We live in a city that is built for foodies. With an international reputation in culinary circles, Dallas is a favorite with critics and fans of fine dining. The Park Cities in particular overflows with discriminating tastes, fine-tuned by travel experiences and a legendary desire to sample cuisine from around the world, serving a population that continues to explode. We gathered a list of local favorites and what makes them so popular.
il Bracco: Authentic and decidedly upscale in tone, the Plaza at Preston Center restaurant is known for its fresh take on mouthwatering Italian recipes, and consistency is style and service, hallmarks of the Park Cities hot spot. With a reputation for homemade pasta and bread, customers flock to the active bar, as well as tables and booths inside, as well as ample outdoor options. The Spicy Gemelli pasta (fresh, house-made noodles in a spicy vodka sauce) has a cult-like following in the area. Other popular dishes include the Italian Combo, with its layers of thinly sliced charcuterie, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a cherry pepper spread on house-made bread; Chicken Piccata, Meatballs; and Crispy baby artichokes, perfect for noshing at the bar while striking up engaging conversations with bartenders and the staff at the five-year-old restaurant. The overarching mood at il Bracco can be animated, yet laid-back, and comfortable, fueled by an extensive selection of Italian wines, as well as inventive specialty cocktails such as the Bianco Daisy, Paper Plane, Asti 76, and a perennial favorite called The Bracco. il Bracco is the flagship concept of Western Addition, the group behind Bobbie’s Airway Grill on Preston Road.
Cafe Pacific: Highland Park Village has a storied history, and Café Pacific has been a culinary cornerstone of the celebrated shopping destination for years. With its unified Mediterranean Spanish-style architecture, HPV was constructed in 1931. Since then, it has served as a model for others to follow. For over four decades, Café Pacific has personified elegance and sophistication, with an emphasis on service. However, its down-to-earth demeanor and friendly staff are unmistakable components of the restaurant’s reputation and successful track record with customers. The veteran staff feels like old friends to devoted diners who love the relaxed tone. It can be a lively place yet calm enough for thoughtful conversations between friends, family, and business associates. Café Pacific’s cuisine is top-notch: try the Double Cut Colorado Lamb Chops with Port Wine Demi and Fresh Mint Puree, and rotating seasonal specials. The menu includes Maine Sea Scallops, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Sea Bass, Red Snapper, tasty iterations of Sole, plus Prawns and Rainbow Trout. Sunday Brunch is a delightful tradition for customers. Deserts are unique, including the signature Pecan Ball, and a Sticky Toffee Bundt Cake. The surroundings contribute to the overarching warmth with dark mahogany that is soothing and sets a lovely tone.
A·T Bistro:
Locals love this quaint restaurant with plenty of polish and excellent food. With a dedication to New American cuisine and dashes of global influences, A·T opened in 2022 among a strip of Preston Center storefronts. Hawaiian-born owner Bobby Pollette got into the business at age 16, later bouncing between Aspen and Palm Beach with his catering company. “Growing up in Hawaii, you’re exposed to a divergent group of people, with a mixture of cultures and ethnicities, and that’s how our food is,” Pollette told What Now Dallas. The chef-driven neighborhood bistro is known for creative seasonal dishes on an ever-evolving menu. There are also popular staples like A·T’s juicy Smash Burger, Bang-Bang Shrimp, and Fried Green Tomatoes with Pimento Cheese. The restaurant also hosts a family-style fried chicken and burgundy night on the first Tuesday of every month where $125 feeds four with salad, an eight-piece basket of fried, and four sides, topped off with cobbler. A·T Bistro also features a unique speakeasy/private dining room for just over a dozen people, perfect for tastings and smaller events. In 2023 Texas Monthly tabbed it one of the magazine’s 10 Best New Restaurants, and critics and diners continue to swoon over the Park Cities bistro.
Al Biernat’s: For years, the venerable Dallas steakhouse has welcomed enthusiastic patrons. Biernat came to Dallas to open The Palm in the West End, before striking out on his own. Since opening Al Biernat’s in 1998 the chic Oak Lawn restaurant has been a consistent magnet for the see-and-be-seen crowd. It’s great for celebrity watching--well-known pro athletes and Texas politicians enjoying some of the best cuts of meat anywhere in DFW. Power lunches are de regur at the Oak Lawn location, consistently included on local “best-of” lists. There is a second location at Spring Valley Road just off the North Dallas Tollway that also sizzles with style, panache, and sophistication. The menu features seasonal innovations and old favorites such as succulent seafood options, such as Chilean Sea Bass, Salmon, Snapper, Tuna, Halibut, and Sea Scallops; while premium cuts of beef include juicy bone-in filets, Cowboy and Tomahawk ribeye steaks, Wagyu New York Strip Steaks and more. The wine program is significant that offers a broad range of vineyards, varietals, and vintages all of which are selected by experienced sommeliers. In a landscape crowded with steakhouses, many consider Al Biernat’s a cut above with its sharp attention to detail and customer service.
Javier's
Among the most successful restaurants in the Park Cities is the bustling Javier’s, which opened on Cole Avenue on the edge of Highland Park back in 1977. It may be as close to a culinary institution that exists in Dallas, especially in the ultra-crowded genre of Mexican food. With an iron-clad dedication to distinctive Mexico City-inspired gourmet cuisine, owner Javier Gutierrez took a different approach from the day he opened. “As far as the food was concerned, I figured I was going to do what I was familiar with,” explained the Mexico City native who moved with his family to Dallas as a boy. His restaurant would never be populated by old-fashioned décor of blankets and sombreros. Instead, Gutierrez focused on what he called “a better representation as far as Mexico City cuisine” as well as the authentic furnishings. Javier’s menu is dominated by fresh seafood, filets, and creative chicken dishes as opposed to the same old tacos and dull enchilada dinners served in many local Tex-Mex joints. “We cater to someone who wants a more sophisticated cuisine,” he said. There is a lengthy wine menu, and legendary cigar bar that has drawn generations of celebrities in a lively “see-and-be-seen” atmosphere.