HATS OFF TO TEXAS

Texas' best restaurants and bars reign at 2023 Tastemaker Awards

Emmanuel Chavez is 2023's Rising Star Chef of the Year in Houston.

Courtesy of Tatemó

It’s another one for CultureMap’s history books, folks. Our statewide journey to recognize some of the best chefs, restaurants, and more in 2023 has finally come to a close.

The series kicked off April 13 with our sold-out Houston Tastemakers at Silver Street Studios, then we moved to Cowtown for our Fort Worth event on April 27. The Texas culinary tour steered us to our Metroplex neighbors in Dallas at the Fashion Industry Gallery on May 4. From there, we took a drive to the Hill Country for Austin’s evening festivities at Fair Market on May 11, then concluded our journey with our second-ever fête in San Antonio on May 18.

The 2023 Tastemaker Awards honor the state’s most innovative culinary pioneers, allowing nominated chefs and restaurants to showcase their talents for guests before announcing the winners during a live ceremony.

Guests sampled chefs’ specialty bites and imbibed a variety of creative cocktails or mocktails, with a few Topo Chicos sprinkled in throughout the evening. But as always, our nominees and winners are the main focus of our program and are the reason we can bring these celebrations to life.

Nominees are brought forth by a panel of previous Tastemaker winners and CultureMap editors. While the panel choses a majority of the winners, the winner of Best New Restaurant is determined by our readers in an online, bracket-style tournament.

Without further ado, let’s meet our 2023 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners, listed by city:

Houston:

Courtesy of Tatemó

Emmanuel Chavez is 2023's Rising Star Chef of the Year in Houston.

Restaurant of the Year: Bludorn
Chef of the Year: Mark Clayton, Squable
Bar of the Year: Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar and Spirit Lounge
Best New Restaurant: Aiko
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó
Pastry Chef of the Year: Shawn Gawle, Goodnight Hospitality
Bartender of the Year: Kristine Nguyen, Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Craft Pita
Wine Program of the Year: Nancy’s Hustle
Best Pop-Up: Khói Barbecue
Best Burger: Burger Bodega

Fort Worth:

Restaurant of the Year: Fitzgerald
Chef of the Year: Juan Ramón Cárdenas, Don Artemio
Bar of the Year: Birdie’s Social Club
Best New Restaurant: Calisience
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Angel Fuentes, Guapo Taco
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Cafe Bella
Best Burger: Dayne’s Craft Barbecue
Best Brewery: Martin House Brewing Company

Dallas:

Restaurant of the Year: Shoyo
Chef of the Year: Junior Borges, Meridian
Bar of the Year: Lounge Here
Best New Restaurant: Quarter Acre
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Mike Matis, Fearing’s
Pastry Chef of the Year: Maricsa Trejo, La Casita Bakeshop
Bartender of the Year: Haley Merritt, Midnight Rambler
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: El Rincon del Maiz
Wine Program of the Year: Pappas Bros.
Best Burger: Wulf Burger
Brewery of the Year: Manhattan Project Beer Co.

Austin:

Restaurant of the Year: Birdie’s
Chef of the Year: Amanda Turner, Olamaie
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Joaquin Ceballos, Este
Pastry Chef of the Year: Mariela Camacho, Comadre Panadería
Bar of the Year: Nickel City
Bartender of the Year: Erin Ashford, Olamaie
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Nixta Taqueria
Wine Program of the Year: Bufalina
Brewery of the Year: Lazarus Brewing Co.
Best Burger: Dai Due
Best New Restaurant: Maie Day

San Antonio:

Restaurant of the Year: Carriqui
Chef of the Year: Robbie Nowlin, Allora, Arrosta
Bar of the Year: Amor Eterno
Brewery of the Year: Künstler Brewing
Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: The Magpie
Pastry Chef of the Year: Sofia Tejeda, Hotel Emma
Best Burger: Last Place Burger
Best New Restaurant: Reese Bros BBQ

houston san antonio austin fort worth dallas

Totally Eggcellent

New Korean cafe serves up viral breakfast sandwiches in Spring Branch

Courtesy of Tom N Toms

The first corporate-owned Tom N Toms Coffee in the U.S. has opened in Spring Branch, with the company's take on the viral Korean-style egg sandwich.

A taste of Korea is now brewing in Spring Branch — and it’s neither bibimbap nor bulgogi, but coffee and scrambled eggs.

Korea-based Tom N Toms Coffee has chosen Houston as the home for its first corporate-owned store in the U.S. The cafe is now open in Spring Branch at 4145 Gessner Road.

“We’re combining Korean café culture with American drive-thru convenience and Houston’s appetite for quality,” David Kim, chief operating officer of Tom N Toms America, said in a statement. “As someone who grew up right here in Spring Branch, this store is especially meaningful to me. I’m excited to bring something fresh and community-focused to the neighborhood that shaped me.”

With two franchised locations in Bellaire and Katy and an Uptown location that closed last year, Tom N Toms isn’t exactly new to Houston. However, the flagship corporate store is unique compared to the franchisees, as it comes equipped with a full commercial kitchen and an expanded menu that features the first iteration of Egg Box.

Egg Box is Tom N Toms’ take on the Korean-style egg sandwich trend, popularized by Korean brand EGGDROP and preceded by American concepts like LA-based Eggslut.

At Tom N Toms, fluffy scrambled eggs are sandwiched between two buttery slices of toast. Stick to the standard sandwich, or opt for add-ons such as avocado or ham. The cafe’s food menu also includes Korean BBQ patty melts and burgers, chicken sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and tater tots.

“Egg Box is another big part of that experience,” Kim said. “These aren’t your average breakfast sandwiches — we’re using premium ingredients and Korean flavor inspiration to deliver something hot, satisfying, and actually crave-worthy. It’s fast food that doesn’t feel like a compromise.”

The opening of the Gessner location also marks the relocation of Tom N Toms’ U.S. roasting operations from Los Angeles to Houston.

“We’re now roasting single-origin beans from Colombia right here in Texas,” Kim said. “That gives us tighter control over freshness and lets our customers taste the quality in every cup.

Tom N Toms Spring Branch is open from 6 am to 9 pm daily.

Courtesy of Tom N Toms

The first corporate-owned Tom N Toms Coffee in the U.S. has opened in Spring Branch, with the company's take on the viral Korean-style egg sandwich.

news-you-can-eat openings breakfast coffee tom n toms