The Best Dishes in Dallas in 2023 (So Far)

The amount of excellent food available in Dallas is dizzying, yet mediocre meals somehow keep worming their way into our lives. With your Eater Dallas editor dining out frequently, that means coming across lots of standout dishes and drinks that need to be shared.

Anise — Bacalao Fritters

Anise has a new chef following the departure of Rene De Leon. Tony Ibarra now has the reigns at La Mina and Anise in the Village’s Drey Hotel. He’s making tweaks so diners may note changes to the menu over the next few months. We had several courses of great dishes, too numerous to name, but the cod fritters with roasted tomato aioli were a particular standout.

Meridian — Skate Moqueca

And speaking of the Village, Meridian has a newly revamped menu courtesy of James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Junior Borges, and Justin Mosley. Particularly notable, especially in this cold weather, is the update on the moqueca, now served with skate. The dish features charred plantain, coconut broth, and fried fish served over rice.

Quarter Acre — Smoked Beef Tartare

We wrote about Quarter Acre earlier in January and went in for a meal that same day. The smoked beef tartare, which chef Toby Archibald brought over from his time at Georgie with some modifications, is a fun and flashy dish. The brown mustard sauce and shavings of house-made beef jerky make it so different from the average tartare.

Phở Bang Restaurant — Pho with Brisket

After reading about the pho trail in Garland, I had to hit it. We tried Phở Bang on Walnut Street one chilly night for steaming hot bowls of pho (and a side of crispy egg rolls that were also fantastic). It had terrific service, an easy-to-navigate menu with many options, and served a beautiful bowl of broth.

AllGood Cafe — Fried Chicken Sandwich

However long it’s been since you went to AllGood Cafe in Deep Ellum, it’s probably been too long. A recent Sunday brunch there was such a delicious choice. I had the fried chicken sandwich with cole slaw and chipotle mayo, which hit the spot.