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 to secure their order.
Must 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.
Address: 13628 Gamma Rd, Dallas, TX 75244
A family-owned Lemmon Avenue institution since 1981 whose brisket taco created a Dallas archetype. The combination plate with cheese enchiladas and chili gravy is the city's most-imitated plate.
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.
Founded 1918 by Mike Martinez, this is the restaurant most historians credit with formalising the Tex-Mex combination plate in Dallas. The McKinney location is the flagship; four Dallas locations remain open.
Order: Cheese enchiladas with chili gravy. The daily combo plate.
Tip: The weekday lunch combo runs under $12. The chili gravy here is the reference version for the style.
The street-taco counter of one of Dallas's most creative Mexican operations. Order at the bar, eat at the communal table, and consider booking Purepecha if you want the full tasting-menu experience next door.
Order: Al pastor tacos at the counter. The Sunday brunch taco buffet.
Tip: Sunday brunch buffet at the Elm St Gastro Cantina runs 11am-3pm. The main counter is more casual and faster.
A Design District BBQ lunch room that built its reputation on the smoked pork chop, a cut most Dallas operations overlook. Closes when the meat runs out, usually well before 3pm on weekends.
Order: Smoked pork chop. Beef brisket half-pound. The mac and cheese.
Tip: Go Tuesday or Wednesday for the most relaxed experience. Arrive at 11am on weekends or the pork chop will be gone.
A Lake Highlands chef-driven taqueria that starts serving at 7:30am and closes by 9pm. The breakfast tacos and slow-braised fillings place it consistently on D Magazine's best lists despite being far from the tourist circuit.
Order: Breakfast tacos; slow-braised fillings that change weekly.
Tip: Weekday morning is the quietest window. The bar extension makes evening visits much more pleasant than before.
An Oak Cliff Tex-Mex hold-out in the same W Illinois Avenue spot since 1949. The enchiladas here are as honest as Tex-Mex gets: chili gravy, fresh tortillas, and none of the compromise that larger operations introduce.
Order: Cheese enchiladas. Combination plate. Chips and queso on arrival.
Tip: Cash-friendly neighbourhood spot. Closed Sunday-Tuesday. The combination plate feeds two people if you order chips to start.
