STARS STRUCK
Texas Monthly’s new restaurant guide recommends 127 Austin-area spots
Howdys Pizza and Pasta has been open since July. Texas Monthly thinks you should go.
After half a century, Texas Monthly is ditching its revered Dining Guide. But before hangry locals start storming the magazine’s offices, it has replaced the massive list with the Texas Grand — an honor roll of the “thousand-ish” best restaurants in the state, including 127 in Austin its suburbs.
The Dining Guide has been a fixture of the magazine since its 1973 launch. It was synonymous with Texas Monthly’s former restaurant critic Pat Sharpe, who began her storied career proofreading the entries as an editorial assistant, then added hundreds of restaurants until her retirement in 2025.
The new guide scraps the guide’s star system. Sharpe originally used the ratings under a three-star system, which she described as good/better/best in a 2001 column. In 2017, that scale grew to five. The new Texas Grand describes its entries as “restaurants in the state that are wholeheartedly recommended by [Texas Monthly’s] dining team.”
“Excellent food, service, and overall atmosphere are musts—and that excellence can exist at all price points, whether at a taco truck, a diner, or an upscale steakhouse,” explained the magazine in a FAQ section. “We don’t pay much attention to big chains…Our reviewers focus largely on restaurants with local roots that offer something genuinely special.”
Where once readers had to pour over pages of the magazine to discover new restaurant picks, Texas Grand now allows them to sort by city, type of cuisine, and price point. There are some quirky filters, too, like checkboxes for pet-friendly spots, “fancy” eateries, or those that offer Favor delivery. A map feature lets road-trippers easily plan road-trip dinners.
The San Antonio entries include everything from neighborhood stalwarts like Liberty Bar to buzzy upstarts like Lovers Pizzeria, with a few food trucks thrown in for equal measure. It particularly shows the influence of Taco Editor Jose R. Ralat’s Top 50 Tacos list.
Each is described in one sentence. According to the two most recently published Austin write-ups, Howdys Pizza and Pasta is a "cozy neighborhood Italian with a fast-changing menu" and Fonda San Miguel serves "locally renowned interior Mexican food in a lovely hacienda setting." For the publication's full thoughts, readers can pony up for a subscription.
Texas foodies can peruse the full list here.
The patio at Lefty's Day and Night draws locals as well as hotel guests.Photo by Mitchell Skees
Kalimotxo's hot pink signature hints of the concept's subtle party vibe despite a chic and calm interior.Photo by Mars Tello