Dallas will surprise foodies. While its southern sister, Houston, gets all the love for its flavorful food scene, Dallas is not lacking despite its nickname as the “City of Hate.” In fact, there’s a lot to love about Dallas’s food scene thanks to the Black restaurant owners providing some of the most flavorful and creative dishes throughout the metro.
Between fine dining, take-out, and gourmet fast food, Black restaurant owners are proving that Dallas deserves a seat at the table when it comes to the best culinary cities in the country. Get your appetites ready because the meals and flavors are big inside Black-owned restaurants in Dallas.
Big Chicken
Retired Hall of Fame National Basketball Association star Shaquille O’Neal is the brains behind the national chain Big Chicken. While people know the center for his impressive stats as a professional basketball player, he’s giving people a taste of his childhood. The menu reflects flavors and favorites from his childhood.
Big Chicken is known for its finger-licking chicken sandwiches. Guests can pair the sandwiches with the brand’s signature dish: Lucille’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese, just like his mom made it.
- Location: Fort Worth
- Owner: Shaquille O’Neal
- Type of Cuisine: American
- Menu Spotlight: The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich features its signature mac ‘n’ cheese, crispy fried onions, roasted garlic, and barbecue aioli sauce. A simpler option is available for people who don’t want the dressings. The Original Big Chicken Sandwich has pickles and the secret “Shaq sauce.”
- Before you go: The Fort Worth location officially opens in late 2024.
Brunchaholics
Brunchaholics is a Keith Lee-approved restaurant, so expect long lines and the food well worth the wait. If you’re a catfish fan, there’s nowhere else better to indulge. Brunchaholics is known for its power-punching, flavored catfish fried to a perfect crisp. Another notable dish is the chicken soul food burrito stuffed with creamy mac ‘n’ cheese and collard greens, which is then rolled in a jalapeno pepper wrap. Food this good should be illegal.
- Location: DeSoto (roughly 35 minutes south of downtown Dallas)
- Owner: Jessie Washington
- Type of Cuisine: Southern, Cajun/Creole, Fusion
- Menu Spotlight: Soul Food Burrito has been dubbed one of the “Most Over-The-Top Burritos in the Country” by The Food Network.
- Before you go: The restaurant does not take reservations. The menu changes weekly, so expect some changes after each experience.
Casa Del Vagno
Casa Del Vagno is the second plant-based restaurant started by Anthony and Elizabeth Bookman, a husband-and-wife duo. The menu is inspired by Texas’s iconic Tex-Mex dishes and some of the restaurant owners’ favorite places they frequented when they were meat-eaters.
- Location: Jefferson Boulevard Commercial District
- Owners: Anthony and Elizabeth Bookman
- Type of Cuisine: Vegan Tex-Mex
- Menu Spotlight: Jackfruit tacos and vegan ceviche
- Before you go: There’s free parking accessible on Sunset. The restaurant is not open on Mondays.
The Island Spot
The Island Spot is home to Dallas’s most delicious Jamaican food and crafted tropical cocktails. The only thing that rivals the food is the vibrant atmosphere that resembles the comforting culture in Jamaica, which is filled with amazing food, reggae, and rum.
- Location: Jefferson Tower
- Owner: Richard Thomas
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Beef patties, jerk chicken nachos, and curry goat. Pair any item on the menu with its iconic rum punch.
- Before you go: You can check the wait time online before you go.
Invasion
Chef Airric Heidelberg is the brains behind Invasion, a trendy and modern restaurant open for lunch, dinner, and late-night hours. He created a unique menu filled with what he calls “gourmet fast food.” His burgers and chicken sandwiches are a specialty packed with so much flavor that the restaurant is known as one of the best chicken sandwiches in the city.
- Location: East Dallas
- Owner: Chef Airric Heidelber
- Type of Cuisine: American, “Gourmet Fast Food”
- Menu Spotlight: The Kardi B is one of the most popular sandwiches on the menu. It comprises buttermilk-fried chicken breast, spicy mayo, and a pickled coleslaw jalapeno blend on a buttery toasted bun. Pair the Kardi B with Invasion Potatoes, country-style potatoes tossed in house-made invasion sauce and a sour cream ranch.
- Before you go: The restaurant is not open on Mondays. You can order before you go.
Kitchen + Kocktails
Kitchen + Kocktails delivers some of the best food, drinks, and vibes – creating an elevated dining experience. You can expect to hear live music from a band or DJ on any given day. As you walk in, you will immediately notice that the restaurant is made for taking pictures, as there is interactive wall art. Fortunately, the food is just as entertaining and delicious as the wall art. The menu features Southern classics and comfort foods with a twist. You won’t be disappointed as chefs deliver some of the most flavorful fried chicken, lobster tails, creamy shrimp, and grits in Dallas.
- Location: Located in the Hart Building
- Owner: Kevin Kelley
- Type of Cuisine: Southern
- Menu Spotlight: The oxtail surf and turf dish on the brunch menu is worth every penny, and the Caribbean Jerk Lamb Chops is a fan favorite on the main menu.
- Before you go: Reservations are required. Brunch is only served on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Kendall Karsen’s Upscale Soul Food
Kevin Winston put his love into Kendall Karsen’s Upscale Soulfood restaurant. Located in South Dallas, the restaurant holds a significant meaning to Winston, as it’s named after his sons.
Winston’s food is prepared from his heart, and you can taste the love in every bite. The daily menu features ribs, pot roast, and seafood pasta with classic Southern sides, including collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and okra gumbo.
- Location: Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Owner: Kevin Winston
- Type of Cuisine: Southern, Soul Food
- Menu Spotlight: The fried fish and cabbage are popular among guests. The chicken tetrazzini is another favorite since it’s one of the few restaurants in Dallas that have the dish on the menu. Chicken tetrazzini is a pasta bake casserole made with a buttery and cream-based sauce.
- Before you go: The restaurant advertises daily and weekly specials on social media.
Roots Southern Table
Roots Southern Table is an award-winning restaurant that pays homage to the way Chef Tiffany Derry grew up eating in the South. Derry says her grandmother always welcomed guests with food. Food is what held her family together.
When you eat at Roots, you should note that it’s more than a celebration of food. It is the celebration of who the founders, Derry and Tom Foley, are. At Roots Southern Table, Derry and Foley want to evoke the feeling that you’re coming home to those you love. In 2022, the restaurant received two James Beard Award Final Nominations for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef.
- Location: Farmers Branch
- Owners: Chef Tiffany Derry and Tom Foley
- Type of Cuisine: Southern
- Menu Spotlight: Texas redfish and crab-fried rice with harissa and pea tendrils. The cast iron cornbread is delicious. It’s made with Steen’s syrup, sweet potato butter, and cranberry apple preserves.
- Before you go: The restaurant accepts reservations.
While Houston is undeniably the food capital of Texas, Dallas is secretly becoming a food destination thanks to its diversity and fun options. Dallas is underrated on the national food scale, but Black restaurant owners are putting it on the map. Where else can you find a soul food burrito that’s nationally recognized?
