Foodie Town! Dallas Wins Restaurant City of the Year Honors

Congrats Dallas! Bon Appétit has officially named the city the 2019 Restaurant City of the Year.

In a way, we kind of saw it coming when Texas scored four spots in the food bible’s Best 50 New Restaurants list earlier this week, with Dallas claiming two of those with Petra and the Beast and Khao Noodle Shop.

In the new feature declaring Dallas the Restaurant City of the Year, writer Hilary Cadigan describes the reasoning: “From the rich bowls of boat noodles to the crazy charcuterie boards to the spicy strawberry sotol, one thing is clear: Texas’ oft-skipped food destination is no longer skippable.”

That feels almost like a most improved award, but we’ll take it.

Cadigan credits Dallas’ “highly ambitious chefs, hailing from all different backgrounds, working independently and yet with a palpable sense of synchronicity.” She singles out Khao Noodle Shop‘s Donny Sirisavath’s “artful yet technically pristine riffs on the Laotian food he grew up eating” and Misti Norris’ “butchery-and-fermentation playground” at Petra and the Beast.

In a bit about spending the day strolling through Bishop Arts, Cadigan notes that Ceviche Oyster Bar, Macellaio and Revelers Hall are the places to hit. Haven’t we been writing that Bishop Arts is the new hotspot for drinks and late night bites?

Then Bon Appétit travels a bit northeast over to South Dallas and the house-made strawberry sotol at Las Almas Rotas. In Deep Ellum, Ruins is the pick for tacos and cactus fries. And La Viuda Negra is the speakeasy to hit on Fitzhugh. Nori Handroll Bar is the favorite for sushi. Jose, Jalisco Norte, and Miriam Cocina Latina are celebrated under a section dubbed ” to tacos… and beyond!”

For hotel bars, Midnight Rambler takes the crown. A banh mi at Sandwich Hag is a must in Bon Appétit’s estimation. And even some Richardson spots are included: DFW China Town, Bilad Bakery, and BigDash.

Maybe, it should be the Restaurant Region of the Year. The Dallas area food scene is certainly getting the love.