Texas BBQ brunch$18-$30deep-ellumSat-Sun 11am until sold out (usually by 3pm)Walk-in only; line forms before 11am
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.
Old-school Tex-Mex brunch$10-$18oak-cliffMon-Thu 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-10pmWalk-in
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.
Chef-driven breakfast taco brunch$12-$20lake-highlandsTue-Sat 7:30am-9pmWalk-in
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.
Texas brasserie brunch$18-$30bishop-artsWed-Thu 5pm-9pm, Fri 5pm-9:30pm, Sat 10am-9:30pm, Sun 10am-2pmResy, book a week ahead for Saturday
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.
French-American fine brunch$40-$70knox-hendersonSun 10:30am-3pmResy, two weeks ahead for Sunday
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.
Mexican buffet brunch$35 per persondeep-ellumSun 11am-3pmWalk-in or groups of 5+ via their website
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.
