Best Kouign-amann 2022 | Village Baking Company | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
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Best Kouign-amann

Village Baking Company

Cindy Ju Vaughn

The Village Baking Company is a boulangerie that serves sandwiches and coffee, but its raison d'être is the freshly baked goods it provides, such as savory baguettes and other loaves of bread, as well as croissants of all flavors and fillings. For us, the queen of the prom would be the kouign-amann, that wonderful export of Brittany, France, created with salted caramel, vanilla, chocolate and seasonal fruit. The multilayered laminated dough is baked to a caramelized perfection full of buttery, crunchy goodness. Who needs the cronut when this exists?

Best Late-Night Grub

Shug's Bagels

Courtesy of Shug's Bagels

Looking for a place to get your late-night food fix? Open until 2 a.m. Thursday – Saturday, Shug's Bagels is serving some killer bagel sandwiches, wraps and even breakfast after dark. All food is to go as their main dining space is closed at night, a few patio tables are available if you choose to eat there. Some standout menu items include the pesto chicken cutlet, Reuben and spicy Shug sandwiches. The loaded fries are great for soaking up the booze you likely consumed before your late-night binge. And if the party is continuing into the wee hours of the morning, you can buy beer, hard seltzer and prosecco to go.

Best Local Beer

Heart O' Texas Red Ale by Four Corners Brewing Company

Lauren Drewes Daniels

Four Corners' Heart o' Texas red ale isn't the most showy beer in town, but this just-sweet-enough amber has a nice malty underbelly and a touch of citrus. Try it at a Stars hockey game, as a few concessionaires at the American Airlines Center have it on draft. For some reason the 6% ABV goes perfect with the chill air, but it's not so heavy that it weighs you down.

Best Lunch Destination to Bring the Entire Family

Dallas Farmers Market

We've all been there: Your extended family is in town and you have no idea how to keep them all entertained, let alone how to feed them. Aunt Shirley is on a juice cleanse and Uncle Frank is a carnivore, plus some of your cousins tell you that they're fully gluten-free. Don't stress: Take your folks to Dallas Farmers Market. This sprawling bazaar is fun to browse and includes a vast array of cuisines. There's the always-excellent Mexican joint Taqueria La Ventana, featuring tasty handmade tacos. Pizza lovers can indulge in an authentic Neapolitan pie fresh from BellaTrino's famed wood-burning oven. And JuiceBabe's delish smoothies are perfect for sipping as you stop by some of the market's specialty shops. No matter where you eat, you can't go wrong with Dallas Farmers Market.

  • 1010 S. Pearl Expressway, Dallas, 75201 Map

Best Margarita

The Liquid Nitrogen Margarita at Beto and Son

Courtesy of Adriana Herrera
The Flora Liquid Nitrogen Margarita at Beto & Son

The Liquid Nitrogen Margarita has been a staple at Beto & Son since it opened in 2016, and over the years, it's been a must-try for Dallas residents and visitors alike. Made with Avion reposado tequila, lime juice, agave, DeKuyper 03 and encapsulated fruit pearls, this margarita is designed to stay cold and slushy during hot temperatures. It's best slurped through a boba straw, which will allow for the pearls to travel through. The pearls provide quick bursts of sweetness to balance out the cold, boozy taste.

Best Middle-Of-Nowhere Pizza Parlor

Andrea's Pizza

Andrea's Pizza first reeled us in at its Frisco location, and once it had us addicted, the place packed up its pans sometime around 2010 and left for the greener, much quieter pastures of Gunter. Never heard of it? It's a small town up north near Van Alstyne. Never heard of that either? That's OK; part of this restaurant's charm is that we have to work so hard to get what we want. The small, father-and-son operated marvel is worth the tank of gas. The pizza crust is sweet and sensuously thick, making it the perfect base to hold its velvety bed of cheese and hot, crispy-fresh veggies or whatever meaty toppings fill your carnivorous dreams. The long ride back allows visitors extra time to reflect and reminisce on the memories of the best pizza they'll probably ever have.

Best New Restaurant

Revolver Taco Lounge Gastro Cantina

Lauren Drewes Daniels
queso fundido

This Deep Ellum gastro cantina represents the best of local food. It's got grit and panache. James Beard-nominated chef Gino Rojas writes his own rules here at his newest concept, which is just next door to his original taco restaurant. He offers a stunning cross section of food. Get the delicate cabrito wontons over a salsa roja reduction topped with a tiny purple flower. His aunt presses and grills tortillas, made to order. Fill those soft orbs with queso fundido loaded with shrimp for one of the best bites of your life. The blender size licuachelas — a chaotic blend of sour candy and margarita — might be dangerous, but you'll have a fantastic story to tell. And what a place to make stories.

Best Patio

Smoky Rose

Chris Wolfgang

After a morning of smelling the flowers at the Dallas Arboretum or running around White Rock Lake, you'll find nothing is better than enjoying a cold adult beverage or brunch on a patio to give your weekend an A+ rating. One of the best patios in Dallas is across the street from the arboretum. Whether you prefer sun or shade, fire pits or fans, Smoky Rose provides the perfect setting for you to relax with friends, sip a cocktail and enjoy some brunch or barbecue and remember all that is right in this world.

Best Mediterranean Restaurant

Selda Mediterranean

Angie Quebedeaux

The service at Selda Mediterranean, formerly Pera Turkish Kitchen, is first class. The food is always fresh, and there are many vegetarian options here, including fried cauliflower, hummus and vegetarian couscous. If you're up for sharing, the mixed grill is a great option. The dish serves 2-4 guests and has a combination of grilled meats including urfa, chicken, meatball, beef kebab and chicken adana. It is served with Turkish bulgur rice and a cold bean salad. Reservations are suggested as it is not a large place and is very popular, especially on the weekends.

Best Pizza

Thunderbird Pies

Angie Quebedeaux

You might want to approach Thunderbird Pies with skin as thick as their Detroit-style pizzas. In addition to a sassy social media manager, they don't care much for complaints. Especially, don't ever ask to talk to corporate or you'll likely get dinged with something like, "I am corporate, motherfucker." Then they'll make T-shirts to mock you, which they actually did, and blast it on an in-house billboard. It's not at all ironic that one of their best pizzas is the Honey Bastard, named after the honey badger. Much like the similarly named mammal, they just don't care, which they can get away with because the pizza is so good.

Best Of Dallas®

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