• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    HATS OFF TO TEXAS

    Texas' best restaurants and bars reign at 2023 Tastemaker Awards

    Amber Heckler
    May 25, 2023 | 8:21 pm
    Emmanuel Chavez Tatemo

    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:

    Emmanuel Chavez Tatemo
      
    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
    houstonsan antonioaustinfort worthdallas
    news/restaurants-bars
    popular
    series/2023-houston-tastemaker-awards
    series

    Totally Eggcellent

    New Korean cafe serves up viral breakfast sandwiches in Spring Branch

    Brianna Griff
    Jun 2, 2025 | 9:03 am
    Tom N Toms Egg Box
    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.

    Tom N Toms Egg Box
      

    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-eatopeningsbreakfastcoffeetom n toms
    news/restaurants-bars
    popular
    series/2023-houston-tastemaker-awards
    series
    Loading...