The once-a-year CultureMap Tastemaker Awards program came to Fort Value for the very initially time, with a model-new party to honor the city’s proficient and really hard-doing work culinary stars.
The winners were topped at an awards ceremony and signature tasting celebration on Tuesday, May possibly 10 at the 4 Eleven venue on South Main, emceed by comic CJ Starr.
For months major up to the party, we printed a distinctive editorial collection that highlighted nominees in 5 classes. A panel of specialist judges assisted pick all of the winners, except for Most effective New Restaurant. That was established by you, our audience, in a bracket-design and style tournament.
Now, without having even more hold off, let us increase a glass to the 2022 Fort Value Tastemaker Award winners:
Finest New Cafe: Dusty Biscuit Beignets

The creative principle does biscuits and beignets these kinds of as the Bourbon Road with bourbon-maple glaze, candied bacon, and pecans and Dusty Cristo sliders, a beignet model of a Monte Cristo sandwich. Owner Trey Smith rotates in wildly imaginative specials these 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 all through football video games.
Chef of the Calendar year: Jenny Castor, Luckybee Kitchen

With a BA from TCU in Education and Artwork, Castor also graduated with honors in equally the Savory and Pastry Arts from The Culinary Faculty of Fort Well worth, the place she went on to turn into a Chef Instructor. Her seasonal cooking and eclectic menus have gained her recognition, not only as a boutique foods truck proprietor and caterer, but also as a chef with a passion for taste, attractive presentation, and obsession for detail.
Restaurant of the Calendar year: Belenty’s Adore Vegan Mexican Cafe

This modest but growing local chain does a vegan spin on Mexican meals. Founder Belén Hernández is is a qualified chef who beforehand owned two taquerias and reworked her recipes into vegan variations of burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos, as well as a couple of American items these types of as vegan burgers and cauliflower wings. Even the milk and cheese is plant-dependent. She now has three areas such as Fort Really worth, the authentic in Granbury, and a new locale in Keene.
Bar of the Calendar year: The Lobby Bar at Resort Dryce
This new hangout opened in 2021 inside the Resort Dryce, a previous dry ice factory that’s been transformed into a resort in the Cultural District by Fort Truly worth entrepreneur Jonathan Morris, profitable businessman and host/star of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia present Self-Employed. It emerged as 1 of the most popular hangouts all through the Fort Worthy of Stock Show & Rodeo. Actions absent from Dickies Arena, it has a modern Western theme that features photos of cowboys, potted cacti, and a nice string-lit courtyard — a terrific place to sip your craft cocktail on weekend nights.
Very best Breakfast: Ol’ South Pancake Residence
Ahead of breakfast was a trend, Ol’ South was serving it 24 hours a working day, at the all set with sturdy espresso for the early morning crowd and just as welcoming late at evening for post-social gathering nosh. Started in 1962, it’s been an institution, thanks to its lengthy menu, super-cheap costs, obtainable area off I-30, and proximity to TCU for that created-in higher education group. German pancakes are their signature additionally house-cooking dishes these types of as biscuits and CFS.

Go through a whole recap of the occasion in this article.
