Frisco’s culinary scene just earned some serious bragging rights. Palato Italian Kitchen and Lounge, tucked inside the sleek HALL Park Hotel, was named the #8 Best Hotel Restaurant in the country by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2025. Even better? It’s the only Texas spot to make the list.
The annual ranking celebrates the very best in food, travel and lifestyle, spotlighting hotel restaurants that deliver far more than room service. According to USA Today, the winners are the places that “go the extra mile with superior service and one-of-a-kind touches.”
From Morning Lattes To Nighttime Pastas
Since opening in October 2024, Palato has become a destination for both locals and out-of-towners. By morning, the restaurant serves handcrafted lattes and housemade pastries. By night, it transforms into a wine lover’s paradise with artisan pizzas, handmade pastas and, of course, steaks — this is Texas after all.
For weekday diners, there’s even a $20 express lunch — soup or salad, half a sandwich and dessert — proving high-quality dining doesn’t have to mean a three-hour affair.
Meet The Chef Behind The Magic
Executive Chef Eric Sakai brings more than a decade of culinary chops to Palato. His résumé includes stints at Michelin-starred San Francisco spots Rubicon and Acquerello, the Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole and closer to home, the Ritz-Carlton Dallas and Las Colinas. He also spent two years in Italy, refining his approach to regional flavors…