READERS' PICK BEST FRENCH FRIES 2010 | Snuffer's | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
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READERS' PICK BEST FRENCH FRIES

Snuffer's

Snuffer's

READERS' PICK BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

Ziziki's Restaurant

Ziziki's Restaurant

READERS' PICK BEST BREAKFAST

Bread Winners

Bread Winners

Best Fancy Restaurant

Charlie Palmer at the Joule

When thinking of a business lunch or a special-occasion restaurant, Charlie Palmer at the Joule, located in a downtown luxury hotel, rises far above the rest. Charlie Palmer offers courses throughout the day, including a hearty breakfast or brunch, and offers a prixe fix lunch option with several choices on a special three-course menu. But the true gem of Charlie Palmer is its attentive detail to quality at dinner, at which each guest is considered honored and the service reflects this philosophy. You will certainly find all the trappings of one of the best restaurants in Dallas in its house-cured charcuterie, its rabbit saltimbocca, Scottish salmon or the branzino, a delicious European sea bass. There are no wrong choices at our favorite fancy restaurant.

Best Takeout

Kevin at Sol's Taco Lounge

If you haven't noticed, Dallas Observer's food blog, City of Ate, has a whole feature dedicated to food delivery service called How 'Bout Them Knockers. So we know Dallas food delivery drivers well. Usually when we order takeout, it's because we want to pretend we're suffering from agoraphobia, but when Kevin from Sol's Taco Lounge delivers our food, we have no problem walking outside to greet him. Hell, we even let our nachos get cold one time while having a conversation with him about the weather. And if he's lost or running behind, he'll call and let you know. Believe it or not, not every delivery driver does that. We speak from experience. Kevin is also the friendly and patient voice on the phone when you call to place your order. So, you can expect great service from Sol's when Kevin is involved, from the second you pick up the phone until the moment your food arrives at your doorstep.

Best Tacos Picadillos

Fuel City

What with the cute poolside girls, cold Mexican sodas, beer and excellent taquería, it's easy to forget that Fuel City is also a gas station. Most of the tacos are very good, but the standout is the picadillo. Made with beef and tiny cubes of potato and seasoned to salty, greasy perfection, it's heaven on a tortilla. Make that heaven on two tortillas, actually, if you go with the corn instead of the gringo-preferred flour. Say yes to the free optional diced onions and cilantro to really set it off, and be sure to add plenty of the fiery house-made green salsa and a squeeze of lime to counterbalance the heat.

Best Lunch Deal

Good 2 Go Taco

We all know high school kids and grandparents who check Facebook obsessively for FarmVille updates. Why do we do it daily at about 10:30 a.m.? Because we're desperate to see the posted menu photo and find out what Good 2 Go Taco is serving for lunch. The gourmet taco counter, nestled inside The Green Spot and featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, offers daily specials that generally fall into, but aren't limited to, the categories of cow, bird, pig and veggie. Proprietors Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare have painstakingly crafted locally focused tacos worth a wait spanning anywhere from five to 30 minutes depending on the time and day. Favorites include Puerco Fresco (pulled pork, mango salsa), School Daze (Sriracha meatloaf, mashed potatoes, cheddar), Hotlanta (waffle-battered chicken, sweet potato, honey butter), and Beets Me (golden and red beets, spinach, barley, bleu cheese vinaigrette). But a warning: Don't dilly-dally; because when they're gone, they're gone.

Best Pancakes

Legal Grounds

Like the bowling alley in the old NBC series Ed, this Lakewood institution started as a front operation for attorney David Musselwhite's law shop. He and his practice skedaddled years ago, but the coffee shop remains. If you can make it past the trays of muffin tops, it's home to some of the best pancakes in town—sweet and buttery, an oatmeal flapjack that's not too heavy. It's all you'd need if you had exactly one hour to right the world's injustices, and the rest of the day to nap: two eggs for strength, and one giant Cory Cake topped with fruit and granola. No coddling servers here catering to your every pancake whim. It's better than that: There's Aunt Jemima syrup at the tables.

Best Coffeehouse

The Pearl Cup

The Pearl Cup Espresso Bar opened its doors on Valentine's Day 2009, and thanks to the coffeehouse's prime Henderson Avenue location, warm décor and popular specialty coffee drinks like the rich and delicious secret-recipe Pearl Latte, the coffeehouse very quickly made its way deep into the caffeine-addicted hearts of a diverse cross-section of Dallas. With plenty of seating inside and two patios outside, the spot is a great place to meet up with old friends or make a few new ones–especially at the communal tables where most days you'll find urban professionals, students and hipsters packed in elbow-to-elbow. Like a pub with a great draft selection, The Pearl Cup always has three espressos on tap (most coffee shops only offer one), and for drip coffee there's always The Pearl Cup Blend roasted by Dallas' own Eiland Coffee Roaster. But what really sets The Pearl Cup apart from other coffeehouses is its wide assortment of snacking options, including pastries from several local bakeries.

Best Chinese Restaurant

First Chinese B-B-Q

Established in 1982, a mainstay of the northern corridor Chinese commercial district, First Chinese B-B-Q is the place to go for traditional Chinese cuisine. Don't miss the flat noodles that arrive at the table with enormous slices of tender beef or the wonderful wonton. But the real reason to visit the First Chinese BBQ is the meat, the meat, the meat. And the sauce. The pork is maybe the best of the lot, with the perfect combination of chew and give. The sauce that drips off is so sweet it could be an ice cream topping. First Chinese also offers a full list of seafood dinners including Hong Kong style crab, lobster yee-mein noodles and spicy seafood combination. One little wrinkle, though: Don't forget to bring cash. They don't take plastic.

Best Of Dallas®

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