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    Awards News

    10 top neighborhood restaurants serve up Dallas at its best

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 7, 2020 | 7:43 pm
    Parigi Dallas
    Have a virtual seat at Parigi.
    Photo courtesy of Parigi

    With the coronavirus keeping us all close to home, neighborhood restaurants seem more important than ever — ready to meet your needs, pivoting from their prior role as your local hangout to helping keep you stocked with meals and sometimes supplies.

    These 10 restaurants are our nominees for 2020 Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year — part of our annual Tastemaker Awards, spotlighting the best in food and drink.

    On July 30, we'll host our first-ever Virtual Edition, a novel way of celebrating Dallas' restaurant and bar scene during this challenging time. Tickets are on sale and include a Tasting Tote featuring bites, sips, and more to enjoy at home.

    These are the nominees for the Best Neighborhood Restaurant in Dallas:

    Family Thais Asian Bistro
    Restaurant from husband-and-wife Tony Street (owner of Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse) and Jab Srikaij (formerly Toy's Cafe) is a fresh concept for its West End neighborhood, featuring Thai dishes, plus crepes, bubble waffles, and boba teas. It's a boon for all the new apartments and hotels that have gone up in the West End in the past few years but also a godsend for the greater downtown population as well.

    Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House
    Hugely popular eatery in East Dallas is known for its hefty burgers and even heftier selection of beer. A pioneer on the local craft beer scene, they continue to offer beers you can't always find everywhere else. They have a great patio in front, but it gets crowded fast which is no doubt why they've currently made the decision to not reopen until July 15. Once they reopen, they'll concentrate on delivery and curbside pickup.

    Lakewood Smokehouse
    The quaint hamlet of Lakewood got its own barbecue restaurant in 2016 when this restaurant opened in the former Ali Baba space at 1901 Abrams Rd. That address had good neighborhood juju and Lakewood, a spinoff of 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House in Frisco, filled the niche with beer and BBQ. They're currently open for takeout from 11 am-9 pm.

    Libertine Bar
    Heroic bar-restaurant has weathered many changes on Greenville Avenue and clung on, continuing to pour from one of the best beer selections in the city, all with a level of service that somehow feels both attentive yet effortless. With its loooong bar, sidewalk seating, and slightly gritty ambience, the Libertine would be at home in any major city in the U.S. Dallas is lucky to have it, let's not be stupid and lose it. They're doing "the #togo thing" every afternoon with Ranch Waters, cherry whiskey Cokes, frozen margs, and all their wonderful food. Order at libertinebar.com or call 214-824-7900.

    Mudhook
    Owner Bryan Kaeser brings a little of his Greenville Avenue flair (he previously owned Dallas Beer Kitchen) to Duncanville, where he's serving a short but gourmet menu of burgers, sandwiches, fries, and onion rings, along with local beer and cocktails. Recent specials have included a bacon-wrapped Wagyu hot dog, a steal at $7. An expansive front patio helps keep people socially distanced, and for his COVID-inspired takeout program, he's currently offering quirky specials such as Jelloshots to go.

    Nazca Kitchen
    Fun restaurant with Latin food was an early settler on the Walnut Hill Lane scene, before the intersection of Walnut Hill and US-75 became the development hubbub it is today. Nazca has personality. It's not cookie-cutter. It has good food and an owner determined to keep the fires burning. During these harrowing times, they're open with limited seating, as well as for carryout and curbside pickup.

    Norma's Cafe
    This small local chain has five locations and is a friend to every neighborhood it's in, from the retro original in Oak Cliff to the brisk location in Frisco. Who doesn't appreciate having a diner nearby with affordable prices and an amazing selection of pies? They're currently available for dine in, to-go and delivery from Favor, and have introduced discounted Family Packs to feed 6 for less than $60.

    Parigi Restaurant
    Highly personal chef-driven restaurant in the Oak Lawn district is the neighborhood restaurant that every neighborhood wants. It summons a touch of Paris with a little soupcon of New York, as useful for ladies who lunch as it is for a lovers' rendezvous. Few other restaurants in Dallas have survived for 30 years, and definitely not as fresh and vital as Parigi. They're currently open for lunch and dinner with limited seating in the dining room and on the patio, but no bar seating; reservations are required.

    RM 12:20 Bistro
    The Lake Highlands neighborhood was under-supplied with good restaurants for years and places like this French-leaning bistro at the Lakeridge center at Audelia Road and Walnut Hill Lane are filling the breach. This is chef-owner Erin Willis' vision to bring a fine-dining touch with seasonal fare, cocktails, and a relaxed atmosphere. Currently, Their dining room and patio are open with limited seating for dinner service, with a set dinner menu available for dine-in and takeout.

    Urban Crust
    Pizzeria from chef Salvatore Gisellu is located on the cool 15th Street strip that is old downtown Plano, and it's an East Plano favorite, for sure. But Gisellu is a skilled chef and his pizza is good enough to merit a field trip. Urban Crust has a great wine list and a cozy ambience, and it's fun to walk the street after you finish your feast. They're currently doing "Takeout with Tore," a limited-edition offering of one 16-inch pizza, salad, pasta, and bottle of house red or white wine for $60.

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    Meet the Tastemakers

    Announcing the Dallas nominees for 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

    CultureMap Staff
    Feb 27, 2026 | 12:46 pm
    Dallas Tastemaker Awards
    Ashley Gongora
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    Dallas' culinary scene is unstoppable, and each year we celebrate the city's top restaurant and bar talent with the annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Recently, we revealed the 2026 event dates and released a limited number of discounted tickets, and now it's time for the anticipated unveiling of our Dallas nominees.

    These nominees represent the very best in Dallas dining right now, from casual neighborhood spots to Michelin-worthy menus.

    Our panel of judges — including local culinary experts and a who's who of past Tastemaker Awards winners — have selected outstanding nominees across nine categories. They'll choose the winner for all but one award — the Best New Restaurant will be crowned by CultureMap readers in an interactive tournament this spring.

    Meet the nominees below, then join us May 7 at Astoria Event Venue to find out who wins. You'll nosh on chef-prepared bites from a host of participating nominees, sip perfectly paired cocktails, and be in the room when the winners are revealed. A limited number of First Dibs tickets are still available with big discounts ($50 for general admission and $85 for VIP), so don't delay.

    Now, please join us in toasting the 2026 Dallas Tastemaker Awards nominees:

    Restaurant of the Year

    • Cattleack Barbeque
    • Crown Block
    • Gemma
    • Mabo
    • Mamani
    • Mot Hai Ba
    • Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen
    • Nonna
    • Sushi Kozy
    • Tatsu Dallas

    Chef of the Year

    • Tiffany Derry, Roots Southern Table, Radici
    • Omar Flores, Casa Brasa
    • John Kleifgen, Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse
    • Andreas Kotsifos, Andreas Prime
    • Peja Krstic, Mot Hai Ba, Pillar
    • Olivia López, Molino Olōyō
    • Aubrey Murphy, SĒR Steak + Spirits
    • Misti Norris, Far Out
    • Charles Olalia, The Mansion
    • Chris Vogeli, III Forks Steakhouse - Addison

    Bar of the Year

    • Apothecary
    • Ayahuasca Cantina
    • Bar Colette
    • Black Swan Saloon
    • Bowen House
    • Boxcar
    • La Viuda Negra
    • Leela's Wine Bar
    • Midnight Rambler
    • The Wilfred

    Best New Restaurant

    • Avra Estiatorio
    • Burger Schmurger
    • Cafe Dior by Dominique Crenn
    • Casa Brasa
    • Centrale Italia
    • Domodomo Ko
    • El Molino Mexican Bistro
    • Evelyn
    • Far Out
    • Flamant
    • Frenchie
    • Jo’Seon Wagyu Omakase
    • Little Blue Bistro
    • Norman's Japanese Grill
    • Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q
    • Winsome Prime

    Rising Star Chef of the Year

    • Reilly Brown, Frenchie
    • Scott Girling, Osteria Il Muro
    • Mollie Guerra, Chef Mollie G
    • Zeina Kamal, Babel Mediterranean Grill
    • Belal Kattan, Bazaar
    • Brian Kim, Domodomo Ko
    • Sonia Mancillas, Via Triozzi
    • Benjamin Norton, Norman’s Japanese Grill
    • Eduardo Osorio, Meridian
    • Kelly Vargas, Curuba Colombian Kitchen

    Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year

    • Beverley's
    • Blues Burgers
    • Cafe Izmir
    • Family Thais Asian Bistro
    • Kenny’s East Coast Pizza
    • il Bracco Restaurant
    • La Parisienne
    • Miriam Cocina Latina
    • The Mexican
    • Pillar

    Dessert Program of the Year

    • Crispy Cones
    • IYKYK Mochi Churro
    • Le Reve Gelato & Patisserie
    • Lucia
    • Pietro’s Italian Bakery
    • Restaurant Beatrice
    • Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas
    • San Martin Bakery & Restaurant
    • Uchi
    • Village Baking Co.

    Coffee Shop of the Year

    • Ascension
    • Cafe Ciro
    • Cafe Duro
    • Cultivar Coffee Roasting Co.
    • Good Boy Cafe
    • La Réunion
    • Le SouQ Coffee
    • Palmieri Cafe
    • Wayward Coffee Co.
    • White Rock Coffee

    Best Sandwich

    • Beyond the Bun
    • Bread Zeppelin
    • Deli News Restaurant
    • Empire Baking Co.
    • Goodfriend Package
    • Jimmy's Food Store
    • Latin Deli
    • Mendocino Farms
    • Tortas la Hechizera
    • Trades Delicatessen

    ---

    The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Dallas by Maker's Mark, Shutto, NXT LVL Event, and more to be announced. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Harvest Project Food Rescue.

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