Eileen's city guide · No. 01

24 hours in Dallas

everything i ate and where, from a girl who grew up in texas

i flew in for a wedding and made it my mission to prove texas has incredible eats. here's the exact crawl, what to order at each spot, and the matcha so good i drove back across town for it.

9: stops
24: hours
1: perfect day

The crawl · in order

01
Palma
Deep Ellum
a tulum inspired escape with a big patio full of palms and a painted mural wall. it's the second palma (the first is in phoenix) and the sister spot to the ghost donkey mezcal speakeasy right next door. the menu blends asian and southwestern flavors. come for happy hour (mon to fri til 7) and grab a $5 maki roll. don't skip the hatch chili queso or the popcorn chicken. our perfect first stop right off the plane.
2625 Main St
02
Chasen Matcha Bar
Oak Cliffmy obsession
this is dallas' first matcha only bar, a tiny weekend spot that opened in 2024 in the old hola cafe space. the ceremonial grade matcha comes straight from fukuoka in japan, a region known for a naturally sweet and delicate flavor, and everything from the compotes to the cold foam is made in house. order the taro cloud (matcha + taro cold foam + taro dust). vibrant green, zero powdery taste and not too sweet. pure perfection, and yes i drove my friends all the way back across town for round two. heads up: weekends only, fri to sun, 9am to 3pm.
416 N Tyler St
03
Papi's Tacos & More
West Dallas
a family run spot that isn't afraid to stack a taco high. the breakfast runs all day and the house made birria goes on everything. grab the three taco breakfast plate, or go for the quesabirria, that's steamed beef and mozzarella with a side of consomé to dip. go hungry.
710 Fort Worth Ave
04
Crab Pot
West Dallas
a loud and messy gulf style boil house where everything is built around shared trays and getting your hands dirty. you pick your seafood (crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, oysters) and your spice level, then it all comes tossed in butter. we got a massive tray of crawfish in spicy garlic butter (basically mini lobster). my friends who aren't from texas were so confused, i absolutely destroyed it.
601 Fort Worth Ave
05
Terry Black's Barbecue
Deep Ellum
this is texas bbq royalty. the black family has been smoking meat in lockhart since 1932, and the siblings behind this spot opened the first terry black's in austin in 2014. the brisket is smoked 12 to 14 hours over post oak. order it (the move), then add the giant beef ribs and a link of jalapeño sausage. it's sold by the pound so come ready to share. i'd been missing real texas bbq and this delivered.
3025 Main St
06
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
dessert run, part one. this columbus original from james beard winner jeni britton bauer is known for small batch scoops made with grass grazed milk. get the brambleberry crisp or the salty caramel, two of the all time favorites. find it in victory park or on greenville.
07
Joy Macarons
Oak Cliff
dessert run, part two, because there's always room. this oak cliff bakery started in 2012 when founder liz lanier perfected her macarons at home and sold them at farmers markets. it's family run and fully gluten free, with flavors like lavender and honey, pistachio and texas butter pecan.
08
Whataburger
a texas institution since 1950, when it started in corpus christi with a burger so big it took two hands. you'll know the orange and white building anywhere. it's the only acceptable 2am move in texas. every burger is made to order, and a whataburger and fries hits completely different at that hour. (the honey butter chicken biscuit is worth a morning trip too.)
09
Oak Lawn
Nightlife
where we bar hopped to close out the trip. this is the heart of dallas nightlife, centered on the cedar springs strip. watching everyone line dance was so cool. tip: the round up saloon (open since 1980) is the legendary spot for it, with a hardwood floor and weekly two step lessons from beginner all the way to beyoncé themed.