and margaritas.

Dallas Grilled Cheese Co.
As the name implies, this place is dedicated to the grilled cheese sandwich, with more than a dozen versions running from the classic with American cheese on white to a gourmet corker with American, cheddar and Gruyere on sourdough. Salads are nicely composed, but don't overlook the trio of soups, including tomato with basil. Located in hip Bishop Arts, DGC is the perfect match of restaurant and neighborhood.

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Buy tickets now to the Tastemaker Awards on May 14.

Vote for your favorite candidate for Best New Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of DGC

Vote for your favorite candidate for Best New Restaurant.

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Opening News

7 new restaurants open in Dallas in a single week

Kayla Enright

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine

Dallas is brimming with an unexpected bounty of openings this week. Who would have thought? From sweet crepes and rolled ice cream to a unique dual-restaurant in Frisco, these are the absolute newest places to check out, all in time for the holidays. (And if you want more ideas on where to take your out-of-town guests, we have that list right here.)

Here are the hottest brand new restaurants around Dallas:

Cream & Crepes Cafe
Dessert shop with crepes and ice cream opens on December 20 in the Shops at Turtle Creek Village, at 3858 Oak Lawn Ave #405 (near the now-closed Jalisco Norte). They do creative crepes in flavors such as Biscoff cookie butter, berry cheesecake, dulce de leche, and mango banana. They also do the once-trendy rolled ice cream in 10 flavors, such as brownie melt and spicy mango, plus scoops and pints, vegan ice cream, and milkshakes.

Donatos Pizza
Ohio-based pizza chain opened in Flower Mound at 1400 Long Prairie Rd. #160 on December 17. Known for their edge-to-edge toppings that stretch to the crusts, their menu features more than a dozen varieties of pizza, including veggie, four cheese, and pepperoni with hot honey. Their signature crust is a thin-crust but they also offer thicker alternatives as well as a cauliflower crust. There are also oven-baked wings, meatball subs, Italian cold cut sandwiches, appetizers, and salads.

Elephant Indian Bar and Grill
Indian restaurant opens on December 20 in a legendary spot in the former Buzzbrews space at 4154 N. Central Expwy., which closed in 2023. It's another concept from chef Praveen Prasanan, who also owns of Shiva’s Bar and Grill. The menu includes Indian classics, Indo-Chinese fusion, and vegetarian dishes, including chicken tikka masala, butter masala, tandoori, and a variety of biryani. Prasanan says, “it seemed to be a great location, so I picked it up.”

Keke's Breakfast Cafe
Fast-growing chain that's a sibling to Denny's just made its big Texas debut on December 10 in the Lincoln Park center at 7700 W Northwest Hwy. #600, across from NorthPark Center. They're open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch with pancakes, waffles, omelets, and an assortment of stuffed French toasts, plus sandwiches, wraps, and salads for lunch. This is the first of five new Keke's cafes coming to DFW.

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine
Parisian bistro concept from Vandelay Hospitality opens on December 20 at 6805 Snider Plaza with a menu of small plates and dishes that showcase chef Elliot Azoulay's mastery of French cooking techniques: escargot, salmon tartare, and scallops with leeks and Osestra beurre blanc. Their goal: to transport diners to the cobblestone streets of Paris.

Mudbugs and Revel Grill
Frisco seafood boil restaurant Mudbugs closed in November, and now they reopen on December 20 as a dual-concept with Revel Grill at 9305 Preston Rd. On the Mudbugs side, they'll have Cajun seafood eats — gumbo, po'boys, snow crab boil, shrimp etouffe, oysters, crawfish. On the Revel Grill side, they'll have burgers, quesadillas, and wings. They'll also feature live music, sports, and bar bites.

Seager & Sons
Retro-leaning restaurant just opened at the Boardwalk at Granite Park, at 5864 SH-121 #106 in Plano with a nostalgic '70s theme including decorative elements like vintage records, guitars, and lo-fi stereos. The menu features pizza and fried chicken, plus fun specials like cacio e pepe fritters. A full bar includes cocktails and their own craft beer. Seager & Sons is from 33 Restaurant Group, who also own Union Bear, The Yard, and Suburban Yacht Club.

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