Dallas’ 10 Hottest Restaurants for Summer — Where to Eat Right Now

Editor’s note: The Dallas restaurant scene is constantly changing, with new hotspots, must-try places and major food events coming along on a daily basis. Even the most dedicated foodie can have trouble keeping up. Don’t worry, PaperCity has you covered.

Dallas has been exploding with new restaurants opening just in time for summer, so we narrowed down a list of the absolute best to make it a little bit easier to choose where to go next. From Italian food and oyster bars to Irish pubs and supper clubs, there are tons of options.

This is your Dallas restaurant summer must-visit list.

il Bracco

8416 Preston Center Plaza

This brand new Italian-inspired restaurant was opened by Robert Quick and Matt Gottlieb. The Park Cities spot serves homemade pasta, salads and meat entrees seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Approachable with an everyday accessibility is the vibe here.

The modern new spot was designed by Zero3Design and includes wood ceiling panels, marble countertops and leather seating for a classy look. Everything sounds good on the menu here, but it’s the pasta dishes that stand out. All are made in house and include Cacio e Pepe with bucatini, black pepper and Pecorino and Vongole with linguine, clams, garlic and white wine.

There are also classic entrees like chicken piccata, eggplant parmesan and New York strip steak.

Hillside Tavern

6465 E. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 386

From the brains behind Boulevardier and Rapscallion comes this newest Lakewood addition. Located in Hillside Village, the casual tavern has burgers, sandwiches, tacos and salads. There’s also an extensive wine menu and cocktail list.

The dining room has an old tavern vibe with repurposed dining tables and chairs, exposed brick walls, TVs behind the bar, and a Betsy Ross flag. There are classic bar appetizers like nachos, Honky Tonk fries, and chips and queso. Under “Sandwiches and Stuff” on the menu is a smoked bologna sandwich. Fancied up a bit, it’s Texas toast with mortadella smoked over Texas pecan, secret sauce, mayo, American and provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato topped with dill potato chips.

Miriam Cocina Latina

2015 Woodall Rodgers Freeway

After Lark on the Park shuttered last year, restauranteur Shannon Wynne needed to come up with a new concept for the coveted Klyde Warren Park spot. He partnered up with Miriam Jimenez, formerly of Mesero, and this new authentic Mexican spot was born.

Miriam serves everything you could imagine, Mexican food-wise. Enchiladas, tacos and combination plates are available. There are also a few Dominican focused options like La Dominicana Burger with Angus beef, slaw sautéed with rosa sauce, tomatoes, Dominican chimichurri sauce and yucca fries. Margaritas are a must with the house-marg being the Acapulquéna with Sauza blue silver tequila.

North Italia

2301 N. Akard Street, Suite 280

Recently opened at The Union in Uptown, this Italian joint is focused on fresh ingredients. The ambiance is modern and bright, with big windows outlooking the covered patio outside. This is the second location in Dallas, with the first at Legacy West in Plano.

North Italia has a great weekend brunch menu with egg scrambles, fresh pastas, and coffee and mimosa drinks. On the dinner menu, pizzas include prosciutto with fig, goat cheese and arugula and The Pig with spicy pepperoni, soppressata and Italian sausage. The pasta dishes are house-made and you can even see them making it fresh in the back. Chicken pesto, burrata tortelloni and squid ink mafaldine are a few.

Ceviche Oyster Bar

451 Davis Street

A former service station turned seafood joint, this new spot serves oysters, ceviche, and fried fish. Located in the Bishop Arts District, the new restaurant is from Raul Reyes, who also runs Mesa in the neighborhood. The joint is super casual, but with a hipster vibe and outdoor seating. There’s also a cool octopus mural designed by Reyes inside.

The Mexican seafood menu includes shrimp cocktail, fried oyster po’boy and snow crab. There are also ceviche mixto tostadas, Baja fish tacos and campechana. You can also get grilled options served with vegetables and rice, such as salmon, Rainbow trout, Catfish and shrimp skewers.

Las Palmas

2708 Routh Street

The old Social House spot is vacant no more. This new Tex-Mex restaurant with an ’80s feel has taken over in Uptown. Brothers Pasha and Sina Heidari, owners of Bowen House, opened the new restaurant a few weeks ago.

Classic Tex-Mex dishes with a twist are being served, such as tacos, enchiladas and fajitas. Tortillas are hand-made. Drinks include tequila and mezcal based cocktails, as well as dessert cocktails like the Grasshopper and Pink Squirrel milkshake. They also have Shirley Temples and Mexican chocolate milk for the kids.

Cannon’s Corner Irish Pub

1314 W. Davis Street

This authentic Irish pub recently opened in a historic Oak Cliff building with the goal of making you feel like you’re in South Dublin. Owner Alan Kearney has an Irish background and also owns Crafty Irishman downtown and The Playwright in One Arts Plaza.

The pub serves lots of Guinness, pub bites and classic Irish dishes. These include Murphy’s Shepherd’s Pie, Howth Beer Battered Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Traditional Corned Beef, Pub Curry and Traditional Irish Stew. Starters include Irish O’s, which are crispy beer battered onion rings, Scotch Eggs and Corned Beef Cabbage and Rolls.

As for drinks, there are 25 Irish beers on tap and 200 Irish whiskeys and scotches.

HERO

So far, this place is primarily being recognized for being huge. The South Victory spot opened up right in front of the American Airlines center in Victory Plaza. The 25,000 square foot sports bar has a main dining area with two bars, a Bullzerk custom T-shirt company store, an 800 square foot arcade, and an open-air back bar called The Meantime.

HERO is open for drinks and dinner for now, but there will eventually be a grand opening party and additional lunch and brunch hours added. The menu has a build your own bowl program where you choose your protein, base and sauces. For protein, there are the options of chicken, Kansas City Kobe beef burger, salmon, beef tenderloin, shrimp, pulled pork and bratwurst.

K’s House

320 Singleton Boulevard

This new Korean BBQ joint is now open at Trinity Groves. It features tableside grills that diners or waitstaff can operate. Owner Samantha Kang has created dishes that have been passed down in from generations her family.

Free starters, or banchan, begin the meal like fish cakes, Korean-style potatoes, kimchi, and cucumbers. K’s House obviously has barbecue, but the menu also includes hot stone bibimbap, Korean tacos with kimchi pork belly, tofu soup and ramen.

The Clover Club

Set to open this Friday, June 7, this new supper club comes from well-known Dallas bartender Eddie “Lucky” Campbell. The new bar and restaurant aims to bring back the Big Band scene with live music from Hunter Sullivan, and be a “more adult hang-out.”

This two-level bar will also have a more casual rooftop bar that overlooks Cedar Springs and faces downtown. Besides the Clover Club cocktail, which the spot is named for, the bar will have a whisky chapter that will be served on both floors. The dinner menu, from chef Anthony Van Camp, includes high-quality steaks, lobster potstickers, jumbo shrimp, soups, salads and tenderloin tartare.