RVA 2019 WINNERS
DINE
Best Dining Experience,
Best Local Chef
Julian Rodarte, Beto & Son
(at Trinity Groves)
Although chef Beto Rodarte’s name comes first, it’s Julian — the Son in Beto & Son — who has stirred so much enthusiasm in the North Texas food scene. A true family business (Julian grew up in his dad’s kitchen, so he learned from the best), the Rodartes have turned their Trinity Groves restaurant into one of the go-to places for Mexican cuisine. With inventive dishes (stacked enchiladas, ‘totchos’ — tater tot nachos) and drinks — Julian specializes in making margaritas out of liquid nitrogen, pictured — Beto & Son excites the palate and the patrons in equal measure.
Best Cocktail Menu
The Standard Pour
Any decent bar can serve you up a vodka-and-7 or rum-and-Coke and slake your thirst, but a great cocktail menu exposes you to concoctions you wouldn’t have thought up yourself. That’s the appeal of a drinking destination like The Standard Pour. The hip booze-and-bites spot in Uptown boasts a staff that creates not just good drinks, but memorable ones. And the daily happy hour (from 4–7p.m.) offers up a dozen classic cocktails with mixologic twists (the super-spicy Diablo Margarita, the savory-tart Samurai Gimlet) for a mere five-spot… and happy hour lasts all day on Mondays. Cheers to that!
Best Taqueria
Taqueria La Ventana
There’s more to a great taqueria than a great taco — I mean, it’s a taco! It’s already great. There’s the salsas, the extras (like elotes and queso), the service and, of course, the vibe. And La Ventana’s colorful space on Cedar Springs, as well as its jaunty music, chill atmosphere and late-night availability, have quickly made it an essential foodie destination in the gayborhood. And of course we love the wonderful, well-priced tacos as well, from the pastor to the bistek to the suadero and more.
Best Dining Experience
Beto & Son (at Trinity Groves)
3011 Gulden Lane.
469-249-8590.
BetoAndSon.com.
Best Local Chef
Julian Rodarte
Beto & Son (at Trinity Groves)
3011 Gulden Lane.
469-249-8590.
BetoAndSon.com.
Best Taqueria
Taqueria La Ventana
3847 Cedar Springs Road and other locations.
972-432-5945.
TaqueriaLaVentana.com.
Best Cocktail Menu
The Standard Pour
2900 McKinney Ave.
214-935-1370.
TSPDallas.com.
Best New Restaurant
Monica’s Mex-Tex Cantina
1326 S. Lamar St.
214-928-7700.
MonicasMexTex.com.
Best Burger
Best Lunch Spot
Hunky’s Old-Fashioned
Hamburgers
3930 Cedar Springs Road and 321 N. Bishop Ave.
Hunkys.com.
Best Patio
Cedar Springs Tap House
4123 Cedar Springs Road, ste. 100.
214-377-7446.
CedarSpringsTapHouse.com.
Best Diner
Norma’s Café
1123 W. Davis St.
NormasCafe.com.
Bread Winners Café
Business
3301 McKinney Ave. and other locations.
BreadWinnersCafe.com.
Best Barbecue
Pecan Lodge
2702 Main St.
214-748-8900.
PecanLodge.com.
Best Steak
Bob’s Steak & Chop House
4300 Lemmon Ave.
Bobs-SteakAndChop.com.
Best Asian/Sushi
Oishii
2525 Wycliffe Ave.
DallasOishii.com.
Best Italian/Pizza
Campisi’s Restaurant
5610 E. Mockingbird Lane.
Campisis.us.
Best Tex-Mex
Gloria’s Latin Cuisine
3223 Lemmon Ave.,
4140 Lemmon Ave. and other locations.
GloriasCuisine.com.
Best Vegetarian Spot
Cosmic Café
2912 Oak Lawn Ave.
214-521-6157.
CosmicCafeDallas.com.