The Absolute Best Mexican Restaurants In Dallas

In years past, Dallas was known as the town to get a “cab and a slab,” also known as a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a juicy, likely large, ribeye steak. One of the city’s leading wine retailers, McKinney Wine Merchant, dedicated its wine club to the pairing. But, Dallas is more than a city of steakhouses. Though the city’s history lies in oil and agriculture, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas shares that today Dallas is a city of banking and finance, technology and fashion, art and culture.

With culture comes cuisine, and Dallas has become a culinary destination over the past few decades. Bon appétit named Dallas the 2019 Restaurant City of the Year, celebrating a culture of diversity that features unique restaurants highlighting distinct points of view. The influence of Hispanic culture melds into the flavors of Dallas fare when it comes to Mexican food. According to the World Population Review, Texas has the second-largest population of Hispanic and Latino heritage residents and over 7.3 million residents of Mexican descent. Though enchiladas and tamales will always be on the table of Dallas’ Mexican food scene, today’s chefs highlight their Hispanic origin and tradition, bringing authenticity to the city’s menus.

The modern-day fare of Dallas combines Mexico’s regional dishes with Tex-Mex influence. D Magazine calls it “Mex-Mex,” a trend-led by local pioneers Monica Greene and Abraham Salum, along with newcomers like Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman and Jose Meza. This is one of the most exciting times to be a food lover in Dallas, and each of these options should be a must-try for your Mexican food bucket list.