Now on Resy: Tei-An, The Woolworth, Darna Eatery, and More Local Favorites

Teiichi Sakurai once earned acclaim for his sushi restaurants, Tei Tei and Teppo, but the plaudits really started pouring in when he broadened his approach at Tei-An, supplementing his always-excellent sushi with grilled seafood and Japanese Wagyu, exquisite soba dishes, and more.

The historic F. W. Woolworth building has come a long way from its five-and-dime days to become an old-school-looking instant classic with impeccable craft cocktails and a menu offering everything from poke to tacos to Texas Wagyu steaks — and the terrace at nighttime is a dream.

The foods of Italy, Spain, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, and other lands that touch the Mediterranean come to Plano with this bright and lively restaurant, coffee bar, and specialty market from Yaser Khalaf (of Mondo Pizza and Baboush) — and you’ll definitely want a front-and-center seat to it all.

The fish hits Dallas daily from Japan, the sushi chefs love talking up their wares, and thewarmly lit three-sided 16-seat counter is as handsome as can be at Brandon Cohanim’s West Village jewel. Pro tip: For the full experience, come Wednesday evenings for the extraordinary once-a-week omakase menu.

You’ll feel like the ultimate insider settling in at this elegant contemporary steakhouse — part of the exclusive Tower Club on the 48th floor of Santander Tower — where Texas quail, Texas antelope, and Texas Wagyu are featured, and the city views will take your breath away.

Dress to impress at this sky-high, high-design Irving dining room looking out on DFW from the 26th-floor Constellation Club — inspired by the historic Lockheed Constellation airliner — where Wolfgang Puck protégé Brandon Galitz serves steaks with imaginative accompaniments and other uncommon American fare.

Mooyah Burgers founder Rich Hicks’ wildly popular pizza-and-pasta operation keeps growing (this Fort Worth location is number six) and the classic pastas, celebrated pizzas, and rotisserie chicken get better all the time. And did we mention the off-the-charts brunch, featuring house-made doughnuts, smoked salmon pie, and more?

The Cork & Pig team — a quartet of chefs who first met in California two decades ago — know just what you want to eat, from salads and sandwiches to generous entrées and wood-fired pizzas. Pro tip: Wines from the well-chosen list are 50% off every Wednesday.

You’ll feel at home the minute you step into this low-key but lively Las Colinas outpost of the Cork & Pig mini-chain, where the solid comfort-food menu ranges from crispy calamari to blackened rib-eye, and the wines are deftly chosen but won’t break the bank.

Serious steaks (some of them smoked), irresistible sides, local wines, and a nowhere-but-Texas atmosphere complete with picnic-table seating and live music on weekends? Say howdy to this longtime Ennis favorite — and whatever you do, don’t forget to order the signature smoked queso with house-ground beef.

At this elegantly appointed Knox/Henderson restaurant, the enticing caviar-to-panna-cotta menu made its name on steaks from both Texas and Australia, but that’s just part of a well-rounded, unique dining experience. Pro tip: Whether you dine in the restaurant or are just in the neighborhood, always remember to pop into the butcher shop.

A low-key but upscale French-flavored bistro — the first outpost of the celebrity-magnet original on New York’s Upper East Side — Le Bilboquet makes a splash in Knox/Henderson with its approachable menu, its garden atmosphere, and its cool Franco-Manhattan vibe.

Think pink at this rosy-hued dining room, with both an outdoor garden and an indoor garden atrium, where the menu is vividly international and just plain fun, and a semi-hidden speakeasy-style lounge offers cocktails both vintage and contemporary.

This swanky pan-Asian favorite, which opened on Ross Avenue in 2018, has a new chef and a new menu, full of things you’ll want to share with friends (or with somebody special), from dumplings and wings to creative sushi rolls.

Bring the family to this high-energy Frisco offshoot on the Mash’d restaurants in San Antonio and Fort Worth, where the menu is wide-ranging and full of whimsy (signatures include avocado toast pizza and “shake n’ bacon” chicken tacos), the atmosphere is electric, and the seating is picnic-table casual, inside and out.

Like its Frisco sibling, this warm, intimately lit hideaway — a perfect date night spot — spans the Mediterranean with its menu of shareable appetizers, pizzas, and pastas, and pays tribute to its native state with more than a dozen signature cocktails (get the Texas-75, which combines Balcones Texas pot still bourbon, blueberries, lemon, and sparkling wine).

The former Up on Knox, stylishly reborn as Knox Bistro, is more French than ever, giving the neighborhood a Gallic flair with its almost-like-Paris dining room and a menu featuring all the essentials, from soupe à l’oignon to canard à l’orange.

This convivial Arts District charmer is creating a buzz with uncompromising Italian fare (char-grilled octopus with olives and ‘nduja is a signature starter), artistic platings, and a nonstop list of Italy’s best wines (count about 20 options by the glass).

Restaurateur Austin Rodgers (of Town Hearth and Nick & Sam’s) and chef Michael West (of R Bar & Grill) joined up to open this winner in Lower Greenville — a lively, all-purpose spot with a brick-and-wood dining room and plenty of Texas-friendly comfort food (yes, there’s queso).

This iconic Rockwall restaurant — known for its certified Angus steaks and floor-to-ceiling array of antiques and curios — almost closed in late 2022. Then, restaurateur Elias Pope (of HG Sply Co. and Standard Service) stepped in to save it. Today, it’s still going strong, and it’s just as excellent and unique as ever.

For a delicious selection of Shanghai specialties — which includes several variations of soup dumplings — plus, some Chinese American standbys, look no further than this Lower Greenville offshoot of the well-loved original Fortune House in Irving.

Save this one for date night: a friendly, intimate Highland Park Italian with traditional but often unusual dishes from a constantly evolving menu of housemade pasta, pizza, and wood-grilled meat and seafood. One dish that’s always on the menu and is not to be missed: Nonna’s Maine lobster ravioli.

This glamorous all-day venue in Richard Branson’s Design District Virgin Hotel is making its mark with Texas-accented French fare (or is it vice versa?) crafted by chef Jonah Friedman (ex-Zeppole). Come with someone special and share one of the signature Lion’s Feasts — massive portions of seafood paella, steak Florentine, or Piedmontese beef tomahawk.

Italian food maestro Julian Barsotti (of Nonna, Carbone’s, etc.) scores again with this Highland Park Village standout. The dining room pays tribute to old-style upscale Italian-American restaurants and the menu offers everything from Texas Wagyu carpaccio to a signature “100 layer lasagna alla Sunday.”

Dress for fun at this high-style revival of the original PM Lounge — which rocked downtown Dallas until 2012 — from local nightlife veterans Mark and Chris Beardon, and expect dazzling art deco surroundings and a cool evening lounge atmosphere evolving into a late-night dance scene with celebrity DJs.

This crowd-pleasing Bishop Arts District diner earned its reputation as a breakfast-all-day refuge (the fork & knife breakfast sandwich is a signature), but now draws plaudits for its savory dinner menu, too, offering everything from deviled eggs to chicken-fried steak.

You won’t be able to resist the vivid array of Turkish appetizers, thin-crust flatbreads, and grilled and sautéed meats (this is a lamb-lover’s paradise) as served here by Erol Girgin — who introduced the Dallas area to Turkish food almost 30 years ago, and has been going strong ever since.

You’ll definitely want to bring a crowd to this Carrollton offshoot of the popular L.A. original for à la carte or fixed-price all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue, featuring more than 30 cuts of meat, plus chicken and seafood, plus knockout cocktails in a music-filled K-pop atmosphere.

TJ’s has been known as one of the city’s top fishmongers for more than 30 years, so it’s no surprise that the restaurant portion of this family-owned enterprise is a seafood-lover’s paradise. The menu ranges far and wide, but don’t even think about leaving without trying the “best in Dallas” shrimp cocktail.