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Amid a table of dishes, a bright orange salmon stands out on a wooden plate.
New Zealand cuisine live at Quarter Acre on Lowest Greenville.
Kathy Tran

13 Essential Greenville Avenue Restaurants

Where to go for expensive, cheap, and in-between meals in what is hands-down the best food neighborhood in East Dallas

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New Zealand cuisine live at Quarter Acre on Lowest Greenville.
| Kathy Tran

Lower Greenville, which spans approximately one and a half miles down Greenville Avenue, has always been a hotspot for nightlife. And over the past few years, it’s become one of the city’s best dining destinations. It’s also constantly changing, with new restaurants and bars coming in faster than diners can keep up with them.

Head to this bustling dining district for some of the city’s finest fare, where New Zealand-inspired cuisine in a refined dining room sits next to a classic cafe that pulls fresh veggies from its owner’s garden and a pizza place or rooftop bar with healthy bites aren’t out of place at all.

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Cafe Izmir

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Cafe Izmir has been serving up the best hummus on Greenville since 1996. Grab a dish of that with pita bread but don’t miss the coconut shrimp, spicy eggplant, or the homemade falafel at this longtime favorite Mediterranean tapas spot.

Pizzeria Testa

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This place is more than good old-fashioned Neapolitan pizza, although that’s enough of a reason to stop by and order a quattro formaggi. Pretend you’re in the old world on its outdoor patio for a while, and order a croquette of lightly fried potatoes and a Caprese salad. 

Sister Restaurant

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Sister became one of Dallas’s must-eat destinations after it landed on the New York Times list of the country’s best restaurants in 2022. This Mediterranean-ish fare, the “ish” being a staple of Duro Hospitality’s style, mixes trendy and classic. The Moroccan spiced chicken is a perennial favorite, while the lobster and burrata served with potato chips tap into Dallas’s penchant for a high/low mix on the plate. 

Terilli's

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This long-standing Greenville Italian destination opened in 1985. Come by for some famous “Italchos” or Italian nachos, a pizza chip with red sauce and cheese, and the entire menu section dedicated to bruschetta. It’s also a great brunch stop — things aren’t entirely Italian on that menu but are yummy. 

Carte Blanche

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Tasting menu lovers know this spot is a must — it is the leading seasonal menu in the city. What’s on the plate varies from service to service. The six-course tasting menu is $145 per person, while the chef’s full tour menu is $225 a person, with the option to add a wine pairing or bring a bottle for an additional fee. It added an a la carte menu that’s available Tuesday through Thursday. It is a special event spot and one of the few in East Dallas.

Quarter Acre

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For those unfamiliar with New Zealand cuisine, chef Toby Archibald’s restaurant serves lots of seafood, grilled and charred vegetables, lamb, and smoked dishes — the idea is that a lot of the food is cooked as it would be on a beach in his home country. And, of course, the pavlova, a New Zealand original, gets a deconstruction on the dessert menu. 

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

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This cult favorite opened a second location on Lowest Greenville and quickly shot to the top of the list of places Dallas diners are going for dumplings and Chinese food. The pan fried pork buns, soup dumpling sample platter, pork chili wontons, and spicy string beans are the talk of the place.

HG Sply Co.

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HG Sply Co. is Greenville Avenue’s spot for paleo and gluten-free meals. It has bowls and entrees that fit most any dietary requirement, along with a rooftop patio that offers one of the city’s best views of the neighborhood all the way into downtown.

Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen

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This spot, named after owner Carol Nguyen’s mother, serves Hanoi-influenced dishes like savory bun cha Hanoi (vermicelli noodles with pork belly and grilled pork patties), summer beet rolls, shaking tenderloin that’s its take on the famous shaking beef, and vegetarian curry with tofu and eggplant. 

It’s worth visiting Rye to have some small bites, including the Iceland hot dog, which is authentic with elevated meat, and the pork belly lollipops, which are a must. Rye recently added a lunch service where diners can try standout dishes, including a fantastic chicken sandwich and a steak bowl made with farro-spelled-quinoa, biryani, spring onion, sumac Shirazi, and piri piri. Or put a three-course lunch together from the tasting menu.

This 13-seat omakase restaurant offers a $150 per guest service, optional wine and sake pairings, and add-ons. Diners get quite the show with their meal from chefs Shinichiro Kondo, previously the head chef at Nobu in Vegas, and Jimmy Park, who worked under Shin. The duo put a nice omakase together, incorporating seasonal fish that is flown in fresh. 

Taquero

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This spot, led by a pair of Mexican immigrants — CEO and executive chef Fino Rodríguez and his business partner Victor E. Rico — is all about Mexican cuisine. The menu travels all over the country, from Vera Cruz-style seafood-heavy dishes to Oaxaca-inspired moles to the ranches of Northern Mexico where fajitas were born. And, depending on who is in the kitchen, this place frequently doesn’t hold back on the spice.

John's Cafe

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Amid all the fancy spots to eat on Lower Greenville, John’s Cafe has been serving fresh food for over 50 years — John Spyropoulos still shares photos of himself harvesting vegetables from his garden on social media. It’s probably the best spot around for breakfast, but a cheap, great meal can be found here at any time. 

Cafe Izmir

Cafe Izmir has been serving up the best hummus on Greenville since 1996. Grab a dish of that with pita bread but don’t miss the coconut shrimp, spicy eggplant, or the homemade falafel at this longtime favorite Mediterranean tapas spot.

Pizzeria Testa

This place is more than good old-fashioned Neapolitan pizza, although that’s enough of a reason to stop by and order a quattro formaggi. Pretend you’re in the old world on its outdoor patio for a while, and order a croquette of lightly fried potatoes and a Caprese salad. 

Sister Restaurant

Sister became one of Dallas’s must-eat destinations after it landed on the New York Times list of the country’s best restaurants in 2022. This Mediterranean-ish fare, the “ish” being a staple of Duro Hospitality’s style, mixes trendy and classic. The Moroccan spiced chicken is a perennial favorite, while the lobster and burrata served with potato chips tap into Dallas’s penchant for a high/low mix on the plate. 

Terilli's

This long-standing Greenville Italian destination opened in 1985. Come by for some famous “Italchos” or Italian nachos, a pizza chip with red sauce and cheese, and the entire menu section dedicated to bruschetta. It’s also a great brunch stop — things aren’t entirely Italian on that menu but are yummy. 

Carte Blanche

Tasting menu lovers know this spot is a must — it is the leading seasonal menu in the city. What’s on the plate varies from service to service. The six-course tasting menu is $145 per person, while the chef’s full tour menu is $225 a person, with the option to add a wine pairing or bring a bottle for an additional fee. It added an a la carte menu that’s available Tuesday through Thursday. It is a special event spot and one of the few in East Dallas.

Quarter Acre

For those unfamiliar with New Zealand cuisine, chef Toby Archibald’s restaurant serves lots of seafood, grilled and charred vegetables, lamb, and smoked dishes — the idea is that a lot of the food is cooked as it would be on a beach in his home country. And, of course, the pavlova, a New Zealand original, gets a deconstruction on the dessert menu. 

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

This cult favorite opened a second location on Lowest Greenville and quickly shot to the top of the list of places Dallas diners are going for dumplings and Chinese food. The pan fried pork buns, soup dumpling sample platter, pork chili wontons, and spicy string beans are the talk of the place.

HG Sply Co.

HG Sply Co. is Greenville Avenue’s spot for paleo and gluten-free meals. It has bowls and entrees that fit most any dietary requirement, along with a rooftop patio that offers one of the city’s best views of the neighborhood all the way into downtown.

Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen

This spot, named after owner Carol Nguyen’s mother, serves Hanoi-influenced dishes like savory bun cha Hanoi (vermicelli noodles with pork belly and grilled pork patties), summer beet rolls, shaking tenderloin that’s its take on the famous shaking beef, and vegetarian curry with tofu and eggplant. 

Rye

It’s worth visiting Rye to have some small bites, including the Iceland hot dog, which is authentic with elevated meat, and the pork belly lollipops, which are a must. Rye recently added a lunch service where diners can try standout dishes, including a fantastic chicken sandwich and a steak bowl made with farro-spelled-quinoa, biryani, spring onion, sumac Shirazi, and piri piri. Or put a three-course lunch together from the tasting menu.

Shoyo

This 13-seat omakase restaurant offers a $150 per guest service, optional wine and sake pairings, and add-ons. Diners get quite the show with their meal from chefs Shinichiro Kondo, previously the head chef at Nobu in Vegas, and Jimmy Park, who worked under Shin. The duo put a nice omakase together, incorporating seasonal fish that is flown in fresh. 

Taquero

This spot, led by a pair of Mexican immigrants — CEO and executive chef Fino Rodríguez and his business partner Victor E. Rico — is all about Mexican cuisine. The menu travels all over the country, from Vera Cruz-style seafood-heavy dishes to Oaxaca-inspired moles to the ranches of Northern Mexico where fajitas were born. And, depending on who is in the kitchen, this place frequently doesn’t hold back on the spice.

John's Cafe

Amid all the fancy spots to eat on Lower Greenville, John’s Cafe has been serving fresh food for over 50 years — John Spyropoulos still shares photos of himself harvesting vegetables from his garden on social media. It’s probably the best spot around for breakfast, but a cheap, great meal can be found here at any time. 

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