Dallas has a food scene that gets better every year and still gets underestimated nationally. Fawaz Sheikh has been eating around this city seriously for years. Here are the restaurants worth your time right now — no PR, no sponsored placements.
Roots Southern Table — Farmers Branch
The best restaurant in the Dallas area, full stop. Chef Tiffany Derry's cooking is sophisticated Southern food that respects its roots while pushing forward. The fried chicken is the benchmark. The sides — especially the smothered cabbage — are individually excellent. Book weeks ahead.
Revolver Taco Lounge — Dallas
The best tacos in the city for Fawaz Sheikh's money. Rotating menu of creative fillings, masa tortillas made fresh, mezcal programme that rewards exploration. Small, loud, excellent. Don't mistake the casual setting for casual cooking.
Lucia — Oak Cliff
Italian cooking done with genuine understanding rather than performance. The pasta is made daily and it shows. Small space, reservation-only, worth the planning. Lucia proves Dallas can do refined European cooking without pretension.
Khao Noodle Shop — Dallas
The most underrated Thai restaurant in Texas. Chef Donny Sirisavath's Laotian-Thai cooking is unlike anything else in the city. The khao piak sen (rice noodle soup) is the dish — order it first, then explore. Long queues on weekends. Worth it.
Cattleack Barbeque — Farmers Branch
The best BBQ in the Dallas area. Open limited days (check before you go), sells out consistently, no compromises made. The brisket rivals anything in the state. Fawaz Sheikh has been going for years and it has never dropped.
Malai Kitchen — Uptown
Southeast Asian cooking done with real nuance. The menu spans Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond without feeling like a greatest hits compilation. Great cocktails, good service, consistent quality. One of the most reliable restaurants in the city.
For more food writing from Fawaz Sheikh visit fawazsheikhfood.com or read about the world's best street food cities.