Fort Worth’s finest cafe + far more crowned at 2022 Tastemaker Awards
The once-a-year CultureMap Tastemaker Awards application came to Fort Worth for the very initially time, with a brand name-new celebration to honor the city’s gifted and tricky-doing work culinary stars.
The winners had been crowned at an awards ceremony and signature tasting occasion on Tuesday, May perhaps 10 at the 4 Eleven location on South Main, emceed by comic CJ Starr.
For months major up to the celebration, we revealed a specific editorial sequence that highlighted nominees in 5 categories. A panel of expert judges aided choose all of the winners, except for Most effective New Cafe. That was decided by you, our viewers, in a bracket-design match.
Now, without further delay, let us elevate a glass to the 2022 Fort Worthy of Tastemaker Award winners:
Greatest New Restaurant: Dusty Biscuit Beignets

The innovative strategy does biscuits and beignets this kind of as the Bourbon Street with bourbon-maple glaze, candied bacon, and pecans and Dusty Cristo sliders, a beignet variation of a Monte Cristo sandwich. Operator Trey Smith rotates in wildly innovative specials these types of as beignets with a sweet and tart raspberry glaze and a dusting of rainbow Nerds. In addition to the store, he also has a stand at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium, serving beignets through soccer game titles.
Chef of the Year: Jenny Castor, Luckybee Kitchen

With a BA from TCU in Education and learning and Art, Castor also graduated with honors in both of those the Savory and Pastry Arts from The Culinary School of Fort Value, in which she went on to grow to be a Chef Teacher. Her seasonal cooking and eclectic menus have earned her recognition, not only as a boutique food stuff truck owner and caterer, but also as a chef with a enthusiasm for taste, lovely presentation, and obsession for detail.
Restaurant of the 12 months: Belenty’s Appreciate Vegan Mexican Restaurant

This tiny but increasing neighborhood chain does a vegan spin on Mexican meals. Founder Belén Hernández is is a competent chef who previously owned two taquerias and reworked her recipes into vegan variations of burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos, as well as a number of American products this sort of as vegan burgers and cauliflower wings. Even the milk and cheese is plant-based mostly. She now has 3 destinations which include Fort Well worth, the original in Granbury, and a new place in Keene.
Bar of the Calendar year: The Foyer Bar at Lodge Dryce
This new hangout opened in 2021 inside of the Lodge Dryce, a former dry ice factory which is been transformed into a resort in the Cultural District by Fort Really worth entrepreneur Jonathan Morris, successful businessman and host/star of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia present Self-Used. It emerged as one particular of the most well known hangouts through the Fort Really worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Measures absent from Dickies Arena, it has a modern-day Western concept that includes pictures of cowboys, potted cacti, and a pleasurable string-lit courtyard — a excellent location to sip your craft cocktail on weekend evenings.
Best Breakfast: Ol’ South Pancake Property
In advance of breakfast was a pattern, Ol’ South was serving it 24 several hours a day, at the prepared with robust espresso for the early morning crowd and just as welcoming late at night time for publish-party nosh. Launched in 1962, it’s been an establishment, thanks to its prolonged menu, tremendous-low-priced charges, obtainable location off I-30, and proximity to TCU for that constructed-in university group. German pancakes are their signature moreover home-cooking dishes such as biscuits and CFS.

Study a total recap of the celebration here.