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Dallas has exploded onto the national food scene with restaurants that showcase everything from smoky Texas barbecue to refined international cuisine. Food lovers visiting the Big D can find incredible flavors in every neighborhood, from Deep Ellum’s trendy spots to upscale dining in the Design District. These ten restaurants represent the absolute best of what Dallas has to offer hungry travelers and locals alike.
1. Tatsu Dallas: Omakase Magic in Deep Ellum
Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi creates edible art at this intimate 10-seat counter where every morsel tells a story. The fish arrives daily from Tokyo’s legendary Toyosu Market, ensuring unparalleled freshness.
Diners surrender to the chef’s vision during the two-hour experience, watching as he crafts perfect bites of nigiri with practiced precision. The sake pairings complement each course brilliantly.
Reserve months in advance for this Michelin-starred experience—the waitlist is notoriously long. At $100+ per person, it’s a splurge that serious sushi lovers consider absolutely worthwhile.
2. Pecan Lodge: Barbecue Royalty Worth the Wait
Lines form early outside this Deep Ellum institution, where pitmaster Justin Fourton’s brisket develops a peppery bark and melty interior during 18-hour smoking sessions. Grab friends to tackle ‘The Trough’—a feast of ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausage, and wings that showcases Texas barbecue at its finest.
Mac and cheese topped with bacon crumbles provides the perfect creamy counterpoint to the smoky meats. Their banana pudding offers a sweet finish that locals rave about.
Pro tip: Skip the line by ordering 5+ pounds of meat at the Express counter or arriving Tuesday when crowds thin out.
3. Cattleack Barbeque: The Hidden Gem That’s Worth Hunting Down
Smoked meat enthusiasts whisper about this Farmers Branch treasure with almost religious reverence. Open only Thursday and Friday (plus one Saturday monthly), Cattleack’s limited schedule creates an air of exclusivity that matches its extraordinary food quality.
Owner Todd David’s pastrami beef ribs—available only on the first Friday each month—have achieved legendary status among barbecue aficionados. Every bite delivers intense flavor from the 14-hour smoking process.
The Toddfather sandwich stacks brisket, pulled pork, and sausage with slaw for a magnificent handheld feast. Come hungry and come early—they close when the meat runs out!
4. El Carlos Elegante: Mexican Cuisine Reimagined
Tucked into Dallas’s Design District, this stylish hotspot reimagines Mexican cuisine through a contemporary lens. The bone-in pork chop with charred carrot mole exemplifies chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman’s innovative approach to traditional flavors.
Handmade tortillas arrive warm at your table, perfect for scooping up the restaurant’s signature sikil pak—a Yucatecan pumpkin seed dip that’s utterly addictive. The cocktail program deserves special mention for its creative use of Mexican spirits.
The vibrant dining room buzzes with energy, making it perfect for special occasions. Reservations are essential, especially for weekend dinners when Dallas’s fashionable crowd fills every seat.
5. Roots Southern Table: Chef Tiffany Derry’s Soulful Innovation
Television chef Tiffany Derry brings her grandmother’s recipes into the 21st century at this Farmers Branch gem. Her duck fat fried chicken—impossibly juicy with a shatteringly crisp crust—has earned national acclaim and repeat customers.
Family-style sides like black-eyed pea hummus and cast iron cornbread honor Southern traditions while introducing surprising new elements. The restaurant’s warm hospitality matches its soulful food, making everyone feel like they’ve come home.
Save room for the peach cobbler topped with buttermilk ice cream—it’s the perfect sweet ending to a meal that honors Black culinary heritage while pushing Southern cuisine forward in exciting new directions.
6. Terry Black’s Barbecue: Austin Legend Conquers Dallas
When the Black family brought their Austin barbecue legacy to Deep Ellum, Dallas meat lovers rejoiced. Their massive beef ribs—weighing nearly a pound each—feature a pepper-crusted exterior that gives way to tender, smoky meat that barely needs chewing.
The cafeteria-style service lets you customize your tray with sides like green chile mac and cheese or corn pudding. Watch pitmaster slicers carve your order with surgical precision at the cutting station.
Unlike many barbecue spots, Terry Black’s stays open until 9 PM, making it perfect for dinner. Their jalapeño-cheddar sausage delivers a perfect balance of heat, smoke, and cheesy goodness that pairs wonderfully with their house-made pickles.
7. Knife Dallas: Steakhouse Perfection with Texas Swagger
Chef John Tesar’s modern steakhouse in the Highland Dallas hotel revolutionized the city’s meat scene with its 240-day dry-aged steaks. The aging process concentrates flavors to create beef with almost cheese-like complexity that carnivores dream about.
Beyond traditional cuts, Knife offers adventurous options like the rarely seen chuck flap and culotte. Their bacon tasting—featuring five varieties of house-cured pork—makes an indulgent starter.
The Ozersky Burger, named for the late food writer Josh Ozersky, proves simplicity’s power: just American cheese, red onion, and beef on a white bun. No fancy toppings needed when the meat quality speaks this loudly.
8. Lucia: Bishop Arts Italian That Feels Like Family
Securing a reservation at this 36-seat Bishop Arts District treasure requires planning and persistence, but the reward is David Uygur’s soulful Italian cooking. His handmade pasta—perhaps delicate ravioli filled with seasonal ingredients or rich pappardelle with rabbit ragu—showcases technique refined through years of dedication.
The salumi board features house-cured meats that rival Italy’s finest, paired with crusty bread and pickled vegetables. Wine director Jennifer Uygur curates an Italian-focused list with approachable prices and surprising discoveries.
Despite earning national accolades, Lucia maintains an intimate, neighborhood feel. The restaurant’s small size creates an atmosphere where conversations flow between tables and guests leave feeling like they’ve discovered a delicious secret.
9. Tei-An: Soba Noodle Perfection in the Arts District
Owner-chef Teiichi Sakurai crafts Dallas’s finest Japanese cuisine at this serene Arts District restaurant. His handmade soba noodles—made daily from buckwheat he mills himself—demonstrate a mastery few chefs in America can match.
While the cold soba with dipping sauce showcases the noodles’ pure flavor, adventurous diners should try the white seaweed salad or sea urchin pasta. The omakase menu provides a comprehensive tour of Sakurai’s talent, from seasonal sashimi to perfectly grilled proteins.
Members gain access to the rooftop garden lounge—a hidden oasis for sake sipping with Dallas skyline views. Even after years of accolades, Tei-An remains refreshingly unpretentious despite its world-class cuisine.
10. Gemma: Henderson Avenue’s Farm-to-Table Jewel
Husband-wife team Stephen Rogers and Allison Yoder created this California-inspired oasis that shines with seasonal ingredients and impeccable service. The menu changes frequently but might include perfectly seared scallops with summer corn or heritage pork with stone fruit compote.
Their late-night dining option—full menu until 1 AM—makes Gemma a favorite among Dallas chefs unwinding after their shifts. The thoughtfully curated wine list features small producers and unexpected regions at fair prices.
The coastal-chic dining room, with its soft blue accents and natural light, feels simultaneously sophisticated and comfortable. Regulars know to save room for pastry chef Stephanie Childress’s desserts, especially her legendary coconut cream pie with lime zest.