North Texas has a new Michelin-starred restaurant, and this time, the honor belongs to Fort Worth.
The Michelin Guide unveiled its 2026 Texas restaurant selections on Thursday, October 8, awarding three new stars statewide, six new Bib Gourmand distinctions, and 16 additions to its list of recommended restaurants. For Dallas-Fort Worth, the biggest news came from a Fort Worth barbecue joint where diners routinely wait hours for some of the region’s most sought-after brisket, ribs, and sausage.
Goldee’s Bar-B•Q in Fort Worth was promoted to one Michelin star, becoming the city’s first restaurant to earn the coveted distinction. The restaurant joins Dallas’ Tatsu and Mamani, both of which retained their one-star status, bringing North Texas’ total to three Michelin-starred restaurants.
It’s a significant moment for Fort Worth, which has long maintained its own distinct culinary identity in the shadow of Dallas’ larger, more nationally visible restaurant scene. And it’s another victory for Texas barbecue, which continues to prove that Michelin-worthy cooking doesn’t require white tablecloths, tasting menus, or even a reservation.
Goldee’s, located on Dick Price Road in southeast Fort Worth, has built a devoted following for its carefully smoked meats and famously long lines. Michelin inspectors singled out its Black Angus brisket, smoked low and slow over local post oak, along with juicy turkey, jalapeño-cheddar sausage, and sides like potato salad and brisket-studded beans. Even the banana pudding earned praise.
The promotion puts Goldee’s in the company of some of the state’s most celebrated restaurants, while offering a reminder that in Texas, a tray of barbecue can be just as worthy of a Michelin star as an elaborate multicourse dinner.
For Dallas proper, the 2026 results were more subdued at the starred level. Tatsu Dallas, the intimate Deep Ellum sushi restaurant from chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi, retained its one-star distinction. So did Mamani, the upscale contemporary restaurant in the Harwood District. Neither received a second star, and no additional Dallas restaurant joined the starred category. In fact, Texas has yet to earn a two- or three-star restaurant in the three years since Michelin launched its statewide guide in 2024.
The state’s other new stars went to Austin, where Fabrik, a plant-based restaurant, was promoted to one star and Kappo Kappo, a French-Japanese dining concept inside the Austin Proper Hotel, made its starred debut. The additions bring Texas’ total to 19 Michelin-starred restaurants.
But while Dallas didn’t gain another star, several local restaurants had reason to celebrate. Resident Taqueria, the neighborhood favorite in Lake Highlands, earned a new Bib Gourmand distinction, Michelin’s designation for restaurants delivering high-quality cooking at a good value.
It’s a particularly satisfying win for a restaurant that has built its reputation on creative tacos rather than elaborate fine dining. Resident Taqueria has long been a favorite among Dallas diners, and its inclusion gives the neighborhood spot an international nod without changing what makes it appealing in the first place.
Resident joins an established group of Dallas Bib Gourmand restaurants, including Cattleack Barbeque, Gemma, Lucia, Một Hai Ba, Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen, and nonna. Together, they represent an impressive cross-section of the city’s dining scene, from Italian cooking and Vietnamese specialties to barbecue and neighborhood dining.
The Bib Gourmand category may lack the prestige of a Michelin star, but for everyday diners, it’s arguably just as useful. These are restaurants where thoughtful cooking and memorable meals don’t necessarily come with the price tag of a special-occasion tasting menu.
Dallas also welcomed four restaurants to Michelin’s recommended category, which recognizes establishments inspectors consider worthy of inclusion even without a star or Bib Gourmand distinction.
Among the newcomers is MĀBO, chef Masayuki “Masa” Otaka’s intimate Japanese restaurant in the Park Cities. Otaka, who spent nearly three decades at the helm of Dallas’ beloved Teppo, has created a chef’s counter experience centered on yakitori and Japanese culinary traditions. His first Michelin recognition at MĀBO is a notable moment for a chef whose influence on Dallas’ Japanese dining scene stretches back decades.
Also making the list is Olōyō, bringing another distinctive culinary perspective to the city’s growing collection of Michelin-recognized restaurants.
Fond, located in Downtown Dallas, earned its first recommendation, as did Jashan in Plano. The latter extends the guide’s newest North Texas selections beyond Dallas city limits, reflecting the increasingly diverse dining landscape across the suburbs.
The additions join a lengthy roster of recommended Dallas restaurants, including Barsotti’s, Crown Block, El Carlos Elegante, Fearing’s, Knox Bistro, Mercat Bistro, Mister Charles, Monarch, Quarter Acre, Sachet, Stillwell’s, Stock & Barrel, Sushi Kozy, Tei-An, and Written By The Seasons.
Elsewhere in North Texas, Michelin continues to recognize restaurants that reflect the region’s breadth. Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth, Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez, and Arlington’s Smoke’N Ash BBQ remain among the guide’s recommended establishments, while Harvest at the Masonic in McKinney also retains its place.
The selections paint a picture of a dining scene that stretches well beyond the luxury restaurants and steakhouses often associated with Dallas. Japanese chef’s counters, neighborhood taquerias, barbecue joints, and suburban destinations are all part of the conversation.
And while Michelin’s selections inevitably generate excitement, they also invite debate. Dallas-Fort Worth is home to no shortage of acclaimed restaurants that have yet to appear in the guide, and diners aren’t likely to agree on which establishments deserve a star—or whether the inspectors are overlooking some of the region’s most compelling cooking.
Still, the 2026 results offer a few clear takeaways. Fort Worth has officially entered the Michelin-starred conversation, Dallas’ two existing stars remain intact, and the region’s newest honorees demonstrate that exceptional food comes in many forms and at many price points.
Texas now has 149 restaurants in the Michelin Guide, spanning 30 types of cuisine. Of those, 19 hold one star, 54 have Bib Gourmand distinctions, and 76 are recommended restaurants.
And if Goldee’s latest honor is any indication, the road to Michelin recognition in Texas might just be paved with brisket.
For the complete list of starred restaurants, Bib Gourmand recipients, and recommended establishments across Texas, visit the official Michelin Guide.
