Food · Dallas · United States
What to eat in Dallas
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Dallas, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Start with Smoked brisket, Frozen margarita and Tex-Mex with queso. Join the line at a Deep Ellum barbecue joint before lunch, order brisket, sausage and ribs by the half-pound and share at communal tables. Top barbecue spots can sell out of brisket by mid-afternoon; go early.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Smoked brisket
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for…
- Food experiences
- 4
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Smoked brisket
Central Texas-style brisket, rubbed with salt and pepper and smoked low and slow until it has a dark bark and a pink smoke ring. Order it 'moist' (fatty) or 'lean' by the half-pound.
Where: Barbecue joints in Deep Ellum and across the city; the most famous ones have long queues, so arrive early.
Drink · Vegetarian
2.Frozen margarita
Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez adapted a soft-serve machine to make the first frozen margarita machine in 1971; the original is now in the Smithsonian. Lime is classic, with mango and strawberry versions everywhere.
Where: Tex-Mex restaurants across Dallas, including the restaurant that still claims the original recipe.
Dish · Vegetarian
3.Tex-Mex with queso
Enchilada plates in chili gravy, crispy tacos and fajitas start with chips, salsa and a bowl of molten queso, often with ground beef, guacamole and pico de gallo stirred in.
Where: Long-running Tex-Mex restaurants citywide, especially along Greenville Avenue and in Oak Cliff.
Dish
4.Chicken-fried steak
A tenderised beef cutlet breaded and fried like fried chicken, smothered in peppery cream gravy and served with mashed potatoes. It is Texas comfort food at diners and cafés.
Where: Diners, cafés and Southern restaurants across Dallas and in small Texas towns.
Street food
5.Corny dog
A hot dog dipped in cornmeal batter and deep-fried on a stick, popularised at the State Fair of Texas by Fletcher's, which has sold them there since the 1940s. Eat with a line of yellow mustard.
Where: Fletcher's stands at the State Fair of Texas each autumn; corn dogs are sold at stadiums and fairs year-round.
Dish
6.Texas steak
Dallas has a strong steakhouse culture, with thick bone-in ribeyes and dry-aged cuts served with creamed spinach and loaded baked potatoes.
Where: Steakhouses in Uptown and downtown, and classic Texas steak houses in Fort Worth.
Street food
7.Street tacos
Small corn tortillas with al pastor, barbacoa, lengua or fajita meat, topped with onion and cilantro and a choice of salsas. Many taquerías also serve tortas and agua fresca.
Where: Taquerías in Oak Cliff, especially around Jefferson Boulevard, and food trucks citywide.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
8.Kolaches
Soft yeasted pastries brought to Texas by Czech immigrants, filled with fruit or cream cheese; the sausage-filled version locals also call a kolache is technically a klobasnek.
Where: Donut and kolache shops across the metro, and Czech bakeries in West, Texas, on the road to Waco.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Banana pudding
Layers of vanilla custard, sliced banana and vanilla wafers, often topped with whipped cream. It is the standard dessert at Texas barbecue joints.
Where: Barbecue restaurants and Southern cafés across the city.
Food experiences
Barbecue queue
Join the line at a Deep Ellum barbecue joint before lunch, order brisket, sausage and ribs by the half-pound and share at communal tables.
State Fair food
In autumn, the State Fair of Texas unveils new deep-fried creations every year; buy coupons and share small portions with friends.
Klyde Warren food trucks
A rotating line of food trucks parks along Klyde Warren Park, giving an easy, inexpensive lunch between Arts District museums.
Oak Cliff taco crawl
Taquerías along Jefferson Boulevard and around Bishop Arts serve some of the best Mexican food in the city at low prices.
Quick bites and street food
- Corny dog — Fletcher's stands at the State Fair of Texas each autumn; corn dogs are sold at stadiums and fairs year-round.
- Street tacos — Taquerías in Oak Cliff, especially around Jefferson Boulevard, and food trucks citywide.
- Kolaches — Donut and kolache shops across the metro, and Czech bakeries in West, Texas, on the road to Waco.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Frozen margarita, Tex-Mex with queso, Kolaches and Banana pudding. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Top barbecue spots can sell out of brisket by mid-afternoon; go early.
- Chips, salsa and refills of iced tea usually come free with Tex-Mex meals.
- Book Uptown and Bishop Arts restaurants ahead for Friday and Saturday nights.
- Portions are large; sharing plates is common and accepted.
- Sales tax of about 8.25% is added at the register and an 18–20% tip is expected at sit-down restaurants.
Tipping
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Y'all | You all, used for any group |
| Fixin' to | About to do something |
| The Metroplex | The Dallas–Fort Worth metro area |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Dallas famous for?
Smoked brisket, Frozen margarita, Tex-Mex with queso and Chicken-fried steak. Central Texas-style brisket, rubbed with salt and pepper and smoked low and slow until it has a dark bark and a pink smoke ring.
+Is Dallas good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Frozen margarita, Tex-Mex with queso and Kolaches.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Dallas?
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.