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!

Below are a few highlights from the new restaurants reviewed in our April 2023 issue. Click “More Info” for further detail on each restaurant:

Fort Worth

Tannahill’s Tavern

Über chef-restaurateur Tim Love has rolled out his sixth restaurant in the Stockyards district with generous sides of live music. His comfy Mule Alley “tavern and music hall” is decked out in red leather booths and serves both elevated bar food and serious entrées. We started with oysters grilled in their shells and crowned with a buttery garlic-parmesan spread; they were excellent piled on the accompanying garlic toasts. Equally indulgent: beer-infused cheese fondue that you can scoop up with crispy chicharrones. Served in a blazing-hot cast-iron skillet, shepherd’s pie came filled with novel duck confit and root veggies under a traditional mashed potato crust. Grilled Prime skirt steak was fork-cutting tender, with perfect frites and lush hollandaise alongside.
American | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

Dallas

Quarter Acre

Sculptural pendant lamps, curvy banquettes, and cozy sheepskin throws set a welcoming tone, and New Zealand–born chef-owner Toby Archibald’s seasonal, globally influenced dishes boast unusual ingredients, clean flavors, and gorgeous plating. Roasted celeriac came with shavings of celery and drizzles of raisin puree and hazelnut cream, while the Fire-Roasted Chicken featured tender boneless breast meat with a miso emulsion, teriyaki-glazed sunchokes, and crispy kale dusted with mint powder. Our favorite dish was the smoky, silky-textured Glory Bay salmon, served with mixed lettuces, seaweed, roasted turnip, fried sourdough croutons, and a shaving of citrusy Buddha’s hand. 
Modern American | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$$$ | More Info

Houston

Money Cat

Make sure you turn south off Richmond onto Wakeforest or you will roll right past some of the most inventive food in town. Chef-owner Sherman Yeung delivers dishes that raise eyebrows and prompt smiles. We began with the Tomato Garden, a “pot” of heirloom tomatoes resting atop a smoked- Gouda-and-black-garlic foam, and we finished with the Nashi Kakigori: a mountain of “pear snow” with mochi, pear sorbet, and corn ice cream. In between, we loved the Hama Nashi roll, which combined hamachi, Asian pear, and cilantro-lime kosho; the delicate Hotate Coco, featuring Hokkaido scallops, cara cara orange, and coconut milk; and the Maitake Karaage, a mushroom tempura take on Buffalo wings.
Japanese | ⭑⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

Dallas

The Finch

A bird of a different feather, the Finch is shiny, pretty, and noisy (no loud music, but hard surfaces don’t absorb the increasingly shrill chatter as the room fills). We liked our starter, a blue crab dip with smoked-trout caviar, house pickles, and crispy Yukon potato “waffles.” French onion soup with melted Swiss and Havarti was also a winner, but it arrived just as the main courses did; service on our visit was more eager than experienced. Crispy striped bass with Parmesan risotto was good, if not memorable. A dry-aged pork porterhouse arrived sliced, tender, and nicely seasoned, as did the New York strip served with frites.
American | ⭑⭑ | $$$ | More Info

Fort Worth

61 Osteria

From the team at Grace comes a contemporary approach to Italian cuisine that combines equal parts comfort and style. Chef Blaine Staniford elevates rustic focaccia with Parmesan butter and a pairing of velvety ricotta with nubby, slightly spicy ’nduja. We enjoyed that alongside wood-grilled prawns, with a squeeze of charred lemon for a tart-smoky balance. The Tuscan soup of fennel sausage, tender kale, and white beans was simple yet sublime. A scene-stealing pasta, the unusual serpente (snake) was stuffed with ricotta and adorned with hen of the woods mushrooms brightened by preserved lemon. The cleverly crafted wine list includes gems from all over Italy, many ideal for toasting the elegant mid-century room and views of downtown’s Burnett Park.
Italian | ⭑⭑⭑⭑ | $$$$ | 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? .

Editors’ note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Robert Del Grande was involved in the opening of the Dallas restaurant the Finch. He is not affiliated with the business.