12 true Dallas-area hidden gem restaurants

Many Dallas restaurants, both new and long-time on the scene, make their presence known through loud and expensive means. Or both. But what about the little guys, those hidden-away spots that don’t have the money or the manpower to promote the hell out of themselves in this saturated city? If a restaurant’s cooking in the forest and nobody’s getting paid to publicize it, can it still be really damn good?

Yes. And these spots prove it.

Ba Lee Sandwich Shop
1927 E. Belt Line Road
When Subway swindled us all and got rid of the $5 footlong, they secretly passed the torch to Ba Lee Sandwich Shop. At this mini portal to (almost) Vietnam, seven different banh mi styles go for $5 before tax, and can be ordered with a variety of classic Viet drinks, including fresh-pressed sugar cane juice. For a sandwich this cheap, you’d think you’re robbing them, but you shouldn’t feel that way unless you buy five sandwiches, because then you get one free. Not only are the banh mi being served at a bargain price, but they’re made with an exceptional level of detail. All of the pork, beef and pate are rendered in-house, as are the condiments and the perfect baguettes. One bite takes you on a journey of crispy, pillowy, sour, salty, sweet, savory and rich in a single go. The only con is that they’re only open Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Brazil Latino Market
4727 Frankford Road, No. 409
In Farthest North Dallas, stop by Brazil Latino Market, a small grocery store reminiscent of the hundreds of bodegas you find in New York City. After you’ve picked up a few Brazilian or Portuguese dry goods or something from the butcher,  head to the counter and order something to eat in the store from a menu of items that are their take on Brazilian street food. Sandwiches, pastels, fritters, breads and pastries can be had for around $5 each. The pastel is a thin-crust fried pie filled with such goodies as lamb, beef, cheese, codfish or catupiry, a creamy dairy spread that’s a Brazilian comfort food. Take home a bag of pao de queijo bread while you’re at it.

Edmond’s Burgers
2919 W. 15th St., Plano
We could easily fill a complete list with hamburger hidden gems, but we’ll limit it to two this time. Edmond’s doesn’t attempt to capture the flavor and experience of the Weber backyard grill; instead it goes for a really affordable burger cooked perfectly in a variety of forms such as Hawaiian, Southwest and their signature burger, the Jaden. It’s fully loaded with beef bacon, Swiss cheese, a fried egg and grilled onions on Texas toast. The Jaden can be ordered as a single or double patty, which we appreciate. The single combo meal goes for about $10. Edmond’s has excellent sandwiches as well, the short rib with caramelized onions and provolone being a favorite.

Flaming Cheese Saganaki Greek Restaurant
9025 Forest Lane, No. 101
This Mediterranean strip mall gem has been dancing under the radar for decades. When you go, order the namesake flaming cheese, a.k.a. saganaki ($9). It’s literally set on fire at tableside. After that, try the hummus ($9), classic gyro sandwich ($12) and chicken kebabs ($11). The walls are hand-painted, the recipes are traditional, the servings are generous, and the staff (though harried) is oh, so sweet. And, alcohol is BYOB – except for the ouzo used to send the cheese up in flames – and that may be our favorite detail of all.

Gabriela and Sofia’s Tex Mex
10455 N. Central Expressway, #117
This unassuming little spot is next door to a foot spa, which may, in fact, indicate the very best category of hidden gem. In this case, it certainly does. Though the restaurant proclaims to serve the “best guacamole in town,” we hope a well-earned A++ will suffice, as we have not tasted absolutely every smashed avocado dip in Dallas. They also do an excellent job with all the usual Tex-Mex suspects, but real standouts include the Queso Chorizo starter and Carnitas Tacos. Grab a seat at the friendly back bar to mix in a little “dive” with your dinner; order the swirl margarita with a Tajin rim.

HOJA Bubble Tea
812 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano
Here’s some more street food, this time from Taiwan. So many of these hidden gems try to capture and share the street food of their country of origin, which is great for those of us without the time, bank balance or adventurous spirit to visit all the side streets and bazaars where the dishes originated. HOJA offers a plethora of teas in the form of lattes milk foam, slush and milk with all the requisite additions and toppings such as boba, jelly, popping boba, jam and chia. But we were here for the food, which includes some crispy fried king oyster mushrooms, braised pork rice with pork belly and the scrumptious g-pie, a crispy chicken-fried chicken breast with a hint of five-spice that is eaten straight out of the paper wrapper with the hands. It’s heavenly.

Lyari Cafe
11641 Harry Hines Blvd.
Lyari Cafe is a colorful cafe that brings an entire subcontinent of cuisine to West Dallas. They specialize in fine Indian and Pakistani cuisine inspired by the flavorful streets of Lyari, a street in Karachi, Pakistan. The value you receive versus what you pay here is win-win if we’ve ever seen one. Fresh, hot baskets of naan sell for only $1.99, and the plates to accompany all average under $16. It gives you the opportunity to go all out on a feast, which is the only proper way to enjoy a meal here. The Behari beef has an entourage of flavors married with insanely tender, Halal beef. Samosas come in a few different flavors with table sauces to bring them up a notch. And the best part is that you don’t need to be familiar with the food to feel comfortable ordering. The staff can explain anything and help you discover something you like that you’ve likely never had before. Don’t forget the mango lassi made in-house and kheer for dessert.

Pho Envy
8611 Hillcrest Rd., #190
This one’s easy to miss, but look sharp and you’ll find a clean and sunny little cafe dotted with green booths and chairs. The kitchen excels at traditional Vietnamese dishes like Pho Ga, Flat Noodles, and Lemongrass Chicken. Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls are also always on-point. Everything is priced well under the norm for North Dallas, but maybe you wanna splurge? Well, even the delicious Shaken Beef Filet Mignon ($19.99) won’t break the bank. Make a note that this gem also whips up a mean takeout order in record time.

Sophia’s Haitian Cuisine
Food truck, check online for location
Kavin Adisson runs this Haitian food truck based in Celina, but check Facebook and Instagram for its location all around North Texas. It’s worth the effort. Much of the menu is focused on pikliz, a sort of condiment and salad created with pickled cabbage, carrots and hot peppers. You can order it on a hotdog here, or as a topping for some loaded plantains. Platters abound as well, featuring goat, pork, chicken or veggies served with rice and plantains, all vibrantly seasoned and fork-tender. Seasonal Haitian favorites such as joumou soup are available around special occasions.

Salam Grill
329 Greenville Ave., Richardson
This Mediterranean barbeque spot took over the restaurant formerly known as Al Bagdady (which also earned a place on a previous version of this list). Perfect for feeding a crowd, everyone starts off with the lentil soup. Hint: it’s complimentary but tastes like a million bucks. Move on to a Family Platter, which comes with your choice of four appetizers (don’t miss the baba ghanouj), plus flame-grilled beef kebabs, chicken kebabs, lamb tikka, shish tawook (spiced chicken), beef shawarma, and rice. Trust us when we caution not to tackle it without at least two hungry friends and several to-go containers.

Sno Gourmet Shaved Ice
10455 N. Central Expressway, #102
Don’t let the name fool ya. Yes, this throwback cafe does serve the quintessential Texas summer treat in a dazzling array of flavors, from bubble gum to hibiscus to tiger’s blood. But that’s just the start. The nostalgic snack selection continues with soft serve custard cones, gooey sundae cups, shakes, and smoothies. Try the “snocino” which, we presume, is what happens when coffee and snow cones get really cozy. No sugar high today? Sample the street corn instead.  

Turan Uyghur Kitchen
2001 Coit Road, No. 163, Plano
The Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group residing within the borders of Northwest China. Their cuisine is hard to describe, but it is closer to Middle Eastern food than what we in the States picture when we think of Chinese food. Turan Uyghur Kitchen is one of the few places in the country that offers this cuisine, and we’re lucky to be able to sample these unique flavors here in North Texas. Korma chop has an interesting flavor profile; it comes in a bowl of hand-pulled dry-fried noodles with beef, onions, bell peppers, chilis and chives. The headliner, however, and what you should not pass over is the big plate chicken, available in two sizes. The small, which was huge and was enough for two of us with leftovers for the remaining week, is prepared with bone-in chicken stew served on a bed of flat noodles and loaded with potatoes, onions, garlic and red and green peppers. Seasoned with star anise, cinnamon, clove and white and black pepper, this dish is full of Quique savory flavors deep in character.