Tastemakers of Texas

Savor this list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas for 2019

Each spring, CultureMap tours Texas with our annual Tastemaker Awards, celebrating the top restaurant and bar talent in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. These events have become some of the most popular food affairs of the season, with almost 3,000 folks across Texas joining us in 2019.

This year, the party started in Houston on March 27, stopped in Austin on April 10, and wrapped with a Dallas finale on April 25. At each party, we noshed on savory and sweet bites from top restaurants and chefs, sipped specialty drinks, and mingled with local culinary talent. And, most importantly, we celebrated all of the nominees and toasted the winners during our coveted awards ceremony.

So, how did we determine the best of the best? CultureMap editors collaborated with expert panels, including previous Tastemaker winners, to select the nominees in each city. The panels then selected winners in every category, except Best New Restaurant, which was determined by our readers in a heated bracket-style tournament.

The result is this list of the best of Texas dining for 2019. Savor it, and join us in raising a glass to all of the winners.

Austin

Restaurant of the Year: Olamaie
Chef of the Year: Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Amanda Turner, Juniper
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Best New Restaurant: Discada
Pastry Chef of the Year: Laura Sawicki, Launderette
Bar of the Year: The Roosevelt Room
Bartender of the Year: Caer Ferguson, The Roosevelt Room
Brewery of the Year: Vista Brewing
Wine Program of the Year: June's All Day
Favorite Taco: Vaquero Taco

Dallas

Restaurant of the Year: Bullion
Chef of the Year: Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Eric Freidline, Sevy's
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Mot Hai Ba
Best New Restaurant: Taco Y Vino
Pastry Chef of the Year: Andrea Meyer, Bisous Bisous
Bar of the Year: Shoals
Bartender of the Year: Chris Unruh, Tiny Victories
Wine Program of the Year: Al Biernat's
Best Pizza: Zoli's

Fort Worth

Restaurant of the Year: Clay Pigeon
Chef of the Year: Juan Rodriguez, Magdalena's
Best New Restaurant: Four Sisters
Bar of the Year: Twilite Lounge

Houston

Restaurant of the Year: Nancy's Hustle
Chef of the Year: Manabu Horiuchi, Kata Robata
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ian Levy, Better Luck Tomorrow
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Giacomo’s cibo e vino
Best New Restaurant: Blood Bros. BBQ
Pastry Chef of the Year: Ruben Ortega, H-Town Restaurant Group
Bar of the Year: Anvil Bar & Refuge
Bartender of the Year: Sarah Troxell, Nobie’s
Brewery of the Year: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Wine Program of the Year: Coltivare
Favorite Burger: Bernie’s Burger Bus

San Antonio

Restaurant of the Year: The Cookhouse
Chef of the Year: Diego Galicia & Rico Torres, Mixtli
Best New Restaurant: The Jerk Shack
Bar of the Year: The Modernist
Favorite Taco: Carnitas Lonja, Carnitas

Bullion, Dallas Restaurant of the Year.

Photo courtesy of Bullion

Bullion, Dallas Restaurant of the Year.

tastemakers

Grocery news haul

Grocery service Farmhouse Delivery returns to Austin with fun surprise

Courtesy photo

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After suddenly halting its operations in May, grocery service Farmhouse Delivery is on its way back, with an extra surprise for Austin: a new storefront.

Known for offering locally prepared foods and produce from small Central Texas farms, the subscription-based service emailed its loyal customers on Monday, November 18, to share the relaunch news and outline its plans for the future.

“We’ve missed you and are beyond grateful for your patience as we’ve been hard at work planning the next chapter of Farmhouse Delivery,” the newsletter reads. “Soon, you’ll once again have fresh, local food delivered straight to your doorstep[.]”

Farmhouse Delivery is aiming for a December date to resume deliveries, they say. They've used the intervening six months to not only revamp their existing business model, but to expand their offerings.

The biggest surprise in the newsletter was a revelation of plans for a new storefront in Austin, blending a cozy farmer’s market vibe with what they call “the best parts of your favorite grocer — where you can discover fresh foods, refill on essentials, connect with other members on sustainable living, and, of course, [shop] our best local products — all in innovative, reusable packaging.”

The email did not divulge details for the location or timing of the storefront project.

The company also plans to introduce a new membership model with exclusive benefits such as sneak peeks of new products and promotions.

Underscoring its commitment to sustainability, Farmhouse also announced that it’s working toward a completely plastic-free delivery:

“Expect to see your favorite items in sustainable packaging, with rewards for returning and reusing Farmhouse materials. Together, let’s reduce waste and make sustainable choices the coolest thing to do.”

The newsletter invited customers to complete a survey to help shape the ongoing Farmhouse experience. There, customers can indicate their desired delivery day (or days) and the factors that influence that preference (meal planning, work schedule, etc.), as well as specific products they would like to see in future deliveries.

Survey participants can also designate their preferred price point for memberships and the most appealing benefits from a long list, including free deliveries, additional delivery days, free products, members-only cooking classes, exclusive content, and more.

Neither the newsletter nor the Farmhouse website announced a specific date for relaunching, but returning and new customers can keep an eye on the website and social media for further details.

delivery farmhouse grocery supermarkets