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Where to eat great on the east side of Big D
Funky East Dallas has seen a boom in great restaurants over the past five years. Spanning from Old East Dallas and Lakewood to Greenville Avenue and all the way up to Lake Highlands, this map covers a lot of territory. And there are a wide swath of foods, from Vietnamese to Tex-Mex to modern Brazilian fare.
Even the toniest restaurants in East Dallas tend to be come-as-you-are, so dress down a little and order adventurously. But, no matter what, eat well!
Read MoreTacos for traditionalists, non-traditionalists, vegans, and vegetarians can be found at this neighborhood spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s best known for its caramelized cauliflower taco and seasonal specials like Pacific fried oysters and buttered lobster tacos. Don’t miss the garlicky refried beans.
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Junior Borges is one of Dallas’s top chefs, and Meridian, his restaurant featuring modern Brazilian food, is one of the city’s premiere eateries. The seasonal moqueca is always a must-order, featuring seafood and made from his mother’s recipe. And the Xtudo burger, created for happy hour, has become a staple.
Looking for a beer garden and burger spot in the neighborhood? Can’t do better than Goodfriend. The Bourdain burger is legendary, but the Frito pie and wide array of wings are worth checking out. For those searching for a stellar breakfast sandwich, hit up the Goodfriend Package store across the street.
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The Marfa-inspired decor and Southern-influenced food in this spot made its reputation as a great dinner and drinks location. The shrimp and grits, pimento cheese with crispy tasso cheese, and fried chicken confit are staples on the menu, too beloved to come off. And it added brunch service in the last year that builds on those dinner favorites.
This restaurant is styled as a family trattoria (a design-forward, modern one) with Mediterranean influences. And, as is customary in Italy, the menu is designed to be shared, family-style. Pick a few plates that sound good, always ask the servers for recommendations, and prepare to pass and taste. The Moroccan spiced chicken and branzino are perennial favorites here.
This casual, family-owned restaurant on Lowest Greenville is an excellent stop for Vietnamese food inspired by Hanoi dishes. Stop for strong Vietnamese coffee, yummy shaking tofu or tenderloin, and scrumptious Gulf shrimp rolls.
For experimental fare, Rye is the place to be on Greenville Avenue. It’s famous for its duroc pork belly lollipops and take on the Icelandic hot dog, as well as its deep whiskey list and whiskey-driven cocktail menu. The restaurant has added a chef’s tasting menu, lunch, and brunch.
Make reservations to try omakase on the East side at this spot, where every night is different. Prepare for a big show, as three chefs service around 12 diners at its sushi bar in the black and gold dining room at Shoyo. It does accept reservations for parties of up to 4, so gather a group and make it a whole shindig.
The most adventurous diners in Dallas know this is the spot. Chef Misti Norris is officially back in business, having taken over the former Lakewood Smokehouse location (as well as two of the smokers it left behind). And she’s smoking, fermenting, pickling, and staying as experimental as ever with her menus. The new spot is much bigger and has an ambitious design — plus a wine and cocktails program, so no more BYOB. But give it a shot; Petra carries numerous hard-to-find and biodynamic wines, with cocktails that match the advanced-level food.
This newly opened family-owned restaurant takes inspiration from its owner’s time living in Tuscany and her family recipes from Sicily to craft a menu dedicated to the old-world Italian way of serving food. Diners will note that pasta is made fresh daily, and while they’re waiting, they might see mozzarella being freshly pulled for service. Also, the wine list is entirely natural, biodynamic, and organic bottles from small vineyards.
Tucked away in Lakewood, this tiny restaurant serves Vietnamese-inspired fare with a French flare that’s so good that it is where chefs in town go to eat when they eat out. The menu changes regularly and seasonally, and guests are well-advised to make reservations.
This Junius Heights spot is known for its classic American fare focused on farm-fresh ingredients at affordable prices. Sit in the garden and order a flat iron steak or the Ivy salad with kale and shaved cabbage. It’s also open for brunch.
This Austin export has quickly become a staple of East Dallas. It fuses Asian cooking and barbecued meats — think oak grilled snap peas in a kimchi infusion and crispy potatoes with miso mustard. One can also get a nice plate of baby back durac pork ribs or hot honey fried chicken.
Also featured in:
Tacos for traditionalists, non-traditionalists, vegans, and vegetarians can be found at this neighborhood spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s best known for its caramelized cauliflower taco and seasonal specials like Pacific fried oysters and buttered lobster tacos. Don’t miss the garlicky refried beans.
Junior Borges is one of Dallas’s top chefs, and Meridian, his restaurant featuring modern Brazilian food, is one of the city’s premiere eateries. The seasonal moqueca is always a must-order, featuring seafood and made from his mother’s recipe. And the Xtudo burger, created for happy hour, has become a staple.
Looking for a beer garden and burger spot in the neighborhood? Can’t do better than Goodfriend. The Bourdain burger is legendary, but the Frito pie and wide array of wings are worth checking out. For those searching for a stellar breakfast sandwich, hit up the Goodfriend Package store across the street.
The Marfa-inspired decor and Southern-influenced food in this spot made its reputation as a great dinner and drinks location. The shrimp and grits, pimento cheese with crispy tasso cheese, and fried chicken confit are staples on the menu, too beloved to come off. And it added brunch service in the last year that builds on those dinner favorites.
This restaurant is styled as a family trattoria (a design-forward, modern one) with Mediterranean influences. And, as is customary in Italy, the menu is designed to be shared, family-style. Pick a few plates that sound good, always ask the servers for recommendations, and prepare to pass and taste. The Moroccan spiced chicken and branzino are perennial favorites here.
This casual, family-owned restaurant on Lowest Greenville is an excellent stop for Vietnamese food inspired by Hanoi dishes. Stop for strong Vietnamese coffee, yummy shaking tofu or tenderloin, and scrumptious Gulf shrimp rolls.
For experimental fare, Rye is the place to be on Greenville Avenue. It’s famous for its duroc pork belly lollipops and take on the Icelandic hot dog, as well as its deep whiskey list and whiskey-driven cocktail menu. The restaurant has added a chef’s tasting menu, lunch, and brunch.
Make reservations to try omakase on the East side at this spot, where every night is different. Prepare for a big show, as three chefs service around 12 diners at its sushi bar in the black and gold dining room at Shoyo. It does accept reservations for parties of up to 4, so gather a group and make it a whole shindig.
The most adventurous diners in Dallas know this is the spot. Chef Misti Norris is officially back in business, having taken over the former Lakewood Smokehouse location (as well as two of the smokers it left behind). And she’s smoking, fermenting, pickling, and staying as experimental as ever with her menus. The new spot is much bigger and has an ambitious design — plus a wine and cocktails program, so no more BYOB. But give it a shot; Petra carries numerous hard-to-find and biodynamic wines, with cocktails that match the advanced-level food.
This newly opened family-owned restaurant takes inspiration from its owner’s time living in Tuscany and her family recipes from Sicily to craft a menu dedicated to the old-world Italian way of serving food. Diners will note that pasta is made fresh daily, and while they’re waiting, they might see mozzarella being freshly pulled for service. Also, the wine list is entirely natural, biodynamic, and organic bottles from small vineyards.
Tucked away in Lakewood, this tiny restaurant serves Vietnamese-inspired fare with a French flare that’s so good that it is where chefs in town go to eat when they eat out. The menu changes regularly and seasonally, and guests are well-advised to make reservations.
This Junius Heights spot is known for its classic American fare focused on farm-fresh ingredients at affordable prices. Sit in the garden and order a flat iron steak or the Ivy salad with kale and shaved cabbage. It’s also open for brunch.
This Austin export has quickly become a staple of East Dallas. It fuses Asian cooking and barbecued meats — think oak grilled snap peas in a kimchi infusion and crispy potatoes with miso mustard. One can also get a nice plate of baby back durac pork ribs or hot honey fried chicken.
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