The end of the summer in 2024 brought some excitement to the restaurant scene in Dallas-Fort Worth. The biggest talker is probably the $20 million spent on Nuri Steakhouse in Uptown Dallas. But there’s lots of loyalty for lower-priced restaurants, like the new La Rue Doughnuts in Trinity Groves and La Casita Coffee in East Dallas.
My next meal will be at a barbecue joint, and I’ve got a lot of smoked-meat spots to choose from.
I hope you find something delicious in our September 2024 Hot List.
Ari’s Pantry in Oak Cliff
If you like Jimmy’s Food Store in East Dallas, Ari’s Pantry is your kind of place. Ari Lowenstein opened his Italian grocery store in Dallas’ Oak Cliff in December 2023, selling a thoughtful list of pastas, sauces, olives, pizza dough, bagels and other staples. He even made recipe cards for his version of tiramisu and aglio e olio — a sweet touch, as noted in a profile by food writer Claire Ballor. Labor Day Weekend would be a great time to stop in and grab some ingredients for a long cook on Sunday or Monday.
Ari’s Pantry is at 1307 1/2 W. Davis St., Dallas.
Big Chicken in Fort Worth
There is no denying it: We want to eat at Shaquille O’Neal’s fast-food restaurant. We just do. And now we can, starting Sept. 3, 2024, when the first Big Chicken opens in North Texas in Fort Worth. It isn’t all that surprising that a lot of the food at from the 7-foot-1 basketball player’s restaurant is big. The Ultimate is a chicken sandwich with mac and cheese and fried onions shoved in there. Milkshakes are described as “monstrous.” If you go, tell me what you ate. Pictures!
Big Chicken is at 9749 N. Freeway, Fort Worth. Other locations are expected to open in North Texas, but this is the first.
Chuy’s on Dallas’ McKinney Avenue
You don’t need to hurry, but you do need to stop in at Chuy’s Tex-Mex on Dallas’ McKinney Avenue in the next 6 months or so. The restaurant has sold enchiladas and nachos at McKinney and Knox for 31 years, and it will close in spring 2025 and move to Dallas’ Greenville Avenue. The closure has been a long time coming because of potential development along Knox Street in Dallas. Still, I’m sad to see it move.
Chuy’s will continue selling Tex-Mex at 4544 McKinney Ave., Dallas, until April 2025. Chuy’s is expected to move to 1520 Greenville Ave., Dallas, in April 2025, when the McKinney-and-Knox restaurant will close.
Encina in Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff restaurant Encina, formerly Bolsa, is a well-kept secret among its loyal customers. But go ahead and tell somebody, because a grocery store giant is: H-E-B announced that Encina’s blue corn butterscotch pancake mix is one of the state’s best packaged products made by a small business. We may soon see it on H-E-B store shelves. Better go have brunch at the restaurant.
Encina is at 614 W. Davis St., Dallas. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Even Coast in Far North Dallas
New Addison restaurant Even Coast sells seafood, steak, pasta and a juicy-looking burger. It comes from chef Omar Flores, who owns chicken and biscuit shop Whistle Britches and Tex-Mex restaurant Muchacho — two good ones. Even Coast opened in late August 2024 and it’s at the top of my list for lunch.
Even Coast is at 5463 Belt Line Road, Dallas.
Ferah Smokehouse & Cantina in Wylie
It was a tough start for Ferah Smokehouse & Cantina. The patio at the new barbecue and Tex-Mex restaurant caught fire in the early-morning hours of Aug. 27, 2024, about a month after it opened. But owners Burak Ozcan, Stephanie Ozcan, Jeremy Berlin and Heidi Berlin promised a quick return, and they delivered: It was back by Aug. 30, 2024. Speedy! It’s one of the newest barbecue joints in D-FW and it remains one of the most interesting.
Ferah Smokehouse & Cantina is at 950 S. Westgate Way, Wylie.
Fred’s Texas Cafe in Fort Worth
This burger joint in Fort Worth is the oldest restaurant on this list at nearly 50 years. So what makes Fred’s Texas Cafe hot, still? A certain Food Network star made Fred’s famous — again — by swinging through Fort Worth and featuring it in August 2024 on Triple D Nation, Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spinoff. That’s a great way to stay nationally relevant. Read about the Triple D Nation spotlight here, or just go get the burgers for yourself.
Fred’s Texas Cafe has two locations in Fort Worth: 7101 Camp Bowie West and 2730 Western Center Blvd.
La Casita Coffee in East Dallas
Remember Black Forest Coffee, the shop embedded inside the flagship Half Price Books on Northwest Highway in Dallas? It moved out and La Casita Coffee moved in. This is great news for pretty much all of us: book lovers, croissant aficionados, coffee snobs, breakfast fans, East Dallasites ... need I go on? Eventually, La Casita Coffee will open a tiki bar and dinner restaurant in the evenings.
La Casita Coffee is at 5801 E. Northwest Highway (at Half Price Books), Dallas.
La Rue Doughnuts in West Dallas
Lines are already down the sidewalk for La Rue Doughnuts, the pastry shop that moved from Lower Greenville (under the name Carte Blanche) and reopened as La Rue Doughnuts in West Dallas’ Trinity Groves. Co-owner Amy La Rue makes beautiful crullers and sells them for just $2 each. Best bet is to go early so they don’t run out. Bring me one, wouldja?
La Rue Doughnuts is at 3011 Gulden Lane (on the back side of Trinity Groves’ main restaurant building), Dallas. Opens at 7 a.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and at 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Lucky Dog Saloon in Uptown Dallas
Lucky Dog Saloon honors the Dallas owner’s dog, and I like that. Boss — that’s the dog — is so beloved that there’s a tall painting of him right inside the door. The bar is a casual spot, an offshoot of the nearby Katy Trail Ice House. But here, it’s all indoors and air-conditioned.
Lucky Dog Saloon is at 2701 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas.
Mar y Sol Cocina Latina in Dallas
Sophisticated restaurant Mar y Sol is my top place for a double date in Dallas right now. It’s giving oceanside resort vacation, but it’s right there McKinney Avenue, in place of the longtime Abacus. The go-to Instagram photo is at the restaurant entrance, where a nest of driftwood makes it look like you’re stealing away somewhere far from landlocked Dallas.
Mar y Sol Cocina Latina is at 4511 McKinney Ave., Dallas.
Moak’s Family Texas BBQ in Dallas’ West End
Moak’s is on my must-try list. It comes from a restaurateur who is banking on Dallas’ West End, literally: He has six restaurants in the neighborhood. Unlike some barbecue joints, Moak’s has a list of starters like bacon-wrapped brisket jalapeños and chips and queso. Then it’s onto smoked meat by the pound, chicken-fried steak or a loaded baked potato.
Moak’s Family Texas BBQ is at 302 N. Market St., Dallas.
Nuri Steakhouse in Uptown Dallas
With an incredible $20 million price tag, Nuri Steakhouse might be the most expensive restaurant in Dallas history. That might be all you need to know about Nuri, but I think there’s more here. It’s owned by the CEO of Smoothie King and was created for the simple reason that he wanted a beautiful place to take friends and colleagues to dinner. Steak lovers will find plenty to feast on, but Nuri also has a big selection of caviar, steak tartare and two kinds of gumbo. The chefs say the best way to try a little bit of everything is to order the $99 Nuri Tasting Board, which looks like a giant tic tac toe game studded with restaurant specialties.
Nuri Steakhouse is at 2401 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas. Dinner only.
Otaru Sushi and Handroll Bar in Oak Cliff
The Bishop Arts District has a lot of restaurants, but there isn’t much Japanese food. Enter Otaru, a sushi and handroll restaurant in the pint-sized restaurant space that was formerly the original Lucia, then Australian cafe Isla & Co. An 11-course omakase is available, Dallasites101 reports, for just $100.
Otaru Sushi and Handroll Bar is at 408 W. Eighth St., Dallas.
Perch Bistro & Bar in Dallas’ Love Field area
Dallasites with a good memory know the restaurant at 7709 Inwood Road in Dallas as the Riviera. (At a recent lunch, a native Dallasite described the Riviera as “the best restaurant in Dallas,” full stop.) This space has been many things since then, most recently Dea and now Perch. Here, you’ll find a cozy atmosphere and a relatable menu of frito misto, pizzas, pastas, a burger and more. It comes from the restaurant group that owns Shinsei and Lovers Seafood.
Perch Bistro & Bar is at 7709 Inwood Road, Dallas. Dinner only. Closed Sundays.
Check out past Hot Lists
- August 2024
- July 2024 — theme was cool spots in hot weather
- June 2024 — theme was steak frites
- May 2024
- April 2024 — theme was ABCs of new restaurants
- March 2024
- February 2024 — theme was date night spots
- January 2024 — theme was healthy
- December 2023 — theme was restaurants with holiday decor
- November 2023 — theme was budget-friendly
- October 2023
- September 2023
