French Brasserie$$$uptownDaily from 07:00 (all-day brasserie)
All-day French brasserie at Preston Center, open from breakfast through dinner with a 1,200-sqft covered patio and a casual format that makes the serious.
Order: Croque-monsieur at lunch. The Paris-Brest dessert.
Tip: The all-day format means you can treat this as a cafe in the morning, a lunch spot.
Vietnamese$$$lakewoodTue-Thu 17:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 17:00-23:00, Sun 17:00-21:00, Mon closed
Michelin-recommended Mot Hai Ba on Lewis Street blends modern French technique with Vietnamese soul in a casual East Dallas room. Located in Lakewood.
Order: Seasonal pho; spring rolls with heirloom vegetables
Tip: Tuesday through Thursday is the easiest booking window. The seasonal menu changes frequently; the pho preparation is always the dish to watch.
Texas Bbq$$deep-ellumMon 11:00-15:00, Tue-Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri 11:00-21:00, Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00
Deep Ellum's most-visited dining room: long communal tables, cold beer, and brisket that made national food media relocate their coverage of Texas BBQ.
Order: Beef brisket by the pound. Jalapeño cheddar sausage. The beef rib on Saturdays.
Tip: The beef rib on Saturday is the highlight. Come at 11am or accept the queue. They sell out daily.
Texas Bbq$$bishop-artsSun-Thu 11:00-21:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00
The Bishop Arts BBQ institution run by descendants of Kreuz Market's original bloodline, maintaining the Central Texas no-sauce butcher-paper tradition.
Order: Shoulder clod cooked 18-20 hours. Brisket on butcher paper with no sauce.
Tip: If you have not had shoulder clod, this is the place to start. Cooked 18-20 hours over post-oak, it is not available at most Dallas BBQ joints.
Texas Bbq$$planoWed-Fri 10:00-14:00, 1st Saturday of each month 10:00-14:00
The suburban BBQ pilgrimage: Michelin Bib Gourmand, Texas Monthly Top 50, Akaushi Wagyu and Duroc pork, and a loyal following that lines up before 10am.
Order: Akaushi Wagyu brisket. The Toddfather sandwich.
Tip: BYOB. Credit card only. Pre-order whole meats for the best selection. Closed most of the week.
Tex-mex$$uptownMon-Sat 11:00-21:30, Sun 11:00-21:00
A family-owned Lemmon Avenue institution since 1981 whose brisket taco created a Dallas archetype. Located in Uptown. Kitchen leans tex-mex.
Order: Brisket tacos. Cheese enchiladas. Mama's ribeye con hongos.
Tip: Expect a wait on weekend evenings. The brisket taco was created by founder Butch Enriquez in 1981; the recipe is unchanged.