Tastemaker Awards

Tastemaker Awards party salutes the best in Dallas restaurants in 2025

Foodies from all across Dallas showed up for the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, celebrating Dallas' top restaurants, bars, and chefs who've led the local dining scene most in the past year.

After months of buildup, the winners were revealed at an awards ceremony and tasting event on on Thursday, May 1 at the Astoria Event Venue in Irving.

The presentation of the awards was the pinnacle in a night of food and drink, in which more than a dozen nominated chefs and restaurants served up delicious bites, while bartenders crafted cocktails incorporating spirits from event sponsors including: Still Austin Whiskey and Hornitos Tequila, along with Pennsyvania-based Yuengling Beer, who served their traditional lager as well as Flight, their light lager.

There were specialty cocktails from Silent Pool Gin (English G&T), Hornitos Tequila (Hornitos Paloma, ranch water, and neat), Reyka Vodka (Reyka espresso martini and cucumber martini), and Still Austin Whiskey (Still Austin old fashioned, plus neat pours of Straight and Cask Strength Bourbon and Rye Whiskey).

Alcohol-free options included the Honey Berry Fizz from Punch Bowl Social, the Cucumber Garden mocktail from Seedlip, and an irresistible pistachio espresso martini from Ritual Zero Proof.

Saratoga Spring Water kept everyone hydrated, and also dispensed goody bags containing a box of chocolates, notepad & pen, wine key, key chain, and bottle of water to the nominees. Brioche Gourmet handed out rich bread items to all attendees.

The tastiest plates of the night included Chicken kofta meatballs from Goodwins, Peking duck wraps and spicy tuna cones from Komodo, Salmon bowl box and sesame rice noodles from Loro (served in a cool take-out box), rigatoni Genovese from Perch Bistro, pimento cheese and Benton's country ham sandwiches from The Porch, and pineapple char siu pulled pork baos from Scout at the Statler.

Favorite sweet options included strawberry matcha and pink champagne macarons from Ollio Patisserie, and a medley of treats from LA 57 that included mini almond croissants, mini cannoli, and mini cajeta empanadas. Caffeine fans were rewarded with honey lavender cold brew from Well Grounded Coffee and iced coffee from Whataburger.

After all that eating and drinking, it was time for the awards, delivered by charming emcee Mark Schechtman. For weeks leading up to the event, we published a special editorial series that highlighted nominees in nine categories. Winners were chosen by a panel of local food and beverage experts — except for the category of Best New Restaurant, which was voted on by readers in a bracket-style competition online.

$Dallas Tastemaker Awards\u200b$

Ashley Gongora

There were beverages a-plenty at the Dallas Tastemaker Awards

These winners were announced and presented with glass trophies, as the crowd enthusiastically cheered for each one:

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Roman Murphy, Perch Bistro
Pastry Chef of the Year: Ryan Stipp, Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: The Porch
Bar of the Year: Columbian Country Club
Best Coffee Shop: Merit Coffee
Best Eatertainment: Chicken N Pickle
Best New Restaurant: Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge
Chef of the Year: Jeff Bekavac, Goodwins
Restaurant of the Year: Mister Charles

A portion of the proceeds benefited Harvest Project Food Rescue, an indigenous led environmental nonprofit fighting food insecurity by redirecting surplus produce to DFW communities each week.

________________________

Hungry to be a part of it all next year? You can read about all the winners here, and we'll see you in 2026. The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is brought to you by The Yuengling Company, Brioche Gourmet, Still Austin Whiskey, Hornitos, Whataburger, Reyka Vodka, Silent Pool Gin, and PicMe Events. A portion of the proceeds benefitted our nonprofit partner, Harvest Project Food Rescue.

awards bests tastemaker awards

Bar News

Rodeo Dallas bar takes party to Uptown Dallas at new location

Rodeo

Rodeo bar is open in Uptown

A bar with Deep Ellum roots is expanding to Uptown Dallas: Called Rodeo Dallas, it'll open at 2922 N. Hall St. in the space previously occupied by Palms Bar. According to co-owner Joseph "JD" Ybanez, it'll open on November 28.

The first Rodeo location in Dallas opened in 2023 at 2724 Elm St. from Ybanez and partner Josh Reagan, a pair of hospitality veterans whose prior venues include Longshots in Dallas, plus two locations of Varsity Tavern, in Fort Worth and in Tempe.

Ybanez' first bar was Trophy Ranch in Fort Worth which had a mechanical bull. "That's where I learned how popular it was," he says. (He also became familiar with Fort Worth's bar scene and went on to open a Rodeo spinoff in 2024.)

In August 2025, the Deep Ellum location became the focal point of neighborhood concerns about crime and was closed via an order from the Dallas city attorney. Ybanez says the city is scapegoating Rodeo for other problems in the neighborhood, and that the Deep Ellum location isn't going anywhere.

“This is not a relocation,” he says. “We maintain an ongoing legal dispute with our landlord Asana Partners regarding the re-opening of our Deep Ellum establishment. The Uptown location represents an expansion of the brand.”

Prior to opening Rodeo in Deep Ellum, they opened a bar in Tempe in 2018 called Rodeo Ranch which served as a template for the concept, featuring an "adult playground" with mechanical bull, bottle service, girls in bikinis, DJs, dancing, and light show.

According to Ybanez, visitors to the Uptown location can expect to take these factors to the next level.

“The Uptown space offers an expansive back patio,” Ybanez says. “This area will feature a massive video wall, optimizing it for communal sports viewing. Furthermore, we have executed a comprehensive refinement of our food menu, which we are confident will elevate the guest experience."

The menu is rendered by Donde Los Tacos, the highly regarded Mexican taqueria in Oak Clifff, with $3 and $4 tacos, like trompo, barbacoa, and suadero. The Uptown location will also serve brunch with dishes such as chilaquiles.

"We have meticulously preserved the core of the Rodeo experience: the unparalleled atmosphere and vibes, our commitment to genuine hospitality, the homegrown character of the brand, and the inclusive spirit that welcomes every member of the community," Ybanez says.

uptown openings