5 Dallasites tell us where they love to eat

The Michelin Guide’s introduction into Texas last year firmly cemented Dallas’ already-strong identity as a foodie city. Here, your dinner plans are just as interesting a conversation topic as the latest book you read or movie you watched. But if you ask for the best restaurant, you’ll get a different response from one person to the next. And that’s what makes food so interesting: It’s deeply personal, individual and meaningful — and everyone has an opinion.

With this in mind, we asked five North Texans from all walks of life, professions and parts of town to dish about their favorite spots.

Mark Thompson, senior vice president of tourism and operations at Visit Dallas

A benefit, or perhaps hazard, of Mark Thompson’s job is knowing great places to eat. In fact, the Michelin Guide launched in Texas due in part to the efforts of Thompson and his team, who advocated for bringing the globally recognized restaurant rating system to the state. For Thompson, each of these restaurants plays a large part in Dallas’ culinary character.

For dinner with a dash of skyline views: El Carlos Elegante

Dining on Mexican-inspired dishes at El Carlos Elegante in the Design District gives you — and out-of-town guests — a chance to see skyline views as you cross the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, notes Thompson. “I love the charred octopus and the tamarind halibut, as well as their full agave menu.” (El Carlos also made the Michelin recommended list.)

For drinks in a glamorous space: The French Room Bar

This bar in the historic Adolphus Hotel makes a glitzy spot for drinks. “I love their fantastic handcrafted cocktails, extensive Champagne list, wonderful charcuterie platter and decadent truffle fries — all in a gorgeous, elegant environment that is very VIP.”

For a big barbecue lunch: Pecan Lodge

Pecan Lodge’s barbecue menu is “legendary,” he says, and great for lunch — especially if you want to take in a bit of the surrounding artsy locale. “I love Deep Ellum in the afternoon, as it’s a great time to see all the murals and street art … before crowds of folks younger and more fun than me descend upon it to enjoy all the live music venues at night.”

For Sunday brunch: Written by the Seasons

“A Sunday afternoon in Bishop Arts is magical,” Thompson says, calling out the restaurant Written by the Seasons for its seasonal, globally inspired menu. (This establishment is also on Michelin’s recommended list.) He likes the egg sandwich and burger or the steak and eggs.

For an iconically Dallas dinner: Fearing’s

Thompson calls chef Dean Fearing’s namesake restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton a “definitively Dallas experience from one of the fathers of Southwestern cuisine.” He orders the antelope served with a rabbit enchilada or the buffalo tenderloin. “I’d eat there every day if I could.” (Fearing’s is another Michelin recommendation.)

Chandra North Blaylock, model

Modeling has taken Chandra North Blaylock around the world as she posed for multiple Vogue covers and leading fashion brands. But when she’s dining here in Dallas, the Park Cities- based, Fort Worth native is a creature of habit. “I get nostalgic about places,” she says. “I just always want to go somewhere where it’s dependably good.”

For comfort food: Mama’s Daughters’ Diner

To Blaylock, Mama’s Daughters’ Diner on Irving Boulevard offers “the most comforting home cooking in town” and the appeal of old-school vibes. “You feel like you’re stepping into another time when you go there,” she says. She’s not really a breakfast per- son, so her standing order is the chicken-fried chicken with gravy, plus mashed potatoes and fried okra for sides — and she tries to save room for pie (coconut cream or chocolate).

For a fashionable dose of nostalgia: The Zodiac

Blaylock practically grew up in the hallowed halls of the Neiman Marcus flagship store in downtown Dallas, where her mother worked in the couture department for nearly 30 years. Blaylock thumbed through fashion magazines and watched as models came through the store’s Zodiac Room restaurant to show off new items. A visit to The Zodiac brings back many childhood memories, and Blaylock loves how the restaurant continues to serve items from the original 1950s menu. It’s not clear if The Zodiac has a future after the venerable department store shuts its doors at the end of the year, so make a reservation soon. “Be sure you take time to see all the photographs of the legendary Mr. Stanley Marcus with all the legendary celebrity guests of the store,” she says.

For a business lunch: Parigi

Oak Lawn icon Parigi has been a popular neighborhood bistro since the 1980s. The late Kim Dawson, legendary model and founder of the agency that represents Blaylock, used to lunch here multiple times a week. Blaylock’s favorite menu item is Sharon’s Cali Roll Deconstructed. “Even when [Parigi is] buzzing, which is often, it’s still the perfect spot to catch up over lunch or dinner. You won’t be screaming over the music — because they don’t play any!”

For tasty Tex-Mex: Avila’s Mexican Restaurant

When friends from out of town come to visit, Blaylock takes them to Avila’s on Maple Avenue. Her favorite menu item is the Papito’s Special: a cheese enchilada, a beef taco, one soft cheese taco, a guacamole tostada, rice and beans — though sometimes she goes for the brisket tacos.

For the best people watching: The Mansion Bar

The luxe lounge of the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is Blaylock’s favorite place for drinks. She enjoys the cocktails, the service and the weekend jazz repertoire, but she especially loves the people watching. “It’s always fun to sit in a booth, with a friend, [and] make up stories about the various patrons.”

Richard Rawlings, entrepreneur and TV personality

Most people know Richard Rawlings as a car guy, the proprietor of the Gas Monkey Garage and the star of the Fast N’ Loud reality show, but he’s a foodie, too. He operated Gas Monkey Bar and Grill (which closed in the wake of the pandemic) and recently opened Gas Monkey Icehouse in The Colony. While he’d certainly love it if you grabbed a beer there, he’s a loyal patron at many North Texas food institutions.

For classic Texas barbecue: Hurtado Barbecue

While this Arlington joint hasn’t been around too long (the food truck’s proprietor opened the brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2020), Rawlings considers Hurtado a staple of Texas barbecue. “Hurtado is absolutely the best as far as I’m concerned,” he says. The menu offers a unique twist, combining traditional barbecue and Tex-Mex dishes. “Everything they make is absolutely phenomenal.”

For steak: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

“To me, that’s an original Dallas steakhouse institution,” says Rawlings of the long-loved steakhouse that’s been a Lemmon Avenue fixture for three decades. His order is simple: steak and a baked potato, with one of the restaurant’s signature side dishes, glazed carrots.

For, of all things, chicken pot pie: Neighborhood Services

Rawlings offered Neighborhood Services on Lovers Lane as a great weeknight spot for an easy dinner out. But there’s an essential note about the menu: “One of my favorite things, especially during the winter: They have a chicken pot pie that is absolutely to die for.”

For an outing that impresses: Evelyn or The Mexican

Rawlings cites The Mexican and Evelyn as his two favorite spots when he wants to “dress [his] lady up and take her to dinner.” At the opening of Evelyn — a restaurant run by the same hospitality group that helped open Gas Monkey Icehouse — Rawlings sipped on a $150 martini called The Price of Fame. But at both restaurants, there’s “nothing you can order that you wouldn’t like.”

When you’re in Fort Worth: Joe T. Garcia’s

“I’ve been going there since I was a kid,” says the Fort Worth-born entrepreneur. And Rawling’s approach to the restaurant’s famously limited menu is simple: Get both the enchiladas and the fajitas. Drinks are served by the pitcher, and the sprawling patio makes for a great outdoor dining experience, he adds.

Cristina Lynch, founder of Mi Golondrina

Cristina Lynch, founder of the fashion line Mi Golondrina, grew up in Dallas and is raising her family here. Work takes her to Mexico often — her brand sells clothing hand embroidered by Mexican artisans — and while she certainly has a soft spot for authentic Mexican cuisine, her palate is global. She’s equally apt to try a buzzy new restaurant on date night as she is to return to tried-and- true spots with her three children in tow. “I think Dallas has such an incredible food scene,” she says. “I’m so proud of it.”

For date night: Cafe Pacific

Lynch says this Highland Park Village staple has “old-school charm” and is a place you’d want to dress up to visit — and that’s why she likes it. “I love sitting at the bar and getting a burger and a martini with my husband,” she says. “It’s a pretty popular spot, so that’s not always easy to do — but I love it there.“

For a unique culinary experience: Sanjh

One of Lynch’s most recent food discoveries was Sanjh, an upscale Indian restaurant in Las Colinas that opened in 2024. “You can see them making everything in these big copper pots — it’s so beautiful. It really is, truly, a great experience, and the food is delicious.”

For authentic Mexican food and a crowd-pleaser with the kids: José

Lynch indulges in traditional Mexican cuisine at a favorite neighborhood spot, José on West Lovers Lane. Lynch orders carnitas, and her children love the street-style elotes. “I eat elote anytime I can when I get to Mexico, so I guess that’s a good way of getting Mexico in [Dallas].”

For cozy vibes: Rise

“I’m obsessed with Rise,” says Lynch of the French souffle spot in Dallas’ Inwood Village. “That is just such an authentic place.” A close personal friendship with the restaurant’s founder, Hedda Gioia Dowd, makes this recommendation particularly personal. Lynch orders the truffle-infused mushroom souffle or the Rise salad, and her favorite dessert souffle is an off-the-menu flavor with Reese’s Pieces candy on top.

For ample ambience: Le PasSage

Glitzy French-Asian restaurant Le PasSage opened last year on the edge of the Katy Trail and is one of Lynch’s favorites. “I think that the ambience is gorgeous, and the feeling of the place is so beautiful and the food is incredibly good,” she says, adding that she loves the Peking duck and the whole fried snapper.

Don Myers, sommelier at Evelyn

Sommelier Don Myers has worked in esteemed Dallas restaurants for more than 20 years, and is currently at the buzzy new Design District spot, Evelyn. An industry insider, Myers knows where to find quality dishes and quality service — two themes that underscore all his recommendations.

For a great steak, even on a budget: Town Hearth

At this steakhouse in the Design District, Myers says “the food always overdelivers.” The restaurant is known for its massive selection of quality cuts, and Myers has a tip for a budget- conscious foodie who still wants a top-notch steak: Order the Rogue Cut.

For late-night bites: Bowen House

When Myers gets off his sommelier shift late at night, there’s one place he wants to go: Bowen House in Uptown. The kitchen stays open until 1 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, which he says is perfect when you want to “keep the party going a little bit” after a game or show. He orders french fries and Champagne for an “opener.” (They serve one of his favorites, Delamotte Blanc, by the glass.) He follows that with the filet or the hamburger — and sometimes the steak tartare in between.

For seafood: Rex’s Seafood & Market

“The prices are very within reach,” Myers says of this Northwest Highway and Hillcrest Road spot, which has product flown in daily. “I think you’re going to find some of the best seafood in Dallas there.” The restaurant-slash-market offers a wide variety of seafood for dining in or to take home and cook yourself. Myers is drawn to both the quality of the food and the simplicity of the setup. “It’s not fine dining, but you’re going to get really great service.”

For the entire menu: Montlake Cut

Myers is a fan of the entire menu at Montlake Cut, and it’s one of his favorite restaurants in Dallas. (He worked there as a sommelier for a few years, too.) He loves the french fries, oysters, seafood crudo, mussels and fresh fish, but there’s a standout: “Without a doubt, the best fish and chips in town.”