Spanish tapas and one of the largest Spanish wine selections in the United States in a Knox-Henderson setting. The wine list reaches 400 bottles and the patio is one of the best outdoor dining rooms in Dallas.
Tip: The sherry selections deserve more attention than they usually get. The pan con tomate is the right first order.
Address: 3011 N Henderson Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
The second of Lucia's two fine-dining slots (dinner only), where the full a la carte menu runs with all house-cured and house-made items. The wine list by Jennifer Uygur reaches into small Italian producers.
Tip: Ask for the cheese course at the end. It is not on the menu but the kitchen puts one together on request.
The smoked pork chop at Slow Bone is the single most underrated cut in the Dallas BBQ landscape. A Design District lunch room open until the meat runs out, with 2024 press recognition for that chop.
Tip: The pork chop is gone by noon on Saturdays. The Design District location means the midweek crowd is lighter than Deep Ellum BBQ joints.
The evening programme at Mot Hai Ba, a Lakewood neighbourhood restaurant with Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition and a farm-to-table seasonal menu drawing from Vietnamese and French cooking traditions.
Tip: The wine list is short and well-chosen. Ask the server to recommend a bottle rather than scanning the list; the pairing advice is consistently good.
Evening service at Nonna, the Highland Park Italian with a wood-burning oven producing clam pizza and a pasta programme that earns its Michelin listing nightly. The lobster ravioli has appeared on every best-of list since the restaurant opened.
Tip: The wood-burning oven produces the best heat in winter. Request a table near the kitchen side for the best view.
Walk-in seating at Gemma's bar: the full dinner menu, a well-chosen wine list, and the same Bib Gourmand-level cooking without a reservation. The best way to experience one of Dallas's finest kitchens on short notice.
Tip: The bar seats six. Arrive before 6pm on weeknights to secure a spot without waiting.
The dinner programme at Frenchie, where Bruno Davaillon's Riviera-influenced French cooking runs from steak frites to whole roasted fish in a 150-seat brasserie with a 1,200-sqft covered patio.
Tip: The covered patio is the most coveted table in the house on warm evenings. The wine list leans Rhone and Languedoc.
