Kyle Green
Dallas offers a delightful culinary scene, and for those who appreciate both fine dining and their choice of libations, BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) restaurants are the hidden gems to explore. These establishments provide the perfect setting for a personalized dining experience, allowing you to bring your favorite wine, beer, or spirits to complement your meal. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, enjoying a romantic dinner, or simply savoring good food and good company, Dallas’s best BYOB restaurants cater to your preferences. Join us on a journey through some of the city’s top BYOB spots, where you can indulge in delicious cuisine and sip on the drinks that enhance your dining pleasure.
Petra and the Beast
1901 Abrams Rd, Dallas, TX 75214
214-484-2326
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Located in Baylor Meadows right in front of Baylor University medical center, Petra and the Beast is a high-end forage and farm-to-table bistro in a romantic, rustic-chic dining space. Petra and the Beast uses novel cooking techniques like fermentation to preserve their bounty of seasonal produce while also providing customers with innovative flavors. There is an a la carte menu and a pre-fixed eight-course menu served at the chef’s table. All meals are BYOB, and the food is New American cuisine that is heavy on foraged foods like mushrooms. My favorite dish is the Shiitake and ricotta Balazino with charred pickled oyster mushroom, oregano crumb, buttered cognac, and trumpet mushrooms.
Hello Dumpling
1146 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
469-779-1551
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Hello Dumpling is a hip new dumpling and noodle house in the Lochwood and Reinhardt neighborhoods, serving a variety of Asian-inspired noodle dishes, satays, and bubble tea in a modern, airy dining space. All pasta is hand-made in-house daily and boiled to order. Hello Dumpling has been written up as one of the best noodle houses in publications like Texas Monthly, D Magazine, and Zagat. They have an extensive selection of milk teas and fruit drinks with tapioca pearls, my favorite of which is the lychee bubble drink. Their menu of skewers, hand-made steamed and pan-fried dumplings, soups, and noodles features vibrant combinations of vegetables and spices.
Thai Thai Restaurant
1731 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
214-828-9795
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Thai Thai Restaurant is a Belmont neighborhood favorite for authentic Thai food in a casual and friendly atmosphere. They use the freshest vegetables and make all their complex curry sauces in-house. Their lunch and dinner service does as much takeout as dine-in, but the food is always freshest straight out of the wok. Their menu has a variety of curries, fried rice, Thai noodles, entrees, and appetizers. I recommend starting with the fresh salad rolls filled with basil, carrot, lettuce, and rice noodles served with peanut sauce for dipping. Their green curry was the perfect balance of creamy coconut and spicy chilies, with a ton of vegetables and your choice of meat, chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
Norma’s Cafe
Multiple locations
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Established in 1956, Norma’s Café is a Texas-style diner that originated in the Oak Cliff neighborhood and has since become one of Dallas’ most beloved spots for home-cooked comfort food. You can still find Norma’s in Oak Cliff, along with newer locations in North Dallas, Frisco, and Park Lane. The menu at Norma’s has every Texas comfort food imaginable from chicken fried steak to pot roast, and it all comes with the fluffiest, yeastiest dinner rolls, sweet, buttery cornbread, or buttermilk biscuits. My favorite dish was their Texas-style meatloaf with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy.
Ephesus
10455 N US 75-Central Expy 1000 #118, Dallas, TX 75231
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Located in North Dallas, Ephesus is a Mediterranean Restaurant with a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. Ephesus specializes in Mediterranean dishes from Greece and the Middle East, and it’s all served in beautiful and colorful displays. Ephesus also has a wine list of its own should you run out of the wine you bring to the table. I recommend starting with a hot or cold mezze sampler so you can sample all the dips, falafel, feta rolls, and zucchini pancakes. The pan-seared Branzino with arugula salad was a light and flavorful dish that didn’t overstuff me after having filled up on fresh pita and hummus.
Sevan G & G Cafe
2221 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
214-821-0601
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Teetering between Lower Greenville and Belmont, Sevan G &G Café is a Mediterranean restaurant named for a lake in Chef and Owner George Haber’s native country of Armenia. Chef Haber prepares every meal himself using fresh, healthy ingredients in a cute, rustic dining room decorated with Mediterranean-themed frescos and textured stucco walls. The fresh multicourse meals have a diverse array of salads, dips, and savory pies to share. I loved their spanakopita, a flaky phyllo crust stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. Save room for homemade baklava with pine nuts and cashews and drizzled in Lebanese syrup.
Urbano Cafe
1410 N Fitzhugh Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
214-823-8550
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Urbano Café is a lively Italian American bistro and wine bar inside a beautifully preserved 1920s East Dallas storefront. Founder Mitch Kauffman opened Urbano Café in 2009 to wide acclaim, featured in The Dallas Morning News as one of the best new restaurants in Dallas. Urbano Café continues to be an East Dallas staple for live music, delicious meals, and a unique atmosphere 13 years later. Urbano Café’s menu is a typical Italian format of shareable small plates, salads, pasta, and entrees. I recommend starting with steamed mussels in tomato broth with basil, garlic, and chorizo. I loved the crispy duck breast over sweet potato gnocchi with broccoli, Marzano tomatoes, and raspberry reduction.
Taverna
3312 Knox St, Dallas, TX 75205
214-520-9933
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Part of the Lombardi family of concept restaurants, Taverna is an upscale neighborhood trattoria in Knox Park. The warm, cozy interior with brick walls lined with dozens of mismatched framed art pieces opens out onto a romantic patio lit by dim hanging tee lights. Taverna is a romantic setting for a delicious date night meal. I loved the Taverna Focaccia with pancetta, mushrooms, red onions, pine nuts, arugula, and shaved parmesan that could pass for a pizza. Their pasta is the freshest I’ve ever had with classics like tagliatelle alla Bolognese and fettuccine frutti di mare. My favorite pasta is the ravioli maremmani, stuffed with swiss chard, spinach, and ricotta in butter, sage, and parmesan sauce.
MoMo Italian Kitchen
8989 Forest Ln #130, Dallas, TX 75243
972-234-6800
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MoMo Italian Kitchen is a Dallas institution founded in 1985 by Antonio Gattini, who used his grandmother’s famous Italian recipes to create authentic home-cooked Italian food. The Gattini family recently sold the family business to restaurateur couple Wende Stevenson and Aaron Goss. They continue the tradition of authentic Italian cuisine in this beloved Lake Highlands neighborhood bistro. MoMo’s food has been featured in local and national publications like Eater, Open Table, and D Magazine. The menu is a traditional multi-course Italian menu with antipasti, pasta, salads, Neapolitan pizza, risottos, and entrees. The risotto all argosta with lobster and pancetta is the creamiest, most flavorful dish I’ve eaten.
Why Trust Us?
When it comes to local restaurant recommendations, we pride ourselves on being a reliable and trustworthy resource. Our suggestions are not just based on our personal experiences, ensuring a more authentic and well-rounded perspective, but also on extensive online research. We diligently searched the internet and reviewed 6 credible sites and blogs, including Dmagazine.com and Dallasites101.com.
We compiled all the findings in one location and sorted them by the frequency of mentions to ensure you receive top-notch recommendations. We strive to present you with a curated list of establishments that truly stand out, allowing you to enjoy the best dining experiences possible.
Interested in the sources we consulted? Check out the list of all 6 sites we referenced below this paragraph, offering transparency and an opportunity for our readers to explore further. Our commitment is to deliver trustworthy and unparalleled recommendations, helping you make informed decisions on your culinary journeys.
https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2002/november/the-best-byob-in-dallas/
https://www.dallasites101.com/blog/post/byob-restaurants-around-dallas/
https://foursquare.com/top-places/dallas/best-places-byob
https://www.dallasobserver.com/restaurants/ten-of-dallas-best-places-to-byob-7040580
https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/texas/articles/best-byob-restaurants-in-dallas
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g55711-d3837423-r358503982-Urbano_Cafe-Dallas_Texas.html
