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A plate of Texas redfish with harissa sauce sits on top of crawfish fried rice.
The Texas redfish with harissa sauce at Roots Southern Table.
Kathy Tran

The Best Dishes Eater Dallas Ate in 2022, Mapped

From burgers to vegan gumbo to lemon cheesecake, there are some of the best bites of the year

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The Texas redfish with harissa sauce at Roots Southern Table.
| Kathy Tran

From month to month, the editor of Eater Dallas shares the best meals they eat. As 2022 draws to a close, it feels like a good time to reflect on some of the top dishes from the year. Some are new, like the charred octopus that chef Brendan Frankel recently added to the menu of the Restaurant at the Mansion, and others are old, reliable favorites, like the Bourdain burger at Goodfriend Beer Garden.

The good news is that these dishes are still available at the respective restaurants. So if anything tickles your fancy, you too can eat it.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Roots Southern Table

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Listening to chef Tiffany Derry describe the Texas Redfish for an Inside the Dishes feature was enough to make us order it. It’s got flavor and spice, and we love seeing a sustainable fish out of the Gulf become the go-to seafood for many local restaurants. Absolutely have no regrets.

Meridian

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As a part of chef Junior Borges’ plan to make Meridian accessible at a more affordable price-point, he introduced the X-Tudo Burger alongside a suite of happy hour dishes and drinks. It combines the taste of French onion soup with a burger and pairs very nicely with a martini.

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House

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It’s impossible to beat a smashburger from Goodfriend, especially if it’s a temperate day, and one can eat it on the patio with a frozen cocktail from the daily menu. The Bourdain burger remains a go-to. 

Carte Blanche

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Stopping in on a weekend morning for coffee and a pastry from Carte Blanche is always a good idea. The ever-changing offerings have included several tempting bites this year, from its massive cinnamon buns to a savory, herb- and cheese-filled puff pastry — it’s all treats here.

The Mansion Restaurant

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New to the menu at the Restaurant is a charred octopus with achiote marinated, pepita pesto, finger lime, sesame-sunflower granola, and cilantro — it comes together as a green sauce that works wonders to highlight the dish. 

Carbone Dallas

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Lemon cheesecake sounds innocuous enough, right? But this lemon cheesecake makes the list because it came at the end of an incredibly filling meal and got devoured in its entirety anyway. Any dessert that compelling isn’t to be missed. 

INVASION

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The Cardi B is one of the great pleasures of eating a chicken sandwich in Big D. The crispy fry of the chicken breast is a crunchy delight, and the combo of spicy mayo and crisp purple cabbage on that butter-coated bun is heaven.

STK Dallas

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Rarely has a bite made such a big impression as the miso-glazed Chilean sea bass at the newly opened STK Dallas. Glazed fish is not a fashionable treatment these days, but this glaze so beautifully compliments it that its virtues should be extolled near and far and at the highest volume.

Ellie's Restaurant & Lounge

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A dinner here after Anthony Hsia joined the kitchen as executive chef yielded a night to remember. The coriander-roasted Icelandic cod was delicious, both in quality and presentation. 

Restaurant Beatrice

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When chef Terance Jenkins first explained he was putting a vegan green gumbo on the menu and his process for creating it, we were intrigued. After eating a bowl, we’re sold. It’s got all the heartiness and spice a gumbo needs and then some.

Don Artemio Restaurant

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This notable newcomer of a restaurant in Fort Worth has a dish called Nopalitos Fritos on its menu. That’s fried cactus with bacon served with heirloom maiz and nixtamal tortillas. It is nearly impossible to describe how flavorful and tender the dish is. One simply has to taste it.

Written by the Seasons

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The menu at this Bishop Arts spot is a family-style service where everyone shares. So, on a night when we ordered several dishes for the table, the coconut braised baby carrots were among them. The combination of spices, yogurt, and firm carrots was a surprise in the best way.

Roots Southern Table

Listening to chef Tiffany Derry describe the Texas Redfish for an Inside the Dishes feature was enough to make us order it. It’s got flavor and spice, and we love seeing a sustainable fish out of the Gulf become the go-to seafood for many local restaurants. Absolutely have no regrets.

Meridian

As a part of chef Junior Borges’ plan to make Meridian accessible at a more affordable price-point, he introduced the X-Tudo Burger alongside a suite of happy hour dishes and drinks. It combines the taste of French onion soup with a burger and pairs very nicely with a martini.

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House

It’s impossible to beat a smashburger from Goodfriend, especially if it’s a temperate day, and one can eat it on the patio with a frozen cocktail from the daily menu. The Bourdain burger remains a go-to. 

Carte Blanche

Stopping in on a weekend morning for coffee and a pastry from Carte Blanche is always a good idea. The ever-changing offerings have included several tempting bites this year, from its massive cinnamon buns to a savory, herb- and cheese-filled puff pastry — it’s all treats here.

The Mansion Restaurant

New to the menu at the Restaurant is a charred octopus with achiote marinated, pepita pesto, finger lime, sesame-sunflower granola, and cilantro — it comes together as a green sauce that works wonders to highlight the dish. 

Carbone Dallas

Lemon cheesecake sounds innocuous enough, right? But this lemon cheesecake makes the list because it came at the end of an incredibly filling meal and got devoured in its entirety anyway. Any dessert that compelling isn’t to be missed. 

INVASION

The Cardi B is one of the great pleasures of eating a chicken sandwich in Big D. The crispy fry of the chicken breast is a crunchy delight, and the combo of spicy mayo and crisp purple cabbage on that butter-coated bun is heaven.

STK Dallas

Rarely has a bite made such a big impression as the miso-glazed Chilean sea bass at the newly opened STK Dallas. Glazed fish is not a fashionable treatment these days, but this glaze so beautifully compliments it that its virtues should be extolled near and far and at the highest volume.

Ellie's Restaurant & Lounge

A dinner here after Anthony Hsia joined the kitchen as executive chef yielded a night to remember. The coriander-roasted Icelandic cod was delicious, both in quality and presentation. 

Restaurant Beatrice

When chef Terance Jenkins first explained he was putting a vegan green gumbo on the menu and his process for creating it, we were intrigued. After eating a bowl, we’re sold. It’s got all the heartiness and spice a gumbo needs and then some.

Don Artemio Restaurant

This notable newcomer of a restaurant in Fort Worth has a dish called Nopalitos Fritos on its menu. That’s fried cactus with bacon served with heirloom maiz and nixtamal tortillas. It is nearly impossible to describe how flavorful and tender the dish is. One simply has to taste it.

Written by the Seasons

The menu at this Bishop Arts spot is a family-style service where everyone shares. So, on a night when we ordered several dishes for the table, the coconut braised baby carrots were among them. The combination of spices, yogurt, and firm carrots was a surprise in the best way.

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