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PLANOMAGAZINE.COM | editor@planomagazine.com sales@planomagazine.com | 214.560.4205
PRESIDENT Jehadu Abshiro | COO Alessandra Quintero
EDITOR Alyssa High
DESIGNERS Jynnette Neal | Lauren Allen
DIGITAL EDITOR Cloi Bryan
SALES Frank McClendon | Prio Berger
Catherine Pate | John Lynch
Cover by Lauren Allen
Dear readers,
Every time I think I’ve finally visited all the dining destinations on my list, three more open. In a week. One week it’s a new coffee shop. The next, it’s a family-owned establishment serving cuisine I’ve never tried before. Then someone tells me about a hidden gem that I’m missing out on.
It’s a good problem to have.
The growth of Plano’s foodie scene says something about our city: People aren’t just choosing to live here. They’re choosing it as a place to build businesses, share traditions and create gathering spaces. Some of the best stories we tell each year begin with a restaurant owner who took a chance on an idea and found a community ready to support it.
The same sense of community is what makes our Best Of issue one of my favorites. The results of the contest are a snapshot of the Plano we know and love, ever-changing and underrated.
As summer continues, I hope you’ll use this issue as inspiration to try a new restaurant, or visit an old favorite. Congratulate a Best Of winner. And if you’re like me, add a few more places to your ever-growing list of spots you’ll definitely get around to trying someday.
Thanks for reading,
Alyssa High-Coronado Editor
Some of CaffeiN’s best sellers include Taiwanesestyle popcorn chicken, creme brulee honey toast, the Ramly burger with curly fries and Tropical Paradise, a honey toast topped with tropical fruits.
CALIFORNIA + MALAYSIA + TAIWAN = CAFFEIN
INSIDE PLANO’S NEW SOCIAL HUB
Story by Alyssa High |Photography by Justin Schwartz
When CaffeiN owner Tracy Huang first visited Plano nearly a decade ago, she wasn’t looking for a place to open a business. She was looking for a place to raise her children.
The California restaurateur says the Collin County community has something her SoCal neighborhood didn’t: neighbors who know one another, families spending time together outdoors and a welcoming atmosphere.
She aims to foster that same sense of community at CaffeiN, a Malaysian and Taiwanese cafe that opened in Plano late last year.
“I wanted a place where friends could sit and talk, where parents could bring their kids, where women could feel comfortable coming in at night and just enjoy a drink in a pretty environment,” Huang says.
Huang entered the boba tea industry after studying hospitality management in college. She opened her first business in 2013, eventually opening more than a dozen locations of various restaurants. She later had a CaffeiN franchise location in Plano, which ended up closing until she moved her family to Plano and tried again herself.
Though in a diverse city, Huang says CaffeiN was an opportunity to introduce flavors that aren’t commonly found in the area, like Malaysian street food. The latenight cafe serves Malaysian and Taiwanese specialty teas, coffee drinks, desserts and snacks.
One of the most popular items is the Ramly burger, marinated fried chicken wrapped in eggs with homemade Malaysianstyle spicy sauce ($11.95). For drinks, the top-seller is a brown
sugar pearl latte with brown sugar boba and fresh milk for $5.95-$6.95.
Traditional honey toasts are paired with sweet flavors, like the Boba Lava honey toast, which includes one scoop of vanilla ice cream with homemade lava sauce, hand-crafted brown sugar sauce and brown sugar boba ($9.75). Smoothies come in a variety of flavors, all using fresh fruit and made in-house, ranging from $5.50-$6.95. In the spirit of fusion, the crepe menu has several fruit and dessert options from $8.95-$11.95.
All of CaffeiN’s teas are brewed from tea leaves rather than powdered mixes, and most beverages can be customized to accommodate dietary and sweetness preferences.
Even the name itself is a nod to the beverage program.
“Tea has caffeine. Coffee has caffeine,” Huang says. “And, it’s a cafe… so that’s where CaffeiN comes from.”
Huang feels the community she sought is coming to fruition.
Customers frequently stay long after they’ve finished their drinks, gathering around board games, catching up with friends or just relaxing.
“We have many regular customers,” Huang says. “A lot of them aren’t just customers anymore. They’ve become friends.” CaffeiN , 101 W. Spring Creek Parkway,
NEW IN 2026
Compiled by Alyssa High
This year has been full of new beginnings for many shuttered Plano locales. While some community favorites have shut down, many others across all genres have popped up.
Legacy
Legacy West Eats
A ghost kitchen concept where multiple brands operate out of a shared kitchen space with 12 pickup only concepts like Bowls of Rice, Bunch of Dumplings, Moonbowls, Big Daddy’s Hawaiian BBQ and Fatty’s Teriyaki. Several spots are new.
5248 Democracy Drive
The Henry Though not open yet, this Dallas staple is set to open its second DFW location in Legacy West later this year. The restaurant serves New American eats and will have a full-service coffee bar.
7700 Windrose Ave.
Jashan
Taking over the former Farm + Feed space, Jashan is an upscale Indian restaurant with dishes from each of India’s vast regions. They also offer an omakase-style tasting with seven, 13 or 23 courses.
7401 Lone Star Drive
Cowboy Chicken
A national chain with salads, bowls, sandwiches, tenders, wings, enchiladas and a variety of other chicken-based dishes.
8245 Preston Road
Downtown Plano
Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen
The Farmers Branch-based brewery opened a location in the former Voodoo Brewing space this spring. Aside from the beer on tap, the beer house sells smash burgers, salads and sandwiches. Oh, and you can buy beer to-go.
1001 14th St.
Cafe Meltie
Combining Korean and French cafe options, Cafe Meltie serves pastries, coffee, tea and juice.
930 E. 15th St.
East Plano
We’re-Dough
The Lebanese bakery opened late last year, serving up flat breads like Manoush and street bread called kaak.
3421 E. Renner Road
Mike’s Chicken
The fried chicken eatery opened its third location in February. The chain serves chicken tenders and wings
alongside classic sides like coleslaw, creamy corn, french fries, green beans, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese.
3345 E. President George Bush Highway
MyLan Pho Express
The casual Vietnamese restaurant serves pho, banh mi and chow fun.
3421 E. Renner Road
North/Central Plano
Yearby’s BBQ & WaterIce
The barbecue joint once praised in Texas Monthly came to us from Pilot Point last year. The barbecue is halal, and the waterice comes in seven flavors.
3201 Alma Drive
Somisomi Soft-serve & Taiyaki
An ice cream shop with fish-shaped waffle cone pastries, known as taiyaki, filled with soft-serve.
6809 N. Central Expressway
Pizza Twist
New York-style pizzas, wings, salads and pasta with vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
7224 Independence Parkway
Tongue in Cheek
This spring, Tongue in Cheek opened a second Plano location, following the flagship Richardson location, one in Lewisville and one in North Plano.
7801 Alma Drive
WILLOW BEND
Desperados
An award-winning Garland restaurant opened a second location in Plano early this year, serving up Tex-Mex favorites like tacos, margaritas and fajitas.
5960 W. Parker Road
Preston Park
Everything Madeleine
This new dessert shop offers shipped, catered or in-store specialty madeleines.
4757 W. Park Blvd.
Kouchan Ramen
An authentic Japanese restaurant with Bubble Ramen, a style utilizing rich pork bone broth and housemade noodles.
4709 W. Parker Road
Habitat Plants + Coffee
A plant shop with specialty coffees and teas that originated in McKinney.
4817 Park Blvd.
121
Corridor
Ichika
A Kappo-style kaiseki experience, which includes a multi-course meal of seasonal ingredients made directly in front of you.
8240 Preston Road
Sloan’s Ice Cream
The ice cream chain has locations all over the country, but this is Texas’s first. It offers dozens of flavors as well as smoothies and cookies.
8315 Preston Road
Challenger School offers uniquely fun and academic classes for preschool to eighth-grade students. Our students learn to think for themselves and to value independence.
Independence (PS–G4) (469) 642-2000 10145 Independence Parkway, Plano
Legacy (PS–K) (469) 573-0077 6700 Communications Parkway, Plano
100 Things to Do in Plano Before You Die
THE STORY BEHIND PLANO MOM ABBIE ALTER’S NEWEST BOOK
Story by Alyssa High
Photography by Lauren Allen Decades after moving to the U.S. and starting Plano Moms , Abbie Alter was approached to write a guidebook on Plano.
Ahidden vault at the A.R. Schell Building. Climb to new heights at Movement Plano. Find a costume at Dallas Vintage Shop. According to Abbie Alter, founder of Plano Moms and author of 100 Things to Do in Plano Before You Die , these are underrated spots and activities.
It was a book that almost wasn’t written. When Reedy Press first reached out to her about writing a book for their 100 Things to Do in __ Before You Die series, she told them no.
“I already felt like an imposter because I’m not from here,” she says. “I was like, why would I write the book? That should be somebody else.”
Alter moved to Plano from England in 2013 and quickly fell in love with the city. The following year, she founded Plano Moms , an online platform highlighting businesses, nonprofits, hidden gems and motherhood must-dos.
So six months after their first request, when the publisher asked again, Alter said yes. The book is organized into categories, including culture and history, food and drink, music and entertainment, and shopping and fashion. Though her job is to know the goings-on in Plano, making a list of 100 was harder than she thought.
Especially given the categories. Finding five or six historic landmarks would have been easy, she says. Finding 20 was a challenge.
To tackle it, Alter consulted local historians like author Mary Jacobs and sought out public art, historic neighborhoods and landmarks.
“I was trying to dig into all the stories and figure out what things people just completely drive past every day or walk past every day and not know about,” she says.
Choosing businesses also required intentionality, seeking out independent businesses like specialty retailers, game shops and popcorn stores, rather than national chains.
“I’m trying really to dig in and show people that there’s so much more than they even realized,” she says.
In the end, surprising the businesses and organizations by showing them they were included in the book after it was published was one of the most rewarding parts.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” she says. “I get a chance to champion places that otherwise may not have that visibility.”
Alter says one thing was made clear through writing the book: Plano has its own identity.
“It’s not just north of Dallas,” Alter says. “It happens to be near Dallas, but it’s its own place.”
Now that her children are older, the book has brought up conversations about legacy.
“You should always do something cool that you can be proud of,” she tells them.
“I think when you move here, and you choose to live here and make it your home, you should always do something better for the community that you live in,” she says. “I want people to enjoy where they live. I want people to feel proud that they live here.”
Alyssa’s picks
1 A night out at Legacy Hall.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Drink coffee that gives back at Local Good Coffee Co.
Catch a roller derby match at Thunderbird Roller Rink.
Enjoy a live performance at the historic Courtyard Theatre. Climb at Movement Plano.
Check out Plano’s nature at Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park.
Meet my good friend Poncho the Donkey at Heritage Farmstead Museum.
Reflect on art at the Museum of Contemporary Visual Art (MOCVA).
Take a look in a book and meet its author at Bibliobar.
10
Score a vintage find at Plano Antique Mall.
silencing
chaos
A VETERAN CHEF LEAVES RESTAURANTS BEHIND, HOSTS A SUPPER CLUB IN HIS PLANO KITCHEN
Story by Alyssa High | Photography by Lauren Allen
On June 13 at 6:30 p.m., a diverse conglomeration of about 12 individuals meet in an East Plano kitchen.
Some have been before; others are new. Some know each other; others came alone. There are retirees and business owners, long time friends and new pals.
They have one thing in common – the desire to pay $150 to eat a one-time 10-course meal from Chef Vijay Sadhu’s Supper Club hosted in his own house.
Originally from India, Sadhu moved to the United States as a child and fell in love with the restaurant scene.
“It looked so passionate, and it still looks fun to me,” he says. “I was so interested and I could work with so many different people.”
After moving to New York City to work in restaurants, Sadhu decided it was time to get a formal culinary education, and moved to Australia to attend New South Wales Technical and Further Education Commission’s culinary program. From there, he worked briefly in San Francisco at upscale Indian restaurant Amber before heading to the Dallas area to check out its foodie scene.
But he didn’t just want to be an Indian chef.
Then he worked with Stephan Pyles at Samar, opened The Shops at Legacy’s Pepper Smash Cocktail Kitchen (which closed five years later), then went into corporate kitchens as an executive chef for W Dallas, followed by experiences at Bonappetit and now as culinary manager for a corporate kitchen.
Along the way, he collected TV appearances on Food Network shows.
In 2013, he went on Cutthroat Kitchen . In 2016, he went on Beat Bobby Flay , which he did after challenging him to cook authentic samosas. In 2021, he went on Supermarket Stakeout . In 2024, he went on Food Network’s 24in24 : Last Chef Standing , a five-episode competition where 24 contestants compete in 24 challenges over 24 hours.
Throughout each experience, he collected knowledge on French, Italian, Southwestern and American cuisines.
“I’ve been in this country for 40 years now,” he says. “I worked with so many different people, learned from so many different cultures, and that’s what I put on the plate.”
But he couldn’t continue in a traditional restaurant setting.
“I don’t want the chaos anymore,” Sadhu says. “When you cook, cook with love. Cook with compassion. When you’re focused and present, the food comes out differently.”
That philosophy has become the foundation of his supper club concept.
Each is intentionally small, serving 10-15 guests. No menu item is the same as the last.
In June’s menu, the first two courses brought
Top left: In the June menu, the first course was a blanco soup with marcona almonds, green grapes, crushed rice cracker and kashmir chili. Middle left: The following courses featured a snapper with charred green onions and nori spice dust in ikura beurre blanc, a tangy emulsion of butter, shallots and white wine with cured salmon roe. Bottom left: Next was a pork belly in gochujang sauce with kimchi and radish on a perilla leaf. Bottom right: The sixth dish in the 10-course lineup, titled Summer, was heirloom squash atop sourdough with fresh herbs, a parsley emulsion and cultured buttermilk.
some heat. First was a cold blanco soup with marcona almonds, green grapes, rice crackers and Kashmiri chili. Next, a pork belly with a gochujang sauce was topped with kimchi and radish on a bed of perilla leaf.
The third and fourth courses took a step back for something more refreshing. Beets with Malai, Turkish pistachios, pea sprouts and summer citrus vinaigrette. Snapper in an ikura beurre blanc sauce, topped with charred green onion and nori spice dust.
His Indian-cuisine upbringing came in with a masala-braised chicken with guajillo, pickled onions and spicy crispy corn. Then, heirloom squash with fresh herbs and parsley emulsion on cultured buttermilk sourdough. To end the main meal, Goan-style sausage ragu with gnudi in crème fraîche, toasted garlic crumble and mint.
A dessert course featured a cardamom and rose panna cotta with berry compote, saffron foam and rose dust.
“I don’t call it fusion,” Sadhu says. “I take ingredients from different places and cook them together. I’m blending flavors.”
After the 10 courses are up, there’s a chai service with Sandhu’s homemade spice blend and conversation among the group to close out the night. A mignardise of rose water and crushed pistachio short cookies was passed out. During the June meal, two diners even booked
Sandhu to do a similar concept in their kitchens.
“You don’t get that in a restaurant,” he says. “You can stand here, ask questions, watch me cook. That’s the freedom I give my guests.”
Eventually, Sadhu hopes to open a restaurant with similarly limited seating to be able to do his weekend dinners in a more professional setting. And when he gets to that point, he’s looking to stay in Plano.
“Plano is my place,” he says. “I love Plano.”
“When people come into my house and they enjoy the food, that gives me joy,” he says. “It’s not just cooking. It’s hosting.”
Top: The evening ended with a cardamom and rose panna cotta with berry compote, saffron foam and rose dust for dessert.
Bottom: The seventh course was a gnudi dish with Goan sausage ragu, crème fraîche, toasted garlic crumble and mint.
More than just barbecue
BURNT BBQ & TACOS SERVES UP TIM HALLS’ OWN BLENDS, PLUS VENEZUELAN FAVES
Story by Alyssa High | Photography by Kathy Tran
A Burnt BBQ plate containing smoked and fried BBQ citrus chicken, Mexican street corn elote, 14-hour pecan-smoked Black Angus brisket and toast.
Burnt BBQ & Tacos isn’t Texas barbecue. Or Kansas City. Or Carolina. Or Memphis. Owner Tim Halls created the part-barbecue joint, part-taco shop with a focus on flavor.
Raised in Montana, Halls’ first career was working as an emergency medical technician and ambulance driver for his father’s ambulance service. A decade later, he decided to follow his dreams while he had the chance.
Halls enrolled in culinary school in Scottsdale, Arizona, and worked in a variety of restaurants.
A flyfishing ranch. An externship at Patrizio. A decade at Baker Bros. American Deli. Two years at Bavarian Grill. Then, he discovered barbecue.
That, he says, was trial and error.
“There was no YouTube,” Halls says. “I burned up a lot of briskets.”
He started making homemade barbecue sauces, eventually selling them at Central Market locations, where he did demonstrations for customers.
Those rubs and sauces borrow influences from Texas, Montana and the Southwest, with ingredients like citrus and ancho chile peppers for layers of flavor.
“I’m a firm believer that everything’s about flavor, not about spice,” he says.
The restaurant’s top sellers are its Coffee Grind Brisket Taco, a pecansmoked brisket in a flour tortilla dressed with cilantro lime cream, a homemade barbecue sauce, cotija cheese, pico, cilantro and lime ($7.50).
Some customer favorites, like arepas and empanadas, however, were unexpected additions.
Halls met his wife, Maria, working together in Legacy Hall, where he had opened Dock Local with chef pal M Brett Curtis.
As the COVID-19 pandemic made the restaurant industry increasingly focused on takeout, Curtis and Halls created Burnt BBQ & Tacos as a to-goonly concept. Halls bought out Curtis years later.
Top: Cachapa is a Venezuelan-style pancake made from fresh corn and corn flower, cooked on a flat-top griddle with queso de mano, folded, brushed with mantequilla and sprinkled with cotija cheese and cilantro. Bottom: Navajo fry bread tacos contain “Burnt” pinto beans, choice of barbecue meat, chopped romaine, cheddar jack cheese, avocado lime crema, pico, cilantro and lime.
“I’m a firm believer that everything’s about flavor, not about spice”
But Maria and Halls were still connected. They went to church together at Custer Road United Methodist Church, where Maria introduced him to Venezuelan specialties.
They married four years ago, and slowly, dishes like arepas, empanadas, patacon sandwiches and traditional Venezuelan soups were added to the menu.
Arepas can be filled with coffee-grind brisket, burnt ends, poblano sausage, carne mechada, cilantro-lime crema, roasted garlic pulled pork, barbecue citrus turkey breast, chicken or pollo mechada ($7 each). Navajo fry bread tacos feature “Burnt” pinto beans, choice of barbecue meat, chopped romaine, cheddar jack cheese, avocado lime crema, pico, cilantro and lime ($15).
The dishes complemented one another, Halls says, and arepas have grown into one of the best-sellers.
“We really work on consistency,” he says. “You’re going to get the same meal today, and when you come two weeks from now, it’s going to be basically the exact same.”
To Halls, Burnt BBQ & Tacos is more than a barbecue restaurant.
“We’re diversified in what we do,” he says. “But it’s all about flavor. If you want to experience something you’ve never had before, this is the place.”
Burnt BBQ & Tacos , 2929 Custer Road, 469.786.0078, burntbbqntacos.com
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BEST OF
SHOPPING & CULTURE
BEST ANTIQUE STORE OR THRIFT
WINNER - PLANO ANTIQUE MALL
2ND - HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & DESIGN (TIE)
2ND - PLAZA THRIFT (TIE)
3RD - INDY CLOVER
BEST CHILDREN’S STORE
WINNER - ANIMAL CRACKERS
2ND - THE TOY TREE
3RD - SOUTHERN STORK BABY + CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE
BEST WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE
WINNER - LYLA’S
2ND - COTTON ISLAND
3RD - EDEN LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE
BEST SHOPPING CENTER
WINNER - LEGACY WEST
2ND - DOWNTOWN PLANO
3RD - THE SHOPS AT WILLOW BEND
BEST SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS
WINNER - PLANO PARKS & REC CAMPS
2ND - SUMMER CAMP AT THE HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM
3RD - THE COLLIN COLLEGE SUMMER DANCE FESTIVAL
BEST LIBRARY
WINNER - HAGGARD LIBRARY
2ND - DAVIS LIBRARY
3RD - HARRINGTON LIBRARY
BEST ART GALLERY
WINNER - PLANO ART ASSOCIATION
2ND - MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ART
3RD - TEN20 GALLERY
BEST MUSEUM
WINNER - HERITAGE FARMSTEAD
2ND - MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ART
3RD - PLANO AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM
BEST THEATER COMPANY
WINNER - NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS
2ND - GENESIS CHILDREN’S THEATRE
3RD - OUTCRY THEATRE
BEST DANCE STUDIO
WINNER - KJ DANCE
2ND - GOTTA DANCE
3RD - STUDIO 3 DANCE
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUES
WINNER - THE LEXUS BOX GARDEN AT LEGACY HALL
2ND - LOVE & WAR IN TEXAS
3RD - MCCALL PLAZA
BEST EVENT/FESTIVAL IN PAST YEAR
WINNER - PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL
2ND - PLANO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
3RD - PLANO ASIAFEST
BEST GROUP OUTINGS
WINNER - PINSTACK
2ND - GO APE ZIPLINE & ADVENTURE PARK
3RD - FOWLING WAREHOUSE
BEST RAINY DAY ACTIVITES
WINNER - CINEMARK WEST PLANO XD AND SCREENX
2ND - PLAY STREET MUSEUM
3RD - MADNESS GAMES AND COMICS
BEST WAY TO GET ARTSY
WINNER - PAINT N PARTY
2ND - PIPE AND PALETTE
3RD - THE ART EXPERIENCE
BEST PLACE TO GET ACTIVE
WINNER - ARBOR HILLS NATURE PRESERVE
2ND - BOB WOODRUFF PARK
3RD - OAK POINT PARK & NATURE PRESERVE
FOOD & DRINK
BEST BREAKFAST
WINNER - NORMA’S CAFE
2ND - PRESTON’S CAFE
3RD - SCRAMBLER CAFE
BEST BRUNCH
WINNER - WHISKEY CAKE KITCHEN & BAR
2ND - SIXTY VINES
3RD - CRAFTWAY KITCHEN PLANO
BEST ASIAN FUSION
WINNER - OISHII (TIE)
WINNER - ZENNA THAI & JAPANESE RESTAURANT (TIE)
2ND - KĀI
3RD - YAMA IZAKAYA & SUSHI
BEST CHINESE FOOD
WINNER - WU WEI DIN
2ND - CHEF SUN’S NOODLE AND DUMPLING PLANO
3RD - ZHANG’S KITCHEN
BEST SUSHI
WINNER - OISHII
2ND - UCHIKO (TIE)
2ND - EBESU (TIE)
3RD - SUSHI SAKANA (TIE)
3RD - UMI UMI (TIE)
BEST THAI FOOD
WINNER - TASTE OF THAI PLANO
2ND - SAUCY’S THAI & PHO
3RD - BRYA ZAN THAI NOODLE + BREW
BEST INDIAN FOOD
WINNER - KUMAR’S
2ND - DESI VILLAGE
3RD - BAWARCHI
BEST BBQ JOINT
WINNER - LOCKHART SMOKEHOUSE
2ND - BURNT BBQ & TACOS
3RD - WINNERS BBQ
BEST BAR/PUB FOOD
WINNER - KATY TRAIL ICE HOUSE OUTPOST
2ND - VICKERY PARK PLANO
3RD - THE HOLY GRAIL PUB
OF PLANO
BEST BEER SELECTION
WINNER - UNION BEAR BREWING CO
2ND - THE FILLMORE PUB
3RD - MEXICAN BAR COMPANY
BEST MARGARITAS
WINNER - URBAN RIO CANTINA & GRILL
2ND - MEXICAN BAR COMPANY
3RD - MI DIA FROM SCRATCH
BEST WINE LIST
WINNER - SIXTY VINES
2ND - SEASONS 52 3RD - NORTH ITALIA
BEST BURGERS
WINNER - RODEO GOAT
2ND - KENNY’S BURGER JOINT
3RD - COUNTRY BURGER
BEST SANDWICHES
WINNER - PRESTON’S CAFE
2ND - EATZI’S
3RD - ENZO’S DELI & IMPORTS
BEST ITALIAN FOOD
WINNER - NORTH ITALIA
2ND - ROMA ITALIAN BISTRO
3RD - ENZO’S DELI & IMPORTS
BEST PIZZA
WINNER - URBAN CRUST
2ND - GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA
3RD - TAVERNA ROSSA
BEST SEAFOOD
WINNER - URBAN SEAFOOD COMPANY
2ND - SEA BREEZE FISH MARKET & GRILL
3RD - SHELL SHACK
BEST PLACE FOR STEAK
WINNER - DEL FRISCO’S DOUBLE EAGLE STEAKHOUSE
2ND - HAYWIRE
3RD - KNIFE
BEST TEX-MEX FOOD
WINNER - MEXICAN SUGAR COCINA
2ND - SALSA TEX MEX
3RD - MI DIA FROM SCRATCH
BEST PATIO
3RD - BAZARIA THANK YOU, PLANO!
WINNER - KATY TRAIL ICE HOUSE OUTPOST
2ND - MI COCINA
3RD - SUBURBAN YACHT CLUB
BEST COFFEE SHOP
WINNER - 1418 COFFEE
2ND - PRESTON’S CAFE
3RD - MUDLEAF COFFEE
BEST DATE NIGHT
WINNER - TAVERNA
2ND - MEXICAN BAR COMPANY
3RD - KAI RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
BEST PLACE FOR A SWEET TREAT
WINNER - LOCAL
CREAMERY PLANO
2ND - BETTER THAN SEX
LOCAL SERVICES
BEST AUTO REPAIR
WINNER - GUS’S CAR CARE
2ND - DENT LEGENDS AUTO HAIL & DENT REPAIR
3RD - INTELLIDENT PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR
BEST CHIROPRACTOR
WINNER - WHOLE BODY CHIROPRACTIC
2ND - LIVING WELL CHIROPRACTIC
3RD - FARRAR FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC
BEST DENTIST
WINNER - PLANO FAMILY DENTAL
2ND - THE PLANO DENTIST
3RD - MY DENTIST IN PLANO
BEST GYM
WINNER - WORKOUT ANYTIME PLANO EAST
2ND - BODY MACHINE FITNESS PLANO
3RD - ANGRY BEE CROSSFIT & BOOTCAMP
BEST PILATES STUDIO
WINNER - SESSION PILATES
2ND - ROSE GOLD PILATES
3RD - LEGACY PILATES
BEST YOGA
WINNER - HONOR YOGA
2ND - GAIA FLOW YOGA PLANO (TIE)
2ND - MOVEMENT YOGA (TIE)
3RD - SHALA YOGA LOFT
BEST PET GROOMING
WINNER - LAKESIDE PET SPA
2ND - HOUND THERAPY PET GROOMING (TIE)
2ND - OH THE PAWSIBILITIES (TIE)
3RD - CANINE REPUBLIC
BEST PET SERVICES
WINNER - PET PALACE
2ND - LAKESIDE PET SPA
3RD - CANINE REPUBLIC
BEST BROWS
WINNER - PEACE LOVE WAX
2ND - NAMASTE BROWS
3RD - INSTYLE BROWS
BEST SPA
WINNER - SPAVIA
2ND - WELLNESS AT THE SPA
3RD - HIATUS DAY SPA
BEST TANNING
WINNER - GLO TANNING
2ND - SUGARED & BRONZED
3RD - TAN ARTISTRY
BEST WOMEN’S HAIR SALON
WINNER - SERENITY PLANO SALON AND SPA
2ND - A LA MODE HAIR STUDIO
3RD - EVELYN KERSHAW SALON (TIE)
JULY 2 1776 THURS., 7:15 P.M., NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS, 6121 W. PARK BLVD., $13+ NTPA CELEBRATES AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY WITH A MUSICAL ABOUT INDEPEN D ENCE.
POPS
PATRIOTIC
JULY 3
4
CONCERT IN THE PARK 2026 FRI., 7 P.M., HAGGARD PARK, 901 E. 15TH ST., FREE PLANO COMMUNITY BAND PERFORMS A TRIBUTE TO THE ARMED FORCES.
JULY 4 PLANO’S ALL-AMERICAN 4TH! 2026 SAT., 6 P.M., OAK POINT PARK SPECIAL EVENTS FIELD, 2801 E. SPRING CREEK PARKWAY, FREE FAMILY FUN, GAMES, FOOD AND DRINKS CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY. JULY 5 MILAGRO TEXAS SUN., 4 P.M., LOVE & WAR IN TEXAS, 601 E. PLANO PARKWAY, $20 THE SANTANA TRIBUTE COMES TO LOVE & WAR. JULY 9 THE TMC LUAU 2026 THURS., 5:30 P.M., TOM MUEHLENBECK RECREATION CENTER, 5801 W. PARKER ROAD, $7 CREDIT UNION OF TEXAS COMMUNITY GRILL COOKS UP BURGERS AT THE ANNUAL FAMILY E VENT. J ULY 10 AMERICAN TREASURES: PSO COMMUNITY EVENT FRI., 7 P.M., ROBINSON FINE ARTS CENTER, 1800 ALMA DR., $17+ 2026 COLLIN COUNTY YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION WINNERS PERFORMING IN THIS A PSO C ONCERT. JULY 11
BAD BUNNY
DANCE PARTY SAT., 10 P.M., LEGACY HALL, 7800 WINDROSE AVE., FREE A 21+ BAD BUNNY-INSPIRED DANCE PARTY WITH REGGAETON HITS AND PERREO ANTHEMS.
JULY 12
DOWNTOWN PLANO ‘70S POP-UP MARKET SUN., 11 A.M., DOWNTOWN PLANO, 1021 E. 15TH ST., FREE LOCAL MAKERS, HOME DECOR, SWEET TREATS AND OTHER GOODS FOR SALE.
JULY 17
TROPICS ON THE TRACKS 2026 FRI., MCCALL PLAZA, 998 E. 15TH ST., FREE A FOUR-DAY SUMMER TROPICAL TAKEOVER WITH LIVE MUSIC AND DRINKS. ULY 25
CHRISTMAS IN JULY SAT., 10 A.M., PLANO EVENT CENTER, 2000 E. SPRING CREEK PARKWAY, $5 CHRISTMAS SHOPPING OPPORTUNITY WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES.
JULY
AUG 1
SUMMER DANCE SHOWCASE SAT., 11 A.M., COURTYARD THEATER, 1509 H AVE., $12 PLANO METROPOLITAN BALLET STUDENTS SHOWCASE SHOWCASE THE FINALE OF THEIR SUMMER DANCE CAMPS.
AUG 1
AUGUST
14
LE TRAIN BLEU: A JOURNEY INTO PICASSO SAT., 7 P.M., COURTYARD THEATER, 1509 H AVE., TBD NATIONAL BALLET OF TEXAS KICKS OFF THEIR SEASON WITH A ONE-ACT BALLET THAT PAYS TRIBUTE TO COCO CHANEL AND PABLO PICASSO. AUG 7 DISNEY’S FROZEN FRI., 7:30 P.M., NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS, 6121 W. PARK BLVD., $20+ NTPA’S REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS DISNEY’S FROZEN. AUG 8 10-MINUTE COMEDIES SAT., 8 P.M., COX PLAYHOUSE, 1517 H AVE., $10 WINNERS FROM ROVER DRAMAWERKS’ 10-MINUTE COMEDY CONTEST PERFORM.
AUG 14
QUILT PLANO SHOW 2026 FRI., 6 P.M., PLANO EVENT CENTER, 2000 E. SPRING CREEK PARKWAY, FREE A QUILT AUCTION, SPECIAL EXHIBITS, A QUILT RAFFLE AND SHOPPING.
AUG 15
CELEBRATE THE ARTS SAT., 2:30 P.M., COURTYARD THEATER, 1509 H AVE., TBD THE COLLABORATIVE ARTS OF PLANO PUTS ON A SHOW OF DANCE, THEATRE, MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE.
PLANO
DOWNTOWN
AUG 16
ADULT BOOK FAIR SUN., 11 A.M., DOWNTOWN PLANO ARTS DISTRICT, 1021 E. 15TH ST., FREE AN ADULT BOOK FAIR FEATURING BOOKISH VENDORS, A DJ, ACTIVITIES AND BOOKS.
AUG 22 RED SOLO CUPA TRIBUTE TO TOBY KEITH SAT., 8 P.M., LOVE & WAR IN TEXAS, 601 E. PLANO PARKWAY, $20 A TOBY KEITH TRIBUTE COMES TO LOVE & WAR.
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