Cheers to the Tastemakers

Tastemaker Awards toasts the best Texas restaurants and bars for 2020

The mission of our annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards is to shine a spotlight on the top restaurant and bar talent in Texas. This summer, we honored the best of the industry and celebrated their resilience with our first-ever virtual Tastemakers.

In true 2020 fashion, the Tastemakers transformed from an in-person party to an in-home tasting experience.

Our Dallas-Fort Worth program, sponsored by Dripping Springs Vodka, Desert Door Sotol, Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Grandes Vinos, Topo Chico, and Alto, was held on July 30. The Austin and San Antonio awards kicked things off July 23, and we wrapped up in Houston on August 6.

Each event featured a streamed awards show hosted by the legendary Bun B, who first guided guests through the makings of the at-home party. Then, with the help of some special guests, he announced the local 2020 Tastemaker Awards winners. (If you missed the Dallas-Fort Worth show, you can watch it here.)

Nominees for each city were selected earlier this year by CultureMap editors and local panels of industry experts, including past winners. The panels then selected the winner in each category, except for Best New Restaurant, which was chosen by readers in our bracket-style tournament. This year, we also added a special Hero Award to honor individuals in the industry who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic.

Below, meet all of our 2020 Tastemaker winners, and join us in toasting them once again.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: Comedor
Chef of the Year: Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley, Foreign & Domestic
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Edgar Ulysses Rico, Nixta Taqueria
Pastry Chef of the Year: Jules Stoddart, Olamaie
Best New Restaurant: Rebel Cheese
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Foreign & Domestic
Best Queso: Eldorado Cafe
Bar of the Year: Kinda Tropical
Bartender of the Year: Laura Maddox, Small Victory
Wine Program of the Year: Bufalina
Brewery of the Year: Jester King
Hero Award: Derrick Chubbs, Central Texas Food Bank

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: Meadow
Chef of the Year: Esaul Ramos, 2M Smokehouse
Best New Restaurant: 225 Urban Smoke
Best Queso: Tlahco Mexican Kitchen
Bar of the Year: Little Death
Hero Award: Jason Dady, Jason Dady Restaurants

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: The Charles Dallas
Chef of the Year: Justin Holt, Salaryman
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Toby Archibald, Georgie by Curtis Stone
Pastry Chef of the Year: Diana Zamora, Lockwood Distilling
Best New Restaurant: Georgie by Curtis Stone
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Parigi Restaurant
Best Queso: E-Bar Tex Mex
Bar of the Year: Black Swan Saloon
Bartender of the Year: Josh Hendrix, Las Almas Rotas
Wine Program of the Year: Macellaio
Brewery of the Year: 3 Nations Brewing
Hero Award: Jacob Tindall, 5G Studio Collaborative

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Ellerbe Fine Foods
Chef of the Year: Tim Love, Lonesome Dove, Love Shack, Gemelle
Best New Restaurant: Hot Box Biscuit Club
Bar of the Year: Blackland Distillery
Hero Award: Mike Hoque, Hoque Global

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Himalaya
Chef of the Year: Jason Vaughan, Nancy’s Hustle
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Felipe Riccio, Rosie Cannonball
Pastry Chef of the Year: Julia Doran, Nancy’s Hustle
Best New Restaurant: MAD
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Les Ba’get
Best Pizza: Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana
Bar of the Year: Monkey’s Tail
Bartender of the Year: Lindsay Rae, Two Headed Dog
Wine Program of the Year: Public Services Wine & Whisky
Brewery of the Year: Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company
Hero Award: Chris Shepherd, Southern Smoke Foundation

Himalaya, Houston Restaurant of the Year.

Photo by Shawn Chippendale

Himalaya, Houston Restaurant of the Year.

tastemakers

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 new happy hours for February

Even Coast

The Frozen John D at Even Coast.

The February edition of Where to Drink, CultureMap's monthly column on restaurants and bars you can get a drink at, travels far and wide to find the best and most exotic happy hours around: From sushi deals in downtown Dallas to $5 margaritas in Collin County to Indian bar bites in Irving.

(If you're in a more date-night frame of mind, be sure to consult our list of places where you can share a sweet Valentine's Day meal.)

Here are five happy hours to try in February:

Cafe Gecko
Laid-back perennial favorite in Richardson has just unveiled a brand new happy hour menu featuring their delectable versions of classic bar food treats including pizza fries, pretzel bites, chicharrones, onion rings, and fried pickles, priced from $5-$7, plus $1 off everything in the bar. It's served Monday all day, and Tuesday-Friday from 3-7 pm.

Dozo Omakase
Omakase sushi restaurant which opened a year ago at Trinity Groves with a compact menu that includes the trendy multi-course omakase style of dining, available in small or large versions. They do a cool approach to happy hour by introducing a new menu nearly every month. For February, it includes items from the sushi bar and the kitchen including half-price nigiri, sushi hand rolls for $8, gyoza for $6, crispy rice tuna for $10, and miso soup for a bargain $2.50. Cocktails include sake for $9 and a Kyoto highball cocktail for $11.

Even Coast
Neighborhood restaurant from chef Omar Flores opened on the Addison-Dallas line in 2024 with seafood, pastas, and steaks — and now happy hour. It's a good one, served from 2-6 pm every day with its own menu of $3 oysters, $10 cheeseburgers, and salmon dip. House cocktails are $9, including a rotating flavor frozen drink; a pint of beer is $6, and wine by the glass is $9. The only restriction is where: On Friday-Saturday, it's available only at the bar; Sunday-Thursday, it's also available in the dining room and on the patio.

Neon Cactus
Congenial Mexican restaurant in Fairview has a happy hour with deals that surely seem worth driving for: They run Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm and include margaritas for $5, domestic beers for $4, wine by the glass for $5, and well drinks for $4. They also have daily food specials that run all day, such as queso blanco and chicken tinga flautas, $10 each on Thursdays, and taco plates with rice and beans, $10 to $12 on Tuesdays.

Nirvana
Sultry Indian lounge at Toyota Music Factory with DJ, dance floor, and rooftop patio has what may be the worst website in the world — but buried beneath the PTSD flash graphics and music is a worthy happy hour, served from 4-7 pm featuring $2 off all cocktails, including the Hunan Heatwave with tequila and tandoori pineapple, and the Beijing Berry mocktail with mixed berries and ginger ale. Plus Indian-themed bar snacks such as "drums of heaven" AKA chicken lollipops; street-style chow mein, and crispy chili corn.

cocktails where to drink