Photo: Matthew T Rader · CC BY-SA 4.0Restaurants
The best restaurants in Dallas, from legendary brisket and Tex-Mex institutions to Michelin-starred omakase, French bistronomie and gas-station tacos.
Finding the best restaurants in Dallas means exploring a food city with deep Texas roots and big ambitions.
Brisket, Tex-Mex and steak are local pillars, and the city claims some of the most famous barbecue in the state, but Dallas also has Michelin-starred restaurants, excellent Vietnamese and Indian cooking and creative chef-driven spots.
The Michelin Guide arrived in Texas in 2024 and has recognized Dallas restaurants every year since. This guide covers icons and newcomers, splurges and cheap eats, so you can eat well across the city.
The top pick in each category, at a glance.
| Category | Our pick | |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Tatsu Dallas | Reserve |
| By Cuisine | Cattleack Barbeque | Reserve |
| Fine Dining & Michelin-Starred Restaurants | Tatsu Dallas | Reserve |
| Most Romantic Restaurants | Mamani | Reserve |
| Rooftop & View Restaurants | Trinity Groves restaurants | Reserve |
| Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants | Kalachandji's | Reserve |
| Barbecue & Iconic Dallas Eats | Cattleack Barbeque | Reserve |
| New & Trendy Restaurants | Resident Taqueria | Reserve |
📍 Deep Ellum
Japanese$$$$· Intimate & precise
Tatsu Dallas is a small sushi counter serving an Edomae-style omakase, a chef's selection of carefully prepared nigiri. It became Dallas's first Michelin-starred restaurant in 2024 and has kept its star every year since. Seats are limited, so reservations are essential and should be made well in advance.
What to order: Edomae-style omakase
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Uptown
French-Italian$$$$· Elegant & convivial
Chef Christophe De Lellis, who spent years leading the kitchen at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, opened Mamani in Uptown and earned a Michelin star only weeks later, in 2025. The menu offers refined French and Italian bistro dishes in an elegant, warm setting. It kept its star in 2026. Book ahead.
What to order: Bistronomie classics
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 North Dallas
Barbecue$$· Casual & legendary
Cattleack is one of the most celebrated barbecue joints in North Texas, holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its brisket, ribs and sausages. It opens only on a few days each week, so check its schedule and arrive early, as lines form well before opening and meats can sell out.
What to order: Brisket
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Deep Ellum
Barbecue$$· Busy & casual
Pecan Lodge is a Deep Ellum barbecue institution, known for its brisket, beef ribs and sides, served in a casual, busy dining room. Expect a line, especially on weekends. In 2026, American Airlines even added its barbecue to some first-class menus.
What to order: Brisket and beef ribs
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Deep Ellum
Barbecue$$· Big & lively
The Dallas outpost of the Austin barbecue family serves Central Texas-style brisket, beef ribs and sausage cooked over post oak. It has plenty of seating, and lines tend to move quickly. It is on Main Street in Deep Ellum.
What to order: Beef ribs
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Lake Highlands
Tacos$· Casual & creative
Resident Taqueria serves creative tacos built on fresh tortillas and seasonal ingredients in Lake Highlands. It earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Texas guide, recognition for some of the best-value cooking in the city.
What to order: Tacos
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Lakewood
Vietnamese$$· Cozy & modern
Một Hai Ba serves modern Vietnamese cooking in a cozy restaurant in Lakewood, with dishes that reflect the chef's heritage and Texas ingredients. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Reservations are recommended.
What to order: Modern Vietnamese dishes
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Knox-Henderson
New American$$$· Warm & polished
Gemma, on Henderson Avenue, serves seasonal American cooking with Mediterranean influences and a thoughtful wine list. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and is a favorite for dinners with friends.
What to order: Seasonal American dishes
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Bishop Arts
Italian$$$· Intimate & beloved
Lucia is a small, much-loved Italian restaurant in the Bishop Arts District, known for its handmade pasta and house-cured salumi. It is recommended by the Michelin Guide. Tables are hard to get, so book well ahead.
What to order: Handmade pasta
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Downtown
Tex-Mex$· Classic & family-friendly
Founded in 1918, El Fenix is often described as the oldest restaurant in Dallas and a pioneer of Tex-Mex. Its flagship location on McKinney Avenue serves enchiladas, fajitas and combination plates, and the brand has several locations across the area.
What to order: Enchiladas
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Downtown
Tacos$· Quirky & 24-hour
This gas station near downtown has become famous for its inexpensive tacos, served at all hours. It is a quirky local tradition, complete with a small pasture of longhorns on the property. Opinions on the tacos vary, but the experience is pure Dallas.
What to order: Picadillo tacos
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Uptown
Contemporary American$$$$· Elegant & historic
Set in the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, a 1920s mansion turned hotel, this restaurant serves contemporary American cooking rooted in seasonal Texas ingredients. It is one of the city's classic special-occasion dining rooms.
What to order: Seasonal Texas dishes
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Knox-Henderson
Tacos$· Casual & playful
Velvet Taco opened its first location on Henderson Avenue in 2011 and has since grown into a chain known for creative tacos with global flavors. It is a fun, casual stop for a late-night bite.
What to order: Creative tacos
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 East Dallas
Vegetarian Indian$· Peaceful & unique
Located inside a Hare Krishna temple, Kalachandji's serves a vegetarian Indian buffet in a peaceful courtyard garden. Dishes with dairy are clearly marked for vegans. Check the hours, which vary through the week.
What to order: Vegetarian buffet
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Plano
Indian$$$$· Refined & intimate
Jashan, in Plano north of Dallas, offers modern Indian fine dining with a tasting menu that changes regularly. It is recommended by the Michelin Guide. Reservations are essential.
What to order: Indian tasting menu
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 West Dallas
Varied$$· Lively & scenic
Across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Trinity Groves gathers several restaurants and bars with views of the downtown skyline. It is a lively spot for dinner and drinks, especially at sunset.
What to order: Varied menus
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Downtown
Food hall$· Casual & local
The Dallas Farmers Market combines a produce market with a food hall, where vendors sell everything from tacos to coffee and baked goods. It is a good casual stop downtown.
What to order: Varied stalls
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve📍 Deep Ellum
Casual$· Late-night
Deep Ellum's many casual restaurants, taco shops and pizza places stay busy late into the night, fueling the crowds from the neighborhood's music venues and bars.
What to order: Late-night bites
📍 View on Google Maps →ReserveDallas's food scene is built on barbecue, Tex-Mex and steak, but it has grown far more diverse. Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Italian and French restaurants have earned national recognition. Use this list to find the best restaurant for whatever you are craving.
Barbecue $$
A Michelin Bib Gourmand barbecue legend, open on limited days.
What to order: Brisket
Barbecue $$
A Deep Ellum barbecue institution.
What to order: Brisket and beef ribs
Tex-Mex $
A Tex-Mex pioneer founded in 1918.
What to order: Enchiladas
Tacos $
Creative tacos with a Bib Gourmand.
What to order: Tacos
Japanese $$$$
A Michelin-starred sushi counter.
What to order: Omakase
French-Italian $$$$
A Michelin-starred bistro in Uptown.
What to order: Bistronomie dishes
Italian $$$
A beloved Italian spot in Bishop Arts.
What to order: Handmade pasta
Vietnamese $$
Modern Vietnamese with a Bib Gourmand.
What to order: Modern Vietnamese dishes
Indian $$$$
Modern Indian fine dining in Plano.
What to order: Tasting menu
Vegetarian Indian $
A vegetarian buffet in a temple garden.
What to order: Buffet
The Michelin Guide Texas, launched in 2024, has recognized a small group of Dallas restaurants with stars and Bib Gourmand awards. The city's top restaurants range from intimate sushi counters to elegant bistros and historic dining rooms.
Reserve well in advance and check the current guide, as selections change each year.
Japanese $$$$
Dallas's first Michelin star, kept every year since 2024.
What to order: Omakase
French-Italian $$$$
A Michelin star earned weeks after opening.
What to order: Bistronomie dishes
Contemporary American $$$$
A classic dining room in a historic mansion.
What to order: Seasonal Texas dishes
New American $$$
A Bib Gourmand favorite on Henderson Avenue.
What to order: Seasonal dishes
Italian $$$
Recommended by Michelin in Bishop Arts.
What to order: Handmade pasta
Indian $$$$
Recommended by Michelin in Plano.
What to order: Tasting menu
Vietnamese $$
A Bib Gourmand in Lakewood.
What to order: Modern Vietnamese dishes
Dallas's most romantic restaurants combine intimate rooms, refined cooking and a sense of occasion. Book ahead for weekend nights and ask for a quiet table.
French-Italian $$$$
An elegant, warm dining room in Uptown.
What to order: Bistronomie dishes
Japanese $$$$
An intimate counter for a special night.
What to order: Omakase
Contemporary American $$$$
Historic elegance on Turtle Creek.
What to order: Seasonal dishes
Italian $$$
A cozy Italian dinner in Bishop Arts.
What to order: Handmade pasta
New American $$$
A warm, polished room.
What to order: Seasonal dishes
Indian $$$$
A refined tasting menu experience.
What to order: Tasting menu
Varied $$
Dinner with skyline views at sunset.
What to order: Varied menus
Dallas's flat landscape makes height and skyline views special. The best views come from Reunion Tower's observation level, rooftop bars in hotels and the restaurants of Trinity Groves across the river.
Varied $$
Skyline views across the Trinity River.
What to order: Varied menus
Cafe $$
Drinks with 360-degree views at the GeO-Deck level.
What to order: Drinks and snacks
Bar bites $$
Several downtown and Uptown hotels have rooftop bars and pools with city views.
What to order: Cocktails
Varied $
Eat on the lawn with views of the Arts District towers.
What to order: Street food
Dallas is known for meat, but vegetarians and vegans can eat well too, especially at Indian, Vietnamese and Mexican restaurants that adapt easily, and at dedicated vegetarian spots.
Vegetarian Indian $
A vegetarian buffet in a Hare Krishna temple garden.
What to order: Vegetarian buffet
Vietnamese $$
Vietnamese dishes with vegetarian options.
What to order: Vegetable dishes
Tacos $
Creative tacos that can include vegetarian fillings.
What to order: Vegetable tacos
Tacos $
Several meat-free tacos on the menu.
What to order: Vegetarian tacos
Food hall $
Produce and vendors with vegetarian choices.
What to order: Varied stalls
Indian $$$$
Indian fine dining with vegetarian options.
What to order: Tasting menu
Some foods simply define Dallas. Brisket smoked for hours, Tex-Mex enchiladas, gas-station tacos and creative taco chains are part of the city's identity. These places are local institutions where you can eat the city's classics as locals do.
Barbecue $$
Lines form early for its Bib Gourmand barbecue.
What to order: Brisket
Barbecue $$
A Deep Ellum favorite.
What to order: Brisket
Barbecue $$
Central Texas-style barbecue in Deep Ellum.
What to order: Beef ribs
Tex-Mex $
Tex-Mex since 1918.
What to order: Enchiladas
Tacos $
Round-the-clock tacos at a gas station.
What to order: Tacos
Tacos $
A Dallas-born taco chain.
What to order: Creative tacos
Tacos $
A newer favorite with a Bib Gourmand.
What to order: Tacos
Dallas's restaurants are spread across many neighborhoods, each with its own style. Here is one standout restaurant for each of the city's main dining areas.
Japanese $$$$
Deep Ellum: a Michelin-starred sushi counter.
What to order: Omakase
French-Italian $$$$
Uptown: a Michelin-starred bistro.
What to order: Bistronomie dishes
Italian $$$
Bishop Arts: a beloved Italian restaurant.
What to order: Handmade pasta
New American $$$
Knox-Henderson: polished American cooking.
What to order: Seasonal dishes
Vietnamese $$
Lakewood: modern Vietnamese.
What to order: Modern Vietnamese dishes
Tacos $
Lake Highlands: creative tacos.
What to order: Tacos
Tex-Mex $
Downtown: a Tex-Mex pioneer.
What to order: Enchiladas
Vegetarian Indian $
East Dallas: a temple garden buffet.
What to order: Buffet
Varied $$
West Dallas: skyline views.
What to order: Varied menus
Indian $$$$
Plano: modern Indian fine dining.
What to order: Tasting menu
Dallas's restaurant scene keeps growing, with new openings every month and chefs drawing national attention. The Michelin Guide's annual Texas update is a good guide to what is generating buzz.
Openings and closings move fast, so check current hours and reservations before you go.
Tacos $
The newest Dallas Bib Gourmand in the 2026 guide.
What to order: Tacos
Indian $$$$
A newly recommended Indian tasting menu in Plano.
What to order: Tasting menu
French-Italian $$$$
Starred within weeks of opening in 2025.
What to order: Bistronomie dishes
Japanese $$$$
Still one of the hardest reservations in town.
What to order: Omakase
Vietnamese $$
A Bib Gourmand favorite.
What to order: Modern Vietnamese dishes
New American $$$
A long-running favorite with a Bib Gourmand.
What to order: Seasonal dishes
Dallas is known for Texas barbecue, especially brisket, Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas and fajitas, steakhouses and tacos. The frozen margarita machine was invented in Dallas, and the city has a strong Vietnamese and Mexican food scene.
Yes. In the 2026 Michelin Guide Texas, Tatsu Dallas and Mamani each hold one star. Several Dallas restaurants hold Bib Gourmand awards, including Cattleack Barbeque, Gemma, Một Hai Ba and Resident Taqueria. Selections change every year, so check the current guide.
Deep Ellum is known for barbecue and casual spots, Bishop Arts for independent restaurants, Uptown and Knox-Henderson for polished dining, and Lower Greenville and Lakewood for neighborhood favorites. Some acclaimed restaurants are in the suburbs, such as Plano.
For Michelin-starred restaurants and popular Uptown spots, yes, often well in advance. Barbecue joints usually work on a first-come basis, with lines on weekends, and some sell out early. Taquerias and casual places rarely take reservations.
Popular choices include Cattleack Barbeque, which holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and opens on limited days, Pecan Lodge and Terry Black's Barbecue in Deep Ellum. Arrive early, as the best cuts can sell out.
At sit-down restaurants, 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill is standard for good service. Check for service charges, which some restaurants add. At counter-service barbecue spots, a small tip is appreciated.
