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Dallas-Fort Worth’s 21 great business lunch restaurants

Lunch in North Texas can be tricky. Use this list.

Power lunch was once all the rage in Dallas-Fort Worth. There were midday martinis, paid for on the company credit card, and fabulous meals in 45 minutes! Then the pandemic took the power out of lunch. Many of our favorite Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants scaled back midday or removed lunch completely, making it tough to find a solid spot.

Sachet is our top Dallas spot for business lunch. A quick midday meal could include the...
Sachet is our top Dallas spot for business lunch. A quick midday meal could include the steak bowl or salmon bowl, both healthy and delicious.(Jeffrey McWhorter / Special Contributor)

But the business districts in Dallas, Fort Worth and the suburbs have plenty of great places for a meal with colleagues if you know where to look. Our favorite business lunch spots have breezy service and excellent food. Some offer great value — important for those of us who don’t have an endless budget.

Cuisines include Mediterranean, barbecue, Tex-Mex, dim sum and more, in Dallas, Fort Worth, Richardson, The Colony and beyond.

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order.

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Darna Mediterranean Eatery and Bar in Plano

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Try it all with the Darna Mezza Sampler.
Try it all with the Darna Mezza Sampler.(Jason Janik / Special Contributor)

The light, bright Darna cafe in Plano’s Legacy West offers tastes from North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Servers are attentive to lunchtime time constraints, meaning you can nosh on hummus and muhammara with a colleague, then still have time to enjoy a vegetable kebab, Mediterranean flatbread or seafood risotto before that 1 p.m. conference call.

Darna Mediterranean Eatery and Bar is at 7700 Windrose Ave. (at Legacy West), Plano. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

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Douglas in University Park

Douglas is a steak, smoke and spirits restaurant in University Park.
Douglas is a steak, smoke and spirits restaurant in University Park.

How great: Douglas restaurant founder Doug Pickering has found a way to make barbecue chic. We see Douglas as a place to take out-of-town business people, where lunch should probably start with Brisket Bullets (bacon-wrapped jalapeños). The two meat, two sides model is the way to go at lunch, but if your business guest isn’t crazy about a Texas-sized plate of sliced meat, the smoked salmon dip and spinach salad with candied walnuts are other good choices.

Douglas is at 6818 Snider Plaza, Dallas. Open six days a week for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday.

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Escondido TexMex Patio in Dallas’ Preston Hollow

Much of the food at Preston Hollow Tex-Mex restaurant Escondido is good, but the item we keep coming back for is the power bowl, available with brisket, chicken tinga or guajillo shrimp at lunchtime. The bowls are filling and healthy. If you’re drinking at lunchtime, the $5 mini margaritas might call your name. Just know: “Mini” is accurate. A few slurps and you might want another one.

Escondido is at 5950 Royal Lane, Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

El Fenix — at 14 D-FW locations

El Fenix is Dallas’ oldest restaurant, at 105 years old. A casual lunch here could include a brief history of Tex-Mex, perhaps with a colleague who is new to Dallas or curious about our culinary traditions. The thing to get, if you’re not going light, is the cheese enchilada plate and a margarita. On Wednesdays, enchilada plates at all locations cost $7.49 — making El Fenix one of the most reasonably-priced sit-down lunches mid-week in D-FW.

The longest-running El Fenix is at 1601 McKinney Ave., Dallas, but the company has 14 restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth, including in suburbs like McKinney, Weatherford, Irving, Arlington and more.

Fond in downtown Dallas

The hot smoked salmon appetizer at Fond in downtown Dallas comes with bagel crisps from...
The hot smoked salmon appetizer at Fond in downtown Dallas comes with bagel crisps from neighboring business Starship Bagel. Each build-your-own bite can come with salmon, pickled onions, capers, beet-horseradish crème fraîche and more.(Sarah Blaskovich/Staff)

Lunch shouldn’t always require a reservation. Brand-new restaurant Fond in downtown Dallas is a casual cafe with table service. Sandwiches, salads and snacks are available midday, with aperitivos, Detroit-style pizzas and natural wine later, at happy hour. Fond comes from chefs Jennie Kelley and Brandon Moore, CultureMap notes; they started buzzy Detroit-style pizza pop-up during the pandemic called Better Half. Consider Fond your casual option on Elm Street.

Fond is at 1601 Elm St., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

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il Bracco in Dallas’ Preston Center

Lunch just feels easy at il Bracco: The service is stellar — and can be speedy, if you ask — and the menu reads like a greatest-hits Italian-American spot. Shareable starters include crispy artichokes or house-made focaccia. Many go for the salads, which are entree-sized and studded with goodies, like the Tuscan Grains salad with jumbo shrimp, cucumbers and green goddess dressing. Salmon, seabass and chicken piccata entrees are light while bolognese and gemelli with spicy vodka sauce are comforting. And then it’s back to work.

il Bracco is at 8416 Preston Center Plaza, Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Kirin Court in Richardson

Carts at Kirin Court carry dim sum.
Carts at Kirin Court carry dim sum.

We love the big, circular tables at Kirin Court. Rarely is it so comfortable for a table of eight or more to converse easily as it is here, at one of Dallas-Fort Worth’s best dim sum restaurants. While customers can order from the menu, many simply wait for the carts to come by carrying soup dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, steamed barbecue pork buns and egg rolls. We’re always pleasantly surprised when the bill comes: Prices are very reasonable.

Kirin Court is at 221 W. Polk St., Richardson. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

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Knox Bistro on Dallas’ Knox Street

Knox Bistro is on Dallas' hottest restaurant block — Knox Street.
Knox Bistro is on Dallas' hottest restaurant block — Knox Street.(Liesbeth Powers / Special Contributor)

Knox Bistro is a consistent, classy lunch spot for professionals. It’s also run by some of Dallas’ best French chefs. Knox Bistro was created by French-born Stephan Courseau, who also operates Georgie, Le Bilboquet and the coming-soon restaurants at The Terminal. It’s home base for French-born chef-partner Bruno Davaillon, formerly of the Mansion and Bullion, and run by executive chef Michael Ehlert, who led the redo of Dallas’ famous French Room. Knox Bistro was formerly Up on Knox, if that name rings a bell. It’s a fine spot for moules marinières, le cordon bleu, or a simple soup-and-sandwich lunch.

Knox Bistro is at 3230 Knox St., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

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La Calle Doce in Oak Cliff

Bring one business colleague or bring a bunch, there’s room at La Calle Doce. Oscar and Laura Sanchez’s charming house-turned-restaurant has been open in Oak Cliff for more than 40 years, serving campechana, quesadillas, enchiladas and more. It’s delightfully easy to eat healthfully here, as La Calle Doce has a sizable seafood menu.

La Calle Doce’s original restaurant is at 415 W. Twelfth St., in Dallas’ Oak Cliff. A second restaurant is at 1925 Skillman St., in East Dallas. Both restaurants are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Le Margot in Fort Worth

Le Margot is a feminine restaurant with pink chandeliers, fun wallpaper and delicate dinnerware. But don’t discount it as a ladies-only spot. Le Margot would be a delightful stop for anyone, mid-workday, for French onion soup, Lyonnaise salad and tarte flambés (flatbreads) to share. After lunchtime, the restaurant gets a light makeover for dinner, with white tablecloths, a more vibrant bar crowd and pricier dishes like escargot pot pie and filet au poivre.

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Le Margot is at 3150 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Miriam near downtown Dallas

Lunch with a view: That’s Miriam, across the street from Klyde Warren Park. The Mexican menu here can be light — with shrimp and octopus ceviche or squash and zucchini tacos — or it can be hearty, with queso, yuca fritters with mozzarella cheese, and short rib enchiladas.

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Miriam is at 2015 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Paradiso in Oak Cliff

Euro-style restaurant Paradiso looks effortlessly cool — like your artsiest friend designed it in soft pinks and greens, with indoor plants all around. When the weather is temperate, Paradiso’s patio is one of the best seats in Dallas, shaded by trees and tucked away from street noise but right in the heart of the Bishop Arts District. Menu items include a fussed-up chicken salad sandwich with tomato jam, ricotta, saffron aioli and more; a spicy eggplant Parm sandwich; and healthy entrees like couscous and grilled shrimp; and chicken paillard. The pastas are a good option in cooler weather.

Paradiso is at 308 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

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Postino in Addison

Though Postino in Addison is brand new in 2023, it feels retro. The bruschetta boards...
Though Postino in Addison is brand new in 2023, it feels retro. The bruschetta boards (pictured) are the most popular item, says CEO Lauren Bailey.(Sarah Blaskovich/Staff)

If your business takes you to Addison, stop into the new Postino for a snack. Wine is a great price at lunch, just sayin’: $6 house pours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Postino’s vibe is funky and casual, so take a friend or colleague who doesn’t mind sharing food, then order a bruschetta board with toppings like mushroom and mascarpone (my favorite); sweet and spicy pepper jam and goat cheese; or salmon and pesto. The paninis are great, too.

Postino is at 5280 Belt Line Road, Addison. A second in D-FW — at 1440 Main St., Southlake — is expected to open soon. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

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Quartino in The Colony

A salumi tray at Quartino Restaurant in The Colony is a great shareable starter.
A salumi tray at Quartino Restaurant in The Colony is a great shareable starter.(Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor)

With so many company headquarters near the Dallas North Tollway and State Highway 121, the restaurants at Grandscape, Legacy West, Granite Park and near Stonebriar Centre are poised for lots of lunchtime customers. A favorite stop up there is Quartino in The Colony, a Chicago-based Italian restaurant that opened in summer 2023 in Grandscape. The two-story restaurant is huge, meaning it’ll be easy to get a seat. Service is friendly and fast.

Important note: Quartino is closed Sept. 11-27, 2023 while crews replace the floors.

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Quartino is at 5754 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Sachet in Highland Park

Business colleagues chat during the lunch hour at Sachet, a Mediterranean restaurant in...
Business colleagues chat during the lunch hour at Sachet, a Mediterranean restaurant in Highland Park.(Jeffrey McWhorter / Special Contributor)

Nobody asked us to pick a favorite, but we will. Sachet is the best place to eat a business lunch in Dallas. The Mediterranean restaurant on Oak Lawn Avenue in Highland Park is accessible from nearly all of the business districts in Dallas. Husband-wife owners Stephen Rogers and Allison Yoder, a power couple themselves, have created a menu that’s stylish, healthy and interesting. The burrata with chervil pesto, grape marmalade and pistachio was a summertime favorite of mine, followed by the vegetarian sabich: pita filled with eggplant, hummus and egg. What’s more, it’s easy to enjoy lunch for under $25 per person — a rarity for a fine lunch restaurant in Dallas.

Sachet is at 4270 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday (but closed midday between 2:30 and 5 p.m.). Closed Sunday.

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Sloane’s Corner in downtown Dallas

The businesspeople who work near Downtown Dallas bistro Sloane’s Corner — near Pearl Street and Ross Avenue — already know to stop in for a harissa steak grain bowl, Italian sandwich or hearty entree salad. Sloane’s Corner is also a great midday stop for visitors of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, Klyde Warren Park and other downtown Dallas attractions. We’re regularly impressed with chef Ji Kang’s food.

Sloane’s Corner is at 2001 Ross Ave., Dallas. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Dinner only on Saturday. Closed Sunday.

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Suburban Yacht Club in Plano

Are you at the boat dock or land locked? Use your imagination at Suburban Yacht Club in Plano.
Are you at the boat dock or land locked? Use your imagination at Suburban Yacht Club in Plano.(Sarah Blaskovich/Staff)

Park your land cruiser out back, then take a quick vacation in the middle of the workday to Suburban Yacht Club in Plano. SYC is an especially great stop on a patio day, where you can snack on cold shrimp or Cali-style tacos under an umbrella. I loved a poke bowl recently with tuna, salmon, cucumbers and avocado in a zingy dressing.

Suburban Yacht Club is at 5872 State Highway 121, Plano. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

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Terry Black’s Barbecue in Deep Ellum

While most of our business lunch recommendations involve sit-down service, we’ll make an exception for Terry Black’s. Your business colleagues — especially if they’re not from Texas — need to line up for barbecue at least once, and Terry Black’s in Deep Ellum is one of the best all-day barbecue joints in the region. You’ve gotta get some fatty brisket by the half pound and a few links of jalapeño-cheese sausage. The giant beef rib (picture it: a hunk of greasy meat on a foot-long bone) is fun for the spectacle.

Terry Black’s Barbecue is at 3025 Main St., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Truluck’s in Uptown Dallas

Truluck's 45-minute power lunch in Dallas includes options for first, second and third...
Truluck's 45-minute power lunch in Dallas includes options for first, second and third courses. Pictured here: the wedge salad to start, the prime cheeseburger with French fries as a main, and warm cookies for dessert. (Courtesy of Truluck's)

Seafood restaurant Truluck’s launched a 45-minute power lunch in mid-September 2023. Fun! Customers choose between two salads, lobster bisque, or meatballs for the first course; salmon, chicken, filet, steak salad, a burger or vegan bolognese pasta for the second; and carrot cake or warm chocolate chip cookies to finish. It costs $39 per person. If you work close by, you’ll be back at the office within the hour.

Truluck’s is at 2401 McKinney Ave., Dallas. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Dinner only on Saturday and Sunday. Note, the 45-minute power lunch is not available at Truluck’s in Southlake.

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Walloon’s in Fort Worth

It feels like you’ve been inside Walloon’s before. Maybe it’s the classic black and white flooring, the approachable Southern seafood menu, or the century-old building. But Walloon’s just opened in summer 2023 in Fort Worth’s Near Southside neighborhood. We love it. Start with beer-battered redfish beignets, or “church lady” deviled eggs. Or deviled crab dip or Louisiana barbecue shrimp. OK, maybe order most of the appetizers. The business crowd in here is lively, especially for Friday lunch.

Walloon’s is at 701 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

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Whiskey Cake in Las Colinas and Plano

Here's the Whiskey Cake.
Here's the Whiskey Cake.(Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)

For our business friends in Plano or the Irving/Las Colinas area, Whiskey Cake is a solid stop at lunch. The chile barbecue glazed duck wings with Fresno peppers and cilantro are a great start if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. Entrees are upscale Southern, like shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, or bone-in pork chop with an apple cider glaze. If time allows (and if a nap is in your future), the eponymous whiskey cake is a sticky, sharable treat: toffee cake, bourbon anglaise, spiced pecans and vanilla whipped cream.

Whiskey Cake restaurants in D-FW are at 3601 Dallas Parkway, Plano, and 3225 Regent Blvd., Irving. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

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For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on X (formerly Twitter) at @sblaskovich.