USA Today’s Restaurants of the Year for 2025 are in, and two Texas restaurants have made their mark.

What You Need To Know

  • Dai Due in Austin and Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria in Lubbock are among USA Today's current 44 favorite restaurants in the U.S.

  • The list was released last week and includes a range of spots from across the country, from lowkey to white tablecloth

  • Dai Due is as Texas as it gets. The farm-to-table eatery prides itself on sourcing ingredients primarily from the Lone Star State

  • Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria has a little bit of everything. From barbecue, to tacos and burritos, to pan dulce, there's a good chance you'll leave having all your cravings satisfied

Dai Due in Austin and Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria in Lubbock are among the outlet’s current 44 favorite restaurants in the U.S.

The list was released last week and includes a range of spots from across the country, from lowkey to white tablecloth.

Dai Due

Dai Due is as Texas as it gets. The farm-to-table eatery prides itself on sourcing ingredients primarily from the Lone Star State, ensuring every bite consists of locally grown and sustainable goodness.

“We only use food that we can find in our region, so the bounties and scarcities of the seasons are always the theme,” the restaurant’s website reads.

Dai Due earned a Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide last November for its quality food and value. In 2022, the restaurant's chef and owner Jesse Griffiths was honored with a James Beard Book Award for his cookbook on processing pork — something done regularly at Dai Due — titled “The Hog Book: A Chef’s Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Pigs.”

Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria

Heading north, Mexican barbecue joint Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria has a motto: if it ain’t messy, it ain’t worth it.

The family-owned, take-out only spot in Lubbock has a little bit of everything. From barbecue, to tacos and burritos, to pan dulce, there's a good chance you'll leave having all your cravings satisfied.

Barbecue is served on the weekends only, when the Jiménez family rolls out their famous smoked meats like brisket, spare rib and turkey. Add a side of Big Red sauce for a true Texas experience.

The Jiménez family’s beginnings in the Lubbock food scene started in 1969 with Jiménez Bakery & Restaurant. The barbecue is a recent addition to today’s restaurant.

Jiménez y Friends was recently honored with a spot on Texas Monthly's Top 50 Best Tacos in Texas for their Three Amigos plate, which includes three different guisado tacos.