The 3 Hottest New Dallas Restaurants — And What to Order at Each Hot Spot

Located inside of The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas (formerly Four Seasons Resort), chef John Tesar’s new Italian steakhouse is officially a must-visit when in Irving. A spinoff of the Michelin-starred chef’s very good Knife restaurant, the Italian iteration serves oysters, crude, house-made pasta, steaks, and more. With interiors by Schoos Design, the space features palm trees, magenta sofas, and original artwork by Thomas Schoos.

Best Sips: There are so many great cocktails on the menu, including three signature Negronis. Our favorites include the Savage Gringo Negroni with mezcal, the tequila-based Django with Fresno chili ice that adds spice to your drink as it melts, and the Swept Away. This one comes in an interesting circular container that steeps High West Campfire whiskey, Fusion Versus Blanc, Wyoming Double Cask, and Nixta corn liqueur that gets stronger the longer you let the mixture sit — almost like a tea.

Best Bites: Start with the veal meatballs served with tomato compote and ricotta. They melt in your mouth. Also, order the cold yellowtail with grapefruit or King salmon crudo with green apple for a perfect savory-sweet pairing. Pastas are house-made, so you must order at least one. The lobster agnolotti was our favorite — it features a lemon monte and lobster coral butter. But, it was the pork Milanese that was the stunner of the evening. Topped with a tricolor salad and marinated tomatoes, the lightly breaded meat is tender and addictive.

Dessert is a must at Knife Italian. We got a taste of the tiramisu made with an espresso crumble and cold brew gel, caramel pizzelle & affogato (vanilla bean gelato is covered in a shot of espresso), and the limoncello pavlova — the meringue-based dessert is topped with Amarena cherries and pistachio. There’s also a Neapolitan spumoni with Manjari chocolate that looks quite intriguing for a follow-up visit.

From the owners of The Ivy Tavern, this new Greek restaurant incorporates family recipes from husband-and-wife owners Lisa and Tom Georgalis, who brought on chef Blake Andress to execute their vision. At Nikki, guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks on the patio or in the lounge, have dinner in the dining room, and end the evening with more cocktails and live music in the lounge area late into the night.

Best Sips: If you’re looking for a refreshing start to your meal, go for the cucumber-aloe spritz. It’s light and includes cucumber-infused gin, aloe liqueur, lime, and Fever Tree cucumber soda. The Perfect Freezer Martini is another great starter drink, as it’s one of the restaurant’s signature cocktails. For a dessert time drink, opt for the baklava espresso martini or limoncello cheesecake martini. Both are unique and sweet.

Best Bites: Make sure to start with the broken horiatiki salad. It’s a traditional Greek salad, but it features cucumber, pickled vegetables, tomatoes, smoked feta, and charred fruit — plated so every bite is different. The passing keftedes boat is another favorite with Texas prime beef meatballs served in a crispy pita boat and topped with tzatziki, yogurt, and seasonal Greek olive & caper relish. Also, don’t miss the spanakopita — spinach stuffed phyllo pastry. It’s a classic for a reason.

For mains, the Moussaka Georgalis is an indulgent stunner. Presented in a cast iron, this eggplant casserole dish is filled with ground beef and topped with béchamel sauce. It comes out piping hot, but we couldn’t wait for it to cool before diving in. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter, the saffron scallops are a great choice. They come with charred kale, lemon fondants, saffron buerre blanc, florin, and a feta streusel. It’s also just a very pretty dish to look at.

You also have to order dessert at Nikki. There are three on the menu and we enjoyed the portokalopita (an orange custard cake slathered in candied citrus and olive oil), as well as the chocolate lavender mousse with sea salt. The trigonas — a phyllo triangle cone filled with semolina custard and whipped Greek honey — is on our list for next time.

Originally opened in Rockwall in 1982, the third iteration of the Culpepper Steakhouse was rescued and revamped by UNCO hospitality (Leela’s Wine Bar, HG Sply Co.) in 2023. And now, the steak/Tex-Mex concept has debuted a new outpost in Deep Ellum. Situated near its sister concept, Tina’s Continental, in the Continental Gin Building, the space features exposed brick, original wood beams and flooring, and an outdoor patio with a “Muchacho Grande” bar — named after one of the strongest drinks on the menu. Crafted with consulting chef Danyele McPherson, the food menu features Tex-Mex staples, prime steaks, a burger, seafood, and more.

Best Sips: The signature drink at Culpepper is the Muchacho Grande and there’s a limit of two per person for a reason. It’s massive, strong, and easy sipping. With tequila, Cointreau, lime, and freshly squeezed orange juice, it is absolutely refreshing for a hot summer day. Another favorite of ours is the Lowland — a mix of tequila, sotol, Cointreau, lime, green bell pepper, and cucumber. It reminded us of a green Jolly Rancher.

Best Bites: There’s a lot of food to try here, but we recommend starting with the calamari steak fingers (a Culpepper staple since 1993). Good portions of fried squid are served with a sweet and spicy red sauce. The flautas are also a great shareable — order with the chicken Tinga. Culpepper is known for their chicken, our server told us, so we opted for the original chicken breast. It’s tender and flavorful, which you don’t also get with grilled chicken breast. We added a side of jalapeño-cheddar sausage which was the stunner of the meal. Culpepper uses wagyu beef and the pepper adds the perfect amount of spice.

For dessert, don’t miss the campfire brownie. It’s topped with toasted marshmallows, kind of like a s’mores. The horchata cheesecake is also delightful.