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

Slushies News

Best frozen drinks in Dallas for summer tippling

Loro

Loro frozen slushie flight

As Memorial Day approaches, the temperatures climb. Dedicated tipplers know that the best way to beat the heat is with a frosty drink. This list of frozen drinks being served at Dallas restaurants and bars hits them all: margaritas, frosé, milkhakes, and slushies.

Here are some of the best, newest (and in some cases, limited-edition) frozen beverages for the summer in Dallas:

Aire Libre
Poolside restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas serves up a Baja vibe and coastal menu. They offer a frozé made with Argyle brut rosé, Aperol, prickly pear, passionfruit, and lemon. The drink is available for $16.

Cane Rosso
Neapolitan-style pizza and a frozen rosé might just be a match made in heaven. Local pizzeria chain offers a frosé featuring strawberry, vodka, rosé, and lemon for $10. Available at locations in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth.

Hampton Social
Buzzy coastal restaurant in downtown Dallas loves rosé to the point they have 20 options on their wine list. But it gets better— the restaurant has a signature Hampton frosé made with Tito's Handmade vodka, rosé, peach purée. The drink is $17.

Hampton Social rose Hampton Social rosé in 3 formats: regular, sparkling, and frozen.Hampton Social

José
Mexican restaurant on Lovers Lane has a frozen watermelon margarita available for a very limited time. It features watermelon flavoring, Socorro Blanco, seasonal puree, and lime juice for $16. Available through Memorial Day weekend from May 22-26.

Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar
Loro's expansive, yet laid-back picnic table setup inside and out is tailor-made for summer nights. Loro has a broad menu of frozen drinks, from a frozen spicy watermelon margarita, to boozy Vietnamese coffee, to mango sake slushees. Can't decide? Try a frozen slushee flight for $14.25.

Mi Cocina
Just about every Tex-Mex has a frozen margarita, but this middle-class chain is home to what is arguably the most famous: the Mambo Taxi, a margarita swirled with sangria featuring Sauza Silver Tequila, lime juice, sangria with pinot noir, brandy, and fruit juices. The drink is $10.

Milkshakes and slushie drinks

Black Tap
Victory Park restaurant and bar has a collection of eight "crazyshake" milkshakes with unconventional toppings such as cake slices and cookie sandwiches. The cinnamon bun shake, priced at $18, features a whole cinnamon roll on top. There's a vegan option on all shakes for those steering clear of dairy. For a smaller, boozy take, get a shake shot with soft serve and choice of vodka or whiskey base for $9.

Lazy Dog
Restaurant chain has a new frozen cocktail: the prickly pear sloshie. It's inspired by founder Chris Simms’ adventures in Wyoming, and blends Pantalones Organic Reposado Tequila, prickly pear purée, agave nectar sweet and sour, triple sec, and a salt rim. It's $13.75. Available for a limited time.

Pinstack
Eatertainment venue is known for bowling lanes and arcade, but they also have all kinds of shakes, both boozy and 32-ounce nonalcoholic ones stacked with toppings. There are three alcoholic adult shakes such as the boozy berry and chocaholic, both with Smirnoff vodka; or the churrochata, with Fireball. Boozy shakes start at $14, nonalcoholic shakes are $10. Available at Plano, Las Colinas, Allen, and Westlake locations.

Sonic
Drive-thru chain is bringing back slushies in two fab flavors: watermelon andlemonberry, which is swirled with real strawberries and a squeeze of lemon. They also offer half-price shakes — with flavors like strawberry, hot fudge, and peanut butter — daily after 5 pm. Slushes start at $2 for a small, shakes start at $4 for a small.
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Katherine Stinson contributed to this story.

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