Where to brunch in Dallas: morning rooms worth the queue.
Where to brunch in Dallas. the morning rooms worth the queue, and the kitchens still doing it right at noon.
Encina on West Davis runs the city's most celebrated brunch in a Texas brasserie format: big, bold, and anchored by blue corn pancakes with cajeta that became so popular the mix now sells at H-E-B stores.
Order: Blue corn butterscotch pancakes with cajeta drizzle and bacon
Tip: Saturday books faster than Sunday. Blue corn pancakes are the signature; the turkey hash and chorizo biscuits are close behind. The patio fills by 10:30am.
Georgie on Travis Street is a Michelin-recommended restaurant where French chef Bruno Davaillon runs a Sunday-only brunch built on classical technique: salmon Benedict, bread pudding, and French toast Suzette in a sunlit dining room.
Order: Beet-cured salmon Benedict; duck confit bread pudding
Tip: Sunday brunch only; no Saturday brunch. Reserve two weeks out. Caviar service is available as an add-on and worth the price. Dinner starts at 5pm Sunday if you want to extend the day.
Revolver Taco Lounge in Deep Ellum runs the best brunch buffet in Dallas every Sunday: $35 buys all-you-can-eat menudo, chilaquiles, carnitas in clay pots, mole, ceviche, cafe de olla, and tortillas hand-pressed and cooked live in front of you.
Order: Freshly pressed heirloom corn tortillas made tableside; mole and carnitas clay pots
Tip: Arrive at 11am when the clay pots are freshest. Groups of 5 or more need a reservation. The menudo and the mole are the anchor dishes; the tortilla counter is the showpiece.
Sadelle's from Major Food Group brings its New York Jewish brunch institution to Highland Park Village: a $140 multi-tiered bagel tower stacked with lox, whitefish, tuna salad, and sturgeon is the theatrical centrepiece.
Order: The Sadelle's bagel tower with smoked salmon, whitefish, and sturgeon
Tip: The bagel tower is meant for two to four people. Weekend brunch gets booked; weekday mid-morning is the secret window. Ask for the interior corner booth for the best room view.
Oddfellows on the premier corner of Bishop Arts District is one of Bishop Arts' most established all-morning brunch spots. The fried chicken and waffles with crisp house-seasoned chicken and maple butter is the neighbourhood's most imitated dish.
Order: Fried chicken and waffles with maple butter
Tip: Weekend waits run 20-40 minutes by 10am; online check-in available. Duck bacon is house-made. The rooftop is the pick on cool days. Dinner kicks in at 5pm if you want to linger.
Beside the Granada Theater on Lower Greenville: rooftop patio, $2 mimosas all afternoon, and a full New American brunch menu.
Order: Chicken biscuits; $2 house mimosas
Tip: $2 mimosas run until 3pm daily, seven days a week. The rooftop patio is the pull; arrive by 10:30am on Saturday for patio seats. Gluten-free and vegetarian options throughout the menu.
Knox Bistro on Knox Street is a Michelin-recommended French casual that serves what is widely called the best brunch burger in Dallas: a Burger au Poivre built on a brioche bun with black pepper pan sauce, fries, and a glass of something Burgundian.
Order: Burger au poivre; croissant with seasonal jam
Tip: The burger is the call. The croissant service at the table is complimentary. Book ahead for Saturday; Sunday is slightly looser. Dinner opens at 4pm if you want to extend.
Xaman Cafe on Jefferson Boulevard is Oak Cliff's most distinctive brunch room: pre-Hispanic clay cantarito cups carry both espresso drinks and cocktails, and the chilaquiles with heirloom corn chips and chorizo are the best in the city.
Order: Chilaquiles with chorizo in rojo or verde; clay cantarito espresso drink
Tip: Walk-in only. Get there by 9:30am on Sunday or expect a line. Order the rojo version of the chilaquiles for the richer sauce. The agave bar opens at noon for mezcal-based brunch cocktails.
Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum is the quintessential Texas BBQ brunch: pitmasters fire the post-oak smokers overnight and serve brisket, ribs, sausage, and smoked turkey from 11am on weekends until the meat runs out, typically by 3pm.
Order: Brisket plate with jalapeño cheddar sausage and banana pudding
Tip: The line starts forming at 10:30am on Saturday. Order the brisket and the jalapeño cheddar sausage in a single plate. The banana pudding sells out before the meat; grab it early.
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. The huevos rancheros and breakfast tacos are unchanged from the original recipes and the red salsa is made from scratch each morning.
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. The breakfast taco with chorizo and egg on a fresh flour tortilla has been the standard since 1949.
Resident Taqueria on East Northwest Highway is a chef-driven taqueria with the best breakfast taco execution in North Dallas: house-pressed flour tortillas, slow-smoked brisket, and a fresh-green-chile salsa made from scratch each morning.
Order: Brisket breakfast taco on fresh flour tortilla; smashed avocado with cotija
Tip: Opens at 7am daily, which makes it the best pre-10am option in North Dallas. The smashed avocado with cotija and the brisket taco are the essential order. No wait on weekday mornings.