Food & Drink

Javier’s opened in the Park Cities in the late ’70s and is more entrenched in the community than Lululemon and botox. This swanky, Mexico City-inspired restaurant pushes enough margs each month to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool. The lodge-like space has a cigar bar; if you need a bit of fresh air, dine al fresco on the large patio. Dishes go beyond the typical cheese enchilada plates with a popular snapper mojo de ajo and mole poblano. The service is attentive and friendly even if the valet stand is a bit intimidating, though there’s also a parking lot.

One of the newer additions to Oak Cliff’s storied Tex-Mex scene is La Comida. Traditional Tex-Mex options abound, but it is the dishes reflective of the Yucatán Peninsula, where the owner-operator Urtecho brothers hail from, that are truly special. We recommend starting out with the mini cochinita pibil tacos before moving to the mole enchiladas or the crispy tacos. The Flamingo margarita, a frozen house margarita swirled with sangria, is named for the restaurant’s feathery mascot and has never done us wrong. 

Harumama Noodles + Buns is a family-owned Japanese/Korean fusion restaurant that serves such fare as bao bao buns, ramen, noodles and poke, but it has become rightfully famous on social media for character buns. These can be sweet or savory with possible forms including a chicken, cow, bunny or mouse, but our favorite is the pig bun. These little cuties are stuffed with pulled pork (what else?) and caramelized onion and arrive in their own bamboo steamer. You’ll squeal with delight when you see them staring up at you with their innocence. Take a moment to smile at these wonderful creations before going hog wild and digging in.

It was no surprise to us when Lucia, an intimate Italian spot located in the heart of the Bishop Arts District, earned a nod during Michelin’s first foray into Texas last year. The locally owned eatery rightfully earned a spot on the guide’s Bib Gourmand list, which recognizes good quality cooking. If anything, that’s an undersell when it comes to Lucia. The menu is rotating, so it’s difficult to name a favorite dish, but we’ve yet to encounter a plate that doesn’t leave us wowed. And if you don’t have it in you to nab a coveted reservation 30 days out, Lucia regularly offers to-go dinner options, which helps to make Dallas’ best Italian fare accessible and affordable.  

San Marzano, named for the variety of plum tomato from the Amalfi Coast of Italy that is so important in the creation of fine tomato sauces, holds fort in the West Village and offers a wonderful selection of daily made-in-house pastas. Rigatoni, pappardelle, campanelle, spaghetti and a gluten-free shell are just some of the options to choose from, along with six different sauce options including but not limited to tomato vodka, short rib ragu and Bolognese. There are a lot of decisions to be made, and that’s before you even consider adding protein or additional cheeses.

Pillar will appear elsewhere on this list, and for good reason: taking up residence at the location of the late, great and missed Boulevardier in Bishop Arts, chef Peja Krstic has created a wonderful space and menu that evokes a high-end bistro. One of the many high points of our meal was a side dish, grilled leeks. First steamed before then being grilled over binchotan (Japanese white charcoal), it’s then topped with buttery poached crab and crispy hazelnuts before being dressed with an orange and brown butter vinaigrette, a fantastic mélange of both sweet and earthy tones and texture.

The Arabian Village was a phoenix from the ashes of a desolate and nearly abandoned shopping center in Richardson. Its catalyst was the opening of Arwa Yemini Coffee, and since then, a dessert shop called Big Dash, Yemandi Yemini Cuisine, Aladdin Cafe, One Bite, BBQ King Express and a mini trove of other Yemini/Arabic businesses have popped up, all of them united in an intimate outdoor courtyard. Flowing between restaurants here feels natural, and instead of viewing each other as competition, the owners see one another as community. Late nights are when the revived center truly comes to life; when seats are full of those looking for a small slice of home, tea and coffee plates clink and Middle Eastern spices fill the night air. 

Located in the space of a former dry cleaner on Dallas’a northern edge, Pan Pa Vos is one of a growing number of Venezuelan restaurants in the area, a bright and sunny spot with two levels delivering a tantalizing lineup of baked goods, both sweet and savory. One notable standout in a wonderful array of items is the strawberry croissant: light and fresh, flaky but not dry, stuffed to the gills with freshly whipped cream with a hint of strawberry flavor, all topped with more of that same scrumptious cream and more strawberries. Lucky for us, our dentist is right across the street.

Despite being one of the smaller Korean restaurants around, Plano’s Maht Gaek punches well above its weight class and has solidified itself as one of the top pound-for-pound Korean restaurants in the area. The menu holds six categories: barbecue, ox-bone soup, chef specials, entrees, hot pots and cold buckwheat noodles. Maht Gaek takes special pride in its ribs (both pork and beef short ribs), and rightfully so, but try the ox bone soup or buckwheat noodles. The portion sizes are generous, so bring a friend.

Kavin Adisson’s Haitian-inspired food truck is based in Celina but can be found all over the greater Dallas area on any given day, delivering comfort food from that island nation. Seasonal favorites include joumou soup as well as daily offerings of pâté (a Caribbean take on the empanada), griot (tender and marbled chunks of lightly fried pork) and the star of the show, pikliz (pickled cabbage, carrots and hot peppers) that is slathered on everything here from hot dogs to fried plantains. Check the Instagram site for the current month’s schedule and look for Adisson’s smiling face and bright yellow truck.

Tucked into the Terminal at Katy Trail, Rose Café is a newer fixture among “patio season” in Dallas but one that has quickly become a go-to. A more casual sister concept to its adjacent Le PasSage, the light and airy Rose Café patio is easy to slide into for a slice of avocado toast and strawberry matcha latte. Being that it rests right along the Katy Trail, it’s simultaneously a perfect loaf for people-watching and a motivating catalyst for grabbing a latte to go for a post-brunch stroll. At night, it’s a surprisingly romantic, transportive haunt with a dinner menu that offers Asian favorites like banh mi and chicken satay. We won’t recommend trying to take on the trail after a few glasses of saké, though. 

Catch us up top. Dallas restaurants have made good use of rooftop space. From Lower Greenville to Deep Ellum and beyond, there are plenty of spaces to capture a mockingbird’s view. But The Quarter Bar’s Big Easy vibes paired with happy hour specials, boozy hurricanes and some Creole-inspired bites makes this one of the best rooftops in the city. Watch out for Saturday evening dance parties — a house mix to bounce around to.

Melty cheese can do no wrong, but the queso at Escondido holds a special place in our hearts. The classic queso is topped with roasted poblanos and pico, and serves as the head honcho of the El Trio appetizer sampler (guacamole, queso and a spicy cilantro ranch). There’s also the Tejano queso — a base of velvety cheese dip topped with guacamole, avocado salsa and brisket — or the vegetarian queso served with portobello mushrooms, spinach and a green chili sauce. Our favorite is the Royale queso, which is loaded with chili con carne, black beans and sour cream.

Tatsuya Sekiguchi, the owner and chef of Dallas’ only Michelin-starred restaurant, said his favorite local restaurant is Ichigoh Ramen. That made us go back and revisit this cozy spot along Commerce Street in Deep Ellum, and what a lovely reminder it was. In a neighborhood where many out-of-town visitors roam, every table here is filled by locals in the know. Bowls of piping hot ramen and Japanese dishes like puffy buns, gyuntan tataki and tako wasabi roll out from the kitchen quickly. Broths are made from scratch and noodles are imported from Saporro, Japan. When one of the most lauded chefs in Dallas says this is his go-to spot, you can bet you’ll find us there.

The omakase at Tei-An is a culmination of all chef Teiichi Sakurai’s contribution to Japanese cuisine in Dallas since 1995. The hyper seasonal fish is a love letter to his first restaurant, Teppo, which was a bold opening for Americans new to eating raw fish. Next, the art of Japanese grilling honors Tei Tei Robata Bar and how it brought Washu beef on a hot rock to Dallas from Japan. Tei-An’s house specialty, which took the chef years to master is soba. The artistry of Sakurai’s soba has been honored by the James Beard Foundation and, most recently, featured in the Michelin Guide. Despite its newer introduction, it’s an omakase experience rooted in our culinary evolution, by the very chef who helped Dallas develop a palate for it. 

This small spot in a strip mall in Irving delivers one of the most authentic and unpretentious Japanese dining experiences in Dallas. The izakaya and sushi bar is a staple in Irving, just west of Dallas, and is certified authentic by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Teens in jean shorts and Vans (taken off, of course) sit at the sunken tables next to businessmen in three-piece suits (and socks). There are many options on the menu, from sashimi to the very popular takoyaki (fried octopus puffs) to ramen and udon. Start with the chef’s choice appetizer with three pieces of sushi and a cold Asahi for about $12.

Goodfriend is known for outstanding burgers and easy-breezy neighborhood bar vibes, but don’t pass over the gritty grilled cheese here. Everything is made from scratch with whenever reasonably possible. The grilled cheese comes with grilled peppers, but add brisket. The thick Texas-toast is up for the job.

At La Nueva, it’s all in the name. This restaurant doubles as a tortilleria, and everything is made to order, served fresh and hot. It serves a few different big breakfast burritos, and any of them can be custom made to your preferences. Order it stock for $7.99, and it comes with breakfast meat and eggs, but ordering with potatoes, beans and extra cheese for $9.50 is the move. Don’t forget the red and green salsas on the side. What you receive is fresh off the griddle and a glorious harmony of savory, salt, grease and texture. The tortilla alone is worth visiting for. 

AllGood Cafe has been two-stepping through our Best Of lists for years. The Deep Ellum staple is a lot of things: a bar with live music, where you can also get a mean chicken-fried steak then come back in the morning for breakfast. Deep Ellum is lovely in the morning. Fun thing about AllGood is that you can also get chicken-fried steak at breakfast; or go for borracho biscuits or the South Austin migas. They have fat stacks of pancakes and spectacular service to boot.

Since 1987, Pogo’s has been supplying Dallas with a steady stream of exclusive wines from around the world, specialty liquors and craft beer. Its Facebook page is a treasure trove; you’ll never know what you’ll find, like an EH Taylor Small Batch that hit the floor on a recent Friday morning (no limits); or staff picks with thorough explanations. It’s like tutoring for winos.

Kevin Winston gave up a decades-long corporate career to open this restaurant, which is named after his two sons. He once shared with us that on Sundays the kitchen can go through 140 pounds of yams in just two hours, as a “guesstimate” on the foot traffic the restaurant gets. Elevated takes on classic soul food dishes with a focus on clean cooking are what draw people in. Mains include liver and onions, pot roast, ribs, fish and chicken tetrazzini. Look for specials like turnips and links and Nawlins pasta.

This Lower Greenville staple has had quite the year: in addition to being Michelin-recommended, it earned a special award for its cocktail program. It was also on an episode of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, where it showcased the magic behind several prime dishes. If that all feels like a lot and you have no idea what to order, go for the themed seasonal tasting menu. This summer, the menu was a play on “Summer Break” with dishes like “breakfast in front of the TV” (truffle butter bagel, “bacon and eggs” and a cereal milk tart). The “drink your OJ” is a Filipino samalamig and the third course, “yardwork,” is a playful mix of greens, vegetables and seeds. There are a dozen courses, so you’ll be entertained and well fed, just like summer break.

This Richardson spot is a true Dallas gem. Yuan and Mei Teng opened this restaurant in 1990 and have expanded it to the large, juicy dumpling-making machine that it is today, stuffing 40 pounds of ground pork into dough daily. Not in the mood for soup dumplings? That’s cool. There are about 200 other items on the menu, including a bevvy of stir-fried dishes and a whole steamed branzini. Wash it down with their full beverage menu that includes hot tea and lychee martinis. Absolutely save room for dessert because there’s also have a full bakery.  

If you hit it at the right time, Bucky’s is a whole scene, particularly during Sunday brunch when the bottomless mimosas are on point. They specify that this is Southern Cajun and Creole, which translates to shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, alongside Atchafalaya and étouffée. They also do big seafood boils, which are perfect out on the big, enclosed back patio. There’s a parking lot right next to the restaurant. They regularly have live music and DJs also.

Dallas is home to many hot chicken sandwiches, but Ricky’s was here before it was cool to be so spicy. There are three locations around North Texas now. There are six levels of heat, and we have no idea what the hottest, ABOMB, with reaper pepper, does to your face and have zero intentions of finding out. Fans of make-it-hurt hot and casual chicken sandwich fans are loyal fans of this spot.

In the heart of Deep Ellum lies Cafe Brazil, a laid-back joint that serves breakfast and lunch 24 hours a day. The food is reliable, and the place has a relaxed atmosphere, but the main draw is its location. The coffeehouse is just a block away from some of Dallas’ busiest bars, providing a safer and more convenient alternative to driving to Whataburger and hoping for the best. Next time you find yourself sauced on Elm but still hungry, head down the street and grab some chilaquiles or chicken, bacon and waffles while you sober up.

Chefika is the latest concept from career restaurateur Serdar “Sam” Sensel, who set out to take a more casual approach to the Turkish-Mediterranean flavors that he’s built a career on. Located in Preston Hollow Village, his vision manifested into a delicious menu that still feels elegant while remaining accessible in price range and aesthetic. Try out the hunkar beendi, a diced beef dish cooked with peppers, for a taste of what makes the specifically Turkish cuisine special.

Opened in 1954, the Original Market Diner on Harry Hines is as much a piece of Dallas history as it is a good place to grab lunch. Owner Jimmy Vergos took over the establishment from his parents, which went through numerous name and aesthetic changes before settling on its current form in 1989. For being a classical American diner, this spot does have a reasonably varied menu, ranging from breakfast standards to Southern comfort food to a new selection of beer and wine.

Pound-for-pound, price-for-price, Corner Market is one of the best restaurants in Dallas. The smoke-filled, European-inspired Lower Greenville outpost serves from a varied and delicious chalk menu of sandwiches (plus some excellent breakfast options), all for less than $10 each. Head over to the register and you can grab a coffee for less than $5 a pop. It’s the kind of place you can live and die by when you’re broke, but the same place you’re excited to patronize when you’re not.

Requesting a look at Selda’s sprawling dessert tray is like a coming-of-age experience. There’s no way of knowing just how big, how intricately crafted and how cripplingly hard to choose between the options is. Offering nine unique treats at $12 each, Selda’s in-house dessert chefs, Naki Ates and Mezr Murad, simply do not miss. Order the pistachio and strawberry chocolate cake at your own risk, because you might find yourself back at Selda tomorrow.

Melt has been slinging scoops across North Texas since 2014. With 11 flavor must-haves such as chocolate, strawberry and cookie dough, this ice cream shop covers its bases. It also rotates “sometimes flavors” that change with the seasons. At Melt, everything is house-made and divinely delicious, from its vanilla hand-rolled cones to the fresh-baked cookies crumbled and swirled through scoops of the Cookie Crush flavor. The trick to this unparalleled creaminess? High-quality butterfat, all-natural ingredients and small-batch production. 

Nestled in the historic Junius Heights neighborhood, Garden Cafe has been serving fresh, locally sourced fare to East Dallas for over 20 years. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the restaurant offers a brunch menu whose heavy hitters range from classic buttermilk pancakes to creamy shrimp and grits. There’s also a selection of fresh salads and sandwiches to satisfy any diner. Reservations are strongly recommended if you’d like to eat while enjoying the picturesque back patio, complete with views of the garden from which the restaurant’s herbs and produce are hand-picked. Free parking is available on the street or next to the building.

This carnitas-only taqueria opened next to Radici in Farmers Branch this summer. You’ll learn a lot about carnitas on your visit here, like the different types of meats: maciza (pork shoulder and butt), cueritos (rind), costialla (rib meat) or buche (stomach). They use cazas from Mexico to cook the piglets and you can order your tacos dressed up five different ways; we like the Guajiro Verde with grilled cactus and a green sauce. We’re also smitten with the bar, where bottles of tequila are carefully curated and mixes are made in-house, like tepache with fermented pineapple and hints of ginger.

Alice, the Pan-Asian restaurant in East Dallas, is intimate, stylish and a little quirky, with disco balls hanging from the ceiling and a DJ spinning music on most nights. It’s upbeat and never intrusive. By your second visit or so, you’ll be best friends with the staff. Chef Randall Braud, himself of Filipino decent, has tweaked a menu that deftly hopscotches across multiple Asian influences. Brisket filled bao buns, a classic pad Thai or Korean-style glazed wings are just a few of the gems on the menu, and there’s an impressive wine list and craft cocktails to spice up an evening out. 

Formerly working at a small stand in a Koreatown food court off of Harry Hines, chef and owner Tadashi Nakazawa needed more room to spread out and grow and took up shop at a standalone location in Richardson this year. It’s simply decorated but serving ramen that is anything but simple in flavor and construction. Of the many varieties of ramen offered, the standout is the Moriya jiro style: a rich and flavorful bowl overflowing with minced and roasted black garlic, cabbage, noodles and two generous portions of chashu. Adding a soft-boiled egg doesn’t hurt, either. spot last year by Yelp.

This Elmwood spot is a throwback to the burger days of yore, complete with a jukebox perfectly curated by owner and Dallas DJ legend Will Rhoten. The menu is small but satisfying, leaving little to be desired. If the menu’s anchor, a paper-thin smash-burger topped with grilled onions, cheese, pickles and a house sauce, isn’t enough, playful monthly specials fusing international cuisines with the American staple might be. 

Starship helped to unlock a new level of bagels in Dallas. When we informally polled a panel of “bagel experts,” Starship came out on top. If they’re good enough for our panel and Bon Appétit, which included the spot on their list of Best Bagels in the U.S. (outside of New York), then they’re good enough for us. The trick here, we hear, is a 24-hour fermentation process. And yes, these are boiled before being baked. The schmears are also award-winning. In addition to the store in Lewisville, there is an outpost in downtown and North Dallas on Arapaho Road.

Susan Hyland’s Thai Opal in Lake Highlands just keeps quietly chugging along as one of the most slept-on Thai spots in town. Delectable crab meat curry, velvety tom kha shrimp soup, crispy fried tamarind duck — it’s all wonderful here. And we adore the royal Thai ambience of Hyland’s impeccable, intimate space, which has a way of mentally whisking you from Dallas straight into a fine dining establishment somewhere in Bangkok.  

COVID is something we all wish we could delete from our memories. But like a rose emerging through a crack in a sidewalk, greatness finds a way. One of those roses born from the pandemic was Maria Becerra’s Lubellas Patisserie in East Dallas. Becerra and her husband Ismael Gonzalez were unemployed because of the pandemic. This led them to open Lubellas, which has since established itself as one of the city’s top bakeries. At Lubellas, you’ll find a wonderland of world-class baked goods (and stellar lunch options), from melt-in-your-mouth croissants and cinnamon rolls to the best damn Danishes ever.

Brunch is a Dallas institution, but getting the weekend meal right takes more than just a mimosa on the menu. Few places are doing brunch better than Encina, where the blue corn butterscotch pancakes have become so popular the restaurant sells the mix. If a sweet-and-savory short stack isn’t your thing, we’d point you toward the goat guisada tacos or a breakfast flatbread. Whatever plate you select, your Sunday Scaries are sure to be banished by the homey vibe and good cooking. 

Shakespeare probably didn’t actually say, “expectation is the root of all heartache.” If that’s the case, what happens when you have none walking into Cane Rosso? You order a sandwich that will go down in your taste buds’ history. A sandwich so legendary, it doesn’t even have a fancy name. On their brunch menu is the “breakfast sandwich,” which is a toasted sesame hoagie bun filled with sausage and egg scramble, soppressata, bacon and provolone, and served with tots. Would you believe the sandwich, nor the tots, even need sauce? It’s a successful marriage between the staples of breakfast and good pizza. We’d bet they have matching shirts. 

In a world full of coconut haters and lovers, it’s very clear who is wrong in this bipartisan dessert debate: the haters. It’s not common to find coconut cream pie on a Dallas dessert menu, but at this celebrated steakhouse, they’ve been serving Al’s famous coconut cream pie for decades. A buttery, flaky crust is topped high with a myriad of textured coconut and house-made whipped cream. Best of all, they know the city loves it so much, that you can now buy someone a voucher for a slice of coconut cream pie on the Al Biernat website. 

For more than 25 years, Taqueria El Si Hay has served tacos people will wait in the rain. This walk-up taqueria is to-go only and serves the essentials: tacos and drinks. Beef skirt, chicken, Mexican sausage, beef tongue and cheek, beef steak and pork can all be stuffed into their golden, double layered tortillas and while they do come with plenty of sauce, extra only costs $0.75. Visiting on the weekend guarantees two things, the “Elote Man” and long lines, but getting there earlier rather than later will secure your styrofoam container. 

Anyone, and we mean anyone, could have seen this from a mile away. La Rue Doughnuts opened late last year and just barely missed a consideration for best doughnut shop. Its greatest, yet most devastating asset is the mostly rotational menu. The passionfruit cruller, when you’re able to get your hands on it, will teach you what “if you love something, let it go” truly means, but luckily, every menu change will give you a new love that eventually gets away. Since the opening, it’s brought back cinnamon roll Sundays and have dipped a toe into cookies. La Rue is consistently the best, and its Instagram is the place to be for what they’ll be serving next.

What started as a small neighborhood market stuffed to the brim with gourmet Italian ingredients now has locations in Trinity Groves and downtown Dallas, with more locations on the way. But the expansions haven’t caused Ari’s Pantry to lose any of its charm. We can’t get enough of the Italian grocery imports, and the downtown store’s deli has become a staple of our weekday lunch routine. If you can get your hands on some of Ari Lowenstein’s homemade tomato sauce, consider yourself lucky.

This all-vegan Mexican spot has been an “If you know, you know,” hidden gem in Dallas for years. After appearing on the latest season of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, El Palote is finally getting its flowers. Fieri highlighted the tamales, and the taco plates are worth a try too. The soy-based meat alternatives are filled with flavor, and the plate portions are sizable. If you have room for dessert, the bakery is all vegan. 

A cheesesteak isn’t a complicated thing to get right, but it’s easy to get wrong. At Cheesesteak House in Oak Cliff, we’ve yet to experience a miss. When it comes to the Philly sandwiches, the restaurant does the simple things well. The hoagie rolls are perfectly chewy, the meat is well seasoned and the cheese sauce is essential. The lineup of sauce options are made in-house, and we recommend them all. This mom-and-pop operation has found success across North Texas, but they haven’t lost the hidden gem feeling and quality that keeps us coming back. 

The Ice House is by no means an under-the-radar pick, but it has earned its hype. Served in frosty goblets, the drinks are ginormous and strong. The menu doesn’t venture far from the typical bar offerings, but why mess with the classics? The owners opened a Plano “outpost” location, but the original beer garden just off the trail remains our favorite spot for a post-hot girl walk cold one. It’s also worth mentioning that a trail-side table offers some of the best people watching in all of Dallas.

This quirky East Dallas bar is one of our favorite hangouts, and the beer selection is always unique and inspiring. It had 39 beers on tap at last count, all in constant rotation. You’ll find some local beer as well as rare finds and international selections. Strangeways offers a variety of beer styles, from sours to IPAs and stouts. Keep an eye out for Barrel Week, when all of the taps are pouring barrel-aged beers. It also offers cocktails and wine, if your plus-one is problematic like that.

Next time you’re downtown, venture underground at the Joule Hotel to find Midnight Rambler. This sexy subterranean cocktail lounge boasts inventive, seasonal menus strategized by award-winning bartender Gabe Sanchez. For the Pokémon fan, flip through the new “Ramblerdex” menu to collect playing cards that correspond with each drink. Catch ’em all from the Conspirator, a Caprese-style martini with tomato basil-infused rum, to the trendy Matcha Chop, with mezcal, coconut milk punch, and, you guessed it, matcha. Here, even a classic old-fashioned feels fresh, with weekend DJs that bring all the good vibes.

Restaurateur Kenny Bowers’ namesake steak joint in north Dallas has been a standby for years. While we love the steaks and chops (and those delicious popovers that come before every meal), our favorite splurge is to order a dirty martini to open our visit. Kenny’s is nearly perfect; the bar keeps Grey Goose vodka chilled and on tap, so the drink arrives as cold as possible. Add blue cheese olives for an extra punch if you prefer. But here’s the over-the-top flourish; if you sip slowly, a waiter magically appears to pour your remaining drink into a freshly chilled glass. We’ve never drunk slowly enough to warrant a third glass, but the experience always leaves us feeling like royalty.

Locals Craft Beer & Fine Wine is a neighborhood bar that knows good wine doesn’t have to be uptight. The Mustang Station lounge keeps things fun, never snobby, with daily happy hour, $5 glasses every Wednesday, R&B nights and trivia. It’s the kind of place where strangers become friends over crisp whites, bold reds and buzz-inducing cocktails like the Adios Farmers Branch, a quad-spirit cocktail that practically demands an Uber.

Hero takes the sports bar concept and twists the volume knob until it breaks. Located right on the plaza of American Airlines Center, this might be the best spot to grab a seat to pregame before your Mavs or Stars do battle. TVs are everywhere, and the menu is full of fun, gluttonous options like wagyu beef burgers (our food editor swears by the The Ranchito ($16) with white queso, Valentina aioli, pico, jalapeños and avocado.) Arrive a few hours before tipoff or puck drop, and you’ll be surrounded by fans in home and away apparel alike, which invites plenty of entertaining dialogue. Best of all, you can make a reservation to guarantee your seats.

If you fancy yourself a bourbon and/or whiskey connoisseur, a visit to The Rackhouse’s glorious mile-long bar in The Colony should be on your to-do list. When The Rackhouse, which boasts a jaw-dropping patio overlooking Lake Lewisville, opened, it housed a mind-blowing 250-plus whiskeys and bourbons behind the bar. Owners Amy and Rob Jones have since whittled that down to 70-ish crowd favorites (and that’s not counting Scotch or Irish whiskey). Selections range from $7.50 singles of Redneck Riveria to $162 singles of Barrell Bourbon Gold and everything in between. Whatever suits your whiskey palette, The Rackhouse has you covered. 

Cheap, cold, stiff drinks — check. Pool tables and darts — check. Pretentious-free atmosphere and cool-ass bartenders – check. Cash-only cigarette machine next to the john — obviously. For good reason, this old-school watering hole has been an East Dallas institution for more than five decades. It’s the diviest of dives, which is why we love it. Do yourself a favor and order the amaretto sour next time you’re there; it’s one of the best in town.

Not all is what it seems. For instance, there’s a bridal shop in a strip center along North Fitzhugh that’s flanked by a salon and a juice bar. It seems perfectly mundane until you go inside. Behind the door of this “bridal shop” lies the mysterious La Viuda Negra (which translates to “The Black Widow”). It’s dark, it’s moody, it’s intimate. Which is to say, it’s right in our wheelhouse. This Mexico City-style mezcaleria with heavy Día de Muertos vibes features meticulously crafted cocktails, such as a mezcal paloma rimmed in Tajin, and a Vampiro made with tequila, lime, Squirt and house michelada mix. Or you can select from La Viuda Negra’s deep well of mezcals or tequilas and sip ’em straight. For bites to pair with your booze, we strongly recommend the tacos dorados from neighboring El Come Taco.

It might be hard to understand if you haven’t visited the retro-tastic Seager & Sons in Plano, but there’s something dreamily nostalgic yet chicly updated about drinking what amounts to an adult frozen cherry Coke in a room full of vinyl LPs and vintage-style booths. As stout as it is refreshing, this lip-smacker, garnished with a gummy cola candy, will make you forget about the margarita next time you’re in the mood for something slushy. 

Our love of espresso martinis has been well documented. We also adore tiki cocktails. La Tiki Paisa seems to have answered the prayer we hadn’t yet prayed, asking for a tiki take on the espresso martini. Tiki purists might scoff a tad, since espresso isn’t the most tropically breezy of flavors, but we’re happy to report that it works rather well. La Tiki Paisa is a creation of La Casita Coffee, after all. With aged rum, apertivo, espresso liqueur, grapefruit and coffee syrup served in a fun ceramic mug reminiscent of the masks from the Scream movies, this is the inventive, escapist fun every kind of cocktail lover can get behind.

We’ve noted elsewhere in this issue that Boulder Park is a great place to take your mountain bike for a spin, but so is last year’s best pick for best MTB trail, Oak Cliff Nature Preserve. One of our favorite things about both of those trails is their close proximity to Oak Cliff Brewing and its stellar beer garden. While covered by a layer of tree branches, you can recover while still sweaty and bruised with a fruity Lee Hazy Oswald IPA. 

There was once a different local beer with blood orange that gobbled up our attention, but that was before that brewery sold out to the big boys. In more recent times, our citrusy urges have been slaked by independently brewed beers, with our favorite being the Royal Blood Blood Orange Ale, not to be confused with 3 Nations’ delicious Creamsicle Ale. Royal Blood’s orange spark is balanced by its wheaty body for a sip that’s bright without being tart or sour. 

Take a look at the name. There’s no better spot for budding love, or its reasonable facsimile, than Saint Valentine in Old East Dallas. Continuously ranked as one of the best bars in Dallas, this spot is sure to impress. The friendly bartenders with open ears and delectable house cocktails make it an even better spot just in case the date goes awry and you need to tell someone immediately. 

Gone are the days when downtown’s dining scene was dull and unimaginative. Dino Santonicola is the chef and owner of Partenope, just one of the gems that calls downtown home. Tucked into one end of the historic Titche-Goettinger Building, Partenope doles out pizzas certified as Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN), signifying that it meets true Neapolitan-style standards. The slightly chewy and airy crust, the bright sauces and classic toppings turn any dull workday into a bit of culinary escapism. Partenope offers excellent antipasti, salads and pastas, too. After a lunch at Partenope, you might never want to brown-bag it ever again.

At perhaps the most generous happy hour in Dallas, served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, discounted college bar classics meet the trailer park at Double Wide. Reconnect with your inner child while sipping a spiked and blended chocolate milk in the Yoohoo Yeehaw, or sip on an old fashioned infused with a powdered packet of orange Tang. Keep tabs on their calendar and you might just stumble upon a live show or DJ set. 

This Expo Park bar has an extensive agave collection that might feel a bit overwhelming, pero no te preocupes. Go for the simple house margarita made with Arette Tequila from a Jalisco agave field run by the fifth generation of the Orendain family. Or pony up, you big spender, for the Muy Premium Margarita made with Wild Common Still Strength, which means it’s bottled in its purest form. It’ll serve you a warrant if you’re not careful. Oh, the marg comes with a sidecar for sipping. Better get some tacos too.

In the shadows of downtown’s towering skyscrapers, you can find Dean Weaver’s crew at Autonomous Society churning out some of the most immaculate brews anywhere. The focus is Weaver’s Deanitude brew line. There are a couple of dozen Deanitude beers in the rotation at any given time, plus limited-series brews (check the chalkboard behind the bar). We recommend The Smooth Operator (which packs a thudding 12.5% ABV punch), a Belgian dark with undertones of caramel and dark fruit with a dry finish. The bar bites here are elite. Banh mi sliders, barbecue tacos with braised pork belly and a beer-candied BLT with thick-cut bacon are just a few of the first-rate dishes you’ll find on Autonomous Society’s menu.

When we first visited subterranean bar Ginger’s, we didn’t know what it meant with the tagline, “all bets are off.” After it added a sultry little dessert menu to its cocktail line-up, it’s making sense. We love how this cocktail bar rides the line between casual and upscale so perfectly with stupidly comfortable bar stools and playlists that will give everyone’s Spotify playlist fresh new additions. The cocktail menu rotates, but keeps its classic-ish cocktails around, plus some mostly local beers, wines from, you guessed it, France, Napa Valley, etc. and a fine list of spirits should you have a preference. The only thing we need to know now is: What’s the best drink to pair with the Madagascar vanilla creme brulee?

Having a bite to eat while you’re getting your drink on is pro level choice — no one needs to be sloppy drunk right out of the gate. But some bars are worth visiting even if drinking isn’t part of your plans. Armoury D.E. is one of those spots. Chef Humberto Lira spins up a diverse selection of Hungarian comfort foods and other good stuff that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else in Dallas. Paprika chicken is our go-to, but the goulash and langos (a traditional Hungarian flatbread) is simply splendid and part of what makes this Deep Ellum standby so special.

When Maskaras opened in fall 2016, it nabbed plenty of attention for its impressive lucha libre wrestling collection. But the kitchen’s food is equally impressive, especially the massive burritos, first-rate enchiladas verdes or a killer chile relleno. And we can’t sing enough praises about Maskaras’ birria. While every restaurant these days seems to dabble in birria, Maskaras teaches a master class, with AP level quesabirria or texabirria options to boot. Can’t decide between the three? Do like we do and get one of each. Then you can gloat to your friends that you’ve uncovered some of the best birria in town.

Twin siblings Carlos and Carla Rodriguez have imbued this Uptown restaurant with all the flavors of their native Veracruz. On the weekends, Cuates serves up a killer brunch, including some of the best chilaquiles in the area. Of course, there are homemade corn tortillas that get fried up to crispy golden. Next, the chips are piled high with bright tomatillo sauce, queso fresco, sour cream, avocado and two eggs. Chicken is a tasty add-on option, but if the pork cochinita pibil is available, you’ll regret not ordering that instead.

There’s nothing exotic about the namesake hot dog at Angry Dog in Deep Ellum. Take an all-beef kosher hot dog, grill it to near perfection, then top it with enough mustard, chili, grilled onions and cheddar cheese that you’ll need utensils to tackle it. You could try to make this at home, but the results are never as good as they are at this Deep Ellum institution. In the same way that some guys are “a man’s man”, Angry Dog is a bar’s bar, and the chili cheese dog that’s been a remedy for hangovers for nearly 25 years keeps a steady spot in our rotation, whether we’ve been drinking or not.

Hugos may be the newest destination in a crowded Bishop Arts dining scene, but the concept has already created a stir. Created by chef Hugo Galvan and bartender Hugo Osorio, their namesake restaurant is an intimate and moody seafood concept offering a pared down menu of fresh ocean fare with creative twists, and a stellar cocktail game to match. Weekends will find Hugo packed (it has only 28 seats, so that happens quickly), but a weeknight visit will offer the same seafood gems with smaller crowds. Don’t sleep on off-menu gems that Galvan changes regularly.

It’s hard to find fault with any of Slow Bone’s barbecue staples. Whether it’s the succulent prime brisket, near-perfect ribs or possibly the city’s best smoked and fried chicken, picking a protein or two for lunch means you won’t make a bad decision. And while we love that Slow Bone is open every day, they leverage that wide availability to offer some splendid daily specials, like Sunday and Monday’s exquisite pork chop, the Tuesday twice-baked potato or some epic 24-ounce beef ribs available in limited numbers on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s one thing to have a barbecue spot that serves the favorites, and yet another to have one that never seems to get old.

Toby Archibald has worked all over the globe but has chosen Dallas as home to showcase his New Zealand-inspired dishes. Archibald’s classic European training shows in dishes across the menu in ways that delight the eyes as much as the palate. While Archibald’s creations lean upscale, we adore the casual approachability to Quarter Acre that lies just below the surface. For the second year in a row, Archibald has arranged his Drifter Dinner series, where he invites chefs he’s worked with from across the globe to Quarter Acre to collaborate on a one-off tasting menu that also raises funds for Baylor’s NICU patients and families.

Before Dallasites were chasing wellness shots to the beat of electronic dance music, DJ Alexander Chase and curator Antonio Vargas were already shaping the city’s nightlife. Together, they launched Breakfast Bender, a high-energy wake-up call that blends coffee shop vibes with music, culture and community. Paired with handcrafted cocktails and lattes, it’s guaranteed to be a good time. The party has been hosted throughout Bishop Arts at Atlas, Taco Y Vino, Trades Deli’s counter and even a gas station.

The fish and chips at The Old Monk is one of the most iconic dishes in Dallas. Since 1998, this Irish pub has stood like a beacon for anyone who needs a dark beer in a dark bar. And don’t we all? We love their happy hour specials, the pendant lights hanging over the bar from a monastery in Europe, but the fish and chips are the star. Atlantic cod takes a bath in Smithwick’s batter and is served with thick-cut steak fries. The tartar sauce is made in-house because that’s just how much owner Fergal McKinney cares. Now, there’s an Old Monk in Oak Cliff too.

We were recently reminded what a gem Full City Rooster is after it was featured on the Good Morning America segment, “What Fills Your Cup.” More than just a roaster and cafe, Full City is an artists hub in the Cedars neighborhood. The cafe, which got its name after a typo (rooster instead of roaster), displays local art on its walls through a collaboration with the nonprofit Cedars Open Studios. Besides all that, it’s a great place to work or chill. It’s rustic with a few different spaces to snuggle up with a book or whatever you fancy. As for coffee, it roasts single-origin coffees in small batches from different regions in-house, prioritizing micro-lot growers and socially responsible farms.

We can’t emphasize this strongly enough: Make your way down to Tha Neighborhood Kitchen in Joppa for hands-down the best home-cooking and soul food you’ll have anywhere. The restaurant (mostly) posts its menu on Facebook (@Thaneighborhoodkithcn1), so check to be sure oxtails are available before you make your way — usually on Fridays. If they don’t have oxtails, whatever they do have will still be amazing, but if you’re looking for oxtails that fall off the bone and swim in a flavorful sauce, this is your place. Lately, they’ve had Cajun oxtails on the menu. Good lord.

Kate Weiser is a pillar in the Dallas chocolate community. Her flagship store in Trinity Groves is a playland of confections, decked out with innovative flavors (and all manner of chocolates) with hand-painted designs that are almost too perfect to eat. If you’ve really had an all-star week, treat yourself to one of her 15-piece gift box sets with little painted bonbons that will make your heart squeal. Or buy two and woo someone you fancy. Guaranteed to work. These chocolates landed on Oprah’s coveted Favorite Things List for 2018.

If the biggest coffee snob you knew were polite, approachable, and most important, not condescending, they would work at Noble Coyote. This micro-roastery on the corner of Exposition Avenue gets most of its flowers during the state fair each fall, but it deserves them year round. They invite everyone in to explore their curiosities in coffee and will happily show you around the coffee lab and welcome you to their monthly cupping sessions. Go in to enjoy an expert making your coffee, but leave with the knowledge to make it just as good at home. 

Chubby’s has been serving Dallas since 1987 with the motto, “You bring the tummy, we bring the yummy.” So, here we are, belly out. Chubby’s presents like a regular diner, but the dishes, from pancakes to burgers, are anything but regular. Bring your biggest tummy for the chicken-fried steak, which is folded in half so it can fit on the plate. They use hand-cut USDA choice beef cutlets that are battered and deep fried to a golden brown and smothered in a country gravy speckled with pepper. Tuck it in. All of it. But leave room for pie.

Baby Back Shak is in the Cedars and is the showy spot on the block, covered in bright red paint. They offer any number of great dishes, including boudin, barbecue and ribs, sides, desserts and more. But the smoked wings are the underdog here. They call them “chicken drummies,” and they come bathed in a house-made seasoning and kissed with smoke. You should go see about them at lunch when you can get five flats and drums hot off the grill along with a drink for less than $20.

As you walk past the host stand, be sure to take in the Andy Warhol casually hanging on the wall, then tuck into a snug plush red velvet booth and let the immaculate service take it from there. The Tango Room is a subtle clap back to so many of Dallas’ loud dining rooms; with fewer than 12 tables, it never gets above a hushed roar here. More art peers over diners’ shoulders, likely appreciating the artwork on the tables, like a tartare tartine, steaks from Allen Brothers and duck fried rice. The rib-eye and New York Strip are Westholme wagyu from Australia. There’s caviar service for $185 or a $55 martini with Belvedere Lake vodka, osetra and oyster vermouth. The wine list is exceptional as well.

You can’t talk about fried chicken in this town without talking about Mike’s. Go ahead, try it. We’ll wait. It was downright charming that Mike’s got started in a space it shared with a coin-operated laundry; the bathrooms were down past the wall of dryers. You can get tenders, dark, white, wings and sandwiches (the spicy was recommended recently). It’s all cooked to serve, which means, yeah, you might have to wait a minute. But it’s hot and fresh every time. The crust has crunch and the meat is (we don’t use this term often) oh-so-juicy. Get Mike’s Sauce to go with your order.

Stillwell’s lives in the Swexan Hotel, a meaty guest that has taken up permanent residence. Pop off on the seventh floor and you’ll be greeted by a flirty neon cowboy smoking a cig, which happens to be our favorite kind of cowboy. The special thing about Stillwell’s is that its parent company, Harwood Hospitality, raises its own cattle in Texas and Oklahoma, employing a whole-animal program across all its restaurants. Beyond that, Stillwell’s offers an exceptional experience; Michelin thinks so enough to recommend the spot. The tasting menu here is an excellent way to experience what the kitchen has to offer. Other than that, and as if it’s not enough, the Delmonico rib-eye is served with a buttery caramelized crusty exterior, cooked to perfection with exceptional flavor.

Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs might be the State Fair of Texas’ most iconic bite, but Abel Gonzales Jr.’s Fried PB&J gives them a serious run for the money. Known as “Fried Jesus,” Gonzales elevates the classic peanut butter and jelly combo with a gluttonous, deep-fried upgrade. A Big Tex Choice Award winner and staple for more than two decades, the sandwich is dipped in pancake mix and fried to a crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside finish. It’s cut into nostalgic triangles, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with a squeeze of jelly.

With a firm grasp of fried chicken (Whistle Britches) and Tex-Mex (Muchados) under his belt, chef Omar Flores jumped feet first into seafood, steaks and pasta with Even Coast. Flores and his team have created a space that’s warm and inviting. We were able to grab two seats at the bar, which wraps around three sides and separates the dining room. Soft lighting and warm furnishings abound, and a wall of windows looks out onto a spacious patio. The menu abounds with thoughtful takes on steaks, seafood and pasta, along with an impressive wine and beverage program. The North Dallas/Addison area is awash in great restaurants, but Even Coast’s well executed food and vibe keep calling us back.

Sweet-and-tangy Texas High Plains Sangiovese, an effervescent Austrian rosé that tastes like strawberry bubblegum, and a crisp Sicilian bianco meant for seafood pasta: this is just a sample of what shows up in Wayward Coffee Co.’s Lucky Draw Wine Club. The monthly program is curated by wine director Abbie Dehring, who sources bottles that don’t just look good on a shelf, they taste even better. The mission extends beyond aesthetics and palette: Lucky Draw highlights small-production, biodynamic winemakers who farm with care and intention. Each month’s selection includes background on the vinters, tasting notes, food pairings and tips for serving. At $25 for one bottle or $60 for three, it’s one of the best deals in the city.

Komodo landed in Dallas with all the glitz and glam expected of a Miami-transplant and Vegas staple, ushering in the era of Dallas clubstaurants. The flashy restaurant glows in red hues and faux bamboo columns, with oversized circular booths made for a party and used accordingly. The menu leans into spectacle with crackly Peking duck, gold-flaked dumplings dubbed Money Bags, and big-ticket collaboration Terry Black’s Sichuan Beef Rib. That 28-ounce rib is part barbecue, part smoke show presented in a branded wooden box that opens with a camera-ready slow curl of smoke. In true Vegas fashion, dance off the meat sweats in the upstairs bottle service-heavy lounge.

In a world where Gen Z is discovering the latest “hidden gem” like Braum’s, Keandre Dre Hopkins is a breath of unfiltered, hilarious clarity. Known online as Dre in Dallas, he’s built a loyal following of more than 233,000 on Instagram and 1.5 million on TikTok for his no-holds-barred food reviews, whether it’s an Eggo blueberry ice cream sandwich or a groan-worthy, scared-straight visit to Faye’s Fusions for wings. He’s always down to share with fellow big backs, offering up a bite with his signature “hurr, get you some” before hollering a “10 out of 10” that’ll have you running to the nearest drive-thru.

Oishii has been a Dallas sushi staple for more than 20 years, and it’s still one of the city’s most recommended. Helmed by Vietnamese chef Thanh Nguyen, the beloved restaurant has grown from a suite on Wycliff Avenue into five locations across D-FW. The menu is filled with hits crafted with fresh ingredients and a meticulous technique. The riceless rolls are where Oishii really shines. Order the Royce Roll ($20), a fully loaded roll with crab meat, crunchy tempura flakes, earthy truffle oil and avocado wrapped tight in yellowtail and crowned with sliced lemon and Sriracha.

For a first date that’s meant to impress, Ayahuasca Cantina goes above and beyond. The speakeasy/restaurant is hidden behind a door in the back of Xaman Café. It feels like a secret you saved for that perfect someone. Behind the door, Ayahuasca strikes the perfect balance between mood and craft. Palo santo wafts in the air and candlelight casts a glow from the bar to every table. The food is artfully plated and the cocktails are thoughtful. Order of the wagyu-topped tuétanos and watch the second date plan itself.

At Goldie’s in Lake Highlands, industry veterans Brandon Hays and Brittni Clayton have created the near-perfect neighborhood bistro. Goldie’s is casual enough to be a mainstay in your dinner rotation, fancy enough to bring a date or celebrate a milestone, with service that celebrates the regulars and newcomers alike without feeling stuffy. Dishes from Goldie’s kitchen are never boring, and accessible options come dashed with flavors and textures that thrill and excite. If your dining preferences skew away from big money chains and more toward cozy neighborhood conclaves, Goldie’s is happy to provide a master class on how the later should be done.

We may have let Mughlai’s Indian fare slip from our memories over the years, but a recent visit reminded us why this North Dallas Indian restaurant has built a loyal following over their last decade-plus of service. Start your dinner with perfectly fried vegetable pakoras or pani puri, then move onto excellent northern Indian classics like a platter of assorted kebabs portioned to share, or any of Mughlai’s excellent curries or biryanis. It’s hard to take a misstep across the menu, while the classy decor, tables dressed in white linens and an attentive waitstaff raise the dining experience beyond more casual Indian buffets. We’re definitely not waiting years to make a return visit.

Fairly or not, buffets are harshly judged in the culinary world. Selections can often be bland, lukewarm and plagued with questionable freshness and quality. Addison’s Osaka flies in the face of those stereotypes and proves it’s indeed possible to deliver a stellar dining experience in an all-you-can-eat setting. The main event here is sushi (we counted 20 different rolls plus sashimi), but there’s also hibachi New York strips, Korean BBQ, lamb chops, Korean fried chicken, snow crab legs, baked oysters and mussels and more. We suggest visiting during the lunch window (11 a.m.-3 p.m.), because the buffet rate increases sharply during dinner.

Next time you head out for pizza in Oak Cliff, Cenzo’s should be at the top of your mind. And, your pooch would love to tag along. In Cenzo’s, Chad Dolezal, Vinne Sherman and Jason Smith have created a perfect homey haunt that feels like it’s been there for decades. This little hipster spot has cozy neighborhood vibes where an equal number of kids and dogs stroll through the door like they own the place. Head to the patio after placing your order, and your furry four legged friend will have plenty of room to romp and sniff while you scarf down on arguably some of the best pizza in the city.

Where the rest of us saw sadness when Boulevardier closed in Bishop Arts, chef Peja Krstic saw opportunity. While Krstic’s Mot Hai Ba is a Vietnamese French fusion of flavors, Pillar is the canvas for Krstic’s ideas of American cuisine that explore and reflect food from many cultures in typical bistro fashion. Open with small gems like the hamachi tuna and apple or the buttery grilled leeks topped with poached crab, then move onto splendid takes on bistro entrees like the fried chicken or pork rib cassoulet. Like Boulevardier’s before it, Pillar’s wine list is stocked with affordable delights.

The Charlotte gives the espresso martini a Texas-friendly twist. Its tequila espresso is a frozen blend of tequila with coffee served in a frost-laced glass that feels heavenly on a summer day. It’s topped with a touch of cold foam for sweetness before the tequila’s bite kicks in. It’s the only way to take your coffee on the weekends.