Corn tortillas filled with yellow cheddar, rolled and blanketed in a dark brick-red chili gravy of dried chiles, beef tallow, flour and beef broth. The defining dish of Dallas Tex-Mex, served with rice and refried beans.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Miguel Martinez codified cheese enchiladas with chili gravy at El Fenix in Dallas in the 1920s, adapting a recipe he developed as a cook at the Oriental Hotel. The chili gravy format, distinct from the mole or chile sauce of interior Mexico, became the signature of Dallas and Fort Worth Tex-Mex and spread across every combination-plate restaurant in the state. El Fenix has served the same recipe since 1918.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. The chili gravy should be the consistency of a loose bechamel. Too thick and it dries out in the oven; too thin and it makes the tortillas soggy.
The oldest Tex-Mex restaurant in Dallas, operating since 1918. Open mon-thu 11am-9pm, fri-sat 11am-10pm, sun 11am-9pm. At 1601 McKinney Ave.
Order: Combo plate: enchiladas, tamale, taco; cheese dip; sopapillas
Tip: The McKinney Ave location is the most accessible. The Tuesday special is the best value night. No reservations needed; the turnover is fast.
The brisket taco at Mia's costs around $6 individually, making it an affordable way to experience Dallas's most definitive Tex-Mex taco. Located in Uptown.
Order: Two brisket tacos; house margarita (happy hour); rice and beans
Tip: Happy hour runs daily from 4-7pm with discounted margaritas. Two tacos and a drink is the sweet spot for a budget Mia's visit.
Herrera's Cafe on W Illinois Avenue has been serving Tex-Mex breakfast since 1949, making it the oldest continuous Tex-Mex brunch counter in Dallas.
Order: Breakfast tacos; huevos rancheros with house red salsa since 1949
Tip: Cash preferred, card accepted. Go early; the line builds from 9am on weekends.
Mariano Martinez invented the frozen margarita machine on May 11, 1971 at his original East Dallas restaurant. Located in Lakewood. Priced at $$.
Order: The frozen margarita, made from the tradition of the 1971 original machine invention.
Tip: The history of the margarita machine is on the wall. The original machine is now in the Smithsonian, but the recipe continues here.
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