Tastemaker Awards

16 best new restaurants in Dallas compete for Tastemaker title — vote now

The time has come to cast your vote. Will it be for Commons Club (above)?

Photo courtesy of Commons Club

The 2020 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, our annual event honoring the best in local food and drink, comes at a challenging time. With the coronavirus, we may not be dining out much these days. But we can still celebrate the best chefs, bartenders, and breweries. All of our nominees are listed here.

Part of the Tastemaker tradition is Best New Restaurant, where you get to choose who wins, in a bracket-style competition where 16 new restaurants go head to head.

You can vote once a day for your favorite. The voting goes four rounds, culling down from 16 candidates to two finalists.

We'll announce the winner at our Virtual Awards on July 30, with an online awards ceremony plus a Tasting Tote featuring bites, sips, and more to enjoy at home.

To vote, click here. Don't delay: The first bracket ends on July 13. Start clicking!

Beverley's
Upscale bistro on transitioning Fitzhugh Avenue comes from Greg Katz, the charming F&B veteran of Fireside Pies, Victor Tangos, and the Headington group. Named after his mother, Beverley's menu is Jewish crossed with Texas, Mexico, and beyond, with ceviche tacos side by side with caviar on potato latkes, chicken schnitzel, and matzo ball soup. Service is smooth, and the atmosphere is glitzy, with black woods, brass accents, a marble bar, and a banquette that wraps around the dining room. Currently open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday, plus Saturday & Sunday brunch.

Drake's
Drake's comes from Hunter Pond, founder and CEO of Vandelay Hospitality Group, including such concepts as the East Hampton Sandwich Co. chain and Hudson House, the East Coast-style restaurant also on Lovers Lane. Drake's is inspired by old-school, classic hangouts of Los Angeles like Delilah's, Craig's, and Mr. Nice Guy, with an old Hollywood feel: dim mood lighting, red interiors, and a circular bar at the center. The restaurant is currently open for limited dining at dinner only, reservations required. Phones are open from 3-10 pm.

Commons Club
Flagship restaurant at Virgin Hotels Dallas is open all day, with a bar, lounge, and adjacent coffee bar. Designed to feel like a members-only establishment, Commons Club has a fun ambience with a quirky-cool decor. The menu is trendy but approachable, ranging from a $15 burger to $44 steak frites to a seductive dish of house-made noodles in truffle butter. There's also a decadent brunch and a concept/menu called The Kitchen by Matt McCallister, which serves a seasonally driven menu with a "French meets Texan" theme. Currently open at 50 percent capacity for all three meals, reservations encouraged but not required.

Ellie's
Located at the Hall Arts Hotel in Dallas' Arts District, Ellie's features a Napa-inspired menu with pasta, salads, sandwiches, and a sterling wine list - no surprise since owners Craig and Kathryn Hall are well known wine buffs who own Hall Wines in Napa Valley. Chef Eric Dreyer, who was private chef to Oprah Winfrey and a former chef at Fearing's, is rolling out gems such as watermelon and feta salad with arugula and basil dressing and peach-glazed salmon with corn and Heirloom tomatoes. The restaurant is currently open Tuesday-Saturday from 4-9 pm for walk-ins only.

Georgie By Curtis Stone
Restaurant in the Knox District, in the former Villa-O space, comes with the participation of celebrity chef Curtis Stone, a spinoff of Gwen, a Hollywood restaurant and butcher shop he owns with his brother Luke. Georgie is a collaboration between the two brothers and Stephan Courseau, owner of nearby restaurants Le Bilboquet and Up on Knox. The menu features Australian Blackmore wagyu, caviar with red wheat blini and crème fraiche, hot smoked salmon, and black cod. Currently not open but menu items can be ordered at the adjoining butcher shop Thursdays-Saturdays from 6-9 pm.

Homewood
Casual-chic restaurant from chef Matt McCallister specializes upscale comfort food. The signature is the Parker House rolls, served with a dipping sauce made of parmesan mornay and chicken drippings. Entrees include half chicken, grass-fed sirloin, and Wagyu rib eye, and desserts are by Maggie Huff, who was pastry chef at McCallister's former restaurant FT33. A big feature is the raw bar with oysters, bluefin tuna, and dry-aged beef tartare. McCallister's commitment to farm-to-table includes a small garden on-site. Currently open for dinner 5-9 pm with inside and patio seating, reservations required.

Sketches of Spain
Named for the Miles Davis album, this restaurant in North Oak Cliff specializes in "Pinchos," a more sophisticated version of Spanish tapas, typically found in the north of Spain. Pinchos often use toothpicks; "pinchar" means "to pierce." Consider zucchini "cups" — hollowed out and filled with sautéed seafood, vegetables, goat cheese, and aioli. Their inspiration is the traditional Spanish taberna, an unpretentious place where you can hang out and spend quality time with friends. Currently open at limited capacity with dining room and patio seating; reservations recommended. Takeout can be ordered on the website.

Red Stix Street Food
Red Stix is a culmination of Chef Uno's childhood memories and travels. Each hand-crafted bowl or sandwich is finished with a yakitori stick. The sticks are threaded with morsels of chicken, pork, or steak and grilled over binchotan charcoal, then nestled on top of rice/noodle/salad bowl or sandwich, with vegetables, pickled daikons, and herbs. Currently the dining room is open Monday-Saturday, with a walk-up window for to-go orders.

Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse
Upscale barbecue restaurant is from the acclaimed Houston-based Pappas Restaurants (Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappasito’s Cantina). They do your prototypical barbecue meat plates, and their signature is their Prime beef brisket. They also do buttermilk fried chicken and a fancy chicken-fried steak. Their other theme is bourbon, which you can order in a flight. This location in Plano, in a former Bone Daddy's, is the second, following the original in Brewster, Texas. Currently this restaurant is temporarily closed.

Toluca Organic
Fresh, healthy Mexican restaurant on the ground level of the Gables Villa Rosa building in Uptown is a new concept from TJ Frank, co-founder of Southpaws Grill. it features local, organic, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free offerings, with a goal of being both vegan-friendly and non-vegan-friendly, as well — a place where vegans and non-vegans can eat at the same place, and enjoy great food. Their menu features salads, tacos, bowls, and burritos, with a versatile approach that includes plenty of room to customize to your liking. Currently open daily at 50 percent occupancy. No reservations required. Takeout orders can be made on the website, and delivery is available via all third-party companies.

Sloane's Corner
American bistro is the latest concept from veteran restaurateur Tim McEneny (Front Room, Jalisco Norte), and comes with a highly personal touch: It's named for his daughter. It's a cosmopolitan spot located on a key downtown corner, inside the newly redeveloped Trammell Crow Center near Nasher Sculpture Center, where it very accommodatingly serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a daily Happy Hour from 2-6 pm, as well as a coffee bar and takeout corner with food and beverage to go. Currently the restaurant is temporarily closed.

Paradiso
Coastal, southern European-inspired restaurant in Bishop Arts is from Exxir Hospitality, a collaboration between the Nazerian family and COO Jeremy Hargrove. The menu features light apps pushed around on bar carts, sort of dim sum-style. The menu has an Italian influence with dishes such as porchetta with salsa verde, toasted fregola with Italian sausage and manila clams, fried baby artichoke hearts, house-made pastas, and wood-fired pizzas. Currently open at limited capacity with dining room and patio seating; reservations recommended.

Salaryman
Izakaya-style restaurant in Bishop Arts from chef Justin Holt serves yakitori, ramen, and cocktails featuring shochu and Japanese whisky. Noodles are made from flour ground in-house from Texas wheat, and the miso and pickles are fermented on site. The restaurant is small in size and vibe, with 27 seats at the bar, communal table, and three dining tables. If the restaurant's full, you pencil in your name to a clipboard with a waitlist.

400 Gradi
Italian restaurant at the 2000 Ross Ave. building is from Australian celebrity chef Johnny Di Francesco, and specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza made, using authentic ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and gelato imported from Italy. The menu also includes rustic Italian dishes such as veal chop with polenta, pappardelle with mushrooms, or salmon con caponata - IE, eggplant, olives, and onions. Desserts are luscious including dense chocolate cake and a beautiful tiramisu. Currently the restaurant is temporarily closed.

Hinodeya Ramen Bar
Masao "Mark" Kuribara, a fourth-generation chef and restaurateur from Japan, has opened this ramen house and bar on Greenville Avenue in the former BB Bop space. It's Kuribara's fourth in the U.S. and the first outside California to specialize in dashi ramen –– a noodle bowl whose light, pure-flavored, umami-filled broth is based on dashi, the seafood-based foundation of much of Japanese cuisine. Their noodles are thicker than those used for tonkotsu ramen, and a bit squiggly, made to Hinodeya's specifications by Yamachan Ramen in San Jose. Currently open with dining room and patio seating, plus takeout and curbside delivery.

Uncle Zhou
Acclaimed Chinese restaurant from Queens, New York specializing in hand-pulled noodles relocated to Plano, seeking a better audience for its traditional Chinese Henan food. Henan is a province in Central China whose cuisine is centered on rice, rice noodles, pork, onions, and smoked meat. The goal is to balance flavors: not too spicy, not too salty, not too sweet. Those hand-pulled noodles are long - so much so that they'll provide tiny scissors to cut them. Currently open with limited dining room seating plus takeout, no reservation required.

tastemakers awards bests

News you can eat

This Dallas restaurant news is hot and fresh for the new year

Paris Baguette/ Facebook

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Our first Dallas restaurant news roundup of 2026 is all about the new - new restaurants, new menus, new dishes, and new deals. Several local places are celebrating big anniversaries this year. Sadly, there are some closures, too.

Here's what's been happening on the Dallas restaurant scene the first two weeks of the year.

Paris Baguette, the booming Korean bakery cafe chain, opened a location in The Colony at 5105 Main St. Bldg. B on January 15. They serve more than a dozen cakes by the slice or the whole cake; pastries including croissants, tarts, Danish, and buns; savory baked goods such as quiche Lorraine; breads, salads, sandwiches; and Lavazza coffee. The Colony is the 12th location in the DFW area joining Allen, Carrollton, Coppell, Dallas, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Lewisville, Mansfield, and Plano.

Jo’Seon Wagyu Omakase, Dallas’ first Korean Wagyu omakase restaurant, opened its doors on December 3. Located at 1628 Oak Lawn Ave. in the Design District, Jo’Seon is led by chef and co-owner Danny Shin, with an unprecedented 12-course (or 18 courses, for those dining in the select, private rooms) Wagyu-themed omakase that fuses Japanese A5 Wagyu, Korean culinary techniques, and American influences of hospitality. Seating is limited, with only one seating for lunch and two seatings for dinner in the main room each day.

Adelmo's Ristorante, Dallas' longtime Italian restaurant, closed its location in Inwood Village on December 31 after a decade in the space. The eponymous restaurant was founded in 1989 by Adelmo Banchetti in the Knox Street district where it prevailed until 2015, when it was displaced by the area's dramatic upheaval. Banchetti relocated to Inwood Village, taking over the former Bijoux space. In a Facebook post, he says he plans to reopen in another location, still to be announced.

Coco Shrimp is coming to Wylie. Coco Shrimp

Coco Shrimp, the popular fast-casual restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian-style fried shrimp, is opening up shop in Wylie. According to social media posts, the newest location of the fast-growing chain - which started as a food truck in Fort Worth - is coming to 3040 E. FM 544, Suite. 400, Wylie. Opening day is TBD, but soon, they say.

MoMo Italian Kitchen in Lake Highlands is kicking off its 40th anniversary year with a rotating assortment of wine bottles at a discounted price of $40. The featured January wines are the Ciacci Piccolomini Toscana Rosso (Sangiovese and Syrah) and Il Monticello Rupestro Rosatto. They're also introducing a 40th anniversary special featuring a four-course dinner for two for $80, including two salads, two pastas, one antipasto and one dessert; available until February 7.

Shake Shack has brought back its popular Korean-style menu for a limited time. The menu features returning favorites like the K-Shack Fried Chicken Sandwich ($10.49) and K-Shack BBQ Burger ($10.49), as well as new items including saucy K-Shack Fried Chicken Bites ($6.49 for six pieces) and the K-Shack Spicy Caramel Shake (Gochujang caramel frozen custard topped with whipped cream and more gochujang caramel, $6.99). The menu is inspired by the team’s culinary trips to Seoul and the vibrant fried chicken scene that influenced the chain’s first South Korea location in 2016, they say.

Malai Kitchen is marking its 15th year in both Uptown Dallas and Southlake with a special Legacy Menu on Saturday, January 31 at both locations. The menu will feature 15 favorite dishes from the restaurant’s early days, priced at $15 each. Here are those 15: Large Thai Coconut Soup, Large Lemongrass Soup, Large Beef Viet Noodle Soup, Large Chk Viet Noodle Soup, Malai Favorite Sampler, Lemongrass Mussels, Chicken Pad Thai, Shrimp Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Iron Pot Green Chicken Curry, Panang Curry with Beef, Red Curry Icelandic Cod, Chilean Seabass, Vermicelli Salad with Chicken, and Vermicelli Salad with Meatballs.

Maple Leaf Diner has launched a new Weekday Features lunch menu, available Monday through Friday from 7 am-2:30 pm. The menu offers sandwiches such as Turkey Avocado Swiss and Grilled Turkey Melt, fresh salads, and starters. There are also combo options, including a $12.99 Sandwich Trio with a half sandwich, side, and house-made chips, along with lighter choices such as Avocado Toast and Chicken Avocado Salad.

Cru brunch New brunch menu offerings at Cru.Photo courtesy of Cru

CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro introduced new dinner and brunch menus on January 5. They're showcasing Italian-inspired dishes and shareables designed for wine pairing. Developed with Dallas restaurant veteran Mark Brezinski, the menu includes Barolo-braised short rib over butternut squash risotto; Wagyu picanha steak with papas bravas and chimichurri; jumbo scallops atop spinach parmesan risotto; Roman-style pinsa pizzas; and indulgent desserts including chocolate fondue for two. Brunch offers Wagyu steak and eggs, short rib eggs Benedict, brioche French toast, and a smoked salmon board.

Komodo Dallas is shaking up its cocktail program with a collaboration with wellness brand Cymbiotika. The limited-time menu features drinks - both spirited or spirit-free - such as the Immunity Fizz, with Tito’s Vodka, elderberry immune support, and soda ($18); and the Tangerine Silk, a citrus-y mocktail made with Cymbiotika’s tangerine blend, yuzu, and lychee cordial ($16).

Bellagreen American Bistro is serving its Winter “Golden Glow” menu through February, featuring dishes built around anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, sweet potatoes, kale, and wild rice. Offerings include a turmeric-ginger chicken soup, a butternut wild rice and arugula salad, a roasted veggie quinoa-kale bowl, seared salmon over turmeric cauliflower rice, and seasonal gluten-free desserts like peppermint and German chocolate cheesecake.

Torchy’s Tacos has started its 20th anniversary year with a new "Double Feature" deal: a complete meal for two for $20, featuring six street tacos, classic sides, and drinks. The January lineup also includes the return of the fan-favorite Tokyo Drifter Taco and a new Red Bull Strawberry Limeade mocktail.

Perry’s Steakhouse has launched Mini Martini Trios, including a zero-proof option. The Free-Spirited Mini Martini Trio ($15) features nonalcoholic cocktails such as the Clean Kick made with Seedlip Spice 94. January’s Mini Martini Trio of the Month includes three spirited drinks, including the "Straight" Paloma made with George Strait's Código 1530 Blanco tequila. The steakhouse is also offering off-menu dishes for a limited time, including escargot, turtle gumbo, beef Wellington, roasted wild red snapper, and white chocolate cheesecake.

Crispy Cones, an ice cream shop chain that appeared on Shark Tank, has opened a location in Plano, in a new center at 9613 Coit Rd. #108. It's an innovative concept that places as much attention on the cone as it does the ice cream. To read more about it, head here.

New protein-paced Omega Bowls at Fish City Grill.Photo courtesy of Fish City Grill

Fish City Grill & Half Shells has introduced menu items designed for health-minded diners in January. They include nutrient-packed Omega Bowls with 30+ grams of protein and rich in omega-3s; Seared Scallop Tacos with sweet potato, kale, and chipotle-avocado tartar ($19), Seared Black Cod with coconut orzo ($27); and Chicken Milanese with arugula, marinated tomatoes, and lemon aioli ($19).

Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe has been acquired by M Crowd Restaurant Group, parent company of Mi Cocina and The Mercury. M Crowd says it will focus on "strengthening Razzoo’s culinary identity, celebrating its handcrafted Cajun dishes, and elevating the guest experience." Early priorities, they say, "include optimizing heritage dishes, such as the Seafood Combo Platter and seasonal Crawfish boil, and refreshing the beverage program to complement the brand’s energetic atmosphere." Seven DFW locations of Razzoo's will remain open.

The PoBoy Shop, which had been open in Preston Center just since July 2025, suddenly closed its doors around the new year, citing rising costs of food and more. Early January saw a slew of sad Dallas closures, in fact. All local outposts of national chains Sprinkles Cupcakes and Salad and Go shuttered, too.

House of Dorchester, a British chocolate maker founded in 1963, is returning to the U.S. and offering select products in Barnes & Noble stores in time for Valentine's Day. Based in Dorchester, England and known for traditional chocolate-making techniques and elegant designs, the brand's Barnes & Noble offerings include Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles — truffles with a Marc de Champagne and strawberry center dusted with delicate icing sugar ($10.99 for four pieces).

Chick-fil-A is treating guests to a breakfast giveaway throughout January. Through January 30, customers can can open the Chick-fil-A App weekly to redeem a new breakfast offer, with the schedule as follows: Jan. 12-16: Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit or Spicy Chicken Biscuit; Jan. 19-23: Bacon or Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit; Jan. 26-30: four-piece Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis.

BJ's Brewhouse has teamed up with Butterfinger for a limited-time Butterfinger Pizookie dessert ($8.99). It combines BJ's freshly baked chocolate cookie with vanilla bean ice cream, a smooth, crackable chocolate shell, and generous Butterfinger pieces.

H-E-B is opening the doors to its newest DFW supermarket location, at 11700 US-80 in Forney, on Wednesday, January 28. As is the case with H-E-B stores, they'll open at 6 am with fanfare, including visits from company executives and city officials throughout the day.

Cinemark is celebrating National Popcorn Day on January 18 and 19 by letting moviegoers bring their own container to theaters to fill with popcorn for just $5. BYOB-fillable containers that are allowed include anything from a bucket to a cooler, up to 400 ounces, or even a Lowe’s 5-gallon bucket. Find out more about it here.

Pecan Lodge, the acclaimed BBQ restaurant in Deep Ellum, will be featured on select flights aboard American Airlines. The partnership begins in February for passengers in first class on flights from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The offering will consist of a barbecue platter with brisket, smoked sausage, mac & cheese, coleslaw, pickles, onions, and BBQ sauce.

Keith Lee, the food critic, social media influencer, and recent North Texas transplant, was named TikTok's 2025 Creator of the Year at the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards. Lee has certainly made an impact on many local restaurants across Dallas-Fort Worth over the years, including reviewing buzzy concessions at the State Fair of Texas. His short-form video empire also scored him a featured speaker talk at Austin's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in 2025.

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Teresa Gubbins and Amber Heckler contributed to this report.

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