Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas
If you're a candle connoisseur, you know the worst thing ever is some overpriced chunk of well-packaged wax that doesn't emit much of a fragrance when fired up. There's no danger of that happening with one of Jackson Vaughn's sweetly saturated, hand-poured options, which permeate a room with all the scents of a Texas summer (or fall or winter). The 24-year-old shop has plenty of scent-sational options. Still, our favorite is the Texas Collection, which distills everything from the State Fair midway (caramel, hay and toasted vanilla) to the Fort Worth Stockyards (leather, patchouli and dry straw) in pure soy wax.
Billed as "an eclectic metaphysical shop," Dallas' Oldest Witch Store is known as the place to stock up on incense, tarot cards, herbs and books on palm reading. The purple Craftsman home in Lower Greenville is also the ideal shop to make wishes and dreams come true with a pre-blessed candle (or two). Just tell the helpful staff your intention (making up with a pal, a new career opportunity or just a good swipe on Tinder), and they'll recommend the perfect option plus instructions to set your intention and follow it through. You might be surprised at the results. Blessed be!
When you want to nurture a living thing but an actual pet is too much of a commitment, why not try a (virtually) unkillable sprout from Roadrunner Rarities? It's the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Annie Dibble Holland (who landed the best Girly Gift Shop last year with Lone Chimney Mercantile), and Chimney's "newest side piece" offers the same easygoing vibe. Pick your favorite succulent, choose from a vast selection of Holland's carefully sourced kitschy pots and mugs, then add funny additions like vintage beer cans or crystals on stakes to decorate. Voila! You just achieved green thumb status without even trying.
Dated Faded Worn has perhaps the best selection of vintage sports clothing in Dallas, including hats, sweaters, windbreakers, shirts and much more. What makes Dated Fade Worn so special is that it's true retro vintage, with products matching the styles of the '80s, '90s and aughts, across all sports and leagues. This Deep Ellum store is a must-stop for collectors. If you want to buy a gift for a sports fan or freshen up your look for the next watch party, Dated Faded Worn is the spot.
Need a last-minute gift or something to freshen up your teenaged son's bathroom? Then head to Bella and Brawn in the Bishop Arts District for the most distinct selection of candles in Dallas. These organic, hand-poured candles come in all sorts of entertaining vintage vessels, like gravy bowls, candy jars, duck-shaped glassware and colorful carnival glasses. Stop in during the holidays for seasonal selections as well. The best part is you can get your vessel refilled for a small price.
Oasis Plant Shop is a cozy green breath of fresh air nestled in the Bishop Arts District. The shop itself is a neighborhood home converted into a nursery, so walking in gives you a comfortable feel. When you combine that with the customer service (they'll do their best to explain how not to kill it), you get a top-notch plant shop. Most of the plants are small, apartment-worthy decorations that could give your small dwelling some life. And if your plant starts to look sad, just call them for a telehealth consultation.
Before you serious crate diggers come for our heads, we're not saying that Growl Records has the greatest vinyl inventory in all of DFW, though its selection is pretty cool. We will confidently say, however, that this Arlington record shop provides everything we want in one night: It has live bands and is connected to a pizza shop and to a brewery that has trivia nights. So you can go back and forth among all these places in a few steps and indulge in your hobbies at one stop. The shop is a punk oasis in a sports-heavy town and sells other things you can play: scary toys called "deadly dolls," for starters.
To check out the sprawling collection at InkQ Rare Books, you have to either make an appointment or stop by and get lucky that staff is there. Inside, check out a selection from the personal library of late author William Goldman, as well as newspapers dating back to the 1780s. The shelves are stocks with rare first editions, signed copies and oddball gems, particularly in the pulp section near the back. You're not going to find the latest Colleen Hoover here, and prices tend to be on the high end, but InkQ is absolutely worth a stop for Dallas bookworms.
No matter how much we hate seeing strangers' sloppy feet bloating out of their flip-flops while we're trying to enjoy our lunch, we gotta recognize that feet are important. And we should show them some love from time to time for getting us where we most need to go (because your car will not get you to your fridge and pantry). Foot Therapy in Dallas specializes in reflexology that'll decompress, de-stress and de-mess your spirit from the bottom up. It also offers full-body or neck-shoulders-back combos, all in a tranquil space meant for optimum relaxation that'll your work problems into complete oblivion. It's also open late. Super late. Prices are fairly reasonable for an hour of the pampering your feet deserve, no matter how gnarly.
Most North Texans don't have the luxury of running to a salon after work when we have to hustle to pick up kids from daycare, get groceries and cook dinner. Nor do we want to face the weekend rush, when everyone is trying to get all done up last minute before date night. This is why there's no greater joy than making a nighttime trip to the nail salon to take care of semi-important self-care in the form of a mani-pedi, wax, facial or a massage. Fab Nail in Oak Lawn is in the heart of the gayborhood, so you know it's just as fab as its name promises. Walk-ins are welcome, and if you go at night especially, you won't need an appointment. We highly recommend the citrus-y, tropical pedicure, which goes great with the salon's cocktails.
