The 8 Best Dishes We’ve Tried From New Dallas Restaurants in 2025

This year has seen a whirlwind of new Dallas restaurant and bar openings, but only a few dishes made such an impression that we’re still thinking about them (some many months later). From expertly crafted sushi and brisket to cornbread and noodles, these are the most memorable dishes we tried at new Dallas restaurants in 2025.

Hwe Dupbap at DomoDomo Kō

Opened at The QUAD earlier this year, this Japanese-Korean restaurant comes from the owners of New York City’s Domodomo. One of their Korean-influenced dishes is the Hwe Dupbap (or raw fish bibimbap). It comes with seven kinds of seasonal fish and a side of rice mixed with shiso, trout roe, and gochujang. You’re also given a few pieces of nori to create your own little hand rolls. It’s fun and delicious.

Veal “Cordon Bleu” at Mamani

The biggest surprise at the second annual Texas Michelin Guide Awards this fall was that this brand-new Uptown Dallas spot was awarded One Star after not even having been open two whole months yet. The highly anticipated restaurant from brothers Brandon and Henry Cohanim, co-founders of Feels Like Home (which owns West Village’s Namo and Bar Colette), arrived at The QUAD after nearly a year-long delay and came out ready to impress. During our first experience at Mamani, Chef Christophe De Lellis served us the Veal “Cordon Bleu” tableside, and we’ve been thinking about it since. The comforting dish comes with a veal jus that takes two entire days to make and reduce, and sides of salad and pomme purée — an iconic Joël Robuchon recipe.

Cold-Smoked Hamachi Crudo at Norman’s

The latest restaurant opening from Duro Hospitality (Mister Charles, El Carlos Elegante) surprised us this summer as a Western-inspired Japanese raw bar and grill. Designed by Sees Design, the space is playful and stunning, like all Duro concepts, featuring fun artwork and knick-knacks scattered all over the place. During our visit, we especially loved the cold-smoked hamachi crudo with Tom Kha, charred shiitake, and papaya. The creamy coconut soup paired with the mild buttery taste of the fish and subtle sweetness of the papaya is an absolute winner.

Omakase at Sushi Kozy

A new omakase-only restaurant in downtown Dallas, Sushi Kozy, comes from former Head Sushi Chef at Uchi Dallas Chef Paul Ko. The 17-course contemporary omakase highlights seasonal ingredients, so the menu changes every few months. But you can always expect chawanmushi, otsumami, otsukuri, nigirizushi, a land or sea option, temaki, and dessert. During our visit, we especially loved the scallop (hotate) tartlet and toro temaki. Sushi Kozy was also added to the Michelin Recommended guide this year.

Brisket at Kafi BBQ

This was the most memorable piece of brisket we tried this year. For our Best New Barbecue in North Texas round-up, we stopped at this new Iraqi-inspired spot in Irving and were impressed with the Texas wagyu brisket. The Middle Eastern-inspired rub that owner Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi has created certainly is delicious, especially with the fattier cut. It melts in your mouth.

Kimchi Carbonara at La Tiki Paisa

Opened in La Casita Coffee at the flagship Half Price Books, La Tiki Paisa is the new cocktail and dinner concept that the all-day café transforms into each evening. A must-order is the kimchi carbonara. The housemade noodles come mixed with kimchi, parmesan, egg, and shitake. My spice tolerance is low, and there is a kick, but I still really enjoyed this dish.

Foie & Sea Island Cornbread at Meridian

After reopening this fall with a new executive chef and menu, this Village Dallas restaurant has already made its mark. Hearth cooking is now at the heart of the revamped concept led by Chef Eduardo Osorio. There’s a lot to try at Meridian 2.0, but one standout dish for us was the sweet and savory Foie & Sea Island Cornbread with shishitos, white cheddar, a scoop of brown butter, a bit of foie gras, and spiced honey. You can also add caviar for an extra savory flavor and additional cost.

Oxtail Corndog at Saint Valentine

Chef Misti Norris (Culinary Director of Far-Out) recently took over the kitchen at this East Dallas bar, offering bites from her concept, Rainbow Cat. One dish we’ll definitely be back for is the oxtail Philly corndog. It’s a corn dog filled with smoked oxtail, provolone, peppers, onions, and hot mustard.