Best Dining Experience
Parigi
3311 Oak Lawn Ave. • 214-521-0295.ParigiDallas.com.
The word “Parigi” is Italian for “Paris,” which tells you something about the euro-sensibility of this restaurant. Chef-owner Janice Provost combines the sophistication of French cuisine (from bread pudding French toast to housemade pasta to French onion soup gratinee to the signature “chocolate glob” dessert) with the cosmopolitan feel of a New York City bistro. Of course, if the appeal were just the food or just the atmosphere, it wouldn’t be Parigi — the service from the excellent staff makes it memorable. You feel like a friend here (Provost spends almost as much time checking on her guests as she does whipping up great dishes). It’s no wonder that Dallas Voice readers named it their Ultimate Dining Experience — it’s been an Oak Lawn institution for more than three decades. Like the city itself, Parigi is eternal.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
Best Burger Hunky’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers
3930 Cedar Springs Road
and 321 N. Bishop Ave. Hunkys.com
In some ways, a hamburger is the simplest of sandwiches: A bun on which you place a patty of cooked ground beef, some condiments, maybe a sliced vegetable or two. No big deal. But if that were the case, we would not be as obsessed with them culturally. Doing a burger right is a thing of beauty, and making them interesting is the pinnacle of culinary pop sensibilities. Hunky’s has been coming up with amazing burgers in the gayborhood for decades, from the highly popular Texas cheeseburger to a triple-decker (named the Big Bear Burger!), or the avocado cheddar and jalapeno burger, that’s sweet, creamy and spicy all at once. A hamburger is no big deal? That’s definitely not the case at Hunky’s.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
Best Lunch Spot/ Best Patio Cedar Springs Tap House
4123 Cedar Springs Road, ste. 100.
214-377-7446.
CedarSpringsTapHouse.com.
Now that the cold, rainy winter is officially behind us, Dallasites come out like groundhogs to enjoy the nice weather, which means nice patios, and readers loved the patio at Cedar Springs Tap House. And why wouldn’t they — it’s located in the heart of the gayborhood with excellent people-watching. But it’s the fact it also won for best lunch spot that probably sealed the deal: five bucks secures you a burger, beer and fries (or fish ‘n chips with a brew), Mondays–Fridays until 3 p.m. And there are great daily food specials, and great beer selection, whenever you choose to sit out and chill.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Best Local Chef
Stephan Pyles, Flora Street Café
and Stampede 66
StephanPyles.com.
Best New Restaurant (tie)
Crickles and Co.
4200 Cedar Springs Road.
214-306-9568. • CricklesandCo.com.
Nerdvana Food+Spirits
5757 Main St., ste. 122.
214-618-9732. • NerdvanaFrisco.com
Best Diner
Norma’s Café
1123 W. Davis St. (and other locations).
NormasCafe.com.
Best Brunch
Bread Winners Café
3301 McKinney Ave. (and other area locations). BreadWinnersCafe.com.
Best Barbecue
Pecan Lodge
2702 Main St. • 214-748-8900.
PecanLodge.com.
Best Steak
Bob’s Steak & Chop House
4300 Lemmon Ave.
Bobs-SteakAndChop.com.
Best Asian/Sushi
Oishii
2525 Wycliffe Ave. • DallasOishii.com.
Best Italian/Pizza
Campisi’s Restaurant
5610 E. Mockingbird Lane. • Campisis.us.
Best Tex-Mex (tie)
Campuzano
2618 Oak Lawn Ave. and
213 W. Belt Line Road. • 214-526-0100.CampuzanoMexicanFood.com.
Ojeda’s
4617 Maple Ave. • 214-528-8383.OjedasRestaurant.com.
Best Taqueria
Velvet Taco
3012 N. Henderson Ave. • 214-823-8358.VelvetTaco.com.
Best Vegetarian Spot
Cosmic Café
2912 Oak Lawn Ave. • 214-521-6157.
CosmicCafeDallas.com.
Best Cocktail Menu
Alexandre’s
4026 Cedar Springs Road.
214-559-0720.
Best Vodka
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
