Hey, Mavs' Draft Pick Dereck Lively, Here Are the Best Food Spots in Dallas

Dallas is a dining destination. The city has cuisine from around the world, from high-end restaurants to must-try hole-in-the-wall joints. There’s something for everyone. But with so many options, choosing a place to eat can be daunting, especially for newcomers.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II finds himself in such a predicament. The 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft recently asked his nearly 15,000 Twitter followers for recommendations.

What’s the best food spots in Dallas?🤔

— Dereck Lively II (@DereckLively) July 2, 2023

The replies poured in, but unfortunately, many of the suggestions were middling at best. Don’t worry, Dereck, the Dallas Observer is here to help you navigate Dallas’ food scene.

While far from a definitive list of the best Dallas has to offer — we have that covered, too — these 11 spots are Dallas favorites. They should help satisfy your appetite and introduce you to the city's wide variety of food. Dig in and enjoy, Dereck.

AllGood Cafe

2934 Main St.

This Deep Ellum anchor serves great food most hours of the day, but it fills up every morning for breakfast. It’s hard to beat AllGood's traditional Breakfast #2 with eggs, your choice of meat and two buttermilk pancakes. However, it's the “World’s Best” chicken fried steak smothered in cream gravy that keeps bellies full and customers coming back.

Avila’s

4714 Maple Ave.

There’s no shortage of places serving Tex-Mex in Dallas, but Avila’s stands out in a saturated market. The family-owned favorite has been dishing out authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes for over 30 years. It gained national fame with visits from celebrities like Guy Fieri and Eric Wareheim. From spicy salsa to enchiladas and pozole to mole, the menu doesn't disappoint.

Cattleack Barbeque

13628 Gamma Road

Since opening in 2010, Cattleack has been serving up some of the best barbecue in Dallas and Texas. It’s so good that Texas Monthly's barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn ranked Cattleack No. 6 on the magazine’s most recent list of the top 50 barbecue joints in the state. Texas barbecue is all about brisket, and Cattleack does it better than almost anyone. Check the limited hours before heading over or sign up for email alerts for when the line is short.

Jimmy’s Food Store

4901 Bryan St.

Jimmy’s has a little bit of everything. The iconic East Dallas Italian grocer carries all you need to make a homemade carbonara or Bolognese sauce along with an impressive selection of Italian wines. Around lunchtime, guests crowd the back counter and eagerly order one of the best sandwiches in the city, like the Italian beef, meatball or muffuletta.

Loro

1812 N. Haskell Ave.

An Austin transplant, Loro quickly became a Dallas favorite. The brainchild of chef Tyson Cole of Uchi and Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue, the smokehouse serves up Texas barbecue with an Asian influence. Loro’s happy hour is extremely popular, with drink and food specials like smoked wings and a pulled pork sandwich with papaya salad, peanuts, yuzu kosho aioli and Thai herbs.

Lucia

287 N. Bishop Ave.

Spend any time with someone who enjoys Dallas dining, and they’ll tell you about a meal they had at Lucia. In fact, they’ll downright gush about it. That’s because Lucia is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. This isn’t a neighborhood red sauce spot, though. Lucia specializes in house-cured salumi, handmade pasta, pâtés and house-made bread. Reservations are a must.

Petra and the Beast

Chef and owner Misty Norris is a culinary mad scientist. With an in-house focus on quirky cured meats and handmade pasta, Petra takes a unique — and sometimes odd — approach to flavors and textures but makes them approachable. A move to a new, bigger location in Lakewood should happen in August with plenty of fanfare; until then, Petra is closed for the month of July. Check the website for the new address.

Revolver Taco Lounge

2701 Main St.

Dallas is full of tacos. The quality, care and tradition found at Revolver make the place stand out. Tortillas are made with masa from heirloom corn, and many dishes are cooked on a Japanese yakitori grill. Everything is good, but the traditional tacos — carnitas, al pastor, lengua and calabacita — shine.

Sandwich Hag

1902 Botham Jean Blvd.

The unassuming, standalone building with a walkup window in The Cedars serving Vietnamese fare simply knocks it out of the park when it comes to flavor. Banh mi sandwiches at Sandwich Hag do the heavy lifting, but chef Reye Duong, recently nominated for a James Beard Award, keeps the menu lively and exciting with rotating specials.

Wingfield’s Breakfast and Burger

2615 S. Beckley Ave.

In a city full of good burgers, Wingfield’s stands out. There’s nothing fancy or pretentious about it — there’s no seating inside — but the ingredients are fresh, and burgers are made to order. Given the girth of the burger patties, it’s wise to stick with a single. Ordering a double or triple isn’t for novice eaters.

Xamán Café and Ayahuasca Cantina

334 W. Jefferson Blvd.

Influenced by Central Mexican flavors, Xamán Café focuses on brunch with dishes like chilaquiles, gourmet molletes with quail egg, coffee and sotol cocktails. Ayahuasca Cantina, located in a separate room in the back, offers an entirely different dining experience. The scratch menu, created by chef Hugo Galvan, features complex, flavorful and inspired Contempo-Mexican dishes, like agua chile ahumado or tlayuda de campo, served tapas style.