$40-$80 per personDaily from 7am (all-day brasserie)Book Walk-in or 1 week ahead
All-day French brasserie at Preston Center under Culinary Director Bruno Davaillon, formerly of the Michelin-starred Bullion. The Paris-Brest and steak frites carry his training forward in a 4,000-sqft room with 150 seats and a covered patio.
Tip: Weekday lunch is when the kitchen is calmest and the prix-fixe value is strongest. The covered patio is a year-round option.
$50-$90 per personbishop-artsWed-Thu 5pm-9pm, Fri 5pm-9:30pm, Sat 10am-9:30pm, Sun 10am-2pmBook 1 week ahead
Chef Matt Balke's Bishop Arts New American in the former Bolsa space, where Southern-inflected cooking and a thoughtful wine list run Wednesday through Sunday. The blue corn pancakes at brunch are a Dallas cult item.
Tip: The weekend brunch is more popular than dinner. The covered patio is the most pleasant seat in the house.
$40-$80 per personknox-hendersonMon-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12pm-11pmBook Walk-in or 1 week ahead
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.
$80-$120 per personBook 2-3 weeks ahead
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.
$20-$40 per personWed-Sun 11am-3pm or sold outBook Walk-in only ahead
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.
$70-$110 per personBook 2 weeks ahead
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.