Best Cocktail Bar 2022 | Atlas | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
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Best Cocktail Bar

Atlas

Kathy Tran

In the heart of the Bishop Arts District, Atlas is a come-one-come-all cocktail lounge that embodies the charm of the surrounding neighborhood. Order a Lone Star or go for something a little more chic from their worldly cocktail menu, like a martini espresso or a vieux carré. In addition to an interesting cocktail menu, the kitchen is pushing out stellar from-scratch dishes (go for the Cuban). If you go on the weekend, keep an eye on the bookshelf in the back: it's actually a door that leads to a small cozy back bar that rotates themes each month.

Best Coffee Shop

Cultivar Coffee

Taylor Adams

While the pandemic claimed their Oak Cliff standalone shop last year, Cultivar Coffee still thrives inside Goodfriend Package in East Dallas. Cultivar starts by procuring the best sustainably sourced beans before applying their considerable roasting skill to produce pour-overs, lattes and cortados that turn coffee into an art form. Start with a beverage from Cultivar, then grab a bite from Goodfriend, and your day will only improve from there.

Best Chinese Restaurant

Jeng Chi

Paige Weaver

Jeng Chi has been a mainstay for unpretentious Chinese dining in DFW since 1990, attracting a loyal following for its dishes from Taiwan and mainland China. Their soup dumplings are justifiably praised, but the extensive menu has something for everyone, from more traditional authentic fare like braised pork belly with marinated egg, to Americanized dishes such as orange chicken and kung pao shrimp. They also offer a wide variety of cakes for special order.

Best Cold Brew Coffee

Noble Coyote Cold-Brewed Coffee

If you're looking for something to cool you down and pick you up, look no further than Noble Coyote Cold Brewed Coffee. In 2011, Marta and Kevin Sprague started Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters. About two years later, Kevin started messing around with cold brew coffee to bring to local farmers markets. He wasn't sure how the new product would do at first, but it ended up selling out. Now, you can find it at their roastery and in coffee shops across DFW, at places like Civil Pour in Dallas. There, you can buy it still or infused with nitrogen. Noble also sells bags of their cold brew blend for people to make at home. It's a medium to medium-dark roasted coffee with low acidity, a smooth body and hints of sweet dark chocolate.

Best Cookies

Kessler Baking Studio

Lauren Drewes Daniels

Crafting baked concoctions is way harder than it looks. It's always a good idea to leave the shortbread and brownies to the professionals, and the kind folks at Kessler Baking Studio have it covered. Kessler's baked catering options are sure to spruce up your next office party, and their from-scratch-made chocolate chip pecan cookies would make any true Texan weep tears of joy. Its chief baker was also named a 2020 James Beard semifinalist for outstanding baker. This sweet-treat boutique is packing some serious preservative-free fun.

  • 1129 N. Beckley Ave., Dallas, 75203 Map

Best Ice Cream

Parlor's Ice Creams

Anisha Holla

If you've never had a scoop of ice cream instantaneously transport you back to your childhood, Parlor's Ice Cream in Dallas might merit a spot on your weekend list. All the ice creams and mix-ins here are made from scratch, from the waffle cones to the chocolate chip cookies. The locally owned ice cream shop carries 14 rotating flavors of ice cream, including favorites like strawberries & cream and milk & cookies. By serving traditional flavors, owners Brandon and Kellie Stoll seek to kindle a sense of nostalgia in anyone who gets a taste of their ice cream. One lick, and you'll see what we mean.

Best Daiquiri

Southern Classic Daiquiri Factory

Southern Classic Daiquiri

There are more than 60 daiquiris on the menu here, and the names are half the fun. Ever wondered what Love Field Frozen Over tastes like? If you answered yes, seek help, but it's actually a hurricane with tangerine, blue lemonade and peach. The Cliff is Long Island iced tea with blue lemonade, purple rain and tangerine. Dine-in or to-go, you can buy sizes ranging from 16 ounces to half gallons. The debauchery to follow is limitless.

  • 6751 Bridge St., Fort Worth, 76112 Map

Best Deli

Cindi's New York Deli and Restaurant

Courtesy of Cindi's

If Dallas had a comfort food spot, this landmark deli would be it. Hungry, tired, anxious? Slide into a booth and dive into the extensive menu that offers everything from pancakes to patty melts, pastrami sandwiches to matzo ball soup. They bake breads, pastries and bagels in-house, all of which are available at the counter to take home. Service is always quick, although they don't mind if you linger. There are four restaurants across North Texas now collectively pulling in 4.5 stars from more than 5,000 reviews. It's legend.

Best Dim Sum

Bushi Bushi

Angie Quebedeaux

Bushi Bushi opened its first location in Addison in 2021 and recently opened a second in Frisco. They offer a wide range of dim sum options plus a menu of entrees. Robots run orders out to tables, making for an unusual experience. The seafood shumai, shrimp balls and char siu are great options, as is the crab-stuffed soup dumplings. The robots work quicker than their human counterparts, so pace your orders if you're looking to relax for a bit. If you're craving a larger portion than what dim sum offers, order the roasted duck or the Mapo tofu.

Best Food Truck

Easy Slider

Taylor Adams

One can safely say that this popular food truck from Miley Holmes and Caroline Perini is royalty on the Dallas food truck scene. These sliders are as good as they are adorable. The Sweet & Lowdown is the queen of their menu with Angus beef, goat cheese, bacon and strawberry jam. The Nutty Pig, with Angus beef, bacon, creamy peanut butter, lettuce, tomatoes and red onions, is another popular choice. If you happen to catch them on the weekend, be sure to grab one of their Dazed & Confused sliders. And for the vegetarians in the house, the Baby Bella made with a baby portobello mushroom, fresh mozzarella, Roma tomato and pesto is a great choice. Easy Slider also has a brick-and-mortar location in Deep Ellum in the event you have a craving and their food truck isn't nearby.

Best Of Dallas®

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