{"id":100880,"date":"2025-12-25T22:10:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T22:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/100880\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T22:10:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T22:10:21","slug":"2025-in-local-favorites-north-texas-best-bites-sights-and-scene-stealers-local-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/100880\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 In Local Favorites: North Texas\u2019 Best Bites, Sights And Scene\u2011Stealers – Local Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

If living in North Texas has taught us anything, it\u2019s that there\u2019s never a shortage of things to eat, drink and do \u2014 sometimes all in the same afternoon.<\/p>\n

As 2025 wraps up, we couldn\u2019t resist playing favorites. Picking the best wasn\u2019t easy (like choosing a favorite child, if your kids were pasta, cocktails and live music). We\u2019re sure we missed a hidden gem or two \u2014 so go ahead, tell us what we overlooked.<\/p>\n

Until then, here\u2019s Local Profile\u2019s roundup of the tastiest, trendiest and most unforgettable highlights of the year.<\/p>\n

Best Deviled Eggs<\/p>\n

Deviled Egg Co.

\n111 W. Virginia St., McKinney<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Shoko Ashcraft | Local Profile <\/p>\n

At Deviled Egg Co.<\/a>, eggs aren\u2019t just food; they\u2019re a full-on obsession. The team whisks, flips and devils them into bold creations your grandma never could\u2019ve imagined (no offense, grandma). One bite proves it: this is egg-streme dining. In May 2025, the company took its passion to Shark Tank, where Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran teamed up to invest $250,000 for a 20 percent stake.<\/p>\n

Best Hand-Pulled Noodles<\/p>\n

DH Noodles & Grill

\n2001 Coit Road, Suite 165, Plano<\/p>\n

See a table piled high with noodles, lamb ribs and cucumbers? You\u2019ve found DH Noodles and Grill<\/a>, Plano\u2019s first Dunhuang food spot and Texas\u2019 intro to hand-pulled halal noodles and bold Hui flavors. The restaurant is rooted in the cuisine of the Hui people and the Silk Road town of Dunhuang, where Middle Eastern and Chinese cultures blended through centuries of trade and migration. The result? Deliciouness.<\/p>\n

Best Bakery<\/p>\n

Ogi\u2019s European Bakery and Deli

\n1651 Eldorado Parkway, Suite 108, McKinney<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Mia Valdez <\/p>\n

Hidden in a quiet McKinney shopping center, Ogi\u2019s European Bakery and Deli<\/a> greets guests with the comforting aroma of fresh-baked goods and the charm of the Old World. Owner and chef Hafsa Mirza welcomes customers by name and with a smile, while the bakery showcases an array of European pastries, breads, cakes, sandwiches and sausages \u2014 all prepared with traditional methods and careful attention to detail.<\/p>\n

Best Comfort Food<\/p>\n

Depot Cafe

\n6733 Main St., Frisco<\/p>\n

Stroll down Frisco\u2019s Main Street, and you\u2019ll find the city\u2019s oldest family-owned gem: the Depot Cafe<\/a>. Since 1999, it\u2019s been dishing up comfort food like meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesy chicken spaghetti and, of course, beloved breakfast classics \u2014 all straight from family recipes.<\/p>\n

Best Japanese Sando<\/p>\n

Yokozuna Bento\u00b7Sando

\n2711 W. 15th St., Plano<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Shoko Ashcraft | Local Profile <\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s clear something up: there\u2019s the sandwich, and then there\u2019s the sando. Two slices of bread, something in between \u2014 but totally different vibes. North of President George Bush Turnpike, Yokozuna Bento\u00b7Sando<\/a> is the spot to try one. You can\u2019t go wrong with the katsu sando. Ditto for the fruit sando.<\/p>\n

Best Places to Buy a Plant While Sipping a Latte<\/p>\n

Habitat Plants + Coffee

\n214 N. Kentucky St., Suite A, McKinney<\/p>\n

Habitat Plants + Coffee is a green hideaway where your latte is as photogenic as the ferns. Sip a matcha, chai or espresso, get lost in the greenery, snap a pic next to the moss wall and maybe even leave with a new leafy friend.<\/p>\n

Best Bagel<\/p>\n

Starship Bagel

\n1108 W. Main St., Lewisville<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Starship Bagel <\/p>\n

Starship Bagel<\/a> blasted off from Oren Salomon\u2019s home kitchen and has since launched North Texas shops and a national following. Since 2021, it\u2019s racked up trophies like \u201cBest Bagel Outside NYC\u201d and \u201cSchmear of the Year\u201d and snagged James Beard recognition.<\/p>\n

Best Place to See Famous People<\/p>\n

The Star

\n1 Cowboys Way, Frisco<\/p>\n

Athletes, country singers, reality stars \u2014 you never know who you\u2019ll bump into at The Star in Frisco. It\u2019s basically North Texas\u2019 version of Hollywood Boulevard, only with fewer paparazzi and way better queso. From luxury shops to buzzy restaurants, The Star has become a go-to hangout for celebs and us regular folk alike. The patio at Dee\u2019s Table is especially good for people-watching.<\/p>\n

Best Adorable Food<\/p>\n

Harumama Noodles & Buns

\n1060 W. Frankford Road, Suite 200, Carrollton<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Brian Ashcraft | Local Profile <\/p>\n

Harumama<\/a> is serving up Asian comfort food with a playful twist. The family-owned restaurant is the brand\u2019s first Texas location, best known for its steamed character buns that are almost too cute to bite into (almost).<\/p>\n

Best Coffee Shop<\/p>\n

White Box Roastery

\n610 Elm St., Suite 1340, McKinney<\/p>\n

At White Box Roastery, coffee is a way of life. Eight years ago, the team of globe-trotting coffee fanatics tasted the best brews from Italy to Romania and fell in love. They knew they had to bring that passion home, and White Box Roastery was born.<\/p>\n

Best Japanese Cheesecake<\/p>\n

Mr Puffy

\n17390 Preston Road, Suite 243, Dallas<\/p>\n

Unlike the dense and richer New York-style cheesecake, Japanese-style cheesecake<\/a> is airy and absolutely irresistible. Fluffy, puffy and delicious.<\/p>\n

Best Cinnamon Roll<\/p>\n

The Wick

\n107 S. Colorado St., Celina<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2025-12-19-at-103521-am\"
\nPhoto: Brian Ashcraft | Local Profile <\/p>\n

A bad airport cinnamon roll sparked one of Celina\u2019s best cafes. During COVID-19, Cleve Wickliffe and Kim Wickliffe turned a home baking project into The Wick<\/a>, now a cozy breakfast-and-lunch spot in a restored 1940s house. Think scratch-made comfort food, cinnamon rolls done right and a big dose of small-town charm.<\/p>\n

Best Place to Watch Baseball From a Pool<\/p>\n

Riders Field

\n7300 Rough Riders Trail, Frisco<\/p>\n

Picture this: A 400-foot-long lazy river, a cold drink in hand and front-row views of a live baseball game. It\u2019s not a dream; it\u2019s the Lazy River at Riders Field, home of the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.<\/p>\n

Best Gelato<\/p>\n

Bazaria

\n700 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Suite 102, Plano<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto: Aric Becker <\/p>\n

Mohammad Al-Qawasmi of Bazaria<\/a> is scooping up international recognition: He placed third at the 2025 Gelato Festival World Masters, which earned him a ticket to the North American semifinals. There, he finished strong in second place with the ridiculously good fig krokan gelato.<\/p>\n

Best Toilet Seat Collection<\/p>\n

Truck Yard

\n5959 Grove Lane, The Colony<\/p>\n

For a throne room like no other, check out Barney Smith\u2019s Toilet Seat Art Museum at Truck Yard in The Colony. With over 1,400 wildly decorated lids, this free attraction is weird, wonderful and guaranteed to leave you sitting in awe.<\/p>\n

Best Place to Eat, Drink and Listen to Live Music<\/p>\n

Love & War in Texas

\n601 E. Plano Parkway, Plano<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2025-12-19-at-103432-am\"
\nPhoto: Love & War in Texas <\/p>\n

Weekends bring national acts to Love and War, but weekdays showcase rising stars perfecting their craft before they make it big. Legends like Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers, Eli Young and even Miranda Lambert all played here long before the Grammys.<\/p>\n

Best Texas-Shaped Landmark<\/p>\n

The Texas Pool

\n901 Springbrook Drive, Plano<\/p>\n

No one loves Texas (and Texas-shaped things) like Texans. The Texas Pool<\/a> is Plano\u2019s most iconic swim spot \u2014 famous, fabulous and, yes, shaped like Texas itself. This 168,000-gallon saltwater pool comes with slides, a diving board, a \u201cNorth Texas\u201d island and a kid-friendly \u201cSouth Texas\u201d wading zone.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in Local Profile magazine. Read more here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Don’t miss anything Local. Sign up<\/a> for our free newsletter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If living in North Texas has taught us anything, it\u2019s that there\u2019s never a shortage of things to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":100881,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[46207,160,162,161],"class_list":{"0":"post-100880","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-plano","8":"tag-foodcommunityfamilydiningnew-year2025mckinneynorth-texasplanocollin-countyfrisconewsletter_all","9":"tag-plano","10":"tag-plano-headlines","11":"tag-plano-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}