Fort Worth diners crave comfort, community, and creativity, as demonstrated by this lineup of top tier restaurants nominated for 2025 Tastemaker Awards Restaurant of the Year. Some reopened after periods of dormancy, others revitalized dilapidated areas, and still others became so successful, they’ve spun off new locations.

On the list is a Michelin Guide recommendation, a restaurant that sustains itself by giving back to the community, and a nearly 100-year-old institution. One will take home the trophy at the Tastemaker Awards, happening Wednesday, April 23 at the 4 Eleven. The party will include bites and beverages from nominated restaurants, DJ music, photo ops, and fun for all in attendance.

An awards ceremony hosted by Fort Worth chef Jon Bonnell will reveal the winners in all categories, which we've been featuring for weeks in our special editorial series. To recap, we'll be handing out trophies for Chef of the Year, Bar of the Year, Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Best BBQ, Best Coffee Shop, and Best New Restaurant. (That last one's determined by readers in a heated bracket-style tournament - vote your favorite to victory now.)

Limited tickets remain, so get those here before they sell out. Here, we present the contenders for Restaurant of the Year, listed in alphabetical order:

Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez
East Fort Worth food truck-turned brick-and-mortar taqueria caught the attention of the Michelin Guide last fall, earning a “Recommended” nod from the highly coveted resource for food connoisseurs. The restaurant comes from Rogelio Cortez, a Poly neighborhood native who operates the business with his parents. As the name indicates, birria tacos are big here (and what the Michelin experts seemed to like most) along with burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and birria pizza, a signature item.

Carshon’s Deli
One of the city’s oldest restaurants, this kosher delicatessen dates back to the 1920s, drawing customers from all walks of life for sandwiches, meringue pies, cream cheese-smothered bagels, and breakfast plates. Regulars know signature items like the Rachel, a corned beef and turkey sandwich on rye with Russian dressing; and the Rebecca, made with pastrami, smoked turkey, and cream cheese and on grilled egg bread. Open for just breakfast and lunch, Carshon’s stays old school with its cash-only protocol.

Megu French Japanese Cuisine
Fine-dining restaurant located near TCU, on the ground floor of the Campus Tower building on University, opened in 2024 with an innovative side-by-side combination of French and Japanese cuisines, drawn from the knowledge that chef-owner Peter Liang acquired while working at restaurants in New York. There are two menus: One for Asian items like sushi rolls in endless varieties, fried chicken katsu, and dan dan noodles; and the other for French-inspired dishes such as steak au poivre. The restaurant has gained a reputation for its intimate ambiance and attention to service provided by Liang himself.

Pulido's Kitchen & Cantina
After closing in 2023, this beloved local Tex-Mex chain (which dates back to 1966) was brought back to life by the Westland Restaurant Group, who own JD’s Hamburgers and also saved West Side Café and Margie’s Italian Restaurant from permanent closure. Westland breathed new life into Pulido’s original location at 2900 Pulido St., refreshing the interior and updating the bar, but keeping favorites like the puffy tacos, red enchiladas, and affordable lunch specials. It’s become the new Tex-Mex hot spot for West Forthians, especially since the closure of The Original Mexican Eats Café.

Taste Community Restaurant
What started as Taste Project back in 2017 in Fort Worth has evolved to two locations and a visit by viral TikTok foodie Keith Lee. The pay-what-you-can restaurant was founded by chef Jeff Williams, who wanted to feed hungry patrons experiencing tough times. Taste Community Restaurant is now open in Arlington and just like the original Fort Worth location, menu items – like mahi mahi sandwiches and spring soba salads – change frequently and have no prices. Patrons pay at their discretion, often graciously paying for others' in addition to their own meal. The restaurant also offers culinary job training and often features donors who match a day’s worth of donations.

Teddy Wongs
Trendy upscale Chinese restaurant opened with a splash in the Near Southside in 2023 and has remained a hot spot ever since — drawing diners with its handmade dumplings in a multitude of varieties such as pork soup dumplings, veggie dumplings and Wagyu potstickers. But dumplings are not all they do: There's Peking duck, wok stir-fries, fried rice, and an extensive wine, beer, and sake list. The restaurant is a Tastemaker Awards return nominee, having earned noms in two categories in 2024: best new restaurant and best chef for chef and co-owner Patrick Ru, who also own Ru’s Bushi Bushi Dim Sum in Addison.

Terra Mediterranean
After closing its beloved West 7th District location four years ago, this Mediterranean destination recently reopened in the same spot to the delight of longtime patrons. Known for its extensive lunch buffet, Terra is owned and operated by restaurateur brothers Jalal Chanaa and Adam Shanaa, who’ve brought back fan favorites like saffron chicken, lamb kabobs, falafel, and hummus with pine nuts. The buffet is offered Monday-Friday for $20 and Saturday-Sunday for $25, with a traditional dinner service Monday-Saturday.

Walloon's Restaurant
Marcus Paslay chose the Near Southside to open his seafood-centric concept in 2023. The talented chef had already built a successful reputation for his other concepts including Clay Pigeon Food & Drink, Piattello Italian Kitchen, and Provender Hall. At Walloon’s, patrons get a taste of Southern comfort Gulf Coast cuisine, like fried oysters Rockefeller, Louisiana barbecue shrimp, and redfish beignets. Late last summer the restaurant was hit by an SUV, causing both exterior and interior damage. Luckily no one was hurt during the mid-morning accident, and Walloon’s bounced back to service in the blink of an eye.

Waters Restaurant
Chef Jon Bonnell's upscale seafood destination remains a beacon of excellence and a stable presence in the ever-evolving landscape that is Sundance Square. Now open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant is a trailblazer for high-end coastal cuisine in landlocked Fort Worth thanks to Bonnell’s relationships with quality fishmongers. Patrons go for premium oysters, lump crab salad, artic char, and the decadent lobster mac & cheese.

Wicked Butcher
Fine-dining steakhouse from hospitality group DRG Concepts debuted on the underground floor of Fort Worth’s Sinclair Hotel in 2020. Weathering a pandemic and shakeups in nearby Sundance Square, Wicked Butcher has managed to thrive, drawing locals and visitors for dry-aged steaks and top notch cocktails. A Dallas outlet was spun off last year. The restaurant doubles as an eclectic breakfast and lunch café on its ground level floor of the hotel.

The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is brought to you by The Yuengling Company, Still Austin Whiskey, Hornitos, PicMe Events, and more to be announced soon. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation.