Is your favorite restaurant really your favorite restaurant, or is it just a comfortable standby? Either way, it’s time for something new. Shake up your neighborhood dining life with these suggestions for every kind of meal.
• Click here for a Google map of the restaurants listed in this article
Posh patios
Obzeet / Photo by CAN TÜRKYILMAZ
For a tropical escape, Obzeet is a sure bet. Where else can you chill at an outdoor bar with a fruity cocktail and enjoy live music every night? Here, it’s easy to forget you’re in North Dallas. And while you’re at it, browse the restaurant’s selection of hip furniture and home décor for sale. 19020 Preston at mapleshade, 972.867.6126
One word best describes Mercy Wine Bar: intimate. The warm, low-lit atmosphere makes this a great place for a quiet date on the patio. On weekends, you can catch live music inside but usually something fairly subdued like acoustic acts and jazz singers. The restaurant has received top awards for its wine selection and nightclub environment. 5100 Belt Line at Montfort, Suite 544, 972.702.9463
With its serene pond and glowing fountain, Mi Piaci has become one of the best places to spend a romantic evening. After celebrating 20 years in business, the upscale Italian restaurant expanded its deck and added a rooftop garden for fresh herbs. Once you’re there, you pretty much have to splurge and order Chilean sea bass on basil risotto. Also try the restaurant’s signature cocktail, Sgroppino, made with prosecco, vodka, lemon sorbet and mint served in a champagne glass. 14854 Montfort at Belt Line, 972.934.8424
For a cheap, family-friendly experience, head to Flying Fish, which has a large deck reminiscent of a marina. Catfish baskets start at $5.49 and come with homemade hushpuppies and French fries. 5100 Belt Line at Montfort, Suite 740, 972.851.3474
Keeping kosher
photo by BENJAMIN HAGER
Operating under rabbinical supervision of Dallas Kosher, Café Fino serves up an array of Italian and Mediterranean dishes, including several varieties of French fries or “Fino Fries”. This place is definitely a hub for the Jewish community as well as vegetarian folk. 7522 Campbell at Coit, Suite 108, 972.931.9500
Part restaurant, part grocery store, Milk and Honey Jerusalem Market & Grill also follows the principles of Dallas Kosher, offering Israeli food products. The shop bakes its own pita bread daily. 420 N. Coit at Cherrywood, 972.404.0704
With a full-time Mashgiach on staff, Aderet carries most of what you’d typically find at a kosher eatery. But the pareve desserts and fresh Israeli and Moroccan salads set this place apart. And be sure to grab some hot pita bread, too. 13410 Preston at Dilbeck, 972.726.9800
As the name suggests, you can’t beat the bagels at Benny’s Bagels for $2.25 a piece or $8 a dozen. Choose from plain, blueberry, garlic, poppy seed and others along with several flavors of cream cheese, including lox, spinach and veggie. 13500 Midway at alpha, Suite 115, 972.458.2757
Gourmet on the go
It’s easy to miss The Dog Stop, a small drive-thru hot dog hut at Hillcrest and Arapaho. Or maybe you drive by it every day and just haven’t gotten around to trying its gourmet Chicago-style hot dogs, loaded with relish, onions and tomatoes. The menu also includes standard fare such as chili dogs. This little place is a must for fast food on the cheap. But be sure to bring cash, and grab extra napkins. 6857 Arapaho at Hillcrest, 469.360.8370
We have several pizza joints to choose from in our neighborhood, but next time you call in an order, try The Pizza Guy for authentic New York-style pizza. The secret? Allowing the dough’s yeast to rise naturally for 48 hours and using soft, creamy Grand brand cheese. The large delivery area extends to Forest and also covers all of West Richardson. 17390 Preston at McCallum, Suite 263, 972.733.1222
Lee’s Chinese is an underrated neighborhood institution. The family-owned restaurant has been in business 20 years, delivering favorites such as sesame chicken, cashew shrimp and an array of vegetarian dishes. When you’re not sure which hole-in-the-wall Chinese place to try, Lee’s is a safe bet. 7612 Campbell at Coit, Suite 200, 972.250.4267
Delivery doesn’t have to be limited to pizza and Chinese. Go for barbecue from Smokie’s Bar-B-Q, which delivers to most of Far North Dallas, stopping at Spring Valley. The restaurant slow-smokes its barbecue fresh daily. But make this a lunchtime treat — Smokie’s is open weekdays only until 6 p.m. 6869 Frankford at Hillcrest, 972.815.8500
Taco time
photo by CAN TÜRKYILMAZ
The best-kept secret in our neighborhood has to be Mexico City the Gourmet Taco — the place you only discover by chance. Tucked away in a shopping center at Hillcrest and Arapaho, the small family-owned restaurant serves up a plate of three very filling tacos for about $6, along with a tower of four different homemade salsas. The service is fast and attentive — plus, it’s BYOB. 6959 Arapaho at Hillcrest, Suite 101, 972.788.2891
Since it opened last December, Salado Mexican Grill has become the newest “neighborhood” taco joint and a hotspot for school fundraisers. The homemade tortillas make all the difference. Try the house-smoked brisket tacos and load up at the complimentary salsa bar. 7601 Campbell at Coit, 972.248.3475
These aren’t your typical grilled chicken tacos. Fajita Pete’s marinates its meat in a recipe of fresh-squeezed limejuice and pineapple, sautéed with onions and poblanos. An $11 platter comes with chicken or beef, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, rice, beans, chips and salsa. 6090 Campbell at Preston, Suite 124, 972.818.3900
Our neighborhood is nearly surrounded by Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, with locations in Richardson, Carrolton, Farmers Branch and Plano. There’s a reason for its rapid expansion. The tacos are amazing — particularly because someone thought to incorporate feta cheese into the Mexican staple. 561 W. Campbell at Nantucket, 972.907.8226
Burger buzz
Many of us have burgers on the brain with much anticipation about the not one but two In-N-Out Burger locations coming to our neighborhood. Until then, we have no shortage of great burger joints to choose from:
Burg-it: This little-known spot opened earlier this year and offers huge, half-pound patty burgers for under $6. Try the crumbled blue cheese burger. 18101 Preston at Frankford, 972.733.1330
Judy’s Burger & Shake: To much surprise, the popular 12 Burgers restaurant transformed into Judy’s Burger & Shake with new owners and a new look. But no worries, the food is just as good, and they kept the signature 12-topping burger. 6006 Belt Line at Preston, 972.239.4194
Burger House: You can’t go wrong with this Dallas-bred chain, serving up old-fashioned hamburgers. And the French fries are a cut above. 7529 Campbell at Coit, Suite 303, 972.248.8789
Mooyah: This glitzy burger spot recently opened another location at Coit and Campbell. Here, it’s the buns that make the difference: They’re custom made and create the perfect bun-to-meat ratio. 5225 Belt Line at Montfort, Suite 254, 972.661.3114; 2160 N. Coit at Campbell, Suite 130, 972.744.0601
The fro-yo phenomenon
In our neighborhood alone, the list of frozen yogurt shops is endless, with new spots opening left and right. Instead of rambling on about each one and why we love it, we’ve created an interactive map online to help you navigate the fro-yo circuit.
Addison’s restaurant row
Venturing west on Belt Line can often result in entertainment overload. Here are our picks to get the most bang for your buck on Addison’s popular “restaurant row”:
1) Bacci’s Pizza and Pasta: Owned by native Brooklyn boys, Bacci’s offers better quality pizza for about the same price as most fast-food chains. A 12-inch pie can easily feed two people and starts at $8.50. For a bit more cash, try the goat cheese pizza ($13.50 and up) topped with marinated Roma and sun-dried tomatoes, grilled chicken, fresh garlic, spinach and goat cheese. 4980 Belt Line at Quorum, Suite 180, 214.812.9323
2) Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill: For a more upscale experience, this spot is worth every penny, and it’s open weekends until 1:30 a.m. Try the ahi tuna nacho appetizer, and don’t skip the adult macaroni and cheese side dish. 5000 Belt Line at the Tollway, Suite 775, 972.392.9663
3) Addison Point: Yes, the area has quite a bar scene. But if you’re looking for something inexpensive and unpretentious, head over to this 20-year-old establishment to watch the game, sing karaoke or just chill on the deck. Happy hour is all day 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and the burgers are great, too. But beware — smoking is allowed inside. 4578 Belt Line at Beltwood, 972.661.2230
4) Pho Que Huong: For Vietnamese food on the cheap, this spot offers a variety of large noodle bowls for just $5.95 each. Don’t leave without trying a tall glass of Thai iced tea or a “coconut drink”. 4826 Belt Line at Addison, 972.239.5858
Where the kids are alright
photo by CAITY COLVARD
At Dream Café, the kiddos can run and play on the outdoor jungle gym and enjoy a plate of cloud cakes — ricotta pancakes topped with fresh fruit and powdered sugar. For healthier options, there’s the garden stir fry made with organic brown rice and veggies. 5100 Belt Line at Montfort, 972.503.7326
After 33 years in our neighborhood, String Bean has pretty much mastered the art of a good family meal. Stop in for the chicken and dumplings Saturday night special. The large game room will keep the munchkins busy for a while. And don’t skip dessert — there’s a long list of options including the restaurant’s homemade ice cream made fresh daily. 1310 W. Campbell at Coit, 972.385.3287
For a summer treat, cart the kids over to Greenwood Shaved Ice, a sno cone stand in the shopping center at Hillcrest and Arapaho. The hut offers scores of flavors that can be mixed together. Make it deluxe with a couple of scoops of ice cream. 6971 Arapaho at Hillcrest, 972.960.9755
At this family-style joint, the side dishes steal the show. Particularly the twice-baked potatoes and steamed butternut squash. Cowboy Chicken is known for its wood fire rotisserie chicken on the cheap for just $4.99 for a half. Top it off with the restaurant’s homemade peach cobbler. 17437 Preston at McCallum, 972.732.6281
Pingback: Restaurant talk: Taco news in North Dallas | Advocate Magazine