This week in gluttony

Tastemaker Awards top the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

The 2026 Tastemaker Award winners will be revealed May 7.

Ashley Gongora

This week also brings the tastiest night of the year: the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Leading up to the big event, there are also Cinco de Mayo festivities and a chance to experience French cuisine paired with fine French wines. Start off the week with a pizza special in honor of quirky Star Wars-themed holiday. And remember that Mother's Day arrives this Sunday, May 10, so don't forget to solidify those plans to celebrate mom. (Here's our list of best Dallas restaurants to visit on Mother's Day.)

Monday, May 4

Star Wars Day at Cane Rosso
May the 4th be with you, pizza-loving Star Wars fans. Visit any Cane Rosso location for $10 Roni One double pepperoni and bacon marmalade pizzas (normally $20), available for dine-in or take-out. Even more, show up in Star Wars attire (ideas: robes, helmet, or full Stormtrooper gear) and get 10 percent off your food bill. The specials will go on all day at all locations.

Tuesday, May 5

Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl at The Statler
Snag your Cinco de Mayo bar crawl passport at The Statler and take part in festive drink specials and chef-driven bites across the hotel’s signature properties. Guests who purchase a cocktail at Scout, Waterproof and Bourbon & Banter will get their passports stamped and receive a complimentary starter at Scout. Drink specials range from spicy guava margaritas ($18) to Mexican candy shots ($8).

Cinco de Mayo at Luna Roja
Downtown Dallas’ new modern Mexican hot spot, Luna Roja, will host an all-day fiesta featuring tequila brand activations with Lunazul, Tequila Ocho, Herradura, El Jimador, and Milagro, along with samples and giveaways, menu specials, and live DJ set. Guests can enjoy $5 taco specials including short rib, pork belly al pastor, and sweet potato taquitos paired with $8 house margaritas and beer and blanco tequila combo specials. The specials will go on from 11 am-11 pm, with DJ music spinning from 3-9 pm.

Shaken & Stirred at Astra Kitchen + Lounge
Shake, stir, and sip your way through an elevated Cinco de Mayo-themed cocktail class at Astra inside Hall Arts Hotel. Guided by bar team experts, this hands-on experience covers complex flavor pairings, advanced shaking techniques, and mastering the perfect pour. Participants will mix up two signature Astra cocktails, then enjoy light bites from executive chef Miguel Antonio’s new menu. Tickets are $40, plus tax and a small fee, and class begins at 6 pm.

Thursday, May 7

CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards
The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards return to Astoria Event Venue to celebrate Dallas' top restaurant and bar talent for 2026. The mission is to shine a spotlight on the people and places that make Dallas a world-class culinary destination. CultureMap's signature tasting event and awards ceremony (emceed by NBC5 Texas Today host Cleo Greene) will celebrate all of the nominees and unveil this year’s winners. Guests will enjoy an evening full of chef-prepared bites and specialty drinks; preview the menu here. Tickets start at $75 for general admission at 7 pm, or go VIP for $125 and get early entry at 6 pm along with a dedicated bar.

Fly Through France Wine Dinner at Hotel Mockingbird
Experience a guided journey through France’s most iconic wine regions during this five-course pairing dinner at Verse Kitchen + Bar inside Hotel Mockingbird. Menu highlights include seared scallops with cauliflower puree and brown butter emulsion, herb-crusted lamb loin with spring ratatouille, and honey and vanilla bean crème brûlée. Dinner is $150, plus a service fee, and begins at 6 pm with a champagne reception.

chefs food events mothers day tastemaker awards

Hot 'n spicy

Michelin-recommended Hattie B’s Hot Chicken brings Nashville heat to Plano

dallas.culturemap.com

undefined

A Nashville hot chicken favorite with Michelin cred has found a new roost in Plano: Hattie B's Hot Chicken, the fast-casual chain known for its spicy fried chicken, has opened at 2104 Preston Rd., in Preston Towne Crossing.

The restaurant officially debuted Wednesday, June 17. It's the second Dallas-area location for the chain following the opening of its Oak Lawn spot in October 2024 — a relocation of the original Dallas location which opened in Deep Ellum in 2022.

Announced in August 2025, the Plano restaurant occupies the former Boston Market building at Preston Towne Crossing. The 3,008-square-foot space includes a patio with seating for 50 guests, plus 56 seats indoors, says a release.

Hattie B's Plano Hattie B's has taken over a former Boston Market building in Plano Towne Crossing.Photo courtesy of Hattie B's

The menu centers on fried chicken that can be ordered at a sassy range of spice levels: Mild, Medium, Hot, Damn Hot, and the chain's hottest option, Shut the Cluck Up! There are also two non-spicy options: Southern fried chicken and a Sweet & Smoky dry rub.

Menu highlights include:

Dirty Bird Fries ($10.50) — Loaded fries topped with Hattie B's signature pimento mac & cheese, fried or grilled tender bites, and Nashville comeback sauce
Classic Chicken Sandwich with one side ($11.50) — Fried or grilled chicken with coleslaw, Nashville comeback sauce, and pickles
Jumbo Tenders Plate ($11.75) — Three fried or grilled chicken tenders served with one side, bread, and pickles
Southern Salad ($13) — Fried or grilled chicken tender bites, mixed greens, sweet corn and black-eyed pea succotash, cheddar, bacon, and cornbread croutons
Half Bird Plate ($15.50) — Breast, thigh, leg, and wing served with one side, bread, and pickles
Desserts ($4) — Banana pudding, peach cobbler, or a waffle sundae (add $1)
Drinks — Beer, cocktails ($8.50), and boozy frozen drinks ($9)

Hattie B's was founded in Nashville in 2012 by father-and-son duo Nick Bishop Sr. and Nick Bishop Jr. and has since expanded across Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, and Nevada. The chain was named a Recommended Restaurant by Michelin in its debut guide to the American South in November 2025.

They currently have seven locations in Tennessee, plus locations in Alabama, Georgia, Nevada, and Texas.

"We are beyond fired up about opening in Plano," executive chef Brian Morris said in a statement. "Folks can expect everything they know and love about Hattie B's — our delicious fried chicken, Southern sides, grandma-approved desserts and cold beer and cocktails."

Hours at the Plano restaurant are 10:45 am-10 pm Sunday-Thursday and 10:45 am-11 pm Friday-Saturday.

chicken hot chicken michelin recognition nashville hot chicken plano plano restaurant openings