Now on Resy: Hiro’s, Sip & Savor, Smoke’N Ash BBQ, and More Local Favorites

It’s not often you encounter a whole new cuisine, but that’s what’s on offer at this Arlington smokehouse opened by Patrick and Fasicka Hicks. Originally a Texas-style barbecue spot, the restaurant evolved into a dazzling “Tex-Ethiopian” gem, incorporating flavors of Fasicka’s heritage — think meats glazed in awaze spices and original creations like injera nachos.

Make a day of this sprawling complex surrounding Celina’s landmark century-old grain silos. There’s a first-class whiskey bar, a cigar lounge, fire pits, live music, and not one but two restaurants: a casual spot (aka The Yard) where nachos and corn dogs await, and chef Tony Sanchez’s finer establishment for prawn cocktail and beef Wellington.

Backed by a dream team couple (noted restaurateur Scott Sharrer and wine expert, Jenn Sharrer), this Highland Village classic covers everything from PEI mussels and crispy calamari to a selection of steaks and pastas. Pro tip: Don’t miss the Thursday special — a generous portion of Wagyu prime rib with your choice of sides.

In a city with no shortage of Tex-Mex restaurants, this one stands out for its festive atmosphere, perfect margaritas (shaken and frozen), and a menu full of familiar dishes plus original riffs like pineapple guacamole, mezcal-braised short rib enchiladas, and cauliflower fajitas.

Don’t miss this Lewisville gem. Here, chef Hiro Ochiai (whose résumé includes stints at Jean-Georges Tokyo and Michelin-starred sushi bars in New York) creates unique cross-cultural dishes, like burrata with dill and umeboshi purée, and a salmon chirashi with a citrus ponzu sauce.

Because Greg Katz and his partners have given northwest Dallas the kind of restaurant you wish every neighborhood had. Claremont is cozy and casual, with an oak-shaded patio and a menu built on favorites like pimento cheese, blackened redfish, and smoked brisket sliders.

This downtown favorite’s equally suited for an intimate dinner or a rollicking night on the town: the menu skews Cajun (fried catfish, crawfish étouffée), there’s a host of specialty cocktails, and the greenery-filled space offers both secluded corners and a lively open area for fun with friends.

A date night jewel in Frisco, The Heritage Table sits pretty in a spruced-up former family home dating from the early 1900s. The kitchen sources almost everything locally or regionally, and turns its ingredients into savvy modern Southern fare, including many gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan offerings. (If gluten’s not an issue, by all means, order the milk and honey rolls with housemade jam.) 

Ascending to this plush sake and sushi lounge on the 50th floor of The National, you might be so dazzled by the 360-degree view of the city that you’d almost forget to eat and drink … Which would be a shame, considering the masterful cocktails (try the vodka-based lychee blossom) and such luxury fare as a king crab, wagyu, and caviar hand rolls. 

Because this all-American Arts District bistro has you covered breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you might just turn into a regular. Go for avocado toast in the a.m., a lunchtime BLT, steak frites for dinner, or just about anything else you might crave. 

Meso Maya doesn’t mess around: specialty cocoa beans are ground in-house for the mole, the salsas and sauces are made fresh daily, and the tortillas are made from hand-ground corn — such is the reverence the kitchen has for the culinary traditions of Mexico’s central and southern states. Don’t miss the variations on budin Azteca, or “Mexican lasagna” made with tortillas instead of pasta. 

Book the Preston Forest, Lakewood, West Plano, and Fort Worth locations, too.

Because this butcher shop-meets-restaurant has stunning displays of prime beef cuts — Japanese, Australian, and American wagyu included — dry-aging in its refrigerated cases. The intimate dining room only has six tables, and the small but focused menu will bring joy to any carnivore. Pro tip: For an unforgettable experience, go for the fixed-price steak tasting dinners for two or more. 

Because there’s nothing like starting your day with something from Bread Winners’ extensive breakfast and brunch menu (a signature dish: fried chicken with jalapeño bacon cheddar waffles). That’s not to say that you should overlook the savory lunch and dinner options, which include sandwiches with housemade barbecue potato chips. 

Book the North Park Center and Plano locations, too.

There’s a rock-and-roll vibe to chef Charlie Zhang’s exuberant ode to Chinese American cuisine, where the menu hits all the right notes. Get ready for firecracker shrimp and moo shu chicken to Mongolian beef — and don’t miss Zhang’s famous hand-pulled noodles. 

The intimate indoor dining room at this chic rooftop bar and Vietnamese bistro is a great place to see and be seen while dining deliciously. But if the weather’s nice, you’ll want a seat on the open-air terrace, with half the city at your feet and dishes like seaweed-shell shrimp tempura tacos and beef short rib phở to keep you company. 

Because the luminous, Art Deco-inspired Metropolitan on Main was born from the beloved Metropolitan Café, and is still a downtown essential come breakfast, lunch, or dinner (plus after-work libations for good measure). Bonus: The space is steeped in history — ask about the connections to Lee Harvey Oswald, Bonnie and Clyde, and more. 

Every bit as good as its sibling in Soutlake, Dragon House is still the place to eat wonton soup, hand-pulled noodles, and General Tso’s chicken, alongside specialties like fish in wine sauce and Shanghai braised pork belly. 

Francisco “Paco” Islas and his family, who hail from just north of Mexico City, bring a delicious Mexican experience to Fort Worth, and you’ll want to try everything on the neatly focused menu — especially the fried grasshopper tacos with garlic butter (trust us). Pro tip: Save time and room for a dessert or smoothie next door at Paco’s Islas Tropicales.

Book the Sundance location here.

Famous for its chipotle shrimp tacos and tortas, chicken tinga taquitos, and Day of the Dead décor, this Mexican restaurant and tequila bar is better than ever, complete with chipotle shrimp tostadas and brunch-time barbacoa egg tacos. 

There’s no telling how many romances were kindled at the original St. Martin’s on Greenville Avenue that’s now closed, with its seductive lighting, live piano music, and first-rate French food (and wine). But the old magic — including the very same piano — is still going strong at this updated version in Old East Dallas, as enchanting and romantic as ever.

Texas just keeps drawing great restaurants from other places — like this high-spirited Frisco Italian, transplanted from another “Frisco” (as in San Fran) after many years in North Beach by owners Stefania and Walter Gambaccini. The cooking is homestyle Tuscan, featuring specialties of Lucca, and you’ll want to keep coming back for more. 

This iconic antiques and bric-a-brac-filled institution almost closed last year after 40 years, but a group of local fans stepped in to save it and have kept it as vibrant as ever. Expect live music three nights a week and menu of Tex-Mex classics, serious steaks, and signature home-style Texas dishes, like chicken-fried lobster.