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    Meet the Tastemakers

    10 best restaurants in Dallas for 2026 shine as culinary standouts

    Amy McCarthy
    Apr 21, 2026 | 11:41 am
    Sushi Kozy

    Sushi Kozy is one of several omakase concepts leading Dallas dining right now.

    Courtesy photo

    There's no doubt that Dallas' dining scene is booming, from a host of hot new restaurant openings to sweet dessert programs and neighborhood favorites. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards will celebrate them all, including the coveted award for Restaurant of the Year.

    As the big event approaches on May 7, we turn our attention to the top two awards categories of the year, beginning with the nominees for Dallas' Restaurant of the Year. (Stay tuned next week for Chef of the Year.)

    Our 2026 nominees include stalwarts of the dining scene alongside flashier new entrants. They span cuisines and trends — omakase is hot right now, as is Vietnamese food, and barbecue never goes out of style. Meet the 10 restaurants that represent the best of Dallas dining below, and learn about the rest of our nominees in this special editorial series.

    Hungry for more? Now's the time to get your tickets to our tasting event and awards ceremony on May 7 at Astoria Event Venue. You'll sample bites from participating nominees, sip signature cocktails, and be there when the Tastemakers winners are revealed by our emcee, Cleo Greene, host of NBC5's Texas Today. Tickets remain for both General Admission and VIP entry, but act fast.

    And now, here are the 2026 Dallas Restaurant of the Year nominees:

    Cattleack Barbeque
    Recognized by both the Michelin Guide and many Dallasites as the best barbecue in town, this North Dallas favorite has been attracting droves of smoked meat enthusiasts since 2013. Cattleack’s got something for every serious barbecue fan, whether you’re in search of succulent, barky brisket or looking to "pork out" with the Toddfather, an enormous sandwich that features just about every kind of barbecued meat imaginable.

    Crown Block
    Steak and sushi collide at Crown Block, in what is arguably Dallas’ most iconic dining room, located atop Reunion Tower. Even though the restaurant doesn’t attract diners by rotating anymore, it still keeps things exciting with its luxe menu and lavish surroundings. Here, you can feast on A5 Wagyu imported from Japan or build a seafood tower overflowing with oysters, lobster, and crab, all while taking in some of the most breathtaking views of the city.

    crown block veggies Veggies on the menu at Crown Block. Crown Block

    Gemma
    Ever since its 2013 debut, this Henderson Avenue restaurant has been a total knockout. From the super-fresh oysters to the perfectly made pastas and succulent duck frites, chef Stephen Rogers’ menu is positively packed with dishes that have stood the test of time. It’s also one of the city’s best spots to grab a glass of wine, and the dimly lit dining room feels especially romantic when you score a late-night reservation.

    Mabo
    Yet another entrant into Dallas’ increasing omakase field, Mabo offers a decidedly fresh take on the concept. Instead of focusing only on raw fish, chef Masayuki Otaka’s binchotan-grilled yakitori skewers are just as much the star of this show, ranging from succulent chicken thigh to crispy pork jowl and more adventurous cuts. The sushi is equally compelling, thanks to top-quality fish that changes according to what’s freshest and Otaka’s painstaking preparations.

    Mamani
    This French restaurant made a splash immediately when it debuted in 2025, as the Michelin Guide awarded it a coveted one-star rating just 60 days after the doors opened. Even with those lofty expectations, chef Christophe De Lellis has managed to consistently produce some of the city’s finest dishes. From the jaw-dropping veal cordon bleu to the Paris-Brest dessert, everything on the menu at Mamani is a star.

    Mot Hai Ba
    Since 2013, Mot Hai Ba has reliably been one of the city’s best places to find inventive Vietnamese dishes. Under the guidance of chef Peja Krstic, who purchased the restaurant from its founders in 2016 after starting in the kitchen a year earlier, it has evolved to include a wider range of culinary influences. From the kimchi and foie gras dumplings to binchotan-grilled gnocchi, Mot Hai Ba never fails to excite.

    Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen
    Dallas has a lot of great Vietnamese food, and this Greenville Avenue spot serves up some of the city’s best bowls of pho and vermicelli, all inspired by the cooking techniques passed down to owner Carol Nguyen by her mother, Ngon, whose name inspired the restaurant. Here, find addictively spicy brothy bowls of bon bo hue, eminently fresh spring rolls, and beautifully spiced curries for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

    Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen A vibrant spread from Ngon. Courtesy photo

    Nonna
    Twenty years ago, chef Julian Barsotti’s Nonna opened its doors in Highland Park, and the city’s Italian dining scene has never been the same. Two decades later, it remains an excellent date-night spot and neighborhood favorite, known for its toothsome housemade pastas and wood-fired proteins, and is proof that a Dallas restaurant doesn’t have to be over-the-top to earn a devoted following.

    Sushi Kozy
    Omakase is really having a moment in Dallas, and chef-owner Paul Ko’s Sushi Kozy is a standout in the crowded field. Thanks to the expertly sourced and prepared seafood, which is transformed into stunning sashimi, temaki, and nigiri every night, this omakase-only spot is among the city’s best places to splurge on a celebratory dinner.

    Tatsu Dallas
    This Michelin-starred Deep Ellum omakase is among the hardest tables to get in town. Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi, whose family has been making sushi for four generations, brings a level of care and expertise to the experience that is unparalleled, making it worth the price tag — and the effort to grab a coveted reservation at the first of the month.

    ---

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

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    News you can eat

    Catch up with the new openings in this Dallas restaurant news

    Teresa Gubbins
    May 15, 2026 | 6:06 pm
    Stillwell's
    Stillwell's
    New dishes at Stillwell's Steakhouse at the Hotel Swexan

    This latest roundup of dining news around Dallas is a powerhouse, with some big openings, a closing, a re-opening, a relocation, and a coming-soon. There's also an array of new menus to check out, restaurants to visit, new dishes to try.

    Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

    Salt and Straw, the cult ice cream brand from Portland, Oregon, has opened its first location in Dallas at 2323 Henderson Ave. #107, in the same shopping center as Gemma restaurant, where it's scooping its trademark hyper-creative, often unexpected flavors. Cousins Kim and Tyler Malek founded S&S in 2011 as a pushcart and the concept has since grown to 59 locations with a huge presence in California and an expansion to the East Coast — from New England and New York to Florida. Flavors rotate with the season such as Jasmine Milk Tea Almond Stracciatella, Strawberry Tres Leches, Rhubarb Crumble with Toasted Anise, Saffron Milk with Wildflower Honey, and Coffee Chamomile Sherbet.

    Maman, the French cafe chain from New York bringing its ritzy fare to Dallas, has opened a location in Lakewood at 6465 E. Mockingbird Ln. in Hillside Village, its second in the DFW area, following the original at the Plaza at Preston Center where it debuted in November 2025. They're open during daylight hours with espresso, tea, and pastries such as croissants, kouign maman, Bundt cakes, tea cakes, and cookies.

    Sourdough & Co., a fast-casual chain based in Las Vegas known for sandwiches served on San Francisco-style sourdough bread baked in-house, is opening its first Dallas-area location in Frisco at 3311 Preston Rd. #2 in The Centre at Preston Ridge, taking over a space that's been home to a cookie company and a cookie dough company. They serve deli-style sandwiches such as the Italian with salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, balsamic, and olive oil, which can be ordered in a 4-inch size, 6-inch, or 8-inch, with price ranging from $10 to $14. They also do soups such as clam chowder served in a bread bowl. Originally founded in California under the name World of Sourdough, they went through a name change in 2024. The estimated opening date for Frisco is fall 2026.

    Cosmic Cafe, the '90s vegetarian haunt, reopened at the beginning of May, after an unprecedented five-year closure. Bringing it back is Deepak Chalise, who cooked at the cafe in the '90s, and who is serving classics such as the Cosmic Stir-Fry of veggies and tofu in yogurt ginger sauce; and their famed Buddha's Delight with curried vegetables, samosa, dahl, rice, pappadam, and naan. In true Cosmic Cafe fashion, it's a bargain with everything priced under $15.

    Bam's Vegan, a vegan restaurant known for its vegan comfort food such as pulled "pork" and mac & cheese, has closed its Dallas location at 1499 Regal Row. Owner Brandon "Bam" Waller said that he wants to focus more on family, faith, and creativity. "I’ve been in the restaurant business for 9 years now, and I will tell you it’s one of the TOUGHEST businesses to operate in for multiple reasons" but that he was grateful. He’ll still do pop-ups around the city from time to time but hopes to segue to special invite-only events and preorders.

    K-Cup Kitchen, a mom-and-pop restaurant that specializes in Korean street food, has relocated to 232 Town Pl., Fairview, taking over a space that was once a Twisted Root. K-Cup started out at Revolving Kitchen, the shared kitchen concept, where owners Sandra and Michael Oh earned a following for their Korean comfort food served in bowls, including dishes like bulgogi, spicy pork, mandu dumplings, and rice bowls. The K stands for Korean, and the Cup refers to their signature "cup-bops" — rice bowls topped with meat like bulgogi or spicy pork, veggies, and sauce.

    Spice bag Irish spice bag with chicken, French fries, peppers, onionsYouTube

    The Crafty Irishman Public House, the beloved Irish pub in downtown Dallas, has a unique new menu item that brings a true taste of Ireland: the Irish Spice Bag. This hugely popular Irish street food features a meal in a paper bag: fried chicken with sautéed peppers & onions, French fries, and a curry-style sauce. Owner Alan Kearney says they wanted to bring an authentic piece of Irish food culture that's unlike anything else. The Irish Spice Bags are $16 and are also available at the Crafty Irishman in Victory Park, as well as The Playwright Pub at One Arts Plaza, Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub at One Main Place in downtown Dallas, Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff, and Henry McCarty Irish Pub in Fort Worth (which has a reel showing how to eat it).

    Electric Shuffle, the high-tech shuffleboard bar from London that opened in Deep Ellum in 2021, has a new fixe-prix weekend brunch for $50 which includes a bottle of bubbly, 90 minutes of shuffleboard play, and a menu with new dishes such as maple-glazed doughnuts, silver-dollar pancakes, avocado deviled eggs, and farmer’s salad with spring mix, apples, strawberries, and balsamic dressing — joining favorites like candied bacon, breakfast quesadillas, maple bacon boneless wings, truffle parmesan fries, and margherita pizza. New beverages include iced coffee with cold brew; breakfast cereal espresso martini with vanilla-infused vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and cereal milk; and spicy paloma with jalapeño tequila, grapefruit, and lime.

    Centrale Italia, the Italian restaurant at Preston Hollow Village, has added new dishes including chicken parm, roasted beet and burrata salad, and rock shrimp scampi toast with Calabrian chili butter.

    Hendy’s on Henderson, the restaurant-bar at 2401 Henderson Ave. has a new menu for spring with shareables, sandwiches, seafood, and customizable bowls devised by chef Peja Krstic and executive chef Fares Hussein, including crispy agnolotti, lobster roll, club sandwich, prosciutto Caprese sandwich, branzino, and poke bowls.

    Stillwell’s Steakhouse at Hotel Swexan is rolling out “Dining Like the Duttons,” a limited-time tasting menu inspired by Paramount’s upcoming Yellowstone spin-off, Dutton Ranch. The exclusive dining experience arrives as scenes filmed at Stillwell’s and Hotel Swexan are set to appear in episodes three and four. It'll be available May 15-June 21 for $115 and includes deviled egg; skillet cornbread with cheddar and honey butter; chili with HWD beef, chilis, corn nuts, and Mornay; 6-oz filet with potatoes, spring onion, and bone marrow bordelaise; brick chicken with ’nduja, hominy, corn; and Texas sheet cake with candied pecans and bourbon caramel.

    Radici Farmers Branch has a new dinner menu with items like Wagyu Denver steak with Italian salsa verde, pork ribs with Sicilian potato salad, and chicken sausage pasta with cassarecce, charred broccoli, and pistachio pesto.

    North Italia has debuted a new seasonal menu featuring kale & goat cheese salad, steak panzanella, a seasonal chef’s board, house focaccia, and Heirloom tomato burrata. Seasonal cocktails include the Donatella and Don Giorgio.

    Dock Local has a new grouper sandwich, featuring battered, grilled, or blackened grouper topped with spring mix, tomato, pickles, and lemon dill pickle tartar sauce, served on a toasted bun.

    Eatzi’s Market & Bakery is bringing back spicy pork wings: tender, bone-in pork wings tossed in a spicy sweet chili sauce, hot and ready from the Grill every Thursday.

    Dee’s Table at The Star in Frisco has added one of the hottest cocktail trends to the menu: Soft-Serve Margaritas in three seasonal flavors for $15 each: pineapple, strawberry, and pineapple-strawberry swirl.

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