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    dealing with dobbs

    Houston's restaurant community speaks out following controversial Roe v. Wade decision

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 24, 2022 | 1:59 pm
    I'll Have What She's Having women banner
    Local non-profit I'll Have What She's Having raises money for women's healthcare.
    Photo courtesy of I'll Have What She's Having

    Women and men in the Houston restaurant industry are speaking out against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic decision which provided women with the right to an abortion. Feelings of anger and sadness are common in the wake of the 6-to-3 ruling, handed down on Friday, June 24.

    “It’s a sickening feeling to think that I don’t have control over my own body in this state where I grew up,” Mary Ellen Angel, owner of downtown charity bar Angel Share, tells CultureMap. “Can I even live here anymore? It’s jarring to think these people I’ve never met have so much control over my uterus.”

    Feges BBQ co-owner Erin Smith expressed a similar sentiment. “It’s a giant punch to the gut. The wind has been taken out of me,” she says.

    “It makes me scared for what the future of this country holds, to be honest,” Mary Clarkson, owner of Avondale Food & Wine and a regular guest on CultureMap’s What’s Eric Eating podcast says. “A lot of women in our industry don’t have affordable access to healthcare. I’m at a loss for words when I think about this decision.”

    The biggest concern for many is the loss of bodily autonomy reflected in the ruling. “This is not pro-life,” Sasha Grumman, a contestant on Top Chef Season 18 and the owner of Sasha’s Focaccia says. “This is protecting life at the expense of another life. A zygote is more important than my 34-year old, living, breathing body.”

    Men are speaking out, too.

    “I’m furious because the Supreme Court decision has effectively made women second-class citizens in our state,” Brasil chef AJ Ede says. “I’m speaking out against the overturning of Roe v. Wade not just because I have a wife and sisters. I’m speaking out because all women should have agency over their own bodies and reproductive health.

    “I’m speaking out because women and their children will be forced to stay in abusive relationships and dangerous environments if they cannot access abortions. Most importantly, I’m speaking out because abortions will not stop, they will just go underground, and women will die without access to professional, regulated care.”

    Even though the day has been difficult, people are already starting to think about the future. For some, that means trying to persuade opponents to rethink their views on abortion. For others, it means raising money or going to the ballot box.

    Smith notes that many people she speaks to don’t realize the realities of abortion. She cites a range of statistics that include declining rates, a high percentage of procedures performed for women who already have at least one child, and that as many as 11 percent are for women aged 35-39. “I’m not going to question someone’s beliefs, but I want people to understand exactly what they’re talking about — informed beliefs based on facts,” she says.

    Angel’s downtown bar donates a portion of its profits to a different charity every month. She chooses up to four candidates, and a winner is selected by the bar’s patrons. As a first step in her response, both the ACLU and Planned Parenthood will be among the potential recipients in July.

    Benjy Mason, owner of Heights cocktail bar Johnny’s Gold Brick and a partner in Midtown bar Winnie’s, remains resolved to continue the fight. “At this point, all we can do is regroup and do what we have been doing all along — continue to fight for the rights of all Americans to live their lives free of government oppression.”

    In a similar spirit, Grumman calls on those who are upset by the decision to get more active in politics. “I think more than ever we have to stand up and fight this,” she says. “We need people to show up in November. We need to vote these motherf*****s out.”

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    news/restaurants-bars

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    Texas Tastemakers

    Best Texas restaurants and chefs honored with 2025 Tastemaker Awards

    Amber Heckler
    May 13, 2025 | 10:02 am
    Leo's River Oaks
    Photo by Andrew Hemingway
    Best New Restaurant: Leo's River Oaks.

    CultureMap has finally completed its statewide journey to honor the best chefs, restaurants, and more with the 2025 Tastemaker Awards.

    The series kicked off April 3 with our Houston Tastemaker Awards at Silver Street Studios, then we moved south to San Antonio on April 10 for our biggest party there yet, at the Briscoe Museum.

    We then headed to North Texas for our Fort Worth celebration at 4 Eleven on April 23, followed by our Dallas celebration at Astoria Event Venue on May 1.

    Last, but certainly not least, our Texas culinary tour finished strong with our Austin fête at Fair Market on May 8.

    The 2025 Tastemaker Awards celebrated Texas' brilliant and diverse culinary landscape and honored those who've made the biggest impact in the past year. Our nominated chefs and restaurants showcased their flavorful bites and treats during each of the celebrations, and winners were revealed in an onstage ceremony.

    Guests dined on chef-created dishes and sipped on a variety of creative batched cocktails. But nothing could take away the focus from our acclaimed nominees and winners, who are the main reason we bring these celebrations to life year after year.

    Nominees were, as always, determined by a panel of local industry experts, including previous Tastemaker winners and CultureMap staff. They voted on winners in categories such as Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, Bar of the Year, and more. The champion in the Best New Restaurant category was determined by our readers in an online, bracket-style tournament.

    Our 2025 “wild card” category was a competition for Best Coffee Shop in each of our cities; the ones that keep us caffeinated and happy day after day.

    Readers in each city got to know all the nominees through a special editorial series for weeks leading up to the events.

    Now without further delay, let’s meet our 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners all across Texas, listed by city:

    Houston:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Baso
    • Chef of the Year: Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó
    • Bar of the Year: Johnny’s Gold Brick
    • Best New Restaurant: Leo’s River Oaks
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Jacques Varon and Max Lappe, Baso
    • Pastry Chef of the Year: Stephanie Velasquez, Ema/Papalo
    • Bartender of the Year: Aaron Lara, Kira
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition
    • Best Pop-Up/Startup: Suu Khin, Burmalicious
    • Best Coffee Shop: Blacksmith

    San Antonio:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Ladino
    • Chef of the Year: John Russ, Clementine
    • Best New Restaurant: Freight Fried Chicken
    • Bar of the Year: Gimme Gimme
    • Brewery of the Year: Roadmap Brewing Co.
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Cullum’s Attagirl
    • Pastry Chef of the Year: Alessia Benavides, Chocolatl
    • Best Coffee Shop: Folklores Coffee House

    Fort Worth:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Teddy Wongs
    • Chef of the Year: Alessandro Salvatore, Bocca Osteria Romana
    • Bar of the Year: The Rabbit Hole Pub
    • Best New Restaurant: Whiskey Cake
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Steve Hoogeboom, 61 Osteria
    • Pastry Chef of the Year: Lindsey Lawing, Sweet Lucy's Pies
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Bodega South Main
    • Best Barbecue: Panther City BBQ
    • Best Coffee Shop: Avoca Coffee Roasters

    Dallas:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Mister Charles
    • Chef of the Year: Jeff Bekavac, Goodwins
    • Bar of the Year: Columbian Country Club
    • Best New Restaurant: Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge
    • 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
    • Best Eatertainment: Chicken N Pickle
    • Best Coffee Shop: Merit Coffee

    Austin:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Este
    • Chef of the Year: Peter Klein, Holiday
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Heejae Galluccio, Birdie’s
    • Pastry Chef of the Year: Abby Love, Abby Jane Bakeshop
    • Bar of the Year: Equipment Room
    • Best New Restaurant: Tancho Sushi
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: The Little Darlin’
    • Brewery of the Year: St. Elmo Brewing Co.
    • Best Coffee Shop: Desnudo Coffee

    Leo's River Oaks
      
    Photo by Andrew Hemingway

    Best New Restaurant in Houston for 2025: Leo's River Oaks.

    The Houston Tastemaker Awards ceremony was brought to you by Stella Artois, Chardon, Jim Beam Black, Ritual Zero Proof, Seedlip, Valencia's Tex-Mex Garage, Hornitos, Ghost Hill Organic Vodka, and PicMe Events. A portion of proceeds benefited our nonprofit partner, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

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