No North Texas restaurant made The New York Times’ 2025 list of the best restaurants in the country, and only four were included statewide.
This year’s list includes four Texas restaurants. ChopnBlok in Houston and Isidore in San Antonio have both opened since this list was last released. Austin’s Lao’d Bar and P Thai’s Khao Man Gai & Noodles both opened in April 2024.
Here’s a look at what the four restaurants serve:
- ChopnBlok, in Houston, serves dishes inspired by West Africa, created by chef Ope Amosu.
- Isidore, in San Antonio, is a restaurant for New American steak and seafood led by chef Ian Lanphear.
- Lao’d Bar, in Austin, serves creations of chef Bob Somsith, who specializes in Lao American cuisine.
- P Thai’s Khao Man Gai & Noodles, in Austin, is led by chef Thai Changthong, who serves Thai-Chinese dishes.
Restaurant News
In 2024, Simply South, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Irving, made The Times’ list with its wide variety of dosas and chutneys. Other Texas restaurants included on last year’s list were Barbs B Q in Lockhart and Viola and Agnes’ Neo Soul Cafe in Seabrook.
In 2023, four Texas restaurants were included, but none in North Texas. In 2022, two local restaurants made the list: Sister in Dallas and Smoke’N Ash BBQ in Arlington.
To compile its list of the best restaurants, 14 Times reporters and editors traveled to 33 states to sample more than 200 meals, according to the methodology outlined in the article.
According to the Times story, the people who carried out this work followed three principles: they paid for their meals, made unannounced visits and used regular reservation booking tools or walked in.
“We do not seek or accept special treatment,” the New York Times article states. “We eat like you do, with the same hope for a meal to remember, to be welcomed and delighted.”