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.
Address: 6047 Lewis St, Dallas, TX 75206
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.
The Deep Ellum BBQ institution that put Dallas on every national food map. The weekend beef rib, the brisket by the pound, and the lively brick room on Main Street make this the canonical first stop for any serious visitor.
Tip: Arrive at 11am to beat the queue. The beef rib is a Saturday and Sunday special; arrive by noon or it will be gone.
Michelin one-star French bistro in Uptown's The Quad that earned its star 48 days after opening in 2025. Chef De Lellis brings Vegas Joël Robuchon technique to a bistronomie format: Dover sole, veal Cordon Bleu, pommes purée.
Tip: Reservations release 30 days ahead at midnight CST. Order the Dover sole and save room for the Paris-Brest.
Dallas's original Michelin-starred restaurant, retained its one star for the second consecutive year in 2025. Omakase of 13-15 pieces of nigiri and 2-3 appetizers in the Continental Gin Building, Deep Ellum. Seatings at 5:30pm and 7:45pm.
Tip: Reservations open on the 1st and 15th of each month at 8am CST on Tock and sell out within minutes. Set a calendar reminder.
