It's happened again. Another statewide "best of" restaurants list has left Fort Worth out in the cold. This time it's Texas Monthly's highly anticipated list of 10 best new restaurants for 2026.
Published Monday, March 2, the Texas Monthly list is open to restaurants across the state that opened between December 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025.
The (unranked) top-10 list includes four restaurants in Houston, three in Dallas, one in Austin, one in San Antonio, and one in .... Paris, Texas. No restaurants in Fort Worth made the list.
Notably, it’s the first edition of the list written by Paula Forbes, who succeeded veteran writer Pat Sharpe last year. She writes that that 2025 was “a lackluster one for Texas restaurants. . . Restaurant experiences that feel truly worth it, that have the power to wow, are hard to come by. But they’re out there,” she continues.
Forbes found those “worth it” experiences at restaurants in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Paris, a small town in far northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border.
Maybe someone (cough cough, Visit Fort Worth) should invite Forbes to Fort Worth - where "worth it" is practically in the name of the city.
Maybe Forbes could take some cues from CultureMap Fort Worth's nominees for 2026 Tastemaker Awards. Sixteen of the city's best new restaurants (yes, 16!) will battle it out in a tournament voted on by readers this spring. The one that's the most "worth it" will take home the trophy.
The Texas Monthly snub comes on the heels of Fort Worth being passed over by the James Beard Awards and the Michelin Guide. Fort Worth restaurant The Chumley House made the Texas Monthly 2025 "best new restaurant" list; two Fort Worth spots (Le Margot and 61 Osteria) made the 2024 list. Fort Worth also had some entries in Texas Monthly's 2025 best barbecue joints list.
The restaurants that made the cut this year in neighboring Dallas are:
Rainbowcat, where James Beard finalist Misti Norris is riffing on comfort fare such as chicken tenders, a McMuffin made with porchetta and braised greens, and a dessert inspired by Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Mamani, the Michelin-starred restaurant that earns its spot for expertly-crafted French and Italian fare and a lengthy wine list.
Sushi Kozy, led by Uchi Dallas alum Paul Ko, restored the Texas Monthly author's faith in omakase dining, she says.
Once again, Houston led the way with four spots. They are:
- Agnes and Sherman, an Asian American diner in the Heights
- Zaranda, a California-inspired Mexican restaurant in downtown
- Di An Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown
- Latuli, chef Bryan Caswell’s eclectic neighborhood restaurant in Memorial
Austin’s representative is Fish Shop, which serves West Coast-inspired seafood such as a Dungeness crab cocktail and halibut crudo alongside Gulf Coast-style fare such as well-sourced oysters.
San Antonio’s Petit Coquin) is Forbes’ “favorite” of the three French restaurants on the list thanks to its “streamlined prix fixe menu and laissez-faire atmosphere,” she writes. Diners are encouraged to try dishes such as country pâté, steak au poivre, and rice pudding.
BonFire), a French restaurant in Paris, Texas, has Houston ties. Chef Patten Sommers spent the early part of his career in the Bayou City, working at restaurants such as Triniti, Ciao Bello, and Brenner’s on the Bayou.
The full list is as follows:
- Agnes and Sherman, an Asian American diner in Houston
- BonFire, a French restaurant in Paris
- Zaranda, a Mexican restaurant in Houston
- Fish Shop, a seafood restaurant in Austin
- Rainbowcat, a comfort food restaurant in Dallas
- Mamani, a French and Italian fine dining restaurant in Dallas
- Di An Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant in Houston
- Petit Coquin, a French restaurant in San Antonio
- Latuli, a modern American restaurant in Houston
- Sushi Kozy, a Japanese restaurant in Dallas
