Frisco's Best Restaurants, From Upscale to Hidden Gems

Frisco has a surprisingly diverse range of restaurants for a city that had a population of just over 6,000 in 1990. There's a prime farm-to-table restaurant, stellar barbecue and a bounty of Mediterranean and Asian restaurants. Over the years, we've sauntered north to check out the different offerings, and here are our favorites.

The Heritage Table

7110 Main St.

There's no mistake that The Heritage Table is one of the best restaurants in North Texas, a true farm-to-table culinary excursion sourcing from local farms as much as possible and employing a whole-animal philosophy. James Beard nominated chef Rich Vana's from-scratch, upscale comfort food includes country-fried chicken piccata, chicken-pot pie, fried green tomatoes and honey rolls that will melt your soul. Don't skip the chocolate silk pie. Reservations are highly recommended.

Hutchins Barbecue

9225 Preston Road

Hutchins has two locations, one in McKinney and the other in Frisco — both brilliant. Serving Central Texas-style barbecue in a comfortable setting, Hutchins has top-notch brisket and house-made sausages. Texas Monthly has anointed Hutchins as a top-50 barbecue spot, notably for the sides. We're partial to the Texas Twinkies: brisket-stuffed grilled jalapenos wrapped in bacon and smothered in barbecue sauce.

Baonecci

7151 Preston Road

When Observer food writer Hank Vaughn isn't making dishes from The Bear or talking about his nonna's Bolognese, he ransacks North Texas looking for authentic (or passable) Italian fare. He found something close at Baonecci in Frisco, where the Gambaccini family makes dishes from their native Lucca, Italy. The fagioli all'uccelletto and tordelli lucchesi (ravioli with house-made pork and beef Bolognese sauce) were wonderful and — bonus — "were served up by a warm and friendly family," as Vaughn wrote in his review.

Kenny's Burger Joint

1377 Legacy Drive

The thing we like about Kenny's Burger Joint is that it's actually not a joint at all. They have a wine list, are full-service, and the house-ground patties are seared over a wood-burning grill, imbuing that unbeatable smoky essence. Buns are baked daily by a local bakery. Cheese fan you say? Go for the mushroom Brie burger. Finish that off with a boozy milkshake like the Attitude Changer with Stoli and Godiva.

88 Baobao

4800 Eldorado Parkway

This family-run California restaurant set up shop in Frisco early this year. The name 88 Baobao is a reference to the original restaurant on 88th Street in Dublin, California, and also a lucky number. Everything on the menu here is below $15, and you'll want to focus on the seven varieties of pan-fried dumplings, bao buns, scallion pancakes, or the dim sum experience. You can watch the owner's parents, Tom and Lisa Chen, pulling and rolling dough through the large window to the kitchen.

German Doner Kebab

12025 University Dr.

Sure, this spot is a chain, but the fare is hard to find in these parts — done well at least. GDK, as it's known, specializes in the ultimate German street food: doner kebabs. Meat cooks on a rotating spit and is shaved to order. There's beef, chicken and a vegetarian black-been patty option. The highlight here might be the signature bread that is waffle-pressed and lighter than the typical gyro bread. You'll want to pack that bread with sauces, red cabbage, lettuce and chunks of tomatoes for one of the fattest gyros you'll ever meet.

Somisomi

9292 Warren Parkway

Originally from Los Angeles' Koreatown, Somisomi specializes in Asian-flavored soft serve ice cream put into warm taiyakis (gold fish-shaped waffle cones), which are both crispy and chewy. Choose from Nutella, custard, red bean, matcha custard or black sesame soft serve. Of course, there are toppings.

Spitz Mediterranean

6851 Warren Parkway

Spitz Mediterranean offers street food like gyros, doner wraps and Berliner fries, which are fries topped with a red sauce, tzatziki sauce, cabbage, carrot slaw, cucumber, tomato, feta, olives, corn and peperoncini. After inhaling one of their vibrant and massive kebabs, get a Unicorn Roll ($3.50), filo dough pastry filled with a honey-roasted nut blend and drizzled in chocolate sauce. Another sweet option is the cinnamon sugar pita ($6.50), crispy deep-fried strips of pita bread coated in a sugar and cinnamon.