It’s difficult to look back over a year of meals and pick one bite that outdid the rest. It’s an especially difficult exercise if you eat and cook for a living.
We asked a handful of North Texas chefs and restaurateurs to do exactly that, though, and tell us what they ate this year that surpassed everything else.
Their answers are a de facto list of what and where to eat in the coming year.
Here are nine North Texas chefs and restaurateurs on their favorite bites in 2025:
Advertisement
Eat Drink D-FW
The latest food and drink reviews, recipes and info on the D-FW food scene.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Anastacia Quinones-Pittman, owner and director of culinary of Oh Hi Hospitality
“All the sides at a little place called Soulfood Street Bites (Addison). Their pork fried ribs are insanely delicious. I’m almost afraid to let people know about this place because they’re already so busy!”
Bonus bites: Hams Orchard peaches in Terrell. Grilled leeks at Pillar in Dallas.
Advertisement
Jay Jerrier, owner of Cane Rosso, Zoli’s Pizza and Thunderbird Pies
Texapolitan Pizza’s cheese pie
Jay Jerrier
“I have my Hall of Fame places that I eat ALL THE TIME like Muchacho and Asian Mint, but the dish that haunts me is the plain cheese pie from Texapolitan Pizza. It’s the only place I’ll eat pizza from in D-FW that’s not my own. As good as anything in New York.”
Bonus bites: 30 Clove Rigatoni and the ricotta toast from Misti Pasta in Brooklyn. Heirloom tomato and cucumber panzanella from Met Him at a Bar in Los Angeles. Creme brulee doughnut from Bread Ahead in London.
Jennie Kelly and Brandon Moore, chefs and owners of Fond
“Focaccia and butter at Osteria il Muro in Denton. Our fave restaurant in the Metroplex. We always get their specials and the ragu, but as a fellow restaurant that makes their own focaccia, we really love theirs. It’s warm and fluffy and perfectly seasoned. Maybe it’s because we’re not working/cooking, but we always cherish it when we go!”
Advertisement
Bonus bites: Cast iron cheddar cornbread and leek butter from Odd Duck in Austin. Jamon buerre from Rudemouth in New York City. Tiramisu at I Cavellini in New York City.
Belal Kattan, chef and owner of pop-up concept Bazaar
“The gorgonzola ravioli at Via Triozzi was one of the best pastas I’ve ever had. I really enjoyed it and think about it often.”
Gorgonzola, pear and walnut ravioli at Via Triozzi in Dallas
Daniel Gerona
Jessie Washington, chef and owner of Brunchaholics
“The Lobster jar from Enoteca Italia. It’s amazing. That bread is on another level.”
Uno Immanivong, chef and owner of Red Stix Asian Street Food
“The most memorable bite of food I had was a lobster brown-butter soup dumpling my friend and I made using leftover Thanksgiving lobster. We finished it with caviar. The idea came to life almost by accident. Our brown butter kept solidifying every 30 minutes, so we’d set the bowl by the fireplace to warm it back up.”
Advertisement
Tanner Agar, owner of Rye, Apothecary and Flamant
“Pokemon menu at Midnight Rambler. Sea urchin with trout roe at Shoyo. Mushrooms at Mirador. And if I’m allowed, the risotto tart with blue cheese ice cream at Rye.”
Olivia Genthe, chef and owner of Fount Board & Table and Little Blue Bistro
“I think about the pickles from Fond maybe three times a week. Crybaby sourdough is a new fave also. I ate an entire loaf after my Christmas party with just butter and vibes.”
The pickles at Fond in Dallas, which are made with garlic, crushed red chilies, mustard seeds, dried dill, peppercorn and bay leaf.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Toby Archibald, chef and owner of Quarter Acre
“The lobster au poivre at Le Cou Cou in NYC. The oft-imitated dish is a signature of theirs and it was perfect! It appeals to all my French-trained sensibilities and then some.”
Bonus bite: Green curry ice cream made by chef Byron Gomez for the Drifter Dinner Series at Quarter Acre.
According to the Chinese New Year, 2025 was the year of the snake, and Dallas shed more than its fair share of restaurants and bars.
Advertisement
We actually started off on a high note with the closure of Salt Bae’s restaurant, Nusr-Et, which had the audacity to charge upwards of $1,000 for a steak.
After that, local favorites started dropping like flies. Many leases seemed to come to an end with an increase in demand for space sending rent skyrocketing. Along with rising food costs, local restaurants are taking a hit.
It’s not all bad, though. Peppered into the mix are some restaurants and bars in Dallas that closed, but were remodeled and reimagined into new concepts. Others are looking for new spaces with lower rent. The rest, however, are gone for good.
The beginning of this year will likely be no better than the last, and it’s as good a time as ever to get out and support your favorite local spots. Money tight? We know where to go.
These are all the Dallas restaurants that closed in 2025.
Dallas Mavericks star big man Anthony Davis might be facing season-ending left hand surgery after being injured in Thursday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, ESPN reported on Friday.
Davis reportedly underwent an MRI exam on Friday that showed ligament damage in the hand. Davis reportedly will seek a second opinion to see if surgery is needed.
ESPN reported Davis would miss at least six weeks if surgery is avoided.
Davis was injured with 2:52 left in the 116-114 loss while defending Utah star Lauri Markkanen on a drive to the basket. Davis was in obvious pain after the play and left the contest with 2:08 remaining after he was holding the hand and unable to defend Markkanen’s next basket.
Advertisement
The timing of the injury could affect Dallas’ trade plans. The club reportedly planned to shop Davis prior to the 5 February trade deadline.
Davis hasn’t even been with the Mavericks for a year yet. He came over in the controversial and disastrous deal in which star Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Davis, who turns 33 in March, is making $54.1m this season. He is due to make $58.5m next season and has a player option for $62.8m in 2027-28.
Davis has played in just 29 games for the Mavericks – nine last season and 20 this season.
He is averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots this season. He is a 10-time All-Star.
Dallas Police Central Business District officers recovered 39 bags of crack cocaine during an arrest Tuesday.
The officers, working with the U.S. Marshal’s North Texas Fugitive Task Force, seized the drugs when they arrested 40-year-old Velisa Purvis, who was wanted on four outstanding felony warrants.
Officers spotted Purvis in the 1500 block of Garrett Avenue near Old East Dallas and took her into custody.
In addition to the cocaine, officers recovered two bags of suspected methamphetamine, drug packaging, money and marijuana.
Advertisement
Crime in The News
Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
She now faces additional charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance between four grams and 200 grams and manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance between one and four grams for the crack cocaine, methamphetamine, currency, and individual packages with the intent to distribute.
