Now Open on Resy: Catbird, Lockwood Distilling Co., Ame and More

Ever so clubby, and with the decibel level to prove it on some nights, Pacific Table has settled in quite nicely in Fort Worth’s University Park Village. It helps that restaurateur Felipe Armenta’s assured spin on Pacific Coast seafood is matched with an equal interest in delivering comfortable classics. So order the jalapeño yellowtail sushi and the scallop salad, but make sure someone else at the table orders the pecan veggie burger with fries. Yes, the veggie burger: Made with sushi rice, steel-cut oats, veggies, and pecans, this hearty patty hits all the right texture notes, and is topped with melted cheese and painted with a sweet glaze. Complemented by crispy shoestring-cut, rosemary-dusted fries, it is all sweet harmony.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order takeout by calling (817) 887-9995.

This original location of the beloved Latin American cafe may have been the first in Dallas to truly offer a “coffee program”: The all-day Coffee Studio has 15 (at last count) variations on the caffeinated theme, not to mention the restaurant’s Latin hot chocolate and Viennese iced chocolate milk on offer. Meanwhile, brunch delivers in the temperature-controlled patio and inside dining room, with the kitchen’s killer interpretations of classic Latin breakfasts, like migas with four cheeses; and chilaquiles with Gruyère, married with roasted salsas and black beans. All of which are ever-so-slightly upstaged by La Duni’s iconic jar cakes, especially the tres leches. Oh, and there’s lunch and dinner here, too: tortas, empanadas, carne asada, and much more.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and patio outdoor dining and online ordering. Order online here.

Long a gem, Saint-Emilion is sparkling anew: Bernard Tronche’s lovely bungalow has reopened nearly one year after closing due to COVID-19. As always, the fare is spot-on, from steak and moules frites to the coq au vin and Moroccan spiced lamb chops. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on the escargots or the tarte aux pommes.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and patio outdoor dining. Saint-Emilion now offers a three-course prix-fixe menu ($50 per person) that includes a first course, entrée, and cheese/salad finisher.

This mother-daughter venture brings an unexpected twist to Indian food. Expect samosas, but with beets; pakoras, but with calamari; and paneer, but in a salad with tomatoes, oregano and mint. There is naan, but it’s puffed. There are also paratha croissants, poppy seed lamb rolls, and an emerald pilaf painted with spinach, kale, cilantro and parsley. All of this masterfully complements seafood and meat dishes like shrimp curry and pistachio lamb chops, best enjoyed from the comfort of Ame’s mustard-hued banquettes.

Dining Status: Open for indoor dining.

When chef John Tesar opened this Central Dallas ode to dry-aged beef in 2014, his esoteric preparations drew widespread praise — for good reason. Ever heard of a 240-day aged bone-in ribeye? And Knife remains nothing like your grandfather’s steakhouse. Tesar’s inventive perspective prevails throughout the menu, whether it’s a beef tartare, oyster, and fried-egg plate, or a slab of sriracha pork belly. The Ozersky, a tribute to late Esquire food editor Josh Ozersky, remains the pre-eminent burger in Dallas, elevating esteemed 44 Farms’ angus beef to new levels. Enrobed by two melted slices of American cheese and stacked atop thinly sliced red onion, the deceptively simple burger is inordinately outstanding.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining.

This Plano outpost of Tesar’s Knife opened in 2018, four years after its sister restaurant staked a claim in the Dallas steakhouse scene. Tesar, of “Top Chef” fame, features a sharp menu of meat from Cameron, Texas’ 44 Farms, as well as dry-aged Akaushi standouts, including a 45-day dry-aged 32-ounce bone-in ribeye (for two), a 90-day dry-aged 28-ounce Creekstone sirloin (also for two), and a 120-day dry-aged 44 Farms 24-ounce bone-in strip. Sides are stellar. Of course, there’s creamed spinach, but see also: salsa verde french fries and avocado fries. A brunch menu — pork belly hash, eggs royal (smoked salmon and caviar) — skews toward the decadent.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining, and online ordering. Order online here.

Since 2019, Herencia has been dishing up its own brand of Tex-Mex, with a menu of “Texican” dishes that meld Latin and Texan flavors. It’s a recipe that’s won over not only Southlake residents but diners from across the area, with a full slate of lunch, dinner, and brunch items, some of which are also gluten-free and vegetarian. Weekday lunch features combination platters, taco plates, and a popular tortilla soup and salad offering, while Sunday brunch offers plantains on the Casamiento breakfast, a traditional Central American breakfast of sautéed eggs, corn tortillas, and rice and beans.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and patio dining. Call (817) 873-8800 to order takeout.

From its glossy nook perched nine floors above downtown Dallas, inside the Thompson Hotel at The National, Catbird is a cocktail lounge where the food matches the drink par excellence. Chef de cuisine Jeramie Robison (Uchi, Mansion on Turtle Creek) brings a deft touch to “shareables,” from the pommes frites with truffle ketchup to the Texas beef bao. And from the standout espresso martini to the Catbird S’more (fudge brownie with cinnamon ice cream, vanilla bean meringue and a smoked bourbon finish), dessert is hardly an afterthought.

Dining Status: Open for indoor dining.

This breakfast and lunch venue, also on the ninth floor of the Thompson Hotel at the National, turns out assured diner-esque standards, but with a twist. Fruit cocktail substitutes a poached pear for the ’50’s-era canned version, with additions of compressed pineapple, grapes, coconut, jicama, and tart cherries to conjure a vibrant mix of flavors. Meanwhile, the humble yogurt parfait is elevated with a carrot marmalade and cream cheese meringue treatment. At lunch, expect an irresistible fondue starter among the appetizers before grain bowls and soba noodle salads knock some nutritional sense into you.

Dining Status: Open for indoor dining.

This family-owned spot majors in red sauce. Since 1985 (and closed for a beat in 2010 due to a fire), Jeannie Terilli has been serving up crab claws sopped in butter and lemon sauce; pastas; chicken entrees; and her own creation, Italchos. A cross between a nacho and a pizza, the crispy pizza chips are conduits for Terilli’s proprietary blended red sauce, as well as an inordinate amount of cheese. Add a clubby atmosphere, and a rooftop patio with downtown views crisscrossed with string lights, and it’s easy to see why the venue has drawn loyalists for more than 35 years.

Dining Status: Open for indoor, patio dining, and online ordering. Order takeout here.

Since 2019, this restaurant and distillery from Sally and Evan Batt has offered solid bar fare, all the better to complement the venue’s robust beverage menu. Shared plates run the gamut, from not-so-typical charcuterie (housemade boursin cheese and grape chutney!) to melted pimento cheese tater tots. A smoked bologna and cheddar sandwich and a house wagyu burger are among the heavier options, but save room for a fried lemon pie or two. Did we say heavy?

Dining Status: Open for indoor, patio dining, and takeout. Order takeout here.

An American grill with a seafood cast (see what we did there?), Kona Grill’s wide-ranging selections can satisfy even the most reluctant shopper in your group. Potstickers, lemongrass chowder, sea bass sliders, and poke bowls share menu space with more middle-of-the-sea fare such as pad Thai and the ubiquitous Chinese chicken salad. There’s also sushi and steaks for the healthier/heartier appetites, all amid a breezy mall space that proves a welcome respite for tired legs and possibly depleted wallets.

Dining Status: Open for indoor dining and online ordering. Order takeout here.