Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s interesting to see what resonates with readers and what doesn’t. For example, this recent article based on a Reddit thread asking if Whataburger can actually detain you (sorta) didn’t get many eyes. And another one about how Rodeo Bar opened a new location outside of Deep Ellum didn’t much attention either. But then, top pizza joints in the US? Yep. Random doughnut ranking? Absolutely.
Below is a roundup of the food articles that got the most eyes in 2025.
Accolades Top the Charts
Dallas restaurants receive plenty of accolades, and not just from Michelin. Early in 2025, Mister 01 Pizza was named the best independent pizzeria in the U.S. Later in July, Partenope ranked as the 17th best pizza in the U.S. by a group of more than 150 Italian food and beverage journalists who travel the world in search of the best pizza. These were two of our most-read articles of the year, and we hope you all ate a lot of pizza as a result.
Other articles about a downtown speakeasy being named as one of the most historic bars in the U.S. and two top-notch Dallas doughnut shops were popular.
Palato in Frisco was named a top-10 hotel restaurant. Two Dallas steakhouses, Nuri and Al Biernat’s, were named by the Wall Street Journal as two restaurants worth the splurge.
Our lists of best burgers, Tex-Mex, barbecue, hidden gems and cheap meals, also did really well this year.
H-E-B, Hurry Up
A couple of articles about H-E-B’s expansion plans in North Texas topped the charts, including recent news that Carrollton will soon get a store.
Restaurant Industry Turmoil
We’ve covered a lot about the economy and the restaurant business since the pandemic, but this story about the Texas Restaurant Association sounding the alarm bell particularly resonated. A National Restaurant Association report showed that over the last five years, food and labor costs for the average restaurant have each increased 35%, while traffic is still below pre-pandemic levels.
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And Yet …
We wrote a brief article about the upscale Tango Room expanding to Frisco, and people were very excited about this development. We love the Tango Room, a tiny steakhouse that spends more on art insurance than rent (they have an Andy Warhol). Part of what we love about it is the elusive and obscure space in the Design District, which will likely change at the new Frisco spot.
Local Restaurant Spotlights
We suppose that if you title an article These Might Be the Best Cinnamon Rolls in North Texas, you should expect big things to happen. This independent baker based in Fort Worth sold out for weeks after this article ran. We almost felt bad, as it could be overwhelming, but hopefully it propelled him to the next level.
We also wrote about Seapot in Plano, a must-try hot pot. In this guide for newbies, we broke down how to assemble friends and get ready for a new culinary adventure.
Good Morning America sent a crew to Full City Rooster this summer for part of its weeklong series, “What Fills Your Cup.” The segment highlighted the cafe’s local ties to the arts community as well as its fun vibe.
While many new restaurants have transplanted to Dallas from across the nation, the announcement that Prince Street Pizza in Knox-Henderson was opening a local pizza shop was one of our biggest stories of the year. We’ve been here twice since it opened and the pizza is just OK. Dallas has better pizza, including Louie’s just down the street.
Chris Wolfgang also rediscovered The Impractical Burger at The Heritage Table in Frisco, and y’all must have been hungry, because it, too, was a top article.
BBQ Always Wins
Two very different stories about barbecue joints in North Texas — one old, one new — did exceptionally well. Hardeman’s is one of the oldest barbecue families in Dallas; Deah Berry Mitchell dove into the past and what’s in store with the current generation of pit masters at this lauded and historic Dallas barbecue establishment.
And Aaren Prody found road-trip worthy barbecue at Linke’s BBQ in Wylie. Prody reported, “Our platter was stuffed with half a pound of pork ribs, a quarter pound of brisket, potato salad and mac and cheese, all of which was about $25.” What more do you need to know, other than that they have a solid five stars out of almost 800 Google reviews?
Not On My Block
Finally, Cafe Madrid has been a tapas staple in Dallas for almost 40 years. Owner Donica Jimenez raised her family at this restaurant. When big finance bros came knocking to buy the property for new development, she refused to sell. Her small white bungalow is now dwarfed by shiny new high-rises. And after we ran this article, business is better than ever, a tribute to Dallas diners supporting important local spaces.
