As students finish their dreaded midterms, spring blooms and a week’s worth of break from classes ends, three new Richardson restaurants await Comets’ first visits. Josefina’s Cocina, Ayat and Sushi On all offer unique dining experiences with compelling stories behind them, sure to bring delight to any post exam treat, birthday dinner or spring break side quest.
Josefina’s Cocina
Located less than ten minutes west of UTD campus, Josefina’s Cocina is an authentic Mexican restaurant which opened its doors in December 2025 and is quickly gaining popularity. Fernando Barrera, the owner, said the restaurant was inspired by the home-cooked meals his mother made.
“Josefina’s is a tribute to my mom,” Barrera said. “She passed away four years ago and she taught me how to cook, she taught me how to bake and how to deal with food and spices, so this concept is a tribute to everything that she did.”
The ambiance of the restaurant perfectly blends a homey atmosphere with an upscale one. Pristine white tables fill the space, lively music plays in the background and expensive liquor is extravagantly displayed behind a large bar.
“We use a lot of granite and marble on the tables,” Barrera said. “My mother loved flowers so I wanted to include as many flowers as I could without messing with the design.”
The food itself was a unique experience when compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area. The salsas, which came with a batch of freshly fried tortilla chips, were deliciously creamy and light, different from a normally tomatoey and acidic dip. The vegetarian enchiladas, ordered by a friend who found the description of the dish enticing, were flavorful and tangy, which paired nicely with the mild rice and beans that were included as sides. The chicken tacos, which I order as my go-to safe choice at any Latin American restaurant, were tender. The pieces of pineapple that came with them were unexpected but paired nicely with the dish, giving it a fresh flavor. Most of the entrees came out to about $20 each.
Aside from the food, what makes Josefina’s special is that every corner of the restaurant carries a piece of his mother’s legacy.
“At the bar, we have a Josefina’s margarita,” Barrera said. “It has rosemary syrup because my mom used to have rosemary on her patio outside and inside the house, so that’s why we tried to apply rosemary to a lot of our dishes.”
All in all, from the food to the ambiance to the quality service, I’d rate Josefina’s Cocina 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Ayat
Coming from Brooklyn, New York to Richardson, Texas, Michelin Guide-featured Ayat is a renowned Palestinian restaurant which centers community, unity and resistance. Opening its doors less than a month ago, Ayat is already serving rich and flavorful food in a well decorated, busy space.
Ayat’s Head of Communications, Hanifa Abbasi, said the rapidly growing chain saw a lot of potential in Richardson for a new branch when they were thinking of options outside the NYC area.
“Richardson stood out to us because of its strong sense of community, cultural diversity and growing appreciation for global cuisine,” Abbasi said. “We want to introduce Palestinian cuisine and hospitality to new audiences in places where people are open, curious and value meaningful dining experiences. Richardson felt like a natural next step in sharing our story and continuing to bring people together around the table.”
Our meal at Ayat started with zahir, a rich and creamy roasted cauliflower dish bursting with flavor. We then enjoyed warm and chewy pita with olive oil and zaatar which all paired amazingly. Our main course, fattah jaj, which we abashedly ordered because it was the cheapest entree, was the star of the show regardless. The big portion was more than enough for the two of us, combining soft rice, tender chicken, crispy pita and tangy yogurt. This dish was layered and blended surprising textures, all of which paired perfectly together.
Halfway into our time at Ayat, our server also offered us free soup that was being offered to all other customers. The complementary item was tart but enjoyable and a delight to receive as part of our meal.
Our experience at Ayat was different from all other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants we had visited. We found the restaurant to be exceptional in both flavors and generosity. Throughout our meal, we were fascinated by how bold and rich our dishes were. In addition, we found it incredibly rare for a restaurant to offer a free side — in this case soup — to every customer, speaking to the establishment’s warmth. Like Josefina’s, each dish here was also around $20, so free soup was a definite plus.
“We are proudly and unapologetically Palestinian,” Abbasi said. “While Middle Eastern cuisine is often grouped together, Palestinian food has its own distinct identity, flavors, and history … Ayat is a space where every guest is welcomed as family and invited to experience the culture in a genuine and meaningful way.”
Ultimately, Ayat was one of the best restaurant experiences we ever had. The food was outstanding and the ambiance and service were equally excellent. I’d easily rate Ayat five out of five stars and would recommend it universally.
Sushi On
Located only five minutes from campus, Sushi On is a quiet restaurant serving a variety of rolls at a range of affordable price points — most of their options came in under $10. An elaborate bar consumes the left side of the restaurant and chefs can be seen preparing the sushi towards the back, adding a nice viewing experience for customers.
In order to cover a wide range of the menu while still maintaining manageable portions for two people, we ordered one item each from three sections of the menu. From the chef’s specialty section, we ordered a sushi blossom roll. From the fresh roll section, we ordered a double spicy tuna roll. Lastly, from the tempura section of the menu, we ordered a salmon tempura roll.
Our sushi blossom roll came wrapped in crab and filled with tuna, salmon and yellowtail. This roll came amazingly well presented and tasted undoubtedly fresh. The fish was also soft and savory. Our second roll, a double spicy tuna roll, was salty and had a more subtle flavor. The texture, however, was complex as it was paired with cucumber and fried onion, both of which added crunchiness to an otherwise soft item. Finally, the salmon tempura roll was our favorite out of the three we ordered. The crunchy salmon on the outside and the creamy avocado within were a classic pairing which were both complemented by the crab.
Dimly lit and well decorated, Sushi On offered a calm vibe perfect for a date night or for unwinding after a busy week. I’d rate it a 4.7 out of five for the peaceful experience, wonderful presentation of dishes and palatable sushi.
In the end, all three restaurants offered great dining experiences and are definitely worth a visit.