Tastemaker Awards
Dallas' best chef, restaurant, and more win at 2025 Tastemaker Awards
Mister Charles
The votes are in and the winners revealed at the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards celebrating Dallas' best restaurants, bars, and chefs who've impacted the local dining scene most in the past year.
After months of buildup, the winners were crowned at an awards ceremony and signature tasting event on Thursday, May 1 at the Astoria Event Venue in Irving.
In the weeks leading up to the big event, we published a special editorial series highlighting nominees. A panel of expert judges helped select all of the winners, except Best New Restaurant, which was determined in a bracket-style tournament.
Without further delay, let's raise a glass to the 2025 Dallas Tastemaker Awards winners:
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Roman Murphy, Perch Bistro
Murphy started in Austin where he was a chef at restaurants such as Congress, 2nd Bar + Kitchen, Peche, and Jeffrey’s. In 2015 he was named one of Zagat Austin’s 30 Under 30: Rockstars Redefining the Industry while at the helm of Sandra Bullock’s Bess Bistro, and was Executive Chef of North Italia at both Austin locations. He brings his passion, creativity, and dedication not just to Perch, but also siblings Shinsei and Lovers Seafood.
Pastry Chef of the Year: Ryan Stipp, Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa
Stipp attended culinary school then worked his way up through a series of appointments at restaurants across the southeast from Tennessee to Virginia to North Carolina. He joined the brilliant team at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort in 2023. He's a big enthusiast for competing on TV, and has made multiple appearances on shows such as Holiday Wars, King Of Cones, and Haunted Gingerbread Showdown.
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: The Porch
What a wonderfully long, strange trip it's been for The Porch, starting out more than a decade ago as a trendy place by chef Nick Badovinus before joining the Tim Headington (The Joule Dallas) fold, then morphing into a beloved staple on Henderson Avenue. At The Porch, you can always count on good stick-to-your-ribs food and drink, with intriguing seasonal dishes rotated in, not to mention the cool patio and always busy brunch.
Bar of the Year: Columbian Country Club
Premier cocktail lounge in east Dallas from a trio of hospitality veterans pays tribute to an iconic Dallas golf club with a swinging retro flair — very New-York-City with a Wolf of Wall Street vibe. We're talking martinis, a tequila program, a piano player — a place you can have a cocktail after work or go out on a date, nosh on a sushi roll or a little caviar, with good music, where you can dance if you want.
Best Coffee Shop: Merit Coffee
A mainstay that got its start in San Antonio in 2009, Merit has made quite a name for itself. With locations across Dallas since its 2018 debut in Deep Ellum and Highland Park, they use beans from South America and Africa and roast locally. Their trendy drinks include the cereal milk cold brew topped with crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal, strawberry matcha, and hot and iced teas.
Best Eatertainment: Chicken N Pickle
Kansas City-born chain delivers what the name promises, combining pickleball with a dining and entertainment venue. It's an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex with a casual restaurant and sports bar serving rotisserie chicken, sandwiches, and salads. Plus shuffleboard, ping pong, picnic benches, and yard games like cornhole. And pickleball, of course. There are locations in Grand Prairie and Grapevine, with a third opening in Allen in May.
Best New Restaurant: Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge
Upscale Greek restaurant is from Lisa and Tom Georgalis, who also own Ivy Tavern, the neighborhood bar on Lemmon Avenue, and who were inspired by their heritage to open this spot on Lovers Lane in the former City Cafe space. They're doing dinner, drinks, and dishes from family recipes such as Pefti Kreatopita (falling meat pie), stuffed squash blossom with kefalograviera cheese, and Greek avgolemono soup..
Chef of the Year: Jeff Bekavac, Goodwins
There may not be a more well-regarded chef in Dallas right now than Bekavac. His low-key charm and sharply tuned wit — not to mention a notoriously buzzy burger — have helped turn Goodwins, the restaurant he and partner Austin Rodgers opened in the iconic former Blue Goose Cantina on Greenville Avenue, into one of the city's most popular restaurants. Bekavac originally went to Texas A&M before pivoting to restaurants, working with present-day legends such as chefs Jason Dady and Nick Badovinus (Neighborhood Services, Town Hearth, Montlake Cut) before finally opening his own place.
Restaurant of the Year: Mister Charles
Sophisticated restaurant and bar from Duro Hospitality would be swoon-worthy on its own with its globally-inspired plays on French and Italian dishes, its soaring 38-foot ceilings, iconoclastic design, classic cocktails, and rare wines. Not to mention menu highlights such as egg salad sandwich & caviar, a cured salmon tart with crème fraîche, or corn and truffle beignets. The capper is the location itself, one rife with local history: the former Highland Park Soda Fountain building at 3219 Knox St. The Tastemaker Awards is not alone in its admiration: the restaurant also earned a nod from the Michelin Guide.
The Tastemaker Awards ceremony was brought to you by The Yuengling Company, Brioche Gourmet, Still Austin Whiskey, Hornitos, Whataburger, Reyka Vodka, Silent Pool Gin, Saratoga Spring Water, Alive & Well Kombucha, and PicMe Events. A portion of the proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, Harvest Project Food Rescue.
