As the song goes, “things will be great when you’re Downtown.” And, the Dallas Downtown area truly lives up to such lyrical hype. This heart of the city is well defined by a border of freeways, with the 75 to the East, 35 to the West, 30 to the South, and 366 to the North. Several distinct districts divide this area into smaller units, including the Art’s District, the Historic West End, Main Street District, and others. No matter where you go in Downtown, you’ll find a place to eat that everyone will love. Check out these restaurants for every purpose in Downtown Dallas.
Want to live near the best restaurants in Downtown Dallas? AptAmigo can make that happen. Call us today to try our concierge apartment hunting service.
Related: Best Restaurants in Deep Ellum
Where to Eat in Downtown Dallas
Best Breakfast: Cindi’s N.Y. Deli
Address: 306 S Houston St, Dallas, TX 75202
Cost: $
Restaurant Overview: You seriously can’t beat Cindi’s for the perfect breakfast. Parked on Houston street just down from Dealey Plaza, this Dallas staple is famous for everything it does, having earned awards as far back as 2008 and as recently as 2020. The owner, Anh Vo, fled Vietnam in the 1970s for the States where she took her first cooking lessons. Venturing into the restaurant business was a natural progression for Anh, and Cindi’s has now grown to include four locations around Dallas. The downtown location is the perfect stop for a quick grab-and-go breakfast before heading to the Convention Center or your office.
What to Eat: You’ll find much more than the flavors of New York on this extensive menu. The delicious pancake selection gets early morning applause from us, featuring every style from silver dollar pancakes, to old fashioned buttermilk, to thin German pancakes (a.k.a. crepes). The bakery is also famous for their bagels and the lox is hand-sliced and flown in weekly from New York.
Best Business Lunch: CBD Provisions
Address: 1530 Main St STE 100, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: $$$
Restaurant Overview: Looking to seal a deal over a meal? Head on over to CBD Provisions in the Joule Hotel. The interior feels stylish and rustic without giving off any pretense, which blends perfectly with the laid-back atmosphere you’ll find here. They offer classic American fine dining all day.
What to Eat: They make it easy to set the tone for your lunch meeting with food by offering “The Quick Chat” (with a half sandwich and your choice of half salad or cup of soup), or “The Power Lunch” (half sandwich with your choice of half salad or cup of soup, dessert, and draft beer or select glass of wine). The crispy pig’s head carnitas for dinner gets rave reviews, too!
Best Quick Bite: Food Trucks @ Klyde Warren Park
Address: 2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: $-$$
Restaurant Overview: If you need a quick lunch, snack, or dinner to go, head over to Klyde Warren Park and visit one of the many rotating food trucks. Food gets going around 11am every day and trucks stay until 3pm on weekdays and 8pm on weekends. From the Serious Salads truck for our herbivores, to the Butcher’s Son truck for our carnivores, there’s something along this lineup for everyone.
What to Eat: Liberation Coffee offers some of the best roving brew in the city. Get a taste of the world with Taste of Cuba or Greek Lover. And, top off your meal with a sweet treat from Cone Creamery.
Best Drinks w/ Food: Jaxon Beer Garden
Address: 311 S Akard St, Dallas, TX 75202
Cost: $$
Restaurant Overview: Classic Southern cooking with an elevated twist served alongside an extensive menu of spirits, beers, and wines—that’s what you’ll enjoy at Jaxon Beer Garden. It’s a great spot to take a first date or grab a casual drink and bite to eat. And, they provide plenty of outdoor seating in this relaxed atmosphere.
What to Eat: Here, it’s all about the beer. Keep it local to DFW by ordering a beer made by Community, Lakewood, Four Corners, Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Bishop Cider, or Rahr and Sons. Pair your drink with a handheld item like the shrimp po’boy or the Taco del Dia.
Best Fancy Dinner: Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse
Address: 702 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75202
Cost: $$$
Restaurant Overview: Owned and operated by Tony Street, Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse connects to a 48,000-acre ranch in Hill Country where their game runs free. While U.S.D.A. Prime steaks are paramount on the menu, they also dish up a wide selection of game birds, venison, buffalo, and seafood dishes. The atmosphere inside is surprisingly casual, but it’s still a place to see and be seen, making it perfect for a fancier date night.
What to Eat: If you want to go “wild” here, start your night off with the Grilled Alligator Sausage served over a bourbon cream corn. Order the Buffalo Filet Mignon, which has been featured on The Food Network. And, wash it all down with a signature cocktail, such as the Rancharita or Prickly Pear Cactus Martini.
You know where to find the best restaurants in Downtown Dallas, now check out the best street art and free things to do.
Find Your Dream Apartment in Dallas
Downtown Dallas is an amazing area with so much to offer, including as many apartment buildings as there are restaurants. If you’re looking to move Downtown or to any Dallas neighborhood, call up AptAmigo. You tell us what you’re looking for. We find it. You visit and pick. Trust us, with our help, apartment hunting is WAY easier than choosing where to eat in Downtown.
Jeanette Smith is a writer, editor, and freelancer based in Dallas, Texas. Find out more at JeanettetheWriter.com.
