The neighbourhood bistro Knox-Henderson deserves: small room, warm service, a Bib Gourmand, and a menu that borrows from France and Italy without being either. Book ahead.
Must order: Texas pecans with fried Castelvetrano olives; shrimp spaghetti; Meyer lemon tart.
Tip: Walk-ins at the bar are your best chance on short notice. The scone arrives before the menu and it is the best thing on the table.
Address: 2323 N Henderson Ave, Ste 109, Dallas, TX 75206
A Lakewood neighbourhood restaurant with two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands and a farm-driven menu that blends Vietnamese flavours with French technique. No pretension.
Order: Seasonal small plates that change monthly; the pork belly with lemongrass is a recurring standout.
Tip: Reservations open two weeks out on Resy and go quickly. Bring a party of four to cover more of the menu.
A Michelin-listed Highland Park Italian with a wood-burning oven producing some of the city's best pizza and a pasta programme that keeps the room full every night of the week.
Order: Wood-burning oven white clam pizza; ravioli of Maine lobster.
Tip: Friday lunch is the sleeper: the room quieter than dinner, clam pizza the same, fewer people competing for a table.
Operating since 1981, Mia's serves the brisket tacos that became a Dallas archetype. The original family recipes and the loyal crowd of regulars make this an institution on Lemmon Avenue.
Order: Brisket tacos, the dish that earned Mia's citywide loyalty. Cheese enchiladas with chili con carne.
Tip: The brisket taco was created by founder Butch Enriquez. The original recipe still runs the kitchen.
Founded 1918 by Mike Martinez, El Fenix is the oldest Tex-Mex chain in the US, credited with formalising the enchilada-chili-gravy combination plate Dallas loves.
Order: Cheese enchiladas with chili gravy. The combination plate that opened in 1918.
Tip: The McKinney Ave location is the flagship. The weekday lunch combo runs under $12 and changes daily.
The Dallas outpost of the Lockhart BBQ tradition, run by descendants of the original Kreuz Market bloodline. The no-sauce ethos and post-oak smoke produce shoulder clod unavailable at most other Dallas BBQ operations.
Order: Shoulder clod cooked 18-20 hours over post-oak. Brisket with no sauce on butcher paper.
Tip: The shoulder clod is a Central Texas rarity worth ordering over brisket on your first visit if you have not had it before.
Street tacos at the counter and, through a separate entrance, Purepecha: a prix-fixe tasting menu built on ancient Mexican techniques and corn imported weekly from Oaxaca. The Purepecha room is among the city's most ambitious tasting-menu formats.
Order: Al pastor tacos at the counter; if you can get into Purepecha, the eight-course tasting menu at $150.
Tip: Purepecha runs Thursday-Saturday by reservation only; the counter tacos are available all week without booking.
