Our Best Bites of 2025 From a Pizza Special to Wagyu Dino Ribs

We’ve had a lot of wonderful meals over the year, but some stood out. From pizza to ribs and squash blossoms, below are the dishes we keep thinking about all year.

Lunch Special, Pizza and Salad
Cenzo’s
1700 W. 10th St., Oak Cliff
The leading pizza, not just of New York-style pies or Oak Cliff pies, but the damn best pizza in this town continues to be Cenzo’s. One of my best and most satisfying meals of the year was the $8 lunch special there: a large serving of the house salad, generously slathered in freshly made, very herby ranch dressing, alongside one gigantic slice of pepperoni pizza that was basically a quarter of the pie. It’s the delicious deal of the century. – Courtney Smith

Saag Paneer
Chumley House
3230 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth
Of all the stellar bites at this Fort Worth steakhouse with British and Indian inspiration, the dish that haunted my dreams is the saag paneer served in a spicy tomato cream sauce and topped with a handful of roasted, crispy chickpeas. It’s a deep, warmly spiced take on the steakhouse classic creamed spinach that pays homage to, without directly replicating, the classic Indian dish. – Courtney Smith

Wagyu Dino Ribs
Kafi BBQ
8140 N. MacArthur Blvd, Irving
I don’t even like ribs, and rarely order beef ribs, but the wagyu dino ribs and Kafi BBQ are the exception — because they are exceptional. Everything about them — from the high-quality of the meat to how pitmaster Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi smokes them, creating a crunchy, shattering bark that sits on top of the softest bite of beef that falls right off the bone — makes them stand out. – Courtney Smith

Cabbage with Black Sesame Tahini
Quarter Acre
2023 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
I had so many great bites at Quarter Acre this year, but the cabbage with black sesame tahini that chef Toby Archibald added to his tasting menu for a stretch in the summer and fall is the one that haunts me. In this version, a quarter head of cabbage is smoked, seared, and drizzled with an umami-rich sauce. Another bite of crisped cabbage accompanied it, along with the same sauce. The complexity of the flavors is amazing, highlighting what a great carrier cabbage can be. – Courtney Smith

Truffle Blue Cheese Kulcha
Sanjh
5250 N. O’Connor Blvd., Irving
Sometimes simplicity is the best thing. At Sanjh, the truffle blue cheese kulcha, a simple appetizer of Punjabi flatbread stuffed with blue cheese topped with herbs, is a luxurious play on monkey bread. There are only a few ingredients, and the freshly baked bread arrives at the table piping hot. Simplicity is indeed the ultimate sophistication. – Courtney Smith

Foie Gras Snickers
The Devonshire Club
5757 W. Lovers Lane, Park Cities
There is one dish you absolutely have to order here if you like chocolate: The foie gras “Snickers” topped with a sprinkle of Maldon salt. The chocolate will smear all over your fingers, but the salty, indulgent foie gras inside makes the perfect complement. Prepare to lick your fingers clean. – Courtney Smith

Caviar and Lobster Lumpia
The Mansion Restaurant
2821 Turtle Creek Blvd, Oak Lawn
My mind keeps returning to the caviar and lobster lumpia that chef Charles Olaia put on the menu here. These Filipino spring rolls reach new heights, with lobster wrapped in fat rounds, much like a cigar. It is topped with sauce gribiche (mayo, eggs and capers) that’s tangy enough to hold a dribble of caviar. Grab the shiso plated under each roll, wrap it around, and devour it in three bites — while it’s still hot. – Courtney Smith

Fried Squash Blossoms
Knife Italian, Ritz-Carlton
4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving
On the opposite end of this pasta and steak-centric restaurant at the Ritz are the squash blossoms, which now appear to be off the menu (funny how the best dishes are seasonal, huh?). These delicate flowers were slightly sweet, with a dollop of warm, creamy cheese hidden deep within the pistil. These made us pause and ponder eating more flowers. The only complaint is that these little bursts of late summer sunshine aren’t served by the dozen. – Lauren Drewes Daniels

Parmigiana de Melanzane
Partenope
1903 Main St., Downtown and 110 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson
The parmigiana de melanzane at Partenope is a long-term relationship. Now you have two options for this dish since there’s a second restaurant in Richardson. Baked eggplant and dollops of smoked mozzarella are drowning in a spicy marinara. It may seem simple, but this is a substantial dish. It’s served with house bread, but level up with a focaccia. – Lauren Drewes Daniels

Foie and Sea Island Corn Bread
Meridian
5650 Village Glen Drive
Meridian 2.0 opened in The Village late this year. We’d met the chef, Eduardo Osorio, at a charity event where he made this luxurious corn bread; people at the table almost fought over it. We were relieved to see it on the menu at his new restaurant and promptly made reservations to make sure it was as good as we remembered. It was. The blue corn bread base has shishitos, white cheddar, brown butter and spiced honey, plus an optional dash of caviar (yes, get it). It’s sweet, salty, comforting and elevated.