Best Meal Ever

Travel authority selects 3 Texas spots for list of world's best restaurants

Uchi Austin restaurant Yogurt Okashi 2015

Condé Nast Traveler selected Austin's Uchi as one of the world's 207 best restaurants.

When it came time for CondéNast Traveler to select the world's 207 best restaurants, the popular travel magazine turned to a "network of chefs, food writers, and most-in-the-know travelers" who created a "hit list so you will never waste a meal again."

The list includes perennial entries on the World's 50 Best Restaurants, like Copenhagen's Noma and New York City's Eleven Madison Park, as well as restaurants led by James Beard Award winners and Food & Wine best new chef alumni. Three Texas restaurants make the cut: two acclaimed spots that have garnered many accolades — Austin's Uchi and Houston's Oxheart — plus a relatively unknown Houston eatery, Kim Phat Hu Tieu Nam Vang.

"Thirteen years in, Uchi is still one of the great Japanese restaurants in the country," says contributing editor Peter Jon Lindberg of the Austin icon. Oxheart gets props for serving "some of the best vegetable-focused food in a city known for its meat," says Matt Duckor, senior editor at Epicurious.

Of the under-the-radar Vietnamese restaurant in Houston's sprawling Asiatown, travel writer Deana Saukam says, "The namesake hu tieu nam vang, or Phnom Penh noodle soup, is even better than in Cambodia." "It's awesome," Oxheart chef/owner Justin Yu tells CultureMap. "Really good bun cha."

It's nice to know that even when lists like this mostly contain the usual suspects, they can still surprise.

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NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Sudden shutters, buzzy burgers, and jam-packed events crowd San Antonio food news

Maddy Murphy's Irish Sports Bar/ Facebook

Maddy Murphy's Irish Sports Bar has said slán to San Antonio.

Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio's restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

A downtown pub won't be around to celebrate St. Patrick's Day 2024. Via a September 17 Instagram post, Maddy McMurphy's Irish Sports Bar announced its immediate closure after a five-year run. The watering hole teased the news a few days prior, promoting a "Last Hurrah" party on September 15. Neither bulletin offered any explanation for the move. Sibling concepts in owner Terry Corless' portfolio, including Mad Dogs British Pub and Prost Haus, will continue to operate.

Local fast-casual joint Biff Buzby's Burgers observed National Cheeseburger Day by announcing a second location. The outpost will be located at the former site of the short-lived Windmill Ice House on 2769 Nacogdoches Rd., confirming the latter's July temporary closure was permanent. Judging by Facebook photos, Biff Buzby's is nearing completion, though the owners weren't quite ready to declare an opening date. They did share that the original location's popular car shows would not be revving up at the new space.

Drive-thru coffee shop 7 Brew is also in expansion mode. A press release spilled the beans on an upcoming second San Antonio location at 6202 North I-35 Frontage Rd. The Arkansas-based company opened its first local outlet in July, introducing the Alamo City market to original creations like the Smooth 7, a white chocolate and Irish cream breve. The new location will host soft opening events September 22-29, leading up to the September 30 grand opening.

Other news and notes

While America's craft beer industry is struggling, Alamo Beer Co. is making a bold move. The Eastside brewery is merging with VIVA Beer, according to a release. The move will allow the latter to grow the brand in San Antonio and beyond.

Embracing the de facto return of fall, if not the return of crisp weather, the food scene is preparing for a flurry of events. The Big Red & Barbacoa Festival has announced the dates for its 11th year. Single-day tickets start at $10 and are available online.

Can't wait until October for festival season? The San Antonio Brunch Festival runs from 11am to 3 pm on September 23. More than a dozen local eateries will be participating, offering unlimited bites. Tickets, ranging from $85-$150, are no longer available online but will be available at the door. More details are available here.

The University of Texas San Antonio's popular Ven a Comercelebration returns on September 29. Several activities are planned to support UTSA's renowned Mexican cookbook collection, including a series of dinners at Mixtli, a DIY cookbook workshop, a community pachanga, and a party at Carriqui. As always, the event's showcase will be a fundraising dinner on September 29 featuring local chefs Alexana Cabrera and Sofia Tejeda, mezcalero Pedro Jimenez Gurria, and James Bears Award winner Iliana de la Vega of Austin's El Naranjo.

Ladino is marking its first anniversary with a grill-out party on October 1. The shindig will feature unlimited bites, a live DJ, and games for $40. Cocktails will be available for purchase.

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