Texas Monthly adds and updates approximately sixty restaurant listings to our Dining Guide each month. There’s limited space in the print issue, but the entire searchable guide to the best of Texas cuisine is at your fingertips online!

Here are a few highlights from the new restaurants reviewed this month. (Restaurant critic Patricia Sharpe’s pick—this month, it’s a twofer of Ford Fry’s Houston spots La Lucha and Superica—can be found here.)

San Antonio

Meadow

The dining room has been lightened up (and rustified a bit) and the bar has gotten bigger at the former home of Tre Enoteca, now a Texas–meets–Deep South eatery opened by husband-and-wife team Patrick and Lindsey Edwards. We visited first for Sunday brunch and found the expected standards: eggs, grits, and biscuits, along with a few unusual offerings, like a smoked fish salad accompanied by seasonal pickled vegetables. And lots of exotic cocktails to choose from, like a Fruity Pebbles cereal milk concoction with orange liqueur. It’s easy to get exactly what you want here; an inexpensive sides menu ranges from bacon and hash browns to one fried chicken leg. It’s that chicken that has us raring to go back for dinner, when it’s served with braised greens and chowchow.

Southern | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

 

Richardson

Fish & Fizz

Nick Barclay made his mark as a restaurateur in Dallas in the eighties, but he’s spent the past fifteen years in Cornwall. Back in the States, he and his wife, Kelli, have brought a little slice of that beach town to Richardson. The house fish and chips come on a picture-perfect, newspaper-lined tin tray; the cod is flaky and crispy, the chips are golden, and sauces include a house-made tartar and Sarsons malt vinegar. We added a side of the “mushy peas” to round out the meal. Bangers and mash features locally made sausage covered in a thick brown “proper” gravy, a large fried onion ring, and a side of thick, chunky mashed potatoes. The atmosphere is colorful and playful, with booths designed to look like coastal fishing shacks.

English | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$ | More Info

 

Fort Worth

Tricky Fish

Finding a plate of fried green tomatoes topped with expertly blackened jumbo shrimp and piquant rémoulade this side of the Crescent City doesn’t happen often enough. We’re delighted to find it here at this Dallas export, where the Saturday and Sunday brunch earns huge points with cheddar-and-bacon grits topped with fried oysters and shrimp, Shiner Bock–laced barbecue sauce, and a fried egg. A second favorite is the andouille sausage in a Benedict construction incorporating fluffy biscuits, sautéed peppers and onions, poached eggs, and a blanket of Creole mustard hollandaise. Dessert can’t be overlooked, because the bananas Foster monkey bread pudding, drizzled with a dark rum sauce, is worth the trip alone. Grapefruit-infused tequila and a champagne floater take the Paloma to new heights at this casual, come-as-you are bar and grill.

Seafood | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

 

Houston

One Fifth Mediterranean

More Middle Eastern than Mediterranean, this new version of Chris Shepherd’s annual shift from one cuisine to the next within the same space hooked us on our first visit. Small shareable plates satisfied four of us; we never even got to the family-style chicken, fish, or lamb dishes. Top marks went to the Turkish hummus, served hot and spiked with garlic butter and ready to be scooped up with plate-size, airy, fluffy pita bread. We also fought over the mutabal, a smoky eggplant dip (like baba ghanouj); the itch (a bulgur and vermicelli salad); and the chicken liver with olives, crisp bits of chicken skin, and charred onion. Roasted tomato with whipped feta and haloumi (a brined cheese) wrapped in phyllo equally surprised and delighted. Only the somewhat undercooked coffee-roasted beets disappointed a bit.

Mediterranean | ⭑⭑⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

 

Lubbock

King Street Pub

With dark woods, bright metal accents, and eccentric bric-a-brac, this unlikely eatery is equal parts bohemian chic and Victorian glamour. Self-conscious eclecticism guides the food too: a complimentary loaf of bread is scented with rosemary, while bacon and shallot jam top an appetizer of crispy Brie en croute. We loved the crunch of the boar tenderloin schnitzel and the rich combination of braised brisket and Yorkshire pudding. Don’t miss the cocktails, made strong and sizable, or the extensive wine menu.

American | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$ | More Info

 

Salado

Stagecoach Inn

Perhaps it’s the term’s etymology, but “prix fixe” calls to mind white tablecloths, a buttoned-up maître d’hôtel, and a glass of champagne to pair with menu items your tongue might trip over. But at the newly reopened Stagecoach Inn, you’re always in tall cotton. The approachable, affordable four-course menu elevates classics like hush puppies—served with a decadent malted aioli—and revives old Baptist potluck finery (tomato aspic, anyone?). The main courses hew to tradition, not taking too many liberties on standards like the juicy chicken-fried steak and perfectly blackened catfish. In the polished, cozy dining room, it’s easy to feel at home with beer rather than bubbly.

Southern | ⭑⭑ | $$ | More Info

Rating System

Our reviews are written by critics who live in the cities and regions they cover. They remain anonymous to ensure that they receive no special treatment. The magazine pays for all meals and accepts no advertising or other consideration in exchange for a listing. Comments? .

Stars
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Superlative
⭑⭑⭑⭑ Excellent
⭑⭑⭑ Very Good
⭑⭑ Good
⭑ Hit or miss

Price Scale
Prices represent a typical meal for one, not including alcohol, tax, and tip. All listed restaurants accept credit cards unless otherwise noted.
$ Less than $15
$$ $15-$30
$$$ $31-$60
$$$$ More than $60