
Just after weeks of celebrating the most effective eating places, bars, cooks, and additional in our 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, the winners are in.

For weeks, we have dedicated a special editorial series to highlighting nominees in 10 types, which includes best restaurants, chefs, bars, and bartenders. A panel of expert judges assisted find all of the winners, besides for Best New Cafe. That was identified by you, our readers, in a bracket-fashion event.

In addition to favourite classes like Rising Star Chef of the Year and Neighborhood Restaurant of the Yr, we threw in a delicious new wildcard classification: Best New Pizza, as Dallas’ pizza scene has exploded with mouth watering new options not too long ago.

On May 12, the winners ended up crowned at an awards ceremony and tasting party at Vogue Field Gallery, emceed by comedian CJ Starr.

Now, without having further more hold off, let us raise a glass to the 2022 Tastemaker Award winners:
Climbing Star Chef of the Year: Aldo Lugo, Jose

Operating for an acclaimed restaurant this sort of as Jose, the genuine Mexican in the Park Metropolitan areas helmed by chef AQ Pittman, offers you an computerized bump, but sous chef Aldo Lugo, who’s worked at the restaurant for additional than two a long time, has his personal distinctive brio. Beyond his culinary talents, his good generous spirit and willingness to always lend a hand have built useful contributions to the restaurant’s familial culture.
Community Cafe of the Year: Hillside Tavern

This neighborhood tavern is the Lakewood entry from the owners of Rapscallion, Boulevardier, and Veritas Wine Home, found in out of the blue buzzy Hillside Village, where they serve bar eats, stiff cocktails, a 40-bottle wine record, TVs, and a helpful staff members. The menu has a Houston’s vibe, with bold versions of classics. Smoked meats are a factor below, and chef Nathan Tate is not shy: Consider his smoked bologna sandwich with smoked mortadella, American & provolone cheese on Texas toast.
Bar of the Calendar year: Rattlesnake Bar

The bar at the ritzy Ritz-Carlton, Dallas has normally been hailed as one particular of the very best areas for individuals-observing: Concerning nearby significant-rollers and resort friends, it can be an entertaining mix, and the bar opens onto the hotel’s lobby, which not only increases the see-and-be-found aspect but also offers a gorgeous backdrop. Best of all, you also get chef Dean Fearing’s signature margarita, top quality spirits, wines, and expertly blended cocktails, in addition exceptional bar bites.
Bartender of the Calendar year: Reid Lewis, Atlas

Lewis has worked at big nearby cocktail destinations this sort of as Common Pour and Las Almas Rotas, the place she served information the bar for the duration of difficult pandemic times. Other noteworthy names on her resume contain Billy Can Can, Reveler’s Corridor, Tower Club, and she’s also partnered with Mijenta Tequila, a maker from Jalisco. She’s a “get things carried out” kind of gal and is placing it all to very good use at Atlas, the cocktail den with globally encouraged food items and drink.
Wine Plan of the Year: Monarch

Cafe at the Countrywide making in downtown Dallas is a wood-fired present day Italian notion imagined by Michelin chef Danny Grant and crew. The cafe is popular for its elegant house and expansive sights as nicely as its pasta, steaks, and seafood — with a steakhouse-design and style wine record to match. If you are wanting to splurge on a showpiece bottle, this is the position to do it in 2022.
Pastry Chef of the Year: Amy La Rue, Carte Blanche

La Rue is pastry chef and co-proprietor of Carte Blanche, the acclaimed bakery-cafe combo on Greenville Avenue, exactly where her croissants, doughnuts, crullers, muffins, and cookies have earned her a devout subsequent. She realized croissants and laminated dough although however in higher school, when she labored at a bakery-cafe operate by a French emigre. She was by now in the industry when she satisfied her husband and husband or wife Casey La Rue the two labored at institutions about the U.S. before coming to Dallas in 2019.
Brewery of the Yr: Vector Brewing

Really common microbrewery and brewpub in Lake Highlands is a mom-and-pop that serves beer, cider, espresso, stone-baked pizzas, and much more. They opened in 2020, at the top of the pandemic, and now have extra than a dozen inventive brews — how about the pink ale they brewed with Funky Picnic from Fort Worthy of, with buckwheat, rice, and koji, typically made use of to make sake. You can get it in all techniques: in 5-ounce tasters, half pours, or complete pours, as nicely as 16-ounce crowler cans to-go.
Greatest New Pizza: 400 Gradi

Downtown Italian cafe from Australian chef Johnny Di Francesco takes advantage of upscale genuine elements this sort of as San Marzano tomatoes in extra than a dozen Neopolitan-design pizza versions. They ferment their dough and pastas for 48 hours in a temperature-managed place. Entrees involve branzino, chicken breast with pepperonata and nduja sauce, and mussels in a garlic-chili jus with chargrilled bread. Zero Gradi, a companion gelato store, opened upcoming door and another 400 Gradi will open in McKinney in 2023.
Ideal New Cafe: Hawkers Asian Road Foods

Awesome principle from Florida is all about Asian avenue meals: Korean 2 times-fried wings, Seoul hot rooster bao, and roti canai, a skinny flaky pancake served with curry sauce. Cocktails these as the “magari-thai” with tequila, Patron Citronage, mango nectar, and bird’s eye chili have an Asian spin, as nicely. They made their Texas debut in Dallas’ Deep Ellum, with the bar at the front of the cafe to make it sense energetic as soon as you enter.
Chef of the 12 months: Ji Kang, Sloane’s Corner

Kang is very well traveled and educated, acquiring attained not only a culinary arts diploma from The Artwork Institutes but also a diploma in finance. He is staged in Europe and cooked at prestigious New York places to eat and establishments. In Dallas, he labored at Dish and Samar by Stephan Pyles, before rejoining Dish founder Tim McEneny as corporate chef for NL Hospitality Group’s portfolio of dining places together with Sloane’s Corner, Pizza Leila, and Dakota’s Steakhouse.
Cafe of the Year: Meridian

This present day Brazilian cuisine from chef Junior Borges is the good-eating location that is element of an complete slate of dining places rolled out at The Village, the significant household apartment neighborhood in the middle of Dallas, which executed a blended-use life style challenge with foodstuff and entertainment in early 2021. The cafe features Brazilian-impressed dishes, with snacks, cocktails, salads, brioche, or a household-design and style feast from a stay-hearth hearth.