Leading up to our annual Best of Dallas® issue, we're counting down the 50 most interesting restaurants in Dallas. These spots bring something unique or compelling to the city's dining scene, feeding both your appetite and soul. Find more interesting places on our all-new Best Of app for iTunes or Android.
For whatever reason the farm-to-table movement hasn't taken off in Dallas. Certainly the use of locally grown and produced ingredients has increased immensely in the past few years, but the practice still hasn't achieved the same density in Dallas that it has in other markets.
While the lack of restaurants that truly embrace these ideals is disappointing, it makes the few restaurants that do get on board shine all the more brightly. Bolsa has been a beacon for responsible sourcing and high-quality ingredients since opening in Oak Cliff in 2008. And at the same time it's become a dependable neighborhood restaurant.
Bolsa shows how important good management is in creating a lasting restaurant. Graham Dodds was hired as chef when the space first opened, and he cemented Bolsa's reputation as a restaurant that honors the importance of local ingredients. When Dodds was replaced by Jeff Harris, those values never faltered. Harris had worked previously at Craft, where he followed Tom Colicchio's doctrine for quiet cooking using the highest-quality ingredients. Harris' past experience was a perfect fit for Bolsa, and the restaurant has changed enough to keep things interesting without changing too much.
Yes, you can rest assured your favorite flatbread topped with grapes and arugula will always be there, and you can still depend on a selection of cocktails made with freshly squeezed juices, grassy herbs and delicious fruits. But you can always expect something new and interesting if you haven't visited in a while. The menu has a heartbeat and it's always shifting. The restaurant does too.
No. 50: Joyce and Gigi's No. 49: East Hampton Sandwich Co. No. 48: 20 Feet Seafood Joint No. 47: Taj Chaat House No. 46: Mot Hai Ba No. 45: La Nueva Fresh and Hot No. 44: Pera Turkish Kitchen No. 43: Tom's Burgers and Grill No. 42: Mughlai No. 41: Russian Banya No. 40: Off-Site Kitchen No. 39: Bachman Lake Taqueria No. 38: Carbone's No. 37: Babe's No. 36: Barbacoa Estilo Hidalgo No. 35: Zaguan No. 34: Royal Sichuan No. 33: Spoon No. 32: Bambu No. 31: Pecan Lodge No. 30: FT33 No. 29: Keller's Drive-In No. 28: La Pasadita No. 27: Ten Bells Tavern No. 26: El Ranchito No. 25: Cafe Urbano No. 24: Nova No. 23: Jeng Chi No. 22: Omi No. 21: Tei-An No. 20: Jonathon's Oak Cliff No. 19: Yutaka and Sharaku No. 18: Local No. 17: Ibex No. 16: Pakpao No. 15: Chennai Cafe No. 14: Smoke No. 13: Nonna No. 12: Kuby's No. 11: Sushi Sake No. 10: La Banqueta No. 9: Kalachandji's No. 8: Mesa No. 7: Teppo No. 6: Stampede 66 No. 5: Crossroads Diner
