Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas
Each season, all of Oak Cliff anticipates the old favorites and exciting newcomers of Hola Café ́s specialty drinks. Owner Jeniffer Ávila is a wizard behind the espresso machine with her banana, tiramisu and red velvet lattes that only come around once a year. The fortune cookie latte, banana matcha and marshmallow fluff mochas are other perfect excuses to turn Hola into your go-to coffee shop. Not that you would need one, anyway. People mark their calendars for these bad boys, and soon you will too.
If you've been bitten by the cold brew bug, you might want to pay Halcyon in Lower Greenville a visit. The nitro cold brew at Halcyon is smooth and sharp. Brewed for 24 hours with beans from Houston-based Katz Coffee, this cup of joe will have you buzzing like a bee. It's made the same way as the shop's regular cold brew, but it's infused with nitrogen, making it even smoother. When it's first poured, it comes out with a head, like beer out of a tap. Try it black or with cream. There's really no wrong way to go on this one.
The drinks at Juju's Coffee are great; talking with Nick and Julia Rocha as they make them is even better. The couple opened their Lakewood storefront in April 2023 after serving out of a mobile Airstream trailer they call "Otis." Upon entering Juju's, it's immediately clear that meeting new faces is just as important to the Rochas as making a great latte. Their loyal cast of regulars is a testament to their kindness and should propel them to many more years in the Dallas coffee scene.
The original, on Fitzhugh Avenue in East Dallas, is the type of charming spot you take out-of-towners or friends who aren't yet aware how cool you are. It helps that the coffee is fantastic. LDU Coffee now has five locations spread throughout Dallas, each carrying bold Australian flavors no other coffee shop can match. Yet much of the local chain's charms lies in the other ways it adheres to its Australian roots, namely the exceedingly kind owners and staff and the laid-back atmosphere, which is largely accomplished by the complete lack of Wi-Fi. Those owners want their guests to sit back, sip on coffee or espresso and then head on their merry way. Or, better yet, strike up conversation with the people around them.
The first Haraz Coffee House opened in Irving, and recently another opened in Plano. Here they serve cardamon-scented lattes and honeycomb bread. Be sure to request Haraz spice to your coffee or latte, adding a slightly exotic flavor to your drink. The star of the show at this Yemini coffee shop are the milk cakes, which are light and fluffy milk-soaked cakes in pistachio, rose and saffron. The Turkish mosaic cake is wonderful as well. The place is packed on the weekends, so plan accordingly.
Small-batch gourmet ice cream is churned onsite at Sweet Firefly. It's been a go-to in the Richardson area for one-of-a-kind flavors and well-done classics. It's local and woman-owned with a welcoming atmosphere for friends and families. If you eye the small sign above the ice cream case, you'll spot adult ice cream options by Cow Tippin Ice Cream like the piña colada flavored "Caught 'n the Rain" and other boozy churns. One scoop is plenty, but you can't choose just one here. The honey lavender and lemon-vanilla are a match made in heaven.
You don't have to blink to miss this under-the-radar doughnut shop in Oak Cliff. The sign "Donut Hot Donuts" didn't give the impression that we struck a gold mine, but trust us, we did. They serve all the classics, but they're just slightly different than your average doughnut shop. It's all in the details: perfectly fried but not greasy. You can walk in and be welcomed by the friendly staff and walk out with a massive doughnut that costs you only $1. What a spot. Even if you shut your eyes and point at something, you'll walk out with something good. Just get there early for the best selection.
Pastry chef Katherine Clapner founded Dude, Sweet Chocolate in 2009 with a mission to bend our perceptions of what chocolate can be. Using savory and sweet flavor profiles, along with quirky names, Dude will transform skepticism into addiction. Take FDA Chocolate Salami for instance, which has nary a bit of meat but rather figs, dates, almonds and dark chocolate mixed into a chocolate marzipan and formed into a salami-like tube. Fungus Amongus Soft Toffee goes great with a bit of cheese. And if you want to know why they call it Crack in Box, then try just one bite.
When you're standing in the warm, red-lighted embrace of Mike's Gemini Twin, a cocktail order is incomplete without an accompanying glizzy. The bar-top hot dog roaster is an unpretentious setup, but not much is better after a couple cold ones than the all-beef dog stuffed in a classic bun and served in a flimsy white paper tray. Drink deals — like the $12 dirty martini and dog combo offered on National Hot Dog Day — have solidified the weenies' rule over the swanky Cedars Bar.
Situated in an intimate and historic Uptown cottage, Si Tapas is ideal for a dressy date night or a casual happy hour. Spanish-style tapas offerings range from the traditional to the adventurous. Some of our favorite dishes include the cauliflower gratin, baby lamb chops and marinated baby shark. True to the Spanish ethos, Si Tapas' wine selection is as long as the food menu. If you find yourself out west, the restaurant recently expanded to a Fort Worth location.
