Texas Monthly Lists Three Denton Restaurants
Osteria Il Muro, Picone and Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse are among about 1,000 Texas restaurants in the magazine's Texas Grand guide.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Dining Out
Texas Monthly included three Denton-area restaurants, Osteria Il Muro, Picone and Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse, in its Texas Grand dining guide. The guide covers around 1,000 restaurants from across Texas.
Why it matters
Inclusion in the statewide guide gives Denton diners a curated list of local restaurants to consider. Osteria Il Muro chef Scott Girling was also a finalist for Best Chef: Texas from the James Beard Foundation for 2026.
The guide has been published since 1973 and includes three Denton-area restaurants out of around 1,000 statewide listings. The source does not detail how many of the 1,000 restaurants are in each Texas region.
The players
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a statewide magazine that has covered Texas culture, politics and dining since 1973.
Scott Girling
Scott Girling is the chef at Osteria Il Muro in Denton and was a 2026 James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: Texas.
The details
Texas Monthly's anonymous reviewers visit restaurants for the Texas Grand guide, which is updated continually with existing listings revisited. The Denton picks include Picone, which opened in 2023, and Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse, reopened by Denton County restaurateur Marty Bryan after closing in 2023 and carrying more than 100 years of history.
Timeline
1973: Texas Monthly created the Texas Grand guide.
2023: Picone opened and Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse closed.
2026: Scott Girling was named a James Beard Best Chef: Texas finalist.
November 10, 2026: The Denton listings were published.
Culture Shift
The Texas Grand guide's 1973 origins and its continual revisiting of listings show how Texas dining recognition has shifted from a single statewide guide to ongoing reviews, with James Beard finalist status now extending local chefs' profiles to a national stage.
Denton diners can use the Texas Grand listings to plan visits to Osteria Il Muro, Picone and Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse. Readers can compare these choices against other statewide recommendations in the guide.
The takeaway
Checking updated dining guides like Texas Grand can help readers find local restaurants that have earned recognition beyond their immediate area. Revisiting listings over time keeps those recommendations current.
Further reading
Explore more Denton options in Dining Out coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Local.
