Downtown Dallas is a thriving neighborhood. The Arts District, Historic District, and Government District are located within Downtown, along with the Reunion Tower, Convention Center, and many popular farmers’ markets. With such eclectic and cultural surroundings, it’s no wonder that the restaurants are exceptionally fantastic, so read our list to discover the 10 best restaurants in Downtown Dallas.
Cane Rosso is a favorite among locals, and all those traveling into town must visit. Enjoy a slice of pie at this authentic Neapolitan pizza parlor. Choose from over 20 innovative pizzas, some of which feature bacon marmalade, prosciutto, spicy chilies, and more. While you’re waiting for your meal to come out of the oven, sample some Italian cured meats, caprese salad, focaccia bread, and meatballs off of the appetizer menu. Cane Rosso also offers sandwiches, pastas, and exceptional desserts, such as a s’mores calzone, tiramisu, or gelato.
Dining at this Wolfgang Puck restaurant will make you feel like you’re on top of the world… and you will be! Located 50 stories up in the Reunion Tower, Five Sixty gives diners the atmosphere that they’ve always dreamed up. The restaurant is completely enclosed by floor-ceiling windows, providing a 360-degree view of Dallas – not to mention, the room revolves! Open seven days a week, this establishment serves guests modern Asian cuisine, fresh seafood, sushi, and a few American classics. You can also enjoy a Happy Hour drink or post-dinner dessert at the designated bars and lounges.
The menu at Fearing’s is amazingly eclectic, giving guests the opportunity to choose from a variety of foods. Do you want seafood? Try the crab cakes or Nova Scotia codfish. In the mood for a hearty meat dish? Sample the bone-in rib eye, lamb chops, or antelope sirloin. Not a fan of meat? Check out the vegetarian menu, which includes creative pastas. You could also enjoy a more casual bite at the Rattlesnake Bar, which features handmade nachos, a smoked chicken and mango quesadilla, jalapeño elk corndogs, pretzel bites, hamburgers and fries, tacos, and more.
The only thing missing at Y.O. is U! If you’re a meat lover, you’ll love this famous Dallas steakhouse. Choose from 15 cuts of juicy steak, or for those who are more adventurous, sample something from the wild game menu. That’s right – at Y.O., you can have wild boar sausage, quail, venison roll-ups, and elk tenderloin. There is also an extensive seafood menu, featuring scallops, salmon, shrimp risotto, chicken fried lobster, and more. With your meal you get all the fixings, including baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, French fries, Gouda mac & cheese, grits, and vegetables. The restaurant may look like no more than a warehouse from the outside, but the interior is hipster chic merged with classic Texan style, which forms the perfect, modern ambiance for your meal.
Dakota’s Restaurant takes two things very seriously: ambiance and food. The restaurant serves over 10 different kinds of succulent and rich steak dishes, guaranteed to satisfy any meat-lover. They also offer fresh seafood, including salmon, scallops, lobster, calamari, and more. Accompaniments range from delicious to phenomenal, as does the dessert. As for the atmosphere, the restaurant is underground, yet it’s not dark, drab or dreary. Take an elevator down to the tastefully modern and elegant eatery, and on your ride down, you’ll have a view of a cascading waterfall. The decor is simple, with black and white as the primary palate. Sit out on the patio and listen to the water fall as you look up at the stars.
Twisted Root has about 12 signature burgers, all of which are juicy and affectionately named. Try the Kevin Bacon, a burger with bacon and Danish blue cheese; the Verde, with green chilies and guacamole; or the Happy Pilgrim, with family farm’s all-white turkey meat, kale pesto and mixed greens on top. You can have your burgers made with traditional beef or with turkey, lamb, or elk, and there are also vegetarian options available. In addition to burgers are freshly-made salads, build your own cheddar fries with over 10 toppings, fried pickles, French fries, and more. For dessert, enjoy delicious milkshakes – made with custard, flavors include banana pudding and vanilla wafer, toasted marshmallow s’mores, and the Fat Elvis, which has chocolate, peanut butter, banana, and bacon.
This Dallas smokehouse serves up all of the Texas classics and comfort you could want. The smoked meats include brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, pulled pork, and hand-made sausage. Enjoy these a la carte, in a sandwich, or with a side of mac ‘n cheese, pinto beans, collard greens, fried okra, or coleslaw. There is also a deliciously crispy southern fried chicken on the menu. After you fill up on BBQ, try the banana pudding, cookies, or peach cobbler for dessert. There are daily specials and plates for group sharing, in addition to frequent live musical performances to create a great ambiance.
Wild Salsa is a Tex-Mex treat. For starters, dip some fresh, hot, handmade chips into a variety of queso dips, guacamole, and of course, salsa. There are delicious tamales, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, and more. All the meals are prepared with different cheeses, rice and beans, and numerous meats, including chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, bacon, and others. If you’re not afraid of some heat, add some chilies to spice it up, and to wash it all down, sip on their famous margaritas, sangria, or tequila, of which they have numerous kinds to sample from. This is a great place to come for Happy Hour, or in a group for family style sharing.
This restaurant serves gourmet Mexican meals with a southwestern flare. Try tamales, tacos, tortilla soup, and Texas chili. The menu also features bread and whipped buttermilk, including beer bread, Mexican cornbread, and buttermilk biscuits. They serve large plates as well, such as seafood platters, oysters, barbecue brisket, steak, and pork chops. Whether you decide to go big or small for your meal, you have to try dessert: seasonal cobbler with ice cream, warm brownie and Snickers ice cream root beer float, and butterscotch salted caramel pudding are all delicious.
