Taste the Best of Deep Ellum: A Dallas Food Haven

Deep Ellum: Just east of Downtown Dallas, Deep Ellum is known for its fantastic nightlife culture and thriving gastronomic scene, where the neighborhood’s diverse dining options are always changing to match. In reality, Guy Fieri of the Food Network has praised a number of Deep Ellum restaurants. On his show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, he featured the burger mecca Twisted Root Burger Co, the famed pizzeria Cane Rosso, and the barbecue sensation Pecan Lodge. Along with Fieri’s specialties, the area is also home to some of the greatest tacos in the city as well as modern American, Lebanese, and Japanese barbecue.

St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin, a beloved local hangout that has been serving up excellent pub fare for more than 25 years, maybe the only restaurant that truly reflects the distinctive ambiance of Deep Ellum.

What’s best? Everyone can find what they want and can afford in Deep Ellum. You’ve come to the perfect location if you’re seeking a delicious lunch.

PECAN LODGE

This Deep Ellum popular spot is well known for both its long lines and its amazing barbecue. It has been featured on series including the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, and Man Fire Food. Yet, as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait,” and among those good things are house-made sausages, brisket that has been mesquite smoked, mouthwatering ribs, and more. Get “The Trough,” a feast of beef rib, pork ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and spaghetti noodles, for you and four of your carnivore buddies to enjoy. Fried chicken and the “Hot Mess,” a sweet potato loaded with brisket and chipotle cream cheese, are other popular dishes. We won’t even talk about the peach cobbler.

Pecan Lodge is suggested for Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants because it has received numerous awards from magazines as one of the state’s top barbecue restaurants.

ZATAR LEBANESE TAPAS & BAR

This thriving Lebanese restaurant serves up a delectably contemporary take on the traditional fare of the nation and is named for the Middle Eastern spice combination. This translates to a menu full of crowd-pleasing shareable foods like pan-seared fish, crispy cheese-filled phyllo cigars, and hummus topped with beef kebabs. The surprise hit? a double-decker Lebanese burger with a kafta patty, chicken kebabs, Gruyere, hummus, and roasted tomatoes on top. All of this is supported by a bar system that enables cocktails made with arak, wine, and beer from Lebanon. Make room for desserts like Kenefeh, a sweet cheese pastry made with semolina and drizzled in aromatic orange blossom syrup, and Arabic ice cream.

Zatar is the ideal location for having a Middle Eastern feast, making it one of Deep Ellum’s Finest Restaurants.

REVOLVER TACO LOUNGE

Taco lovers will find a haven at this family-run Deep Ellum restaurant with counter service ordering and community seating. Homemade and grilled corn tortillas come with a variety of toppings, including grilled premium wagyu beef, roasted baby goat, and seared duck breast. Alternatively, La Resistencia offers a 7-course tasting menu of tacos prepared using an antiquated wood grilling method on a yakitori grill for those who want to step up their gourmet taco game. The Mexican seafood Sunday brunch, which includes dishes like scallop crudo and lobster-truffle chilaquiles, is also well worth checking out.

Recommended for Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants because Revolver is an excellent place to come for a quick bite before or after hitting the nightlife in Deep Ellum.

CANE ROSSO

A cult following, which even includes Guy Fieri of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, has developed around this Neapolitan-certified pizza joint due to its seriously tasty wood-fired pies and top-notch artisan toppings. Pizzas on the extensive menu range from the traditional Margherita to creative selections like the Honey Bastard topped with mozzarella, spicy soppressata, bacon marmalade, and habanero honey. Furthermore, while the bar’s pizzas may be the major draw, don’t overlook Cane Rosso’s homemade pasta or Italian sandwiches. Another reason to visit is that a portion of the proceeds support Cane Rosso’s dog rescue group, which assists in finding homes for stray dogs.

Recommended for Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants because Cane Rosso is one of the best places in the city to find Neapolitan-style pizzas.

NIWA JAPANESE BBQ

Anyone looking to eat something other than sushi and ramen can check out Niwa, a classy yakiniku restaurant in Deep Ellum. The main event is a Japanese barbecue. Diners can select from a variety of marinated meats and vegetables, and then cook everything over grills that are built right into their tables. There are selections for beef belly, chicken breast, lamb chops, rib eye, and Wagyu, as well as seafood like calamari and shrimp. You desire intestines. Tongue? Pork cheeks? They also got that. You’re not in the mood to cook. Also, there are prepared foods including pan-seared gyoza, sake-dashi clams, and chicken karaage.

Because Niwa is the place to go if you’re with people who like to share, it’s regarded as one of Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants.

LOCAL

This chic modern American restaurant is tucked away in the historic Boyd Hotel building, and there’s always something delicious to eat and beautiful to gaze at there. The restaurant’s owner/chef Tracy Miller created a seasonal menu that includes à la carte items like pan-seared lobster cakes, balsamic-glazed wild salmon, and Kobe beef burgers as well as a seven-course, prix-fixe chef tasting ($85 + $35 wine pairing). Only wine and beer are offered at Local, but inventive drinks like the prosecco mojito and sake pear martini more than make up for the lack of alcoholic beverages. A must-have dessert is the “chocolate composed,” which consists of a chocolate mousse, brownie biscuits, and a small Ovaltine malt.

For an elegant date night, Local is a fantastic choice for one of Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants.

ELM & GOOD

The Kimpton Pittman Hotel is Deep Ellum’s first boutique hotel, located in the former Knights of Pythias Temple’s historic Beaux-Arts-style architecture. And along with it, Elm & Good, a contemporary American pub run by chef Graham Dodds, a pioneer of farm-to-table dining in Dallas. A seasonal meal including handmade pasta, wood-fired meats, and vegetables can be anticipated. Standouts include Dodd’s inventive takes on traditional southern fare, such as vegetarian grilled carrots served with collard greens, kohlrabi slaw, and baked gigante beans, and hush puppies with charred okra, pimento cheese, and Cajun remoulade. A must-have dessert is churros with dulce de leche sauce, and the cocktails are excellent.

Elm & Good is a great choice when you’re out with both meat eaters and vegans, making it one of Deep Ellum’s Top Restaurants.

TWISTED ROOT BURGER CO

Since launching in Deep Ellum in 2006, this legendary burger mecca, which has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives—has amassed a cult following and thirteen locations. The variety of choices, which range from wagyu beef to turkey and exotic game, as well as the creative toppings (such as thyme roasted onions and crushed fries), all contribute to the attraction. The standard order? The house-made barbecue sauce, pepper Jack cheese, bacon, fried onion strings, and jalapenos are all added to the half-pound Western Burger. Add some twisted cheese fries and a boozy custard shake to it.

Twisted Root is where you can get some of the city’s most unique burgers, making it one of Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants.

ST. PETE’S DANCING MARLIN

In addition to offering a wide variety of more than 65 different bottled and tapped brews, this lively local bar is the ideal spot to quench your thirst and enjoy some delicious bar fare. The extensive menu, which is fairly priced, offers a wide variety of starters in addition to pizzas, spaghetti, sliders, steaks, and seafood. Even though you can’t go wrong with anything you eat, make sure to try standouts like the chicken fried tuna steak sandwich and Rudolph’s chili-cheese dogs. For information on daily and weekly offers, see the website.

Recommended for Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants because St. Pete’s is where to go when you’re in the mood for a laid-back, lively evening that involves beer.

UNCLE UBER’S SAMMICH SHOP

Since 2011, this hip Deep Ellum sandwich store has been producing some of the best things to eat between slices of bread, which perhaps explains why it’s always busy. There are about twelve different options available, ranging from vegetarian-friendly options like the vegetable BunMe with Vietnamese influences to a shaved ribeye steak on a baguette topped with grilled red onions and blue cheese. However, Uber’s burgers are similarly deserving of praise, even though the sandwiches are always a good choice. The best part? You can score one of these meaty marvels with an order of fries for only $6 after 4 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Suggested Deep Ellum’s Best Restaurants because Uncle Uber’s is a good place to come for lunch or an early evening snack.