The August Hit List: Sachet, Partenope Ristorante, Tango Room, and More

For a cool Mediterranean lunch or dinner in one of Highland Park’s most notable gems, head to Sachet, from Dallas dynamo couple Stephen Rogers and Allison Yoder, also behind the long-running Knox-Henderson bistro Gemma. Beyond their James Beard-nominated wine program and broad reflection of Mediterranean flavors at Sachet, they understand hospitality more than most restaurateurs in town. All the better for savoring sabich, shakshuka, and pastas like the spaccatelli alla norma with eggplant, chiles, Marcona almonds, and whipped burrata. Enhancing the food are well-chosen wines from regions not usually represented in Dallas, such as Turkey, Israel, Macedonia, and Lebanon. Mondays are a fine time to explore, when many bottles are half off.

In the past, downtown Dallas has been criticized (accurately) for lacking good restaurants. That all began to change when Dino Santonicola moved from Naples to Dallas and married his wife, Megan. Today, the couple runs a seriously top-notch Neapolitan pizzeria on Main Street with additional bonuses like lasagna Napoletana, meatballs, panzanella, and cocktails like the frozen limoncello spritz and a negroni with rosemary-infused sweet vermouth. But back to the pizzas. Partenope is one of only three pizzerias in Texas recognized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, and another Italian organization, 50 Top Pizza, recently ranked it 16th in the nation. So whether it’s a quick lunch, casual date night, or a Saturday afternoon hands-on pizza-making class, you’re under the tutelage of one of the nation’s most recognized pizzaioli.

For caviar, standout wines, and some of the best steaks money can buy, reserve a maroon half-circle booth in the dimly lit, and quite frankly sultry, Tango Room. Executive chef Corrin Ellis and bar manager Rye Patton are leaning heavily into the caviar trend, while sourcing it from a sustainable aqua farm in Uruguay, Black River Caviar. After she was promoted to lead the kitchen last year, Ellis added to the menu a caviar section that includes a triple-caviar trifle and caviar-studded fried chicken. Patton is also displaying creative chops with an attention-grabbing caviar martini, in addition to his Daisy Marie: a mix between a porn star martini and a mezcal margarita.

This month, each Thursday at 6 p.m. the restaurant will host a wine and spirits class at the chef’s table, which comes with a flight, a talk, small bites, and 20% off dinner. Snag your spot here.

Pit master and Smokey Joe’s BBQ owner Kris Manning like to go big at his South Dallas barbecue joint, which has been in the family for 40 years. In addition the traditional meat-and-sides trays — which should not be skipped — Smokey Joe’s also flourishes with meat-loaded sandwiches, baked potatoes, nachos, and a “mac-n-meat” with chopped brisket and pico de gallo on creamy macaroni shells. Even though it’s sometimes skipped by listicles, Smokey Joe’s scored a spot on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 the last time it was published, in 2021. The Maxi, a tower of a sandwich with sliced links, chopped brisket, and house sweet-and-spicy pickles, garnered particular praise. But don’t skip the sweet potato pie or buttermilk pie, either. Basically, order everything.

Find more info here.

The northern suburbs of Dallas aren’t necessarily known for their lobster rolls (!!) but Sea Breeze Fish Market and Grill, located in Plano’s Lakeside Market, sells two excellent options: a generously-filled cold New England (aka Maine-style), and a hot Connecticut style. Owner Rick Oruch and his son Ryan, who is the chef, appear to have found an interested audience since opening in 2007. Their “gourmet casual” dining room stays busy serving Northeast-style seafood with in-house filleted fish that comes fresh from the market. A love affair with lobster can be extended with lobster pasta and lobster grilled cheeses. Don’t skip the chef’s specials, which include cedar-planked steelhead trout with horseradish-dill crème fraîche or baked crabmeat-stuffed haddock with lemon-dill beurre blanc.

How to handle the conundrum of where to have dinner with a group of friends who all have varying dietary restrictions? You know, like when a steak-lover, a vegetarian, and a gluten-free bunch all want to go out to eat? Stock & Barrel at the center of the red-hot Bishop Arts district is the solution. Since opening nearly 10 years ago, chef Jon Stevens has made a point to make his Americana restaurant suitable for everyone. In addition to the wide-ranging menu, Stevens has long been a proponent of the wood-fired grill, which he uses for wagyu meatloaf, served with bacon hash and peppercorn butter, but also grilled romaine hearts, which can be topped with falafel and tahini. Even the dessert options are all-embracing, with a toffee croissant bread pudding or pavlovas with lemon curd and berries.

After moving from Negambo, Sri Lanka, Nimidu Senaratne started a Dallas-based catering business a decade ago. The result today is Spicy Zest, a pearl of restaurants in Farmers Branch serving Sri Lankan delicacies as spicy as you can handle it. Out of a five-star spice rating, two stars is enough to get most palates reaching for a glass of water, or even better, an extra-large Ceylon iced tea mixed with coconut arrack, Tequila, and white rum. The à la carte menu features classics like lamb kottu laced with roti; kiribath (milk rice), a coconut-y special occasion dish served on banana leaves; and thin, bowl-shaped pancakes, called hoppers, served with zesty sambol. Fusion burritos, burgers, and tacos round out the offerings.

For the hungry and uninitiated, however, the best way to get immersed in Sri Lankan cuisine is to come during the Friday night buffet, which includes a hopper station and free margaritas, or for weekend brunch with free mimosas. Senaratne is a cricket fan, so watch for announcements on late-night watch parties when the Cricket World Cup begins in October.

Find more info here.

The legendary New York strip, au gratin potatoes, and turtle mousse tart at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse are known by most steak-loving Texans. While little changes at this tried-and-true beef kingdom, new wine director Jon Walker fills the shoes of master sommelier Barbara Werley, who retired this year after serving as Pappas Bros.’s wine director for 16 years. But there’s continuity in this changing of the guard: Walker comes from the now-closed three Michelin-starred Manresa near San Jose, California.

Before Manresa, he first worked in wine under Werley at Pappas Bros. for five years beginning in 2009, which was when he decided to abandon an architecture career to pursue wine. He now oversees the restaurant’s five sommeliers and 25,000 bottles, including the oldest in the cellar: an 1847 Chateau d’Yquem. In his new role, he’ll incorporate all he learned from Werley, while promoting his personal favorite for quality-to-price ratio, the French Bordeaux.

Call 214-366-2000 for reservations.

Oaxacan-born brother-and-sister team Milo and Rosalia Ramirez have steadily expanded their Fort Worth-based Salsa Limón since opening near Texas Christian University in 2006. The fast-casual Mexican street food spot thrives today with six Texas locations, including one in downtown Dallas and another that opened in Austin last year. Considering the fact that Texas is taco-rich, growth like that is hard- and well-earned. Their tortas, al pastor from the trompo, and milky-white queso go fabulously with aquas frescas, horchata, or one of the six margaritas. The star, however, is probably the two-hander breakfast burritos, like the Campeón with barbacoa, refried beans, cheese, avocado, and a sunny-side-up egg swaddled in a griddled flour tortilla. The fact the business model is based on supporting women of color makes it all the more appetizing.

Find more info here.

With a historic downtown square that allows for open alcohol containers, i.e. walking around with a drink, Denton is one of the most laid-back and quirky small towns in North Texas. Before or after a casual stroll around the courthouse, step into Barley & Board, one of the first brewpubs to beckon outsiders since opening in 2015. With 36 taps prioritizing Texas breweries and build-your-own charcuterie boards, the rustic, homey spot is as good as it’s always been. The cheeseburger and extremely craggy fried chicken sandwich with hot sauce and pink peppercorn buttermilk dressing are stand-outs, both of which are served with hot and thin house-made chips. Its second location opened in 2020, and now Barley & Board can be enjoyed a bit closer to the city center at The Colony’s bustling Grandscape development, too.