Our Favorite New Restaurants in Dallas — And What To Order at Each Hot Spot

There have been a crazy amount of restaurant openings in Dallas over the past several weeks. Italian spots, in particular, seem to be popping up everywhere. A couple of authentic Mexican restaurants have debuted in the Design District and Farmers Market. And the New York brunch institution we’ve all been waiting for finally opened its doors. But that’s just the start.

To help you narrow down the best of the buzziest, we’re highlighting our favorite new Dallas restaurants and what to order (from cocktails to dishes) at each spot.

Sadelle’s

1 Highland Park Village

The opening we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived and we recently scored a taste of the new Highland Park Village spot. This New York-based brunch haven, owned by Major Food Group, took over the popular Royal Blue Grocery space and is now serving some of the best bagels, sandwiches, and salads in town.

Best Sips: The Espresso Martini is a must-try cocktail at Sadelle’s. Made with vodka, espresso, and vanilla, this drink is absolutely delightful — for any time of day.

Best Bites: An ideal trip to Sadelle’s should include the house salmon, served on a tiered serving platter with your choice of bagel, tomatoes, cucumber, capers, and cream cheese. Other favorites include triple-decker sandwiches (choice of two proteins), the Waldorf salad, and New York pickles.

Sfuzzi

2401 N. Henderson Avenue

This iconic ’80s spot has been resurrected and reopened on Henderson Avenue earlier this month. Brought back to life by This & That Hospitality’s Brandon Hays and Phil Schanbaum, the new Sfuzzi brings pizza, pasta, and cocktails to the East Dallas neighborhood.

Best Sips: The Original Frozen Sfuzzi — an icy peach Bellini — is the spot’s signature drink, and for good a reason. (Fair warning though, the mixture also includes vodka.) For mezcal fans, the Il Mulo is a refreshing twist on the mule with rosemary-infused tequila, mezcal, hibiscus, and ginger beer. You also can’t go wrong with the Espress Yourself, an aptly named espresso martini made with Tito’s vodka, NOLA St. George, cold brew, and Demerara sugar.

Best Bites: Sfuzzi’s take on the classic chicken parmesan features whole slices of melted mozzarella on top of breaded chicken breast that’s slathered with creamy tomato basil sauce and served with a side of spaghetti. Also, you really can’t go to this spot without ordering a pizza. The Sausage Rustica made with Jimmy’s Italian sausage, caramelized onions, roasted pepper, and buffalo mozzarella left an impression.

The Reserve

900 S. Harwood Street

Just opened in the former Mudhen space in the Dallas Farmers Market, this new authentic Mexican restaurant comes from husband and wife Gabriel Landa and Monica Reza of Taqueria Taxco. Serving food specifically from Taxco, Mexico, the restaurant is a great new spot for al fresco dining on their multiple patios.

Best Sips: The cocktail menu at The Reserve has many unique concoctions to choose from, but I opted for the house margarita (Guerrerita) on a recent visit. Light and delicious, the classic cocktail is made with tequila Jimador, triple sec, agave, and lime. Some of the mezcal drinks like the Gollo (with agave, orange, and mole bitters) and Mula caught my eye for next time.

Best Bites: Make sure to try the Trompo Tacos. It’s what The Reserve is known for and they live up to the hype. The al pastor (pork) is flavorful and pairs great with fresh corn tortillas and salsa. The Chimichanga is also a massive deep-fried burrito worth a try. You get to choose your meat and it comes with guacamole, sour cream, and beans and rice on the side.

Enoteca Italia

3102 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 116

This new Italian spot in Oak Lawn is the first-ever solo venture for chef Alban Besiri’s (formerly of Chicago’s Davanti Enoteca). The family-friendly concept offers dinner and weekend brunch in a contemporary and stylish space that housed Mille Lire until 2020.

Best Sips: Don’t miss the Martini Italiano made with Zephyr Black gin. A perfect start to the meal, it’s a slightly sweeter version of the classic martini. Also, be sure to end your meal with the Enoteca Negroni, another gin concoction with the slightest hint of coffee for a twist on the classic Italian drink.

Best Bites: Start with an order of the focaccia. It’s a flatbread with stracchino milk cheese and comes with a little bit of honeycomb you can drizzle on top. The portion is large, but try not to fill up on this delicious bread so that you can save room for the pecorino veal meatballs. A heaping mixture of veal and prosciutto, they are topped with marinara and parmesan. Last, but not least, the seafood linguine is a must-try. It’s squid ink pasta with shrimp, octopus, and calamari slathered in a rich shellfish broth, wine, and tomato sauce.

Toussaint Brasserie

1907 Elm Street 

A new French brasserie at the recently remodeled Renaissance Saint Elm Hotel (formerly Cambria), this New Orleans-inspired spot serves French and Vietnamese bites out of the historic Tower Petroleum Building in downtown Dallas.

Best Sips: The RHOD (Real Housewives of Dallas) is a refreshing, slightly sweet concoction of vodka, peach, lemon, and vanilla. If you like tequila, the .30-.06 is also a refreshing twist on the classic Paloma. It includes tequila, Pamplemousse liqueur, and grapefruit. Other intriguing drinks included the Nola-Groni (a twist on the Negroni) and the Widow’s Delight (a brandy cocktail).

Best Bites: Don’t miss the French onion soup at Toussaint. This steaming hot gratiné is topped with three kinds of cheeses (including gruyère) and filled with croutons that slowly disintegrate into one delicious mixture. The steak frites is another must-try dish. It is a massive, 12-ounce New York strip with salsa persillade and truffle fries.

The Mexican

1401 Turtle Creek Boulevard

The newest, upscale restaurant in the Design District, this authentic Mexican spot comes from Monterrey-native Roberto Gonzalez Alcalá. The concept serves Northern Mexico-inspired dishes created by head chef Rodrigo Lomeli. Brought to life by international award-winning designer Paulina Moran, the stunning space features original Mexican tilework, ceramic fixtures, outdoor patios evoking North Mexican landscapes.

Best Sips: There are several margaritas on the menu, but our favorites were the spicy El Rey with teremana blanco, jalapeño, ancho reyes, smoked chili bitters, and the refreshing Mujeres Divinis — a mixture of hibiscus-infused mi campo blanco, chartreuse, and cucumber. If you’re feeling fancy, you can opt for a $250 Pancho Villa marg.

Best Bites: The Ahi Tuna Mexicano from the raw bar is a must-try starter. A tasty and citrusy combination of yellowfin tuna, mango, and avocado, it paired well with our other favorite appetizer, the Coliflor Asada — roasted cauliflower with a truffle-habanero pistachio dressing. New to the menu, we tried the Wagyu fajitas, which were paired with house-made corn tortillas, and rice and beans. Served over a bed of oven-roasted baby bells and pearl onions atop a hot lava rock, it was fun to craft our own fresh fajitas. We paired these with a side of the Manchego whipped potatoes with chorizo gravy that we could not get enough of. Lastly, don’t miss the dreamy Cuatros Leches for dessert. The fourth leches is Mexican eggnog.

Fiatto

3700 McKinney Avenue

This new casual chef-driven Italian restaurant comes from executive chef Kylil Henson (formerly of Flora Street Café) and general manager John Dal Canton. Focusing on pasta and pizza, the concept sources seasonal, organic ingredients from local farms. Designed by Coeval Studio, the space features neutral, earth tones and a dog-friendly outdoor patio.

Best Sips: The most beautiful cocktail at Fiatto is the Queen Bee. Served in a bee-shaped glass, this tasty drink includes gin, honey, herbal tea, and lemon. Another favorite is the Resting Spritz Face — a strawberry Aperol drink with rose Prosecco and club soda.

Best Bites: Make sure to start with the seasonal arancini. This spring, the crunchy rice balls are made with a delicious sweet pea concoction. For pasta, the agnolotti is a favorite (ingredients are also rotated by season). Filled with squash, the pasta is topped with pine nuts and brown butter. The pork chop Milanese is another must-try, along with the passionfruit tiramisu for dessert.