Covering a sprawling 9,286 square miles of tree-lined creeks and rolling hills, Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) has a dizzying number of restaurants, from established, old-school favorites to fresh new standouts. Understandably, it can be tough to choose among beefy burritos, chewy Chinese noodles, and succulent barbecued meats. To help, we took a look at our diners’ favorite orders, and tapped in-the-know restaurant regulars, to create this guide to the very best Dallas restaurants that are available for delivery on DoorDash.
Mariano's Hacienda
No matter where you are in DFW, you’re probably near a Tex-Mex joint, and this homestyle cantina is not to be missed. If you’ve ever indulged in an icy, smooth, sorbet-like margarita, you have owner Mariano Martinez to thank: He invented the first frozen marg machine over five decades ago. His Tex-Mex restaurants also churn out subtly smoky fire-roasted salsa, steaks, and seafood. The queso is especially sharp, thanks to aged cheddar, and the slow-roasted-brisket tacos are a wonder.
Maple and Motor
Open since 2009, this no-frills diner makes no apologies for leaning into “low-brow cool.” Here you’ll find grub that will bring you back to life after a big night. The iconic flat-top brisket sandwich knows what you want: a heaping pile of succulent meat, lettuce, tomato, and onion, and the cheesy fries with jalapeño and bacon are like the warm, fuzzy blanket of sides.
Sachet
Allison Yoder and Stephen Rogers’ Mediterranean gem is the ideal spot to make a meal out of small plates. Lutenitsa, a bright vegetable relish, brings the silky burrata to life. And the charred chicken thighs over tender, feta-filled orzo are a little taste of Greece. Every dish on the menu is asking to be eaten with hunks of the pillowy, wood-oven pita, so order extra.
Tortilleria La Sabrocita
La Sobrocita aptly translates to “the little savory,” and it’s where you’ll find some of the best salsas, tortillas, and guacamole in town. You can order meats by the pound here — stock up on the lime-y chicken or Barbacoa lamb, and you’ll be feasting on tacos and fajitas for days. Do future-you a solid: Order a dozen of the popular pork (or chicken!) tamales and freeze what you don’t devour immediately.
Loro Asian Smokehouse
This Southeast Asian- and Japanese-inspired joint with a focus on ethical sourcing serves up an impressive range of small, snacky plates. The chicken karaage, kissed by Thai chili oil, and the smoked bavette (a cut of meat from the bottom of the sirloin) with shishito salsa verde will raise your bar for barbecue forever. The sides, like crunchy ginger-cashew cabbage salad and bouncy sweet-corn fritters, totally hold their own.
Thunderbird Pies
Thick-crust pizza lovers, this Detroit-style-pie shop is for you. At Thunderbird, plump, doughy crusts are the star of the show. Go for the Honey Bastard, partially because of how fun it is to say, but mostly for the bacon marmalade, soppressata sausage, and habanero honey — a triumvirate of sweet-spicy-umami. And vegetarians need to meet Budd, a fluffy, meatless fave with a caramelized cheese crust.
Jalisco Norte
Chef José Meza Arróyave’s menu is influenced by the coastal Mexican states of Veracruz and Oaxaca, so it makes sense that the fish is particularly exceptional here. The pescado taco feels just right for warm weather; the grilled barramundi makes it a little bit fancy, and serrano chimichurri brings the heat. There’s plenty to attract diners who aren’t seafood fans, too: The roasted half chicken blanketed in velvety, earthy-sweet mole is date-night-worthy stuff.
Invasions
When there’s a chicken sandwich named after Cardi B on the menu, you know you’ve got to order it. Chef Airric Heidelberg’s buttermilk-fried beauty comes sandwiched between toasted buns and balanced with tangy dill mayo and pickles. Veg lovers should double down on the Bomb Brussel Sprouts and Potatoes, which are crisp-roasted and doused in a housemade secret “bomb sauce” you’re just going to have to trust us on.
AllGood Cafe
Opened in 2000, this Deep Ellum fave draws Dallas devotees of chicken-fried steak, which comes buried in cream gravy on a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes. Every dish here feels familiar in a good way: Let Mom’s Tuna Salad sandwich or a hearty hunk of red-sauced meatloaf fill the nostalgia-shaped hole in your heart.
Jia Modern Chinese
This sleek Asian restaurant serves Szechwan-influenced Chinese food — as well as fresh-rolled sushi and lots of American Thai hits. You don’t want to miss the crab rangoon, golden fried on the outside and stuffed with garlicky cream cheese. And the crispy beef, with steamed noodles and chef’s special sauce, might have you researching rental properties within Jia’s delivery radius.
Revolver Taco Lounge
With a new location in Downtown’s Exchange Hall and an appearance in the 2019 Netflix series "Taco Chronicles," Revolver’s making big moves. What hasn’t changed in over a decade: the Rojas family’s exceptionally good cooking. In case it’s not obvious, tacos should be your go-to here. We’d happily eat the impossibly soft, hand-pressed corn tortillas plain, but they’re even better cradlingcarne asada with grilled wagyu beef, or tender octopus with fried leeks and fiery jalapeño salsa.
Off the Bone Barbeque
One bite of Pitmaster Dwight Harvey’s sticky baby back ribs and you’ll see why this Downtown bastion of pit-smoked barbecue is a Dallas stalwart. An efficient introduction to the menu is via one of the combo deals, which come with a selection of meats and sides. The fall-apart pecan-smoked brisket is rightly famous, and equal attention is paid to sides like honey-spiced baked beans and potato salad spiked with sweet pickle relish.
Bread Winners Cafe
This tiny local chain with an all-day vibe has mastered the brunch classics — and then put its own spin on them. Take the can’t-miss-it croque madame, which starts, as you might expect, with ham and a sunny-side-up egg, but — plot twist! — switches out the traditional bechamel for a peppy jalapeño cream gravy. The cafe also nails dinner items, like shrimp and grits flecked with caramelized pork belly and laced with honey sriracha.
Wok Star Chinese
Chef Charlie Zhang is a master of fresh, hand-pulled noodles. The dough is at its springy best in the sweet-and-spicy Dan Dan La Mian, made with wide noodles, ground chicken breast, and a crunchy mix of cucumbers, carrots, and cabbage. Those searching for American Chinese favorites will find them all, including shrimp fried rice, hot and sour soup, and orange beef.
Zalat Pizza
Even “meh” takeout pizza can hit the spot. But why settle when there’s Zalat? This Texas-only chain has nailed the to-go pie experience, even including specific reheating instructions with each order. You can opt for a classic like pepperoni or margherita, but the signature pies — the Elote, with bursting corn and a sriracha-ranch sauce, or the Pho Shizzle with chicken, sweet hoisin sauce, and cilantro — are what this place is really about.
DaLat Vietnamese Restaurant and Bar
DaLat (from the same owner who dreamed up Zalat) describes its cuisine as “VietNAMerican.” A good move here is to order a bunch of snacky starters, like umami-loaded pork potstickers and sticky rice with Chinese sausage. Also on the starter list, and flaunting its American side, is a crazy-sounding concoction you have to try to appreciate: Dorito Viche is a fresh cabbage salad served on — yep, you guessed it — a bed of nacho cheese Doritos.
Zaap Kitchen
A spinoff of Dallas fave Sabaidee Lao & Thai Street Food, Zaap offers similarly beloved southeast Asian street eats. Opt for the impossibly tender Special Dancing Garlic Riblets, marinated in a sweet-savory sauce and topped with fried garlic, or a deeply flavorful take on the traditional Lao chicken noodle soup, khao piak sen. Sticky rice with mango is the only dessert on the menu — and the only one you’ll need.
Partenope Ristorante
From award-winning pizzaiolo Dino Santonicola, born in Naples, Italy, comes this Southern Italian fave. All of the bouncy-crusted pies, which are fired in a handmade Neapolitan oven, are standouts. And while the pasta dishes might seem like underdogs here, they more than merit consideration. The spaghetti carbonara is silky-smooth, with salty guanciale and fresh black pepper. Or opt for the very hearty, tubular paccheri with beef ragù and lots of Parm.
North Italia
This Arizona export opened its first Dallas outpost in 2018, and it’s been luring pasta lovers ever since. The spicy rigatoni vodka, with Italian sausage, torn fresh basil, and grana padano, is one of those meals that demands you close your eyes while you eat. A star of the weekend brunch menu is a hearty carbonara, which bridges breakfast (poached egg and crispy pancetta) and lunch (shell-shaped lumache pasta, English peas, and herbed breadcrumbs) with ease.
Hello Dumpling
Dallas food lovers flock to this delightful cafe for good reason: You can score eight perfect handmade dumplings for under 10 bucks, plus a refreshing boba tea to wash things down. The tender pork dumplings with napa cabbage, and the fish dumplings with zippy green onion are especially recommended. After saying “hello” to some dumplings, move on to the deceptively simple Shanghai noodles, tossed in a sweet-and-savory shallot oil sauce you’ll want to bottle up and put on everything.
Zen Sushi
With over three decades of experience making sushi and almost two at the helm of Zen, chef Michelle Carpenter has mastered the art of marrying Texas flavors with Japanese techniques. The Xalapa Roll, made with tuna, cilantro, avocado, and jalapeno and topped with slivers of lime, is a bestseller for good reason. (There’s a veg version of the Xalapa, as well, featuring pretty pink beets instead of fish.) Texas raises its head in the unique bao buns, which feature tender, brown-sugar-braised carnitas.
Velvet Taco
Every taco is an adventure at this rapidly expanding local chain, with six DFW locations and counting. Operating on the theory that tacos are an ideal vehicle for flavors that shoot far beyond Tex-Mex, Velvet serves creative takes like a spicy chicken tikka taco with cooling raita crema and a Korean fried rice taco that’s loaded with pork, egg, and sweet-tangy pineapple. The most inventive of all might be the chicken and waffle taco, with green apple slaw, bacon, and maple syrup — served, of course, in a special waffle “tortilla.”
Cafe Brazil
Both the University Park and Deep Ellum locations of this cafe are open 24/7, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to order breakfast, breakfast for dinner, or even breakfast for midnight snack. Sweet tooths should hit the build-your-own pancakes: three fluffy monsters with your choice of chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, M&Ms, bananas, coconut, and … there’s more, but you get the idea. The steak quesadilla with spinach, mushrooms, and spicy Monterey Jack will wake you up — or send you to sleep, depending on the hour.
Rodeo Goat
This beloved Fort Worth institution, now with three Dallas locations, is famous for its weekly burger battle (vote for one of the “contenders” by placing an order). But there’s nothing contentious about the Royale with Cheese, a honkin’ big brioche roll stuffed with a house-ground beef patty, melted American cheese, jalapeño bacon, and spiked ketchup — a burger that might be considered Rodeo Goat’s edible mascot. Vegetarians get taken care of, too. The wryly named Neil Young has a house-made vegan patty, sprouts, avocado, and green goddess dressing.
Liberty Burger
Opened by local food legend Mariel Street in 2011, this casual, family-owned joint sells a burger for every mood. Feeling classic? Go for the namesake Liberty Burger. It comes with the requisite lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles — and it's so juicy it should be eaten while wearing a bib. Want a break from beef? The ahi tuna burger, slathered in wasabi aioli, topped with sesame slaw, and served on a toasted brioche bun, has your name on it.
Ramen Hakata
This buzzing noodle shop has established itself as one of the city’s best spots for tonkotsu ramen, a Japanese street food originating in the city of Fukuoka and known for its rich, silky broths. Everything here is warm and hearty, whether you’re ordering the Hakata Ramen, with a bone marrow-laced, pork-based broth and toppings like black mushrooms and soft-boiled egg, or the golden-fried pork cutlet drowned in velvety tonkatsu curry.
Bazille
Tucked inside a Nordstrom, this bistro is a hidden delight. The French dip, a classic sandwich served au jus, is a hefty amount of warm roast beef and melty white cheddar on a parmesan-toasted baguette. The herbed French fries come with kalamata aioli for dipping, a nice upgrade from basic condiments. And the hunk of fall-apart, Dijon-roasted wild salmon on the Nicoise will make you rethink salads forever.
Brick & Bones
When a fried chicken craving comes a-knockin’, this late-night Deep Ellum spot is the answer. Grab a bucket of the signature 24-hour-brined dark meat, which is a succulent sensation inside and audibly crispy outside. Make it a full-on feast with Mexican-inflected sides like the habanero mac and cheese, creamy-spicy corn, and poblano mashed potatoes.
Eataly
Opened in 2020, this 46,000 square foot, 360-degree Italian experience is equally enjoyable at home (while wearing your comfiest pasta-eating pants). The tagliatelle bolognese, with ribbon-shaped housemade noodles and long-stewed beef and pork ragu, can honestly cure whatever ails you. Finish things off right with an order of the ultra-fluffy, mascarpone-laden tiramisu.
Sasa Sushi
This exposed-brick fave in Lakewood serves some of the freshest and most inventive sushi and maki in town. The edamame ricotta dumplings are tiny warm clouds floating in a soy and truffle- oil broth. For a taste of everything, order the kitchen dinner combo, with soup, salad, rice, and your choice of two dishes (options include teriyaki or four pieces of sushi).
Flower Child
Anyone with a dietary restriction will find themselves at home here. The menu of nourishing salads, soups, and wraps is a dream for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, gluten-free folks — you name it. Get to know the joint via the Mother Earth bowl, chewy ancient grains topped with a rainbow of veggies and a peppy miso vinaigrette, or the seared salmon plate with two wholesome veg-forward sides.
Maple Leaf Diner
This lowkey, Canadian-themed diner is your go-to for comfort food, like sky-high stacks of pancakes, buttery eggs Benedict, and pot roast served in a Yorkshire bonnet with creamy mash and veggies. You obviously have to order a poutine, hand-cut French fries drowned in gravy and dotted with melty cheese curds, “to share.”
OMG Tacos
Owner Holly Nguyen blessed Dallas with this taco, quesadilla, and torta spot back in 2018. (Yes, there are burritos and nachos too.) It’s a choose your own adventure: Pick from chicken, steak, pork, tender beef tongue, or the coulda-fooled-us fried tofu that convincingly mimics fish. You definitely do need the loaded fries, which are essentially nachos with salt-flecked, golden-fried potatoes subbed in.
Cartwright's Ranch House
This is the place to go for homestyle comfort food that tastes like something your grandma made. Cartwright’s has been serving up fried catfish and a huge selection of ranch-style breakfasts since 2011. The breakfast burrito is the size of your face, stuffed with chicken fried steak (a signature for the restaurant), scrambled eggs, and hash browns — and doused in creamy gravy (or spicy queso, if you’re in the mood for some heat). It will keep you going for hours, or maybe forever.
Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill
Chef Fadi Dimassi introduced Texans to his Lebanese and Mediterranean food in 1997, opening his own spot in Houston and gradually expanding the empire to Dallas in 2002. Dive into generous portions of silky hummus, fresh tabbouleh with lots of herbs, and charred chicken kebabs that have no business being so juicy. Can’t decide? Order the Fadi’s Ultimate Sampler, which comes with your choice of meat (if you weren’t tempted by that chicken kebab description, the shawarma is calling your name), two salads, a dip, and two vegetable sides — like the smoky, fruity pomegranate eggplant and fresh coriander potatoes.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Loro courtesy of Hai Hospitality
Courtesy of Flower Child
Bread Winners Cafe by Cynthia Smoot/Gangway
Courtesy of Maple Leaf Diner
