Artisan Vapor Co.For something that evidence suggests can help people stop smoking, vaping gets a bad rap. That stems, we think, partly from the Wild West days of unregulated vaping, which pretty much allowed anyone with a garage and an internet connection to order gallons of propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin and toss whatever flavorings and nicotine […]
Texas Triffid RanchOK, “shop of horrors” is an overdramatic description of owner Paul Riddell’s gallery of carnivorous plants, which he recently moved from the former Valley View Center to a space near U.S. 75 and Spring Valley Road. You won’t find Audrey growling “feed me” among his custom-built terrariums of carnivorous and exotic plants. On the other […]
Starr StudiosWhile the Dallas of tomorrow may be crashing toward an all-digital internet of things, luckily there will remain holdouts to remind us of the power and beauty of old-school analog craftsmanship. Count Sean Starr and his wife, Kayleigh, among them. Their Starr Studios in Denton specializes in hand-painted and gold-leafed signs, each a unique and […]
Dallas StarsAfter failing to make the playoffs in the 2016-17 season, the Stars reloaded in earnest. Dallas’ hockey club brought back coach Ken Hitchcock, who led the team to its only Stanley Cup championship in 1999, traded for goaltender Ben Bishop and signed him to long-term extension, and signed Russian play-making forward Alexander Radulov to a […]
The Range at Tenison Park Golf CourseTop Golf and other bars that double as driving ranges are fine. They are places to have fun. But golfers aren’t looking for fun. They are looking for practice, damn it, and to become better at an unforgiving and endlessly challenging sport. That means grass tees, a good putting green and reasonable rates to burn […]
Junction Craft KitchenThe best top-to-bottom cheeseburger in the city right now is at Junction Craft Kitchen. The dry-aged beef, from Arrowhead in Kansas, is ground right into the Texas Akaushi (like wagyu) beef, along with fat from beef tenderloin for steak-level burgering. It’s cooked spot-on every time. Chef Joshua Harmon and crew build everything from the ground […]
Tom's Burgers and GrillThe first thing to love about Tom’s chicken-fried steak is the crunchy crust. The fried surface is made of Ruffles potato chips. The steak is bathed in buttermilk. The Tom behind Tom’s Burgers and Grill makes the steaks every morning, fresh as the bubbles in the gravy. Tom’s Burgers serves chicken-fried steak three ways: the […]
Jonathon's Oak CliffDiner art happens at Jonathon’s. The pillars of a great diner are in place: The patty melt is a picturesque statue of meat, cheese, buttery mushrooms and onions. The fried chicken gets a Tabasco-warmed buttermilk brine and is deep-fried until it’s shattering. Get there as Jonathon’s opens, and you’ll catch the sound of the smoking-hot […]
Sumo ShackThe hot-dog joint is an endangered species in Dallas. In this city, tube meats simply don’t get the same love as burgers. Only a few true joints are left to grab a great hot dog, which means the good ones, the really stellar dogs, stand out. The Tokyo Dog at the newly opened Sumo Shack […]
C. SeñorLess than two years ago, Dallas’ most underrated eatery swung open its window. The red banner above the ordering window still read “comederia” in chunky white letters from the former taco stand. A chalkboard hanging in front announced the menu: a Cubano, coffees, sides, a roasted turkey sandwich and a Cuban burger made with a […]
Chef Point CafeThis beautiful monstrosity of a bloody mary found inside a Watauga gas station leaves nothing to be desired. Topped with more than a meal’s worth of food (think bacon, a blistered jalapeño, jumbo shrimp, a slider, waffle fries, a piece of fried chicken and all the traditional garnishes), it’ll let you leave with a full […]
Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co.Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson launched Firestone & Robertson, maker of TX Whiskey and TX Bourbon, in 2010, long before a distilling boom brought other distilleries to DFW. It started with the original flavor that had delightful vanilla notes and has branched out to offer a bourbon. To answer demand, it’ll soon be opening a […]
The Standard PourThis Uptown food, drink and nightlife mainstay keeps us interested with seasonal cocktail menus and intriguing new flavors. Luckily, its happy hour — 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday — lets us try some drinks for just $5. Oh, and it offers some of the food from its scratch kitchen for the same low price. […]
Top KnotAn airy patio has it all: fans, a view, natural light and, of course, a great happy hour menu to enjoy some of its specialties for a bargain. The patio at Top Knot, the playful Modern American-meets-Pan-Asian restaurant above big sister Uchi, isn’t large, so if you want to dine al fresco, be ready for […]
HideThis impressive cocktail bar has massive windows and bubbly drinks that enliven and light up the whole neighborhood. While the bar uses chemistry-heavy drink prep, most of the necessary equipment — such as centrifuges, roto-vaporizers and lasers — is kept in the back to prevent it from coming off as gimmicky. The bar has an […]
Armoury D.E.Never did we think Hungarian goulash would become our favorite Dallas bar food, but here we are. Armoury D.E. in Deep Ellum has great drinks, sure, but we’re also huge fans of its homestyle eats. Its goulash — a traditional stew made with meat, potatoes and paprika — is a drinking-food standout, along with its […]
Kimbell Art MuseumEggs, cream, butter and flour. When combined just so, these humble ingredients can be transformed into something magnificent. The Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth knows a thing or two about this transformation. It has been baking quiches for lunchtime buffets for a few decades. While the flavor components change — an herby mélange one day, […]
NovaBacon gelato. Bacon-washed cocktails. Bacon foam on miniature bacon macarons. By making bacon into a marketable idea of a food rather than a simple ingredient, we have perhaps lost sight of just how good a simple BLT can be. But not Nova. This Oak Cliff eatery with a retro-chic vibe makes an old-fashioned, soul-restoring BLT. […]
Pier 247Pier 247’s brunch menu uses the words “creamy” and “grits” six times, and “bacon” appears seven times. And while much can be said for restraint when it comes to food, Pier 247’s offerings suggest that the best way to be abstemious is to moderate the amount of food you are eating that is not cloaked […]
IdleRyeWhat’s a little Polish, a little Cajun and a wee bit coastal? It’s IdleRye’s diverse culinary influences. IdleRye set up shop in Deep Ellum during late spring this year and quickly started delivering some of the best brunch dishes in town. We named it the grand daddy of brunch because it has brought a much-needed […]
Nimidu Senaratne at SpicyZestOpening a Sri Lankan restaurant in Farmers Branch would be a bold move for anyone. After all, it would be the first Sri Lankan eatery in North Texas, and one of just a handful in the United States. But SpicyZest is Nimidu Senaratne’s first restaurant, a passion project that has met with unanticipated success and […]
Rice ChickenWhen a restaurant makes just one thing, that thing better be damn good. Rice Chicken doesn’t really bother with side dishes or desserts; it just fries chicken. (Some of the side dishes, in fact, are more fried chicken, including the feet.) But, boy, is the main course spectacular. Think perfectly crisp, almost crunchy batter covering […]
