Last month, we updated our 50 Best Restaurants list with a new slate of Dallas’ finest places to eat and drink. A lot of them are new to the list: new openings since our last update (in late summer 2021) or spots that had kept themselves a little bit under the radar.
My favorite part of my job is getting to talk about the restaurants I love. So let’s do a quick little recap of the newcomers to our 50 Best Restaurants list, to help you decide which to visit next. In contrast to the actual list, I’ll inject a little more personal commentary here. Where available, we link to previous D articles about each business.
Instead of writing about the newcomers in the order they appear on the list, I’m mixing things up by putting them in alphabetical order here. Although the rankings on the 50 Best list were selected to have meaning, they don’t have that much meaning. All 50 are among my beloved favorites. I don’t want people to start at the top and work their way down.
Meet the Newcomers to Our 50 Best Restaurants in Dallas
Alamo Club
I’m guessing that this Greenville Avenue bar is one of the more surprising inclusions on the list, but it shouldn’t be. “The only second-class joint in town” has the only first-class slogan in town, but it also has serious service pedigree. Austin Rodgers, former general manager of Town Hearth, keeps things running brilliantly. It’s a distillation of the Nick Badovinus restaurants he previously worked at, but more casual and affordable than any of them.
Beatrice
We’re all smitten with this addition to Oak Cliff, which has woven itself into the community by hiring local staff, sourcing produce from urban Dallas farms, and spotlighting Black- and women-owned wine and spirit brands. Oh, and Beatrice also steps up Dallas’ Cajun food scene and serves a mean crawfish boil.
Beba BBQ
Pakistani barbecue is sweeping across North Texas, though it’s not the kind of barbecue Texans associate with the word. Its kebabs are grilled, not smoked. They still come across smokey from the char of the grill. If you haven’t started following this trend, Beba BBQ is the best place to begin. (I wrote more about Pakistani barbecue for the Dallas Morning News before joining D.)
Bilad Bakery and Restaurant
An institution in the Dallas area’s Middle Eastern community, Bilad is divided in two: a grocery side and a restaurant side. Their fresh-baked bread and hand-stacked shawarma makes for a Hall of Fame-caliber sandwich.
Billy Can Can
When tourists visit me and ask for a kitschy “Texas” experience, I take them straight to Billy Can Can. This goofy saloon, with its taxidermied critters, old-timey art, frosted mirrors, and mustachioed bartenders, backs up the vibes with pretty darn good food.
Cabritos Los Cavazos
In a city full of Mexican dining options, this one offers something unique: whole cabrito (kid goat) slow-cooked over the coals. You can order just a portion or plate, too.
Cosmo’s
One of East Dallas’ favorite neighborhood bars is also such a good Vietnamese restaurant, even other Vietnamese chefs have expressed their envy to me. Jackson Tran’s pho is probably the most flavorful in town.
Cry Wolf
This is a former Subway, but where sandwich artists once slapped together BMTs, chefs Ross Demers, Mike Stites, Diana Zamora, and crew create some of Dallas’ most individual, daring dinners. Regulars are becoming as fiercely loyal here as Lucia’s fans are in Oak Cliff.
Ebesu
If you want the quality of a Tei-An or Tei Tei Robata at a lower price and in a more casual suburban environment, Ebesu is the place to go.
Highland Noodles
This Frisco spot is the current leader among Chinese noodle spots in North Texas, which is high praise, because that’s a big, strong market.
Knox Bistro
Executive chef Michael Ehlert’s calming French bistro is the perfect spot for lunch, and it is reliable on seafood classics, too. Plan your visit around the nightly specials.
Koryo Korean BBQ
This is the rebirth of a longtime Dallas classic, Koryo Kalbi. The new Koryo is a little fancier and has better architectural amenities (like ventilation and private dining rooms), but it is otherwise the spot we’ve known and loved for years.
Maskaras Mexican Grill
Guadalajaran specialties and lucha libre gear—what could be better? My go-to is the torta ahogada, a sandwich literally drowned in salsa.
Milagro Tacos Cantina
This is the reincarnation of the beloved Tacos Mariachi, with an almost totally identical menu of Tijuana-style seafood tacos, perfectly executed.
Partenope Ristorante
This has become my go-to pre-show dinner spot before heading over to the Majestic or the Arts District. Terrific Neapolitan pizzas, just the right size to share with another person and an appetizer or two.
Revolver Gastro Cantina
The latest twist in the Revolver Taco Lounge empire is Gastro Cantina, a long bar full of strong drinks, the same classic tacos, and new snacks like the incredible birria wontons.
Roots Southern Table
Chef Tiffany Derry’s ode to her Beaumont heritage, and a love letter to Southern cooking’s way with vegetables, is full of big, flavorful dishes like jerk lamb, but don’t overlook the seasonal salads.
Rye
I placed Rye in the top 10 overall as a provocation, to get people thinking about what might be the most creative kitchen in Dallas. Their latest move? Sauerkraut cake!
Saigon Block
You can pop in for a bowl of pho, but you can also celebrate a special occasion with friends at this Vietnamese restaurant, which specializes in the kinds of banquet feasts that, in Vietnam, might mark holidays or major life events.
Shoyo
One of two new omakase spots to open since our 2021 update, Shoyo is a chattier, livelier, slightly less traditional experience. (See Tatsu below for the other option.)
Sister
Some striking and probably unwarranted New York Times hype got a lot of attention around town, but don’t start a backlash. Sister is a very solid neighborhood Italian spot with lively decor and good wines.
Smokey Joe’s BBQ
This has been an underrated Oak Cliff spot for decades, but Kris Manning has taken his family business to a new level, combining the best of a variety of Central Texas and East Texas traditions.
SpicyZest Sri Lankan Fusion
If you’ve never tried Sri Lankan food, this is the best place to start. It’s the only place, too—but the hospitality, family-friendly feel, and quality are tops. Plus, there’s an attached bar and grocery section.
Taco y Vino
This is the Bishop Arts hangout spot where all the employees from all the other Bishop Arts hangout spots go to hang out.
Tatsu Dallas
With Shoyo, one of the two new omakase places to open, and the more tranquil, traditional of the two options, although we hear they have recently opened a bar in a side room. Probably the highest standard of service quality in Dallas.
Thunderbird Pies
Detroit is the pizza style at this East Dallas spot: thicker bottom crust, crispy burnt cheese along the edges, stripes of sauce down the center of each slice.
Trompo
Oak Cliff’s beloved taco joint now has an in-house burrito business, too, and a hopefully permanent home in Jefferson Tower.
Wu Wei Din
Although we haven’t gotten to try the new Lewisville location yet, the Plano original has become a Dallas classic. Get the golden kimchi. Even if you don’t know what that means—I didn’t at first—get the golden kimchi.
Zavala’s Barbecue
Every so often, I make the trek out to Grand Prairie for the glorious cheesy hominy, spicy jalapeño slaw, and bacony potato salad. Oh, and the barbecue, too.
Zoli’s Pizza
All I’ll say about this is that I now own multiple Zoli’s T-shirts.