Hello Y’all, & Welcome!
Thanks for visiting Trey’s Chow Down Brands. If this is your first visit, you’re in a for a treat. If you love food and travel, then you’re going to love what we have in store for you to enjoy in 2024.
This article DOES NOT contain Trey’s BEST BBQ picks! Trey’s separate BEST of the BEST in the USA articles for BURGERS, BBQ, BAGELS, DONUTS, HOTELS and RESORTS will be released throughout the calendar year in 2024. Stay tuned and follow us for these enlightening and informational articles. Thank you! – TREY
I hope everyone had a fantastic 2023 and has great plans to rock the new year in 2024. We had an amazing year at Trey’s Chow Down Brands. Thanks to all of our followers, friends, and national media network partners we reached over 100 million food, drink and travel-loving fans. We’re continuing our hunt for the BEST of the BEST so we can tell the world where to find the most creative chefs, delicious eats, tasty sweet treats, unbelievable bakeries, and unique restaurants everyone can enjoy. As we travel the USA, we’re also looking for the best hotels and resorts for our friends and followers to enjoy. We do it all, and we do it for you!
We didn’t sleep much! We worked countless hours, visiting twenty-six states covering restaurants, food trucks, donut shops, bagel shops, burger joints, hotdog carts, pastry and candy shops, and yes, barbeque joints of all types. We also hosted eight major food events, some food truck challenges, and were part of numerous food championships. We managed to visit some unbelievable farmers markets and attend six BIG barbeque events as well. Are you tired yet? So are we, but we’re in LOVE with travel and food of all types, and it’s our passion to find the BEST that keeps us going.
Jana and I travel coast to coast where we meet all types of people, sharing food, enjoying laughs, and listening to countless stories of small business success as well as their struggles. My family was in the food, restaurant, and hotel business for over a century before we sold out in 2005. After we sold, I wanted to use my knowledge to help folks. That’s why I created Trey’s Chow Down Brands over fifteen years ago, and it has grown exponentially every year. We want to tell people’s stories, because every hard-working person has a story to tell. Everything is better with a story, good or bad, truth or embellishment. Mark Twain once said, “NEVER LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY!” There you have it! I’m just going to tell the story and let y’all decide.
As you’ve probably discovered, we’re passionate about small business and what they do for communities. We believe small business is the BACKBONE of America, and it’s up to all of us to help support them any way we can. We’re also in LOVE with the chefs that create the deliciousness to keep smiles on our faces, our tummies full, and our hearts filled with love. In these crazy times HAPPINESS and POSTIVE VIBES are essential. When you add a dash of deliciousness, you have the perfect recipe.
We’re excited about this year’s discoveries, because we have some amazing and talented chefs, creative eats, and loads of deliciousness everyone can enjoy. I’m telling you right now, whatever you like to eat, we’re going to have something for you. Each one of the chefs, restaurants, and businesses that are a part of our MUST TRY LIST for 2024 reek of passion, talent, and desire to be the best; to create something so flavorful and delicious that’s it’s unforgettable. They all have that culinary jingle I like to call “Deliciousness”.
Have you ever taken a bite of something amazing and thought, “I have to tell someone about this!”? It doesn’t matter if it’s savory, sweet, or both, we just want to tell someone about how perfect a dish was. That’s what this year’s list is all about, and I want you to share it with your family, friends, and even your in-laws. Yes, even them.
Folks sometimes wonder why I say “deliciousness”, so I want to give you the TREY’S CHOW DOWN definition. de·li·cious*ness – di-ˈlish-əs.ness : giving great pleasure: delightful. especially: very pleasing to the palate: completely euphoric: unforgettable. NOW YOU KNOW!
I urge you to enjoy our list, and most importantly please visit and support these amazing businesses throughout 2024. If you’re traveling or making plans to travel, save this list and follow our socials for tips on food, drink and wonderful places to stay. We promise you’re going to enjoy anything we endorse.
FOX 4 GOODDAY DFW TOP 100 Dishes 2024
North Texas BEST 100! It’s time to chow! Let’s Ride!
Knife Steakhouse
Dallas & Plano, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Dry Age Steak
Favorite Eats: Bacon Sampler
Award-winning steakhouse by celebrity chef and Michelin Star winner John Tesar, offering some of the most incredibly savory and delicious steaks in the USA. If you’re looking for one of the most amazing steaks you’ve ever enjoyed, then KNIFE is worth a visit. Don’t forget the BACON SAMPLER, which offers various kinds of bacon. You will devour this dish. I would finish it off with one of his unbelievable house prepared desserts. The steak and bacon sampler are a MUST TRY in 2024!
F1 Smoke House
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Korean Double-Cut Pork Chop
Favorite Eats: Jalapeno-Cheddar Wagyu Corndog
A new smokehouse with celebrity chef Felipe Armenta and celebrity chef, TV personality, and Two Star Michelin Winner Graham Elliot offering unforgettable chef driven and creative eats. The Korean Double-Cut Pork Chop is one of the BEST I’ve enjoyed all year. Coast to coast, it will slap your palate so hard with savory deliciousness you won’t believe it. The Jalapeno-Cheddar Wagyu Corndog is creative and simply stupid delicious. They’ve elevated the corndog to a NEW level and both of these are a MUST TRY in 2024!
The Salty Donut
Dallas & Austin, Texas
Favorite Eats: The 24-Hour HORCHATA DONUT
This one is special for me. I’ve been researching donuts coast to coast for five years and have visited over 145 donut shops in the USA during that time. I’m releasing a BEST DONUTS IN THE USA article in 2024, so watch for it. If you love donuts this will be for you.
The owners, Andy and Amanda Pizarro, started in 2014 with pop-ups, and then opened their first retail store a year later. The rest is history. I’ve found that The Salty Donut company creates some of the BEST DONUT flavors in the world. The 24-Hour HORCHATA DONUT is simply a MAGICAL DONUT. After one bite you will swear that it’s made by the donut Gods and sprinkled with deliciousness dust by donut ANGELS. YES, it’s truly that delicious! Each bite is a little sweet, a little savory, with a touch of creaminess. This creates a flavor explosion in your mouth that’s so delicious it should be illegal in all fifty states. It’s one of the BEST donut flavors in the world, PERIOD. Its preparation process is a 24-hour brioche soaked in a homemade horchata mixture; bottom crusted with Valrhona Caramelia chocolate + finished with torched cinnamon-meringue. A MUST TRY! Even worth a plane ride to try, if necessary.
The Douglas Bar & Grill
Snider Plaza Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: 45 Ton Smoked Platter
Favorite Eats: Douglas Grilled Cheese
Owned and operated by Texan celebrity chef and pitmaster Doug Pickering, who’s a Dallas native. He loves to cook and share his creative eats with the world. The restaurant located in Snider Plaza is beautiful, charming, and extremely cozy, with a very friendly staff. Doug offers all things delicious, including hand-cut steaks and house-prepared desserts, but I’m in love with two of his creations. Get ready to CHOW DOWN, because the 45 Ton Platter can feed four to six people, or if you’re a meat lover like me, it can feed ONE HUNGRY TEXAN, lol. It’s loaded with all the smoked meats he offers and is truly a mountain of meat. It’s what I like to call MEATY DELICIOUSNESS! The Grilled Cheese is on fresh sourdough, then packed with cheese, and fresh house-smoked brisket or pulled pork – your choice. It’s a GRILLED CHEESE PARTY in your mouth. Both of these are must try for 2024!
Hill City Chop House
Downtown Tolar, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Smashadilla
Favorite Eats: Borracho Beans
Owned and operated by celebrity chef and pitmaster Dustin Martin, along with his crew, the now famous Hill City Culinary Mafia, in small downtown Tolar, Texas. They offer a big, award-winning variety of BBQ, smoked meats, desserts and more. Everything I’ve tried has been so delicious it’s worth a trip to Tolar just to chow down. They offer this BIG PHAT special quesadilla called the SMASHADILLA, and it’s packed with cheesy deliciousness. After that you have to try Dustin’s world-famous BORRACHO BEANS that are a trip straight to borracho bean deliciousville. These are MUST TRY eats in 2024! When you get there, throw that door open and yell, “ARE YOU STIRRING THEM BEANS!”
ABC DAYBREAK 2-HOUR SPECIAL DFW TOP 100 Dishes 2024
Newton’s Saddle
Stephenville, Texas
Favorite Eats: Chicken Fried New York Strip
Favorite Eats: House Buttery Fuffly Biscuits
Owned and operated by celebrity cowboy chef and two-time Fox Network Master Chef contestant Mike Newton, they’re slang’n some unforgettable southern eats with a chef Mike twist. You will fall in love with the family-friendly atmosphere and fresh, flavor-packed dishes. The Chicken Fried New York Strip is so tender, flavorful, and delicious you will want to take one for the road. When I took my first bite, I was in CHICKEN FRIED HEAVEN, complete with a little Halo on top of my head, lol. Yes, it’s that delicious and he’s upped the chicken fried game to NEW levels. Don’t forget his house-prepared biscuits. GOOD LORT I have no words for these tasty biscuits. They’re a MUST TRY in 2024!
Pantry On Magnolia
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: 24 Hour Burnt End Pho –📝 🌎 Rosewood Ranch
Favorite Eats: 24 Hour Short Rib Pho – 📝 🌎 Rosewood Ranch
Favorite Eats: Fresh Hand Prepared Dumpling Flight
Owned and operated and by Chef Natasha B., with Chef De-Cuisine Michael Rios. This little eatery was one of my favorite discoveries of 2023. It’s set in a very small space off Magnolia Ave. in Fort Worth and it reminds me of a small, family-owned eatery on the streets of Rome, Paris, or downtown New York City. It’s extremely cozy, charming, and has a family-like atmosphere. You can sit in the kitchen and enjoy your meal while they prepare it fresh. It’s truly an enlightening dining experience. They offer some of the BEST hand-made dumplings, hand-made spring rolls, creative pho, fresh stir-fried rice, okonomiyaki, and banh mi/bao in Fort Worth. Everything is prepared fresh and by hand to create some life-changing flavor profiles of deliciousness. If you love small and cozy intimate dining, where you can sit in the kitchen like family, then this place is for you. You are going to enjoy this experience so much it will be one of your new favorite addictions of 2024. Don’t blame me if you have savory drips of pho running down your chin, you should THANK me. AWARD WINNING Pho Burnt End Dish or Pho Short Rib is a MUST TRY in 2024! Don’t forget the fresh BAO BUNS with glazed pork or fresh sticky ribs, OMG!
Smackin-Mac Food Truck
Mobile and Six Flags Location
Arlington & Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eat: “The “OG” Smackin-Mac.” Six Cheese Mac-N-Cheese Dish (Original)
Owned and operated by Chef Francis out of Fort Worth, Smackin-Mac takes mac-n-cheese to a NEW level. The first bite I had was so savory, cheesy, flavorful, and delicious I couldn’t believe it. So, I took a second bite, then a third bite. I was with some friends and I heard one of them say, OMG! That’s when I knew we had something special. Chef Francis works hard at slang’n unforgettable eats and she has an AWARD WINNER with the “The “OG” Smackin Mac.” Six Cheese Mac-N-Cheese Dish. It’s a MUST try and you can try it at SIX FLAGS in December or find her truck.
The Armory D.E.
Deep Ellum Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: THE VAN TRANSYLVANIA BURGER
Favorite Eats: Chicken Paprikas
Owned and operated by local Dallas folks, they offer fresh, chef-driven eats that are always unique and loaded with deliciousness. It’s a TRUE hidden gem in a sea of lost restaurants. I love how cozy and warm this little bar and restaurant is, and the staff is always friendly. The chefs’ creations have fantastic names and are loaded with simple and cozy comfort food flavors. The dishes are sometimes complex by culinary standards, but ALWAYS LOADED with deliciousness! You can try anything, but I have two favorites. The BIG VAN TRANSYLVANIA BURGER is CRAZY! It’s stacked and packed with two smashed burger patties made with their pork and angus beef blend, mixed with roasted Hungarian peppers, onions, Hungarian white cheese, sliced Karaj, kolozsári smoked pork belly, reds rim muenster cheese, pickled csalamade, and house drakula sauce. All served on sourdough bread with fries. Holy BURGERS, BATMAN! This is a trip to burger deliciousville you will never forget, because it’s NAP TIME after you finish with the TRANSYLVANIA! If you don’t fancy a burger, then you need to try the CHICKEN PAPRIKAS. WOW! It’s prepared in house with a tender, succulent quarter leg of chicken, bathed in a slow simmered & rich Hungarian cream sauce, served with roasted garlic spatzle. WOW! WOW! WOW! is all I can say. This is so delicious it leaves me speechless. I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST you make a trip to chow down with them, because it’s a MUST TRY in 2024.
Buena Vida FTW
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: 72 Hour Short Rib
Favorite Eats: Birria Pizza
This is a NEW concept by local folks that just opened for business. As soon as you walk through the doors, you can tell it’s a colorful, vibrant and unique TAQUERIA. They are chef-driven, with an emphasis on fresh-prepared dishes using a big variety of spices to create unique, layered flavors that POP with each bite. To say they’re savory and delicious would be an understatement. Just think about each bite being a KA POW of flavors that will knock your taste buds into the stratosphere. I fell in love with the vibrant flavor combinations. Any dish you try will be enjoyable, but I have two that are stand outs. The 72 Hour Short Rib that’s rubbed and slow cooked for 72 hours. WOW! The meat falls off the bone so you can stack it on the bakery-fresh tortillas to create your own personal tacos at your table. You can add one of their fresh house-prepared sauces to create a taco of epic flavors. If you don’t fancy a taco, how about a house BIRRIA PIZZA that’s stacked, packed and layered with deliciousness. Take a slice and dip it into the savory house-prepared consommé sauce. Every bite is just dripping with deliciousness. This is NOT your average TAQUERIA; they’ve elevated it to create a fantastic NEW FAST CASUAL CONCEPT that is slang’n tacos till 3am. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Paloma Suerte Mexican Restaurant
Fort Worth Stock Yards, Texas
Favorite Eats: Grilled Love Beef Porterhouse Platter
Owned and operated by celebrity chef and TV personality Tim Love. They offer a fresh take on delicious Mexican food that you will fall in love with. The Grilled LOVE Beef Porterhouse Platter is the size of a small table and comes with all the fixings. If you love to eat and enjoy a PORTERHOUSE, the Tom LOVE way, I would highly recommend this platter. It’s Texas sized, an unforgettable presentation, and loaded with a ridiculously large portion of deliciousness. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Mama Lama Sweet Treat Truck
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Mama Lama Carmel Waffle Treat – Hand Prepared
Owned and operated by Nancy and Christopher Rasmussen, Mama Lama Sweets Truck has taken waffles to another stratosphere with their fun, creative, sweet and savory waffle treats. They’re always made by hand, presented in a colorful and beautiful way which leaves them truly unforgettable. I know this because I fell in love with all of them after my first bite. I truly love each one offered, but I’m in LOVE with the NEW one: Mama Lama Carmel Waffle Treat. Find this truck and chow down. It’s A MUST TRY in 2024!
Parlor Donuts
Fort Worth and Dallas, TX area
Favorite Eats: Original Craft Layered Doughnuts Any Flavor
It’s the individual layers in their doughnuts that make them so special – Parlor dough is layered with butter, making it flakier than the average doughnut. Beyond their amazing dough, they work hard to offer an incredible selection of over 20 flavors. For this reason, they believe you will leave their shop saying, “This is the best doughnut I have ever had… PERIOD!” I do agree with that – it’s one of the BEST doughnuts in the USA. With the buttery layers combined with a variety of flavors and fillings offered, there’s really nothing quite like it.
Smoke City Proz Food Trucks
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Crispy Orange Chicken TIGER Wings
Favorite Eats: Stuffed Crawfish Mac & Cheese Turkey Legs
Owned and operated by an awesome culinary team, the Greens Smoke City Proz trucks are slang’n some of the most unique, delicious, and award winning eats you can find. Their flavor profiles are a combination of Kansas City BBQ and Texas BBQ, coming together to celebrate pops of flavor with colorful and delicious eats. Everything I’ve tried has been slap-yo-mama delicious. My favorite dish has been the Crispy Orange Chicken Wangs, ( TIGER WINGS). I’ve NEVER EVER tasted wings like this! Presented beautifully with bright orange colors and a flavor profile that’s orangey, crispy deliciousness. Truly unique and a MUST TRY! If you’re really hungry you can also try the Stuffed Crawfish Mac & Cheese dish. You better be ready for this it’s a KA-POW of cheesy, crawfish deliciousness. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Encina Dallas
Bishop Arts / Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Encina Burger
Favorite Eats: Brunch Flatbread
Owned and operated by a collaboration between celebrity chef Matt Balke and seasoned restaurant veteran Corey McCombs, Encina is in a world all by itself. Everything they offer lunch, brunch, and dinner is creative, loaded with flavor, and complete with beautiful presentations. Every bite is one of pleasure and euphoric deliciousness. The atmosphere is Texas chic, friendly, cozy and extremely inviting. One of our favorite discoveries of 2023, and a must visit for deliciousness. The Encina Burger and Brunch Flatbread are a MUST TRY! While they sound simplistic, they are executed flawlessly to create unforgettable eats. I LOVE THIS PLACE! A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Charley’s Old Fashion Hamburgers
South Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Great Burger (CORNBREAD BUN)
Favorite Eats: Hand Battered Onion Rings
Charley’s began in 1953 when Charley Bell decided to offer a classic burger experience to hungry Fort Worth folks. Charley passed in 2016 and his burger legacy still carries on today. Owned and operated by Fort Worth locals, they’re slang’n some of the BEST OLD-FASHIONED burgers, dogs, and sides today. It’s easy to spot the old, cozy, and beautiful building. The original building was a converted mobile home and has gone through many changes and upgrades. Aside from a small dining area and some outside picnic tables, Charley’s hasn’t changed much in years and it still has that old-fashioned cozy vibe. The entire menu is delicious, but there are two eats I LOVE. The “Great Burger”, served on a FRESH HOUSE CORNBREAD BUN and is stacked with two phat meat patties, double cheese – Swiss and American. Next, they add two kinds of bacon – Canadian and regular, all piled between those two fresh CORNBREAD buns. WOW! If you love cornbread, this burger is a must! If you want to try a cornbread bun on another burger, just ask to substitute. Next you have to add the house prepared onion rings, which are hand-dipped and battered with house batter to give them the perfect texture of an old-fashion onion ring. I’m telling ya, Charley’s is the place to be. It’s simple, old-fashion deliciousness done right and priced right, served with AWESOME friendly service. That cornbread burger is smack-you-in-the-face delicious. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Dilla Quesadilla Restaurants
Dallas, Frisco, Plano & Denton, Texas
Favorite Eats:” The Lone Star Quesadilla”
Favorite Eats:” Chicken Hot Hatch Quesadilla”
Dillas is owned and operated by a local Texas folks, headed up by Kyle Gordon. He and his team have created a strong quesadilla brand that creates delicious and unique quesadillas that everyone will love. They’re always stacked and packed with fresh products and always made to order. All the ones I’ve tasted have always been on point. The two I’m highlighting for 2024 are the The Lone Star as well as the Chicken Hot Hatch Quesadilla”. Both are so delicious you will have naughty quesadilla dreams after you finish craving more. A MUST TRY in 2024.
Jonathon’s Forestwood
Jonathon’s Diner
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Danger Dogs
Favorite Eats: Sopapilla waffles (HOLY WAFFLES)
Owned and operated by Chef Jonathon and wife Christien, they are an unstoppable restaurant team. They’ve created three restaurant concepts in Dallas and have been rocking the breakfast and brunch world with each one. Offering fresh, chef-driven deliciousness with big portions and flavor profiles that will leave you screaming: THANK YOU CHEF, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER? I love the entire menu, but my favorites for 2024 are the fried Sopapilla Waffles and the Danger Dogs. These are a MUST TRY in 2024!
MAMA MIA Mexican Cuisine
Glen Rose, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Molcajete Bowl
Family owned and operated, this little Mexican eatery in Glen Rose, Texas is offering fresh Mexican cuisine with a cozy atmosphere and fantastic service. We discovered them by accident and I’m glad we did. We fell in love with BIG FRESH Molcajete Bowl that’s just loaded with deliciousness. It’s served in a big rock molcajete bowl that’s steaming hot and bubbling over. It’s loaded with your choice of chicken or fajita beef, onions, mozzarella cheese, shrimp, chorizo, and served with rice and beans. This is a fantastic dish! A MUST TRY in 2024!
Chelsea Corner
Uptown Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Short Rib Nachos
Favorite Eats: Pimento Cheese Risotto Fritters
All though it was established in 1974, CHELSEA CORNER stays relevant with fresh, chef-driven eats, craft cocktails, and a diverse menu. It also offers a famous brunch with a fantastic BRUNCH VIBE. As soon as you walk in the door you can feel the warm coziness and chic Texas vibe. The staff is extremely friendly, with big smiles and are very helpful. I’ve loved this place since our first visit and enjoy telling everyone I can about the Chelsea deliciousness. I enjoy all of the food, but my favorite two dishes are the Short Rib Nachos and Pimento Cheese Risotto Fritters. The nachos are stacked and packed with succulent short rib, fresh jalapenos, caramelized onions, bacon, house queso, guacamole crema, and more to create a flavor explosion with every bite. The FRITTERS are crisp fried risotto, red peppers, cheddar, and cream cheese to create unforgettable bites.
Quince “Riverside”
Trinity River (West Bend)
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Anything from Brunch or Dinner Menu
Quince is a true dining experience like no other you’ve experienced. The menus are masterfully created through a global collective, with crave-worthy dishes that are developed through travels in Peru, New Orleans, New York City, Mexico City, and other leading food regions. All the presentations are visually stunning, colorful and picture worthy. They’ve spent years perfecting the art of deliciousness and are extremely passionate about your dining experience. The interior and exterior patios are simply beautiful, breathtaking sunsets you can enjoy with one of Quinces fresh craft cocktails. The staff is always helpful and looks to facilitate perfection with every guest. It’s really hard to highlight a single dish because every dish offered is nothing short of delicious. It doesn’t matter if you try the BRUNCH or DINNER menu, you will enjoy each and every bite. I truly feel if you love food then you need to enjoy the QUINCE EXERIENCE in 2024. It’s an ABSOLUTE MUST VISIT in 2024!
Plank Seafood Provisions
Shops At Clearfork
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: BEIGNET STYLE HUSHPUPPIES
Favorite Eats: KING CRAB LEGS
Plank is NEW to North Texas, and they came in with bang, offering some seriously delicious seafood options, craft cocktails, and tasty desserts. When you walk in, you’ll notice the beautiful and elegant decor, with open views and an open kitchen. If you follow my food adventures, you know I love open dining rooms and kitchens. I firmly believe it creates a better, more vibrant dining and drinking experience. The menu is loaded with fresh eats and some fantastic after-dinner sweets, too. My favorite was the BEIGNET-STYLE HUSHPUPPIES. They were truly the BEST hushpuppies I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the USA. They’re light and fluffy to the touch and cooked to a golden-brown perfection. Each bite will leave you saying THANK YOU! We re-ordered twice because they were so delicious. The FRESH KING CRAB was also served to perfection. We ordered them warm instead of chilled, with warm clarified butter for dipping. It was simply seafood deliciousness! Plank is a must visit for 2024!
The Press Cafe
Trail Head at Clearfork Ranch
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eat: Egg In the Hole – WOW!
Owned and operated by celebrity chef Felipe Armenta and celebrity chef, TV personality and Two Star Michelin Winner Graham Elliot. They’ve raised the bar for breakfast with their delicious Egg in the Hole sandwich. The service is fantastic and the atmosphere is just shy of Ponnammal. If you love breakfast the you need to try the Egg IN The Hole. It’s a MUST TRY for 2024!
Brix Barbeque
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: STUFFFED SMOKED PORKCHETTA
WOW! What a DISH! Come here to get the amazing PORKCHETTA that is packed with flavor. It’s a smoked pork belly that’s rolled up and stuffed with fresh herbs and spices – fresh cloves of garlic, parsley, thyme, Calabrian chilis, and more! It has that magical culinary jungle that everyone is trying to achieve. That little jingle that I like to call “PORK-O-LICIOUSNESS” with every bite. It’s MUST TRY for 2024!
Teddy Wongs
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Pork Soup Dumplings
Favorite Eats: Hot Oil Wontons
Owned and operated by Chef Patrick RU and a group of professional restaurant folks. Teddy Wongs Dumplings and Wine, named after its namesake, is honored to bring Fort Worth the fusion of two cultures brought together by a young cowboy’s dream and delicious dumplings. It serves as a reminder that even in the Wild West, the bonds of friendship and the joy of food can lead to the creation of something truly extraordinary. The blend of savory flavors, tender dumplings and noodles, combined with a variety of fresh flavors create some dumpling that are truly unforgettable. The dumplings will slap your palate hard with deliciousness. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Perta and The Beast
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: 6 course Tasting Menu
Owned and operated by the creative and acclaimed chef Misti Norris, it’s an extremely unique dining experience that everyone should experience. It’s a very cozy restaurant with intimate dining and creative dishes like you’ve never enjoyed before. I’ve visited Misti’s eats at various times and her dishes always blow me away and impress me with her creativity. Although many claim to have no boundaries when it comes to creativity, she TRULY will experiment with any type of food. She believes in locally sourced ingredients from local farms, focusing on seasonality, whole utilization, and sustainability. Her dishes are simply INCREDIBLE, and at times UNBELEIVABLE. She’s so passionate about each diner’s experience that she insists on perfection or she WILL NOT SERVE IT. I would highly suggest you enjoy the 6 Course Tasting Menu so you can enjoy what chef Misiti truly has to offer. It’s a MUST VISIT in 2024!
Chimichurri Latin Bistro & Bar
Bishop Arts Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Salchicha Parrillera
Favorite Eats: Fugazetta (Pasta)
Favorite Eats: Any Empanada
Favorite Eats: Ojo de Bife (Ribeye)
Owned and operated by local Dallas businessman and restauranter Jesus Carmona, Chimichurri is a true dining destination. I’ve loved this place and its authentic Latin flavor profiles ever since he opened. Every time we dine here it’s hard to leave because of the cozy and friendly atmosphere, awesome service, and a menu that’s loaded with deliciousness. Menu items are prepared fresh and in-house using locally sourced ingredients to create some vibrant and fresh flavor profiles. You can enjoy lunch, brunch, or dinner, and please don’t forget one of his fresh house desserts.
Anything on the menu will be deliciously perfect, but I have my favorites. The Salchicha Parrillera is OMG! It’s Thin Latin sausage, melted provolone cheese, and red-hot chili peppers. I also add a little fresh Chimichurri on top too because why not! The Fugazetta Pasta is a Latin classic. It’s a pasta with sweet onions, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, green onions and YES, I add a dab of the fresh house Chimichurri to create that culinary jingle I like to call deliciousness. You can enjoy any Empanada – they’re all insanely flavorful, especially when you add some of the house prepared Chimichurri. But if you love BEEF then the Ojo de Bife is what you want and yes you have to smoother it with the house prepared Chimichurri for the win. Did I mention the Chimichurri? When you enjoy a meal here you better buckle up butter cup, because is a trip straight to Latin delicious-ville. A MUST TRY in 2024!
400 GRADI RESTAURANT
LA VERA PIZZA NAPALETANA
Dallas & McKinney, Texas
Favorite Eats: GNOCCHI DI LUIGI
Favorite Eats: MARGHERITA VERACE (WORLDS BEST)
Created and founded by Johnny Di Francesco, an Australian engineer who ditched college and moved to Italy to learn the art of Neapolitan food. He appeared on Master Chef Australia and growing his restaurants from Australia to Kuwait, Bahrain, New Zealand and NOW TEXAS. They won BEST PIZZA in DALLAS in 2022, and they took the award home for THE WORLD’S BEST PIZZA in Parma, Italy in 2014. The rest they say, is history. You can now enjoy what’s considered to be the WORLDS BEST PIZZA in Dallas and McKinney. I would also order the FRESH GNOCCHI DI LUIGI for an appetizer. Its house-prepared, traditional hand rolled Gnocchi, house Napoli sauce, EVOO, fresh basil and fresh Ricotta. The aromas alone from this amazing dish will leave you speechless. Each bite you take will be savored until the end and the dish unforgettable. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Texas Red Brisket Chili
Favorite Eats: Fresh Lamb Stew,
Favorite Eats: Outlaw Burger
Owned and operated by cowboy chef and restauranteur Quincy Wallace, Fred’s has been a Fort Worth institution since 1978. Offering a big menu of fresh, chef-driven Texas eats that everyone will love. This is comfort food at its finest and is loaded with unforgettable flavor profiles to create undeniable deliciousness. Anything offered by Fred’s will be delicious, but I’m in LOVE with the authentic Texas Red Chili, Lamb Stew, and the Outlaw Burger. The chili and stew are savory, meaty and packed with flavor. It’s some of the BEST chili and Lamb Stew in Texas. Don’t forget the BIG BAD Outlaw Burger! If you love burgers, the OUTLAW is for you. All of these A MUST TRY in 2024.
61 Osteria
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Hearth Meatballs
Favorite Eats: ROTOLLO
Favorite Eats: SERPENTE
It’s an upscale Italian restaurant created by well-known Fort Worth restaurateur Adam Jones, and award-winning Chef Blaine Staniford. Serving traditional Italian dishes with a focus on simple, seasonal ingredients sourced from the best quality and local farmers. Each dish can stand alone, with flavor profiles that are so fresh and delicious that they should be a barometer for other Italian restaurants to follow. Every dish for lunch, brunch and dinner is served HFD Hot, Fresh, and Delicious, but there are three I want to highlight. First is the tender, flavorful, Fresh Hearth Meatballs that are ridiculously delicious. The second one is the fresh, hand-prepared Rotolo with rolled pasta, Bolognese, house ricotta, mozzarella and hearth tomato sauce to create an unforgettable pasta dish of layered flavor perfection. The third is the Serpente – ricotta stuffed pasta, hen of the wood mushrooms, and preserved lemon. WOW! NO WORDS! If you love fresh, chef-driven Italian food that create an unforgettable flavor experience combined with exceptional service, then 61 Osteria is MUST VISIT in 2024!
B&B Butchers
Clearfork, Fort Worth, Texas
Chef John Piccolino
Favorite Eats: Chef Tommy’s Bacon
B&B Butchers & Restaurant in Fort Worth and Houston offer a cozy but vibrant atmosphere with incredible service. The menu is loaded with delicious, chef-driven eats, but I want to focus on a bacon appetizer that I’m in LOVE with. It can also be eaten as a main dish for lunch or dinner. It’s called “Chef Tommy’s Bacon”, and you need to try it! Tommy’s Bacon is prepared fresh bacon, house Roquefort blue cheese, and truffle infused honey. This dish will send your taste buds to the FLAVOR RODEO and fill your belly with delight. I truly wish I could convey through words how delicious this dish tastes, but the words don’t exist. I guess you’ll have to head that way to experience it for yourself! Saddle up for the flavor rodeo with each bite, because B&B Butchers is a must visit in 2024!
Drake’s Hollywood
Dallas, Texas
Favorite EATS; “Snow Crab & Black Truffle Mac ‘N’ Cheese”
Drake’s is a dark, cozy, old-fashion Hollywood style eatery that is loaded with charm. Old painted Hollywood actors line the walls of the dining room and bar area. Drake’s offers plenty of chef-driven deliciousness like pizzas, steaks, and crazy desserts. I want to highlight the mega cheesy “Snow Crab & Black Truffle Mac ‘N’ Cheese”. You just can’t go wrong with this savory, gooey, cheesy, flavorful, and deli
225 Barbeque
Arlington, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Smores Pork Belly/Bacon Burnt Ends w/ Chocolate Whiskey Sauce
Owned and operated by Pitmaster and Chef Rene Ramirez, offering amazing Texas craft barbeque sides, and creative smoked meats. He’s slang’n some of the most creative and delicious eats you’re going to find in the smoked world. The Smores Pork Belly/Bacon Burnt Ends w/ Chocolate Whiskey Sauce are life-changing. One bite of these tasty nuggets and you’re going to smile and yell “OMG!” I know because I did! It’s a MUST TRY DISH for 2024!
Son Of A BAKER Pizza
The Archibald (FTW)
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Pizza
Located in the NEW Archibald, SON OF A BAKER offers craft, hand-prepared pizzas using the freshest ingredients and vegetables to create some crazy delicious pizzas you won’t forget. I was blown away from the first bite until the last. We enjoyed the first pizza so much that we ordered two more, and one TO GO. Yes, it was that delicious! They also have an awesome roof top where you can enjoy your fresh craft pizza with cocktails or beer. Everything is amazing, so order with confidence and know that anything you get will be tasty. If you love pizza, SON OF A BAKER is a MUST VISIT in 2024!
The Woolworth Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Downtown Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Lobster “Rangoon” Spring Roll
Favorite Eats: Basque Cheesecake
Owned and operated by restaurateur Brandon Luke and his master culinary team, it’s the perfect destination for all things delicious. The Woolworth has transformed into a distinguished downtown destination, renowned for its artisanal cocktails and delectable chef-curated bites. It’s a true a hidden gem right in the middle of it all. Walking distance from the historic West End district, the JFK Memorial, The Dallas World Aquarium, Reunion Tower and more, the Woolworth is worth the stop. Everything we tried was pure perfection, from the food to the cocktails. The Lobster “Rangoon” Spring Roll with Maine lobster, mirepoix, Boursin, Thai chili sauce, and ponzu sauce. Holy RANGOON these are ridiculously delicious, the BEST I’ve ever enjoyed. The Basque Cheesecake is not what you’d expect. More like its evil twin brother! Crustless, light, scorched and caramelized on the top with a rich, gooey interior. This dessert was so delicious you would swear it was made by the dessert gods, and then sprinkled with LOVE dust. Every bite you take you makes you fall in love with cheesecake all over again. Simply put, it’s cheesecake perfection! A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Walloon’s Restaurant
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Beer Battered Redfish Beignets
Favorite Eats: Seafood MAC-N-CHEESE
Owned and operated by celebrity chef Marcus Paslay Restaurant Group, WALLOON’S food and drink menu blends timeless tradition with a flair for wanderlust, creating an original take on familiar flavors. Whether you visit for something real, something raw, or something rare. It has a beautiful interior that’s cozy with a southern wide and down-home feel. If you love creative fresh food, you’re going to love WALLOON’S. The Beer Battered Reddish Beignets are creative, lite, flavorful and simply scrumptious. The seafood Mac-N-Cheese has lobster, shrimp, three cheeses, and is topped seasoned breadcrumbs. Just stupid delicious!!! These are a must try in 2024
Provender Hall
Mule Alley Stockyards
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: ICEBURG Everything Wedge Salad
Favorite Eats: Pimento Cheese Dip
I’ve known Chef Marcus for years, and every concept he creates is unique and loaded with fresh chef-driven eats. Provender Hall is located in an old mule barn that has been restored with a colorful chic western vibe with a casual atmosphere. Chef Marcus believes in offering fresh, colorful, and creative dishes loaded with unforgettable flavors. They have a variety of tasty dishes and daily specials that everyone will enjoy, but I want to highlight what I consider to be the BEST Wedge Salad in North Texas. I’ve eaten a bunch of wedge salads this year on the hunt for the BEST! Marcus and his culinary team are slinging a wedge salad with a favor profile all its own. It’s prepared with farm-fresh lettuce that’s chilled to perfection, a house-made dressing that’s savory, a bit creamy, with notes of dill and loaded with deliciousness. If you love wedge salads, you must try this one. Don’t forget the house Pimento Cheese Dip. Provender Hall is a must visit in 2024!
Fort Worth & NRH, Texas
Favorite Eats: MIX and Match Enchilada COMBO pick 3
Favorite Eats: The TEXICAN.
Owned and operated by Chef Mary Vasquez. Its Mexican food done better through fresh ingredients, passion, and old family recipes to create some of the most delicious Mexican food you will ever enjoy. It’s hard to relay to you just how incredible Mary’s food taste. From the first bite to the last, it is nothing but DELICIOUSNESS. The entire menu is loaded with tasty eats, but my favorites are the MIX and MATCH Enchilada COMBO pick 3 and the TEXICAN. These are MUST TRY in 2024! Simply Enchilada HAVEN!
Toro Toro Pan-Latin Steakhouse
The Lobby Worthington Hotel
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Bottomless Brunch
Toro Toro is a creation by celebrity chef Rich Sandoval, and it offers creative and colorful Latin contemporary eats. When you walk in, your eyes are immediately drawn the BIG open space and colorful decor. It’s cozy and inviting, with a big open fire grill that allows you to watch them cook over the fire. He and his culinary team have elevated Latin-American dining to the finest. Each dish is colorful, flavorful, and presented beautifully. Everything we tried has been SCUMPTIOUS! I would highly recommend you enjoy the BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH! You will love the favors and presentation – they will leave you speechless. I can’t get enough of TORO TORO and it’s a MUST VISIT for 2024.
Ring Donuts
Park Cities + Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Texas Size Cake Donut
Favorite Eats: House Fried Pigs in a Blanket
Owned and operated by a Dallas local who went to TCU and played football, Ring Donuts offers delicious donuts. They pride themselves in preparing everything from scratch, using the freshest ingredients. I discovered two eats that are very unique and something everyone will love. The CAKE SIZE DONUTS and FRIED PIGS IN A BLANKET! Yep, a TEXAS SIZE CAKE DONUT that is not only BIG, but so delicious you will fall in love with it. It’s big enough to share with family and friends and fun to eat. The fried PIGS IN A BLANKET are the BEST I’ve ever enjoyed anywhere. They are so tasty and flavorful that we ordered 2 more of them TO GO. These little piggies are FLAVOR BOMBS on the next level! A MUST TRY in 2024!
Sushi Marquee
The Star Frisco, Texas
Favorite Eats: BIG MARQUEE
Favorite Eats: GODZILLA
Created and owned by the celebrity restaurateur Dallas Hale. It’s a restaurant filled with vibrant and colorful eats and an electric atmosphere, with lively music and upbeat vibes. It’s a fantastic and fun restaurant experience, offering some of the most delicious sushi and seafood around. My favorite eats are the BIG MARQUEE, which is loaded with a spicy crab mix, fresh spicy tuna, avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, topped with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, spicy aioli and ponzu. WOO HOO! A dish bursting with flavor. If you love seafood, I dare you to try this because you will fall in love. The other dish, THE GODZILLA, is a fresh and creative approach to deliciousness. It’s prepared with fresh shrimp tempura, crab mix, avocado, then topped with spicy tuna, spicy wasabi aioli, and tempura flakes. I’m telling you; SUSHI MARQUEE is a must visit for fun and deliciousness in 2024!
Dan’s Bagels Shop
Trophy Club, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Everything, Garlic Salt and Jalapeno Cheddar Bagels
Owned and operated by Dan, who has a passion to create and serve bagel perfection. His bagels are quite possibly the BEST in North Texas. They’re baked fresh daily from scratch, using premium ingredients, with a modern fermentation process to achieve a crispy and chewy sourdough bagel of perfection. I’m telling ya, his BAGELS are NEW YORK PERFECT! I love his bagels, spreads and sandwiches, so if you’re a bagel lover, DAN’S is where you want to be. My favorites are the EVERYTHING, GARLIC SALT, and JALAPENO CHEDDAR. Smother them in Dan’s Cheese flavors GARLIC and HERB or SCALLION. BAGEL HEAVEN if you ask me. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Neighbors House FTW
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Brisket Empanadas & Cajun Boudin, Pepperjack Eggrolls
Favorite Sandwiches: Millionaire Burger & Cowtown Melt
They’re a small, locally owned downtown eatery that specializes in slap’n your palate with incredible flavors in every bite. It’s owned and operated by Chefs Kyle and Ashlee Cowan, Texans that believe in fresh, chef-driven eats that are loaded with that culinary jingle. They don’t offer anything that’s not culinary perfection for lunch, brunch, dinner and happy hour. I’m in love with the house-prepared Brisket Empanadas and Cajun Boudin, Pepper Jack Eggrolls. If you love an army of flavors fighting it out inside your mouth, then you need to try these. TRULY INCREDIBLE! The Millionaire Burger is award-winning and WORTH the trip. The big trophy sits on the counter to prove it. The Chessy Cowtown melt is simply stupid delicious. Neighbors House is truly a hidden treasure and a MUST VISIT in 2024.
Terra @ Eataly Dallas
Upstairs 2nd Floor
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eat: Fresh Bruschetta Con Ricotta Tartufo
Favorite Eat: Fresh Tagliolini Al Tartufo
Owned and operated by Eataly, they offer chef-driven eats that are prepared fresh by talented in-house chefs. The flavor profiles are always memorable and loaded with Italian deliciousness. Living with an Italian step mom and a mixed Italian family, I know what real authentic Italian food tastes and looks like.
I’ve also made numerous trips to Italy and love all things Italian. That’s why when I tasted the cuisine at EATLY, I was blown away. I have two unforgettable favorites that are visually stunning and loaded with flavors so delicious you won’t believe your first bite. The fresh BRUSCHETTA is so beautifully presented; I almost didn’t want to eat it. Well, NOT REALLY! I took my photos, marveling at this simple dish, and quickly realized they had elevated bruschetta to the culinary stratosphere. After my first bite, I knew this was the best I had ever tasted. The fresh house-baked rustic bread smothered in Calabro ricotta, with Urbani fresh burgundy truffle and honey makes each bite so savory, fresh and delicious it’s truly unforgettable. In fact, I ordered a second after taking just one bite. Yes, it’s that delicious!
The Fresh Tagliolini was absolute perfection. This thin in-house pasta was light and airy, which helped to create a buttery, cheesy flavor profile that was simply scrumptious. I couldn’t stop eating it. You better be ready for a flavor party in your mouth because both of these are MUST TRY in 2024.
Guapo Taco
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Birria Tacos
Owned and operated by chef Angel Fuentes, who is the most award-winning taco chef in Tarrant County today. His taco flavors are creative, delicious, and famous. Every bite you take will put your flavor senses in overdrive. I’m talking overdrive at 100 MPH, with birria taco juice dripping off your chin and splashing on the table. These are taco folks driving many miles to enjoy. His entire menu is loaded with delicious flavors, but my favorite is those unforgettable Birria tacos. A MUST TRY in 2024.
Greenville Ave. Pizza Company (GAPC)
Dallas & Richardson, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Pizza or MEATY BUTCHER’S REVENGE
Favorite Eats: The Doobie
Owned and operated locally by one of the most talented award-winning pizza chefs and creators today. One of only FOUR Texan world pizza champions, and voted Young Entrepreneur of the Year, CHEF SAMMY, “THE SLAYER”, MANDELL and his wife MOLLY have created one of the most recognizable pizza brands in the USA today. They landed on PIZZA’S TOP INDEPENDENT PIZZERIAS in the USA list as well.
Sammy and his culinary team, that he likes to call the “PIZZA SLAYERS”, do an awesome job at creating new pizza flavors and eats that everyone loves. My favorite is the MEATY BUTCHER’S REVENGE, stacked and packed with mozzarella, spicy salami, Italian sausage, parsley, and then drizzled with hot honey for an OMG in every bite. The pizza slayers have slayed your taste buds with this one. Don’t forget the amazing DOOBIE when on special! It’s a slice of cheese pizza rolled around a crack-fried chicken breast, drizzled in ranch, and sprinkled with Hot Cheetos. You would swear it was created by the PIZZA FLAVOR GODS, but No, it was just the GAP Co. SLAYERS. Both of these are must try in 2024. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, because it will be your NEW pizza addiction.
Hunter Brothers H-3 Steakhouse
Fort Worth Stockyards
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Stockyards VIP Platter
H3 has been a local Fort Worth institution for years, slang’n some of the best WOOD-FIRED and TEXAS EATS. They have an overall wonderful menu, and I’ve been in LOVE with their flavor profiles and eats for years. They have one platter everyone should try, and it’s the Stockyards VIP Platter. You better be ready to chow down when this arrives at your table! It’s an impressive platter stacked and packed with big, round house nachos and chips, sweet thighs, tacos, H-3 ribs, a bowl of wood fired house salsa, lip smackin’ sauce, and fresh Pico de Gallo with sour cream. I’m telling ya, this is TEXAS on a platter and nothing but meaty cheesy deliciousness.
Mi Dia from Scratch Restaurant
Plano, Grapevine & Flower mound, Texas
Favorite Eat: Hatch Tacos
Favorite Eat: Applewood Smoked Bacon & Chipotle Fajitas
Owned and operated by the talented and creative chef Gabriel DeLeon, he has integrated flavors that are exciting and fresh. His recipes blend and merge fresh Mexican and modern Santa Fe flavors to create some seriously delicious eats that will leave you wanting more and more. It’s truly a unique and creative menu that’s unforgettable. I’ve tried a variety of eats, but my two favorites are the amazing HATCH TACOS, prepared with wood-grilled skirt steak, sauteed with New Mexico red chile, onions and poblanos, topped with queso fresco, New Mexico green chile autumn roast, and micro cilantro. Then served on organic blue corn tortillas to create HATCH TACO LIP SMACK’N PERFECTION. The APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and CHIPOTLE FAJITAS are simply RIDICIOUSLY DELICIOUS! Fajitas so good and memorable, you will drive 100 miles to enjoy them. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dallas & Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Chicken Tenders
Favorite Eats: Chicken Sandwich
This is one of my favorite HOT CHICKEN concepts in the USA. I’ve enjoyed hot chicken, or Nashville Hot Chicken, all over the USA including restaurants from Nashville to Los Angeles. We’ve even tried DAVE’S in the L.A. area and fell in love with it. It all began in 2017 in a parking lot in WEST HOLLYWOOD, with three friends who scraped together $900r to have a chicken POP-UP. The partners and creators Chef Dave, Arman, Tommy, and Gary had dream and now folks stand in line for hours at times to enjoy the UNIQUE layered flavors that Dave’s offers. The fantastic thing is that you control the flavors. From NO SPICE! LITE SPICE! MILD! MEDUIM! HOT! EXTRA HOT! and REAPER HOT! It doesn’t matter what flavor you choose – even if you get NO SPICE, it still has an unforgettable texture and flavor that is so delicious it will change your perspective on what HOT CHICKEN should taste like. Eat bite is slightly crunchy, succulent, and loaded with flavors to create a trip straight to hot chicken deliciousville. It’s truly LEGENDARY! A MUST TRY in 2024!
The Bearded Lady
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Morning EH
Favorite Eats: The BIG Dill Burger
Originally opened in 2013 as a gastropub, they’ve continued to grow and prosper. They’re owned and operated by local Fort Worth peeps and they have quite a big following. They serve fresh, chef driven dishes that are always creative and loaded with deliciousness. I love the Bearded Lady because they offer such a wide variety of delicious eats, craft beers, and awesome service. You can enjoy anything that tickles your fancy, but my two favorites are stacked and packed with deliciousness. The Morning EH is prepared with fresh house fries and topped with a red peppercorn gravy, queso fresco, pickled onions, roasted corn, cilantro, Fresno peppers, and a fried egg on top. You better be hungry! The BIG Dill is prepared with a 1/2 lb. beef patty topped with house dill queso, house fried dill pickles, salty lady pickles, crispy bacon, drizzled with their house signature dill ranch, all served on a toasted brioche bun. WOO HOO this burger will rock your world. Both or a MIST TRY in 2024!
Perry Steakhouse
Grapevine, Frisco & Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Perry’s Famous Porkchop
Favorite Eats: Perry’s Signature Fried Asparagus
Perry’s is an award-winning steakhouse that has accumulated many awards. It started as a meat market and deli in Houston, Texas back in 1979. Fast forward to 1993 when they opened the first Perry’s Steakhouse, and the rest they say is history. They offer some seriously delicious eats that you have to try in 2024. The Fried Asparagus is prepared and topped with jumbo lump crabmeat. If you love asparagus, this dish is for you. It’s crazy delicious! For me, the STAR of the show is the BIG bad Perry’s Famous Pork Chop. This porkchop is life-changing and so succulent and flavorful you will fall in love with it after your first bite. I sure did! It’s simply one of the TOP THREE Porkchops in the USA. Worth a trip from anywhere to enjoy and chow down. It’s what I like to call PORKOLICIOUSNESS!
The Ranch Los Colinas
Los Colinas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Kolaches and Queso
Favorite Eats: Low & Slow Chicken
The Ranch is a marvelous place located in a BIG OLD RANCH STYLE BUILDING filled with Texas artifacts, cozy seating, and everything TEXAS. It’s truly amazing, offering creative, fresh, chef-driven dishes for lunch, brunch and dinner. You can’t forget the tasty craft cocktails, live music on the porch, and service with BIG Texas smiles. The menu is loaded, stacked, and packed with a BIG variety and it’s all very tasty. My favorites are two very unique dishes: house-prepared pretzels/kolaches, stuffed with local jalapeno cheddar sausage and queso Blanco. Each bite is cheesy, sausage deliciousness. They are little nuggets of joy and a must have. The LOW and SLOW Chicken is stupid delicious! Yes, it’s that good! Slow cooked and very succulent, it’s prepared with a chile brine, cornbread romesco sauce, and served with a root vegetable. Just ridiculous! if you love chicken, it’s a must have. You must visit in 2024!
M Jay’s House of Smoke
Arlington, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh, Phat, Three Headed Monster Two Pound Tater.
Favorites Eats: Smoked Cornbread
Owned and operated by the Johnsons, a local Arlington, Texas family. We discovered something quite special and unique, so we had to share it with the world. This is a restaurant offering multiple delicious features from one location in Arlington, Texas. That’s right – multiple features! Everything is prepared in-house using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, beef, and fish to create some tasty dishes that are unforgettable. My favorites are the Phat Three Headed Monster Baked Tator. Prepared with house brisket, ribs, sausage stacked and packed with cheese, sauce, and fresh chopped green onions. Good Golly Miss Tator, a flavor explosion in every bite! The house smoked cornbread is so flavorful and delicious you can’t stop eating it! M’Jay’s is a MUST VISIT for 2024
Seven Doors Kitchen & Cocktails
Grandscape @ The Colony, Texas
Favorite Eats: Man Candy Bacon – OMG!
Favorite Eats: Crispy Ribs St. Louis Style
Favorite Eats: That Sushi Thang
Owned and operated by fun loving professional restaurateurs, this is a bright, modern grill that offers a global chef-driven dining experience and fresh craft cocktails. The culinary team is run by the talented and creative Chef Jake Quintana, who creates some of the most memorable dishes that are loaded with vibrant colors, beautiful presentations, and deliciousness. There isn’t a bad dish at Seven Doors, but I have a few favorites. The Man Candy Bacon is to die for. The is the BEST CANDIED BACON I’ve ever enjoyed anywhere in the USA, and I’ve eaten a bunch. This is Thick-Cut Bacon, Brown Sugar & Pepper-Candied bacon… It’s crispy, porky, savory deliciousness. It’s MAGICAL eats! The CRISPY RIBS are simply RIB PERFECTION, with a unique flavor profile that sends your taste buds on a FLAVOR RODEO with each bite. St. Louis-Style, Ginger-Soy, Chicharrónes, Green Onion, and Cilantro. I’m serious! I ordered two times because I was so impressed with the flavors. You better BUCKLE UP BUTTER CUP, because you’re going to the flavor rodeo when you enjoy these. That Sushi Thang was also enjoyed, with the layered flavors it’s unforgettable. Prepared with Fresh Ahi Poké Wrapped in Rice, Tossed in Furikake, Lightly Fried, Served with Ponzu, Asian Remoulade. This is Trey-Certified Sushi Awesomeness! All of these are MUST TRY in 2024!
Michael’s Restaurant & Ancho Chile Bar
Upper West 7th Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Pecan Crusted Goat Chicken
Chef M.T. is one of the original celebrity chefs in the DFW area. His restaurant is located on Upper West 7th and is very cozy, with a classy and friendly atmosphere. He has been slinging deliciousness in Texas for decades and always uses farm-fresh products to create big, bold flavors that everyone loves, and his creative Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese Chicken Dish is no exception. It’s loaded with savory deliciousness and it’s nearly impossible to put down your fork. It is prepared with a fresh Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breast, stuffed with Ranch Goat Cheese, coated in MC’s Texas Ancho-Pecans, and is severed with a Basil Cream Sauce. It is slap-yo-mama delicious! If you’ve haven’t visited Chef M.T. on Upper West 7th Street, then you need to be sure and make that trip. A must try in 2024!
Jesus Restaurant
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh House Enchiladas
Favorite Eats: Fresh House Prepared Chili
Located on far south Main Street, it all began over 50 years ago with Jesus having a dream of serving up fresh Mexican food, BBQ, and deliciousness for hungry people in Cowtown. Jesus has since passed on, but his family still operates the restaurant like he did, honoring his beliefs. They offer a big variety of fresh-prepared eats, and even offer house-fried pies on special occasions. The portions are always big and value priced for hungry folks. I Love their house-prepared ENCHILADAS because they’re served WARM, CHEESY, and FLAVORFUL. Did I mention CHEESY? They’re so sumptuous that I didn’t want anyone talking to me until I finished. The fresh house chili is served in big bowl and smothered in cheese. I’m telling ya, the CHILI GODS live at Jesus BBQ, because the flavor angels have blessed that chili. Jesus is MUST TRY in 2024!
Firefly Grilling Company
Downtown Weatherford, Texas
Inside Edgewise Eight Brewing Co.
Favorite Eats: Birria Style Tacos
Favorite Eats: Fresh House Cinnamon Rolls
Located inside the Edgewise Eight Brewing Company in downtown Weatherford, Texas. They’re slang’n some of the BEST EATS, SWEETS and DELICIOIUSNESS in Parker County and North Texas. Owned and operated by celebrity chef and pitmaster John Wayne Shaw, his creations have racked up awards and followers for miles around. John loves to create delicious craft eats and have fun while doing it. You will enjoy a trip to see the team at Firefly because everything is delicious. My favorites are the amazing BIRRIA STYLE TACOS that are so unique and delicious, with layered flavors that create TACO PERFECTION. You’re going to love them because it’s a KARATE CHOP OF FLAVOR in every bite. All I’m saying is you better SUIT UP with your DOGI, because it’s a KA-POW of flavors. I’m not even going to try and describe his house prepared, hand rolled, amazing savory and sweet cinnamon rolls. They’re just STUPID DELICIOUS! Firefly is a MUST VISIT in 2024!
Hudson House
DFW Locations
Favorite Eats: The Cheese Burger
Favorite Eats: The Lobster Roll
Favorite Drink: Lemon Drop MARTINI
Owned and operated by Vandelay Hospitality Group located in Dallas, they offer fresh, chef-driven eats that are always scrumptious and with beautiful presentations. Specializing in a raw bar, seafood delights, salads, sandwiches, mains, and sides you just can’t go wrong with anything from Hudson House. We’ve made three trips to enjoy the delicious eats and the WORLDS COLDEST Martinis. My favorite eats are the H.H. CHEESE BURGER that’s stacked and packed with meaty, cheesy, perfection and the unforgettable LOBSTER ROLL. I think that roll has been blessed by the sandwich GODS, because it’s one of the BEST I’ve ever enjoyed. Each bite you take offers some fluffy, tasty bread that’s buttery, lobster deliciousness. It’s simply a magical roll that’s unforgettable. Don’t forget a COLD Lemon Drop MARTINI to finish off the meal! A must have in 2024!
Del Campo Empanadas
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Ham & Cheese Empanadas
Favorite Eats: Argentine Style Beef Empanadas
A small family-owned business that’s using local ingredients and farm-fresh vegetables to create beautiful and delicious empanadas. Are you hungry for some fresh empanadas? You should be! I loved these baked, golden-brown nuggets of joy. I also use lots of their freshly prepared chimichurri sauce. I sling that chimichurri all over the place. Oh my, it’s so flavorful and vivacious! My two favorites are the Ham & Cheese Empanadas and the Argentine Style Beef Empanadas – both have been blessed by the flavor GODS. They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert empanadas. You can also pre-order for easy pickup and go. If you love fresh baked empanadas, you need to head over to Del Campo Empanadas, because they’re a MUST TRY in 2024.
Mochinut Donut & Corndog
DFW Locations
Favorite Eats: A Combo Dozen of MOCHINUT Donuts
Favorite Eats: The Crunch Cereal Mozzarella Corn Dog
A locally owned small business, Mochi donuts, also known as poi mochi, are a fusion pastry crossing traditional American doughnuts and Japanese mochi. The mochi donuts’ “hybrid batter” makes for a doughnut that is fluffy and moist, with a satisfying CHEW. Mochinut is popular for its pleasing aesthetic shape, which is 8 small, round, and delicate dough balls connected in the shape of a circle. They are chewy-licious and truly UNIQUE! The CRUNCH CEREAL MOZZARELLA DOG is crazy! Each bite is extremely crunchy, very cheesy, and smacks you in the face with unique deliciousness. It’s TREY-CERTIFIED AWESOME! Both of these are a MUST TRY in 2024.
Ben’s Pretzel’s
The Colony & Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Jalapeno and Bacon Cheese Pretzels
Favorite Eats: Cheetos’ Pretzel
Favorite Eats: Trey’s Texas Size Pretzel
Owned and operated locally, it’s a small business franchise offering some of the WORLD’S BEST PRETZELS. Ben’s Soft Pretzels are made from an OLD Amish-inspired recipe and baked-fresh in each one of their bakeries every day. There are no harsh-preservatives; each pretzel is hand-rolled and baked fresh throughout the day. They will tell you the secret ingredient is L-O-V-E, and you will taste it baked into each bite! BENS are the VERY BEST I’ve ever experienced, PERIOD! My three favorites are the Jalapeno and Bacon Cheese Pretzels, the NEW Cheetos’ Pretzel, and Trey’s Texas Size Pretzel. Yea buddy!
I enjoy BEN’s so much that I decided to make something everyone could enjoy – with BEN’S help, of course! The flavors are amazing and you can add your toppings of choice to create a TREY’S TEXAS SIZE PRETZEL OF DELICIOUSNESS! You can add anything BEN’S offers as toppings: pepperoni, jalapeno, bacon, cheese – it doesn’t matter because it’s all P.P. aka: PRETEL PERFECTION. I would highly recommend you take a ride over and check out BENS at The Colony, Texas. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Saint Rocco’s N.Y. Italian
Trinity Groves Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Jay’s Mama’s LOBSTER RAVIOLI
Favorite Eats: Table-side Cacio e Pepe
Owned and operated by local chef Jay Valley, Saint Rocco’s is a FAVORITE of mine. Everything Jay creates, he does with passion and knowledge he learned from his grandma and family growing up. He loves creating new and delicious dishes and eats for all to enjoy. I’ve hosted Jay on my LIVE show, and he’s an incredible chef. His restaurant may not be the newest, but his recipes are perfection. I’m all about deliciousness, and whether your place is old or new doesn’t matter to me, as long as you’re slang’n DELICIOUSNESS!
The reason Jay named it Saint Rocco was easy for him. Saint Rocco is known to the world as the “Protector Saint” who lived in Rome, Italy in the mid 1300’s. He is said to have taken a vow of poverty, and upon doing so he distributed his entire wealth to the poor. Even to this day, Italian communities worldwide honor Saint Rocco in an annual celebration or festival called “The Feast of Saint Rocco.” There is always a FEAST waiting for you at Jay’s place.
There are two dishes that I’m CRAZY about: Jay’s Mama’s LOBSTER RAVIOLI is latterly to die for. Prepared with handmade pasta, fresh-sourced lobster, and cheese. If you haven’t tried this dish, you’re missing out on some of the BEST ravioli you’ll ever eat. My other favorite is the Table-side Cacio e Pepe, available nightly. The fresh, cheesy, and peppery pasta is finished right at the table and served in a giant Locatelli Romano cheese wheel. It looks great in photos, but only if you remember to take one before eating it all. Both of these are MUST TRY in 2024.
Hanabi Ramen & Izakaya
FTW, Denton & Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Karikara Chicken (Life Changing)
Favorite Eats: MISO w/ Buttery Garlic Ramen
Owned and operated by Chef Takao, his passion for the culinary arts runs deep in his soul. He’s passionate about offering an authentic RAMEN experience, and he’s one of the only ones in the DFW area that specializes in that. He slowly simmers all broths from scratch and uses fresh noodles. Chow Hounds choose from traditional, miso or spicy broths, and pork, seafood and vegetable bowls are on the menu. Tasty and flavorful accompaniments are traditionally used like pork belly, soft-boiled egg, nori sheets, green onion and other extra items. They can each be added for a small upcharge charge to help you create that pure and authentic ramen experience. I’ve been enjoying his eats for over a decade and still loving each bite. The KARIKARA CHICKEN is one of my favorite chicken dishes. It has a thin crusted batter and it’s layered with a fantastic house-made sauce. The chicken is succulent, juicy, and flavorful. This dish will send your taste buds to the “flavor rodeo”, and with each bite you become more and more addicted. The MISO RAMEN with Buttery Garlic is savory, buttery deliciousness with each slurp. It’s truly ramen perfection and I’m in love with the HANABI flavor profiles and you will be tooooooo. I dare you to try it and not become addicted. A MUST TRY in 2024.
DL Macks
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: House Deviled Eggs
Favorite Eats: Return of the MACK
Owned and operated by the Vandelay Hospitaly Group and located in Dallas, they offer vintage Chicago vibes and an elevated approach to the traditional American fare. It’s not often you’re surprised with a meal of absolute perfection. If you follow me then you probably know I enjoy all-around experiences. Fresh and delicious food, fantastic service, tasty cocktails, all served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. I’m just going to say: D.L. Mack’s hit the PERFECTION BUTTON, and they hit it HARD! One of my favorites, the Return of the Mack’s Pizza, is a fresh Chicago-Style Cracker Crust that is hand-made with cheese, house-prepared, hand-rolled Sausage Balls and flavor-loaded pizza sauce. This pizza is Ridiculously Delicious! R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S! The house Deviled Eggs are fresh, flavorful, and delicious. DL’s is a MUST VISIT in 2024.
Ebb & Flow
Plano & Dallas
Favorite Eats: Anything at BRUNCH
It’s owned and operated by celebrity restauranteur and Dallas native, Dallas Hale. He knows a thing or two about restaurant experiences with fantastic customer service and delicious eats. His teams masterfully create great dining experiences like award-winning BRUNCHES. It doesn’t matter if you visit the Deep Ellum location or the Plano location because we’ve enjoyed both on multiple occasions. While the entire menu is filled with delicious eats, my favorite time is BRUNCH TIME. You can enjoy anything from the brunch menu and one of their signature cocktails for a good time. A MUST VISIT in 2024.
Quarter Acre
Greenville, Dallas
Favorite Eats: Roasted Lamb
Owned and operated by Celebrity chef Toby Achibald, who I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. Chef Toby offers a fresh, globally inspired cuisine with a heavy focus on seasonality. The dishes are creative, stunningly beautiful, and layered with flavors to create unforgettable deliciousness. The interior of the restaurant is colorful, vibrant, and modern, with a warm cozy feel. As soon as you walk in the doors, you feel a since of calm come over you which is a nice change. I truly appreciated the warmth of the restaurant and the fantastic service. I’ve only had the pleasure of eating the Roasted Lamb, and it was fantastic. Meaty, succulent, flavorful and so delicious you would want two of them. They also have a variety of freshly prepared sweets that look visually stunning. Q.A. is one of those unique restaurants where the entire culinary team is just riddled with PASSION. The passion to give the BEST of everything they have to offer. Appetizers, mains, sides, sweets, desserts and fresh craft cocktails… You just can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. For me, it’s one of the BEST NEW RESTAURANTS in TEXAS – not just the DFW area. If you love food and chef-driven experiences, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you visit the ACRE in 2024.
Wicked Butcher
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Hamachi Crudo
Favorite Eats: Dry Aged Tomahawk w/Chimichurri
Favorite Eats: MOLTEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE’
Owned and operated by DRG Concepts in the Dallas Fort Worth area, Chef Richard Tiptow and his culinary team offer a well-rounded dining experience that’s located in the basement of the swanky art deco hotel THE SINCLAIR. It reminds of an old lounge type restaurant from the MOB DAYS, back when service was king and dimly lit spaces where hip. It celebrates a cosmopolitan Texas energy in its bold culinary dishes, elevating the modern steakhouse experience with artful, delicious creations at a table that reflects the intellectual maverick Fort Worth manifests. Boasting both domestic and international premium cuts of beef, as well as an acclaimed Himalayan salt dry aging method, the fare is one of a kind. I’ve had the pleasure of dining several times and spending the evening trying a variety of chef Richard’s dishes.
I have three favorites that I fell in love with, and you will too. The Hamachi Crudo with Thai chili and orange ponzu that will rock you with a vibrant flavor burst. The second is the BIG PHAT DRY AGED TOMAHAWK. It’s meaty, flavorful, and reminds me of the old steakhouse days with a trip straight to deliciousville. The third is a molten chocolate souffle, which is a house-prepared dessert that is presented beautifully with a sweet flavor that are unforgettable. A MUST VISIT in 2024.
The Saint Restaurant
Lower Gaston District
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Anything
Another one of our FAVORITE discoveries in 2023. A NEW restaurant with a modern vibe and old downtown Vegas flair, the SAINT has merged into the Dallas restaurant scene like a freight train. Chef Jacob Williamson and his culinary team, along with some master mixologists, have created a true dining and drinking destination in Dallas. They offer a wide variety of creative and fresh eats that everyone can enjoy. There’s something for everyone that want to enjoy an evening of deliciousness and fun. You can also enjoy the TOMAHAWK Tuesday’s. Yea, that’s a MEAT party for sure! The atmosphere is Dallas chic, dimly lit, and has an enchanting vibe which makes it perfect for date night as well. I really enjoyed the evening with Chef Jocob and the staff. Don’t forget the incredible DESSERTS, because they offer some of the BEST in DALLAS. The Saint is a MUST VISIT in 2024! Giddy Up and get there!
Ol’ South Pancake House
Burleson & Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Big Texas Chow Down
Favorite Eats: World Famous German Pancake
Owned and operated by Fort Worth locals, the Benson family. Rex Benson carries on the tradition that his father started decades ago, slang’n some of the BEST breakfasts in Texas. They offer two very unique dishes that I happen to love. The BIG Texas Chow Down sandwich, which is just WOW! What a breakfast sandwich! Weighing in at over one pound, it’s prepared with a fresh Texas waffle that makes up the top and bottom of the sandwich. In the middle it has fresh eggs, two different cheeses, slices of ham, loads of hashbrowns and bacon, then topped with butter and smothered in Ol South pancake syrup of your choice. This is as TEXAS as TEXAS gets for an unforgettable savory and sweet breakfast treat. Then you have the WORLD-FAMOUS GERMAN PANCAKE, prepared table-side by hand using their signature recipe. It’s then filled with lemon juice (fresh squeezed at the table) and coated with powdered sugar and butter to create a pancake of epic flavors that’s unforgettable. Both of these are a MUST TRY in 2024.
Dough Bros
Bedford & Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Bro Bomb Calzone
What a discovery! Located in Bedford, Texas, we found them by accident and it’s worth a trip if you love FRESH-prepared calzones. It’s made to order and prepared in-house after you order. It’s stuffed and packed with cheese, bacon, Mac-N-Cheese, garlic, mozzarella cheese, more cheese, and a parmesan cheese mix. Yes, EXTREMELY CHEESY – the cheesiest CALZONE I’ve ever enjoyed, anywhere. If you love cheesy unique eats that are served HF&D Hot, Fresh and Delicious then you need to try the BRO BOMB Calzone. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Wok Star Chinese
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Hand-pulled LA Main Noodles
Favorite Eats: Hand-Made Dumplings
Favorite Eats: Cookie Dough – Egg Rolls
A new discovery this year and another TOP favorite of mine. They offer an incredible dining experience with tantalizing, fresh flavors, vibrant colors, and unforgettable dishes. They pride themselves on quality ingredients in a modern American-style concept, but with deep Chinese roots. They offer dishes that include only fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create unforgettable flavor profiles. A variety of hand-made dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and Chinese flavor profiles that will activate all your flavor senses to create unforgettable eats you will love. I can’t get enough of WOK STAR, but let’s talk about my three favorites: the HAND-MADE DUMPLINGS that were served warm and soft, each one a flavor explosion. The HAND-PULLED LA MAIN NOODLES are absolutely the perfect fresh noodle dish. It couldn’t be any fresher or have any more flavor in this dish. It was layered flavors of deliciousness. The fresh COOKIE DOUGH EGG ROLLS were a sweet surprise. Everything we tried was truly unforgettable. If you’re looking for something new, unique, and delicious, I would highly recommend you take a ride over to WOK STAR CHINESE for some serious Chinese deliciousness. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Egg Bar Brunch & Bar
Arlington, Texas
Favorite Eats: Banana Nutella Brioche French Toast
Favorite Eats: Fresh Berry Mascarpone Brioche French Toast
Located in Arlington, Texas, they’re a fantastic brunch destination. When we walked through the door they yelled out, “Hello, welcome to the Egg Brunch Bar!” I always love it when the staff is excited to see a guest! We sat down and placed our order with the helpful server. They offer a BIG variety of brunch items and cocktails that are prepared fresh when you order. If they’re busy it might take a minute or two, but who’s in a hurry at bunch? That’s kinda the point! We enjoyed a variety of dishes, and each one was prepared using fresh ingredients and fruit to create some bold modern-American brunch flavor profiles that were loaded with savory, sweet deliciousness. We had several favorites and their menu does change, so if these aren’t available, I would try one of the other brunch dishes. The Banana Nutella Brioche French Toast was simply stacked and packed with flavors. LOVED IT! The Fresh Berry Mascarpone Brioche French Toast was OMG! AWESOME! BERRYLICIOUS! These are MUST TRY in 2024.
Chamberlain’s Fish & Steakhouse
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Farm Raised Peppered Filet Mignon
Favorite Eats: Farmed Raised Hiney Glazed Pork CHOPS
Owned and operated by the award-winning and world-renowned chef Richard Chamberlain, it has been a DALLAS staple for years. After opening their doors in 1993, Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House was named one of the country’s top new restaurants by Bon Appetit magazine, and is currently ranked as one of the Best Steak Houses in America. They offer some delicious American classics and have a fresh rotation of seafood and other specials. You truly can’t go wrong with anything offered on the menu.
We enjoyed a variety of freshly prepared features for the evening. All dishes are prepared fresh using locally sourced ingredients, vegetables and spices to create some bold modern American flavor profiles you will love. Some meaty, some savory, some sweet! All of them are a trip straight to deliciousville. I loved the Farm Raised Peppered Filet Mignon – PERFECTION! I then tried the Farmed Raised Hiney Glazed Pork CHOPS, and OMG! The pork chop was porkolicious. Don’t forget some fresh, cheesy creamed corn with applewood bacon. And you HAVE to try their fresh-baked Chamberlain’s bread, served with incredibly flavorful, hand-whipped Chamberlain’s Garlic Butter. (THAT BUTTER!) If you’ve never enjoyed a meal at Chamberlain’s, you need to make that trip and chow down on some deliciousness. It’s a MUST TRY in 2024!
Local Foods Kitchen
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: ANYTHING
I love this place! Owned and operated by Fort Worth local celebrity chef Katie Schma, they’re a Fort Worth institution. She believes in drawing inspiration from the flavors of her past experiences and then masterfully creating new dishes, offering the highest quality while consistently utilizing farm-fresh ingredients. I’m telling you right now, when I say ANYTHING YOU TRY will be great, I’m SERIOUS! ANYTHING! Everything offers fresh flavor pops of local food DELICIOUSNESS. I highly RECOMEND you make plans to chow down with Chef Katie and her staff in 2024. It’s a DEFINITE must for you! don’t care where you live in North Texas, Local Foods is worth the drive. It’s a top FAVORITE of mine – not just in TEXAS, but the entire USA. A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Sophie’s Haitian Cuisine
Food Truck – DFW Metroplex
Favorite Eats: Fresh HAITIAN EMPANADAS
Owned and operated by local North Texas folks who descend from Haiti, they’re some of the nicest folks around. They offer award-winning HAITIAN CUISINE that is loaded with that culinary jingle I like to call deliciousness. I met these folks two years ago in Waco, Texas at a FOOD TRUCK CHAMPIONSHIP and I’ve been HOOKED ever since. Have you ever enjoyed fresh and delicious Haitian food? It’s bold and flavorful, taking influences from West African and French cuisine to create some incredibly delicious eats. I absolutely love the flavor profiles, and I can’t get enough of their fresh, warm EMPANADAS. You need to try these because you will become addicted to the SOPHIE DELICIOUSNESS. A MUST TRY in 2024. Follow them, find the truck, and chow down! They also cater!
Boca 31 (Latin Food)
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Taco
Favorite Eats: Empanada Combo
Website: https://boca31.com/fortworth
Owned and operated locally by the creative and talented Chef Andres and his team. They’re slang’n authentic, fresh, creative, COLORFUL, and very DELICIOUS LATIN STREET FOOD. They have daily specials as well as a fixed menu. Every dish I ate was loaded with great flavors that danced on my palette like the fine sounds of an orchestra. The tacos are absolutely perfect and the Empanadas are so flavorful that you need to try each of them. That’s why the COMBO is the best. If you love Latin Street food and enjoy explosions of flavors, they’re a must try in 2024!
Fish Shack
Plano, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fried Catfish
Favorite Eats: Fried Cod
Favorite Eats: Hand Battered Onion Rings
I thoroughly enjoy discovering OLD-SCHOOL restaurants that offer familiar southern style comfort food done right. I received a tip from the PLANO FOODIE GROUP and we had to investigate. By investigate, I mean CHOW DOWN! LOL! And that’s exactly what we did. As soon as you pull up, you’ll notice the old building and can smell the fried deliciousness wafting in the air. It’s been there so long I think the aromas have soaked into the surrounding buildings. Man, it smelled so good I couldn’t wait to get inside! As we walked in, we noticed how large the menu was, which is quite the feat when you’re preparing eats by hand and to order. We ordered a bunch of eats to try, but I fell in love with the slightly crispy FRIED CATFISH. WOW! PERFECT! Then we went for the FRIED COD, and oh my goodness I lapped it up like a hungry dog! It was SCRUMPTIOUS! I must say I’m an ONION RING freak, and the HAND-BATTERED ONION RINGS are to die for and a must try. If you’re looking for old-school fried seafood deliciousness, head over to the FISH SHACK and CHOW DOWN. They’re a MUST TRY in 2024!
Meat U Anywhere
Trophy Club & Grapevine, Texas
Favorite Eats: Smoked Peppered Tenderloin
Favorite Eats: Chicken Hatch Green Chili Tamales
Favorite Eats: Smoked Primed Rib Roast
Owned and operated by chef, pitmaster, and TEXAN Andy Sedino, they’re passionate about creating and serving up the freshest and most delicious eats. While his main menu is BBQ, that’s on another list. Today we’re talking about some of his other incredibly delicious eats. Andy just loves people, and he loves to feed them. His staff is always super friendly and helpful with whatever you need. If you enjoy SMOKED PEPPERED TENDERLION, then Andy has a KA-POW of meaty flavors for you. If you love tamales like I do, then you have to try his Chicken Hatch Green Chili Tamales. They’re tamale-o-licious! Then you have the Smoked Primed Rib Roast that’s so flavorful it’s unforgettable. Meat U Anywhere is a MUST TRY in 2024!
Paris Coffee Chop
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Old Fashion Biscuits & Gravy
Owned and operated by local Fort Worth’ians, it’s the oldest cafe still operating in Tarrant County today. There’s no telling who you might run into while chowing down and enjoying a delicious breakfast, homemade pie, sandwich, or some of those world-famous biscuits. Made fresh daily from an old family recipe, you can enjoy a big phat order of biscuits and gravy, which really show off the biscuits. Woo-Hoo! A must try in 2024. Don’t forget the homemade pie too.
Abe Fromage
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Cheesy Joe Grilled Cheese
Favorite Eats: The Hot n’ Honey aka the Side Chick
Owned and operated by my main man, chef, cook, and author Scotty Scott. He’s slang’n some of the BEST and CHEESIEST GRILLED CHEESE in the city. He created Abe Fromage to compliment the natural wines served at The Holly in Fort Worth. I’m telling you, these fresh grilled cheeses are addicting. The flavors are on point and unforgettable. Don’t blame me if you have cheese all over your face and clothes from the cheese pulls after you chow down. Check them out in 2024, because they’re a MUST TRY! Say hello to Chef Scotty while you’re there. 2024 is GRILLED CHEESE TIME BABY!
Jazzy’s Tacos
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Birria Tacos
Favorite Eats: Birria Pizza
Awards: https://www.dallasnews.com/place/16c22a1f-22fb-695d-8cf3-f56b0703b07e
Family owned and operated; they all work together Jazzy’s Tacos. You have to follow them in order to locate them around the Dallas DFW area. They’re a POP-UP and always on the move, slang’n award-winning taco deliciousness that everyone can enjoy. The Birria Tacos are stupid delicious and the Birria Pizza is ridiculously delicious. If you love TACOS, then Jazzy’s is a MUST VISIT in 2024. (FOLLOW THEM ON INSTAGRAM)
Black Top Craft Burgers & Beer
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Wagyu Steakhouse Burger
Favorite Eats: House prepared Onion Rings
Favorite Eats: A Crazy Shake of your choice
New to Dallas this year, they’ve kicked the fun dining experience into high gear! Inspired by the old-school NYC luncheonettes peeps grew up in, New York Black Tap is a fresh, fun take on the classic burger joint – upscale, but never fussy. You can head on in for a warm welcome, a cold craft beer, an award-winning burger, and save room for one of their world-famous CrazyShakes! Yea, CRAZY SHAKES is correct!! They’re made fresh and served stacked and packed with sweet and savory goodness. The Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is succulent, flavorful, and delicious. The House prepared Onion Rings are simply delicious. Black Top is a MUST TRY in 2024.
Maple Leaf Diner
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Chicken and Waffles
Favorite Eats: Bloody Mary Cocktail
Owned and operated by local chef Mike, he loves slinging deliciousness and great cocktails. I love Maple Leaf, but I’m in LOVE with the Bloody Mary and the chicken and waffles – what a great combo! The bloody Mary is prepared with Clamato juice, Iceberg Canadian Vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco with celery salt on the rim and a pickle, a slice of bacon, olives, lemon and celery for garnish. Yummy! You have to try the chicken and waffles and the Bloody Mary. Must try in 2024!
Black Bear Diner
North Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Cinnamon Roll French Toast
Favorite Eats: Big Phat Southern Scrambler
New to Texas and Fort Worth, Black Bear Diner has a menu stacked and packed with scrumptious eats. Black Bear Diner is a fast-growing, community-oriented, family dining concept that offers great food in a fun, bear-themed atmosphere. Born from a desire to bring home-style comfort food classics and personal service back to the dining experience, the brand is strategically growing its national footprint and has landed in Fort Worth, slang’n deliciousness. The portions are big, and most things are from scratch and so flavorful. We had two great dishes: The Cinnamon Roll French Toast is savory, sweet, beary goodness. The Southern Scrambler is PHAT, heavy, and unforgettable. It’s served with a split fresh-house biscuit and covered with 2 house sausage patties, scrambled eggs, and smothered in country gravy. WOO HOO! Better be hungry like a bear to finish this one.
Sushi DOJO DFW
Southlake & Northlake, Texas
Food Truck DFW
Favorite Eats: Sushi Tacos – OMG!
Favorite Eats: Sushi Burritos – WTH!
Owned and operated by local North Texan Chef Ryan Nguyen, I’ve been following Sushi Dojo for years. They’re one of the hardest working teams and families in the food truck and restaurant business. They operate a food truck and two restaurants with family values, all while slang’n AWARD-WINNING FRESH SUSHI. It’s not your average sushi, either! Their dishes and eats are always vibrant, presented beautifully, and loaded with deliciousness. They’ve won so many awards that it’s hard to keep track, and they continue to innovate and elevate the world of sushi. Ryan and his team make sushi fun and delicious and always have big smiles. I have two favorites: the SUSHI TACOS and the SUSHI BURRITOS. YEP, I TOLD YOU THAT THEY MAKE SUSHI FUN and DELICIOUS! Follow them! Find the truck, or eat at the restaurant – either way you will fall in love with Ryan and his team. They’re a MUST TRY in 2024!
BEST BONE IN FRIED CHICKEN – North Texas
I’m SERIOUS about my fried chicken and you can BET my choices are the VERY BEST! Growing up, we served fried chicken at some of our Chapman Family Restaurants, and it was very good. Under our restaurant umbrella we also owned a Churches Fried Chicken franchise, and this is where I truly learned the preparation techniques and the time it took to cook and deliver fresh fried chicken. There really are no shortcuts in the process – if you try to eliminate a step, you’re asking for subpar chicken. Preparing fried chicken isn’t very technical, but I strongly believe that simple cooking processes are sometimes the hardest to pull off. The simpler the dish, the less places there are to hide the flaws. My choices for the BEST fried chicken are truly unique and very delicious. Enjoy these because I know my FRIED CHICKEN!
Mike’s Chicken
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Fried Chicken
Favorite Eats: Fresh Buttery Biscuits
A small, locally owned family business, they’ve been nationally recognized by USA Today and Insider.com. I had a friend in Dallas telling me about Mike’s for over a year before we tried it. I’m just sorry I didn’t take his advice sooner. I get suggestions and recommendations daily – on average around 3 to 4, so it’s sometimes hard to get to them all. I should have acted on this one sooner. Mike’s is located in a laundromat building on Maple Ave. in Dallas. Yes, I said a laundromat! Mike’s is slang’n what I consider the be the BEST fried chicken in North Texas, and some of the BEST in USA. Every aspect of their chicken is perfect, and most importantly it’s consistent. The preparation, cook, and presentation is everything I look for in fried chicken: it’s savory, crispy, succulent, and flavorful, with a hint of salt and a load of deliciousness. Simply put, they should rename Mike’s Chicken and call it MORE. Because MORE is all you will want with each juicy bite of chicken. It’s R.I.D.I.C.I.L.O.U.S. – ridiculously delicious that is! Don’t forget Mike’s buttery house biscuits, because they are some of the bests you will ever put in your mouth. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Drews Place Soul Food
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Fried Chicken
Favorite Eats: Fresh Greens
Favorite Eats: Fresh Warm Peach Cobbler
Drew’s is a small business and is a local, family-owned and operated restaurant passionate about slang’n southern-style fresh fried chicken. Located in Fort Worth on the west side off Curzon Street, they have an awesome old school atmosphere. I had to include Drew’s Fried Chicken because it’s so perfect and delicious every time. They prepare it using fresh chicken and house batter to fry their chicken GBD – Golden Brown and Delicious every single time. It’s savory, loaded with great flavors, slightly crispy, and has a unique flavor profile that screams “Drew’s”. It is some seriously delicious fried chicken. You will be sucking your fingers to get every last drop of the flavor-loaded chicken juice. Don’t forget some house-prepared greens or warm peach cobbler. Everything from Drew’s place is a trip to DeliciousVille! They’re also some of the BEST people you will ever meet! A MUST TRY in 2024!
Brick & Bones Famous Fried Chicken
Deep Ellum – Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Mexican Fried Chicken
Favorite Eats: House Mac-N-Cheese
Another small business that is locally Dallas-owned, this place is F#$%^! incredible. I like this chicken so much that I featured it on my BEST Chicken Dishes special on ABC Channel 8 a few years ago. They are located in Deep Ellum, right in the heart of the arts district. I love the name Brick and Bones, kinda catchy! Classified as Mexican Fried Chicken, it’s something you’ve never tasted before. They will tell you it is a throwback bar in Deep Ellum, focused on craft Mexican fried chicken, great cocktails, and curated spirits. They started cooped up in the kitchen and built a menu centering around Mexican-inspired fried chicken, which is their specialty! Prepared with fresh chicken and over 15 different fresh Mexican spices, it’s stupid delicious. The first time I put this chicken in my mouth I said, ”S!@#$%^& W.T.F.” because it was so damn delicious! I ordered a second helping because one just wasn’t enough. If you love lip-smacking savory chicken – some of the BEST in North Texas and the USA, then head over to see them at B & B. Tell’em big Trey sent you! Oh, and don’t forget the Mac-N-Cheese with your fried chicken. A MUST TRY in 2024!
The Midland Chop House
Downtown Hico, Texas
Favorite Eats: FRESH RED CHILI FRIED CHICKEN
Favorite Eats: FRESH COLLARD GREENS
Favorite East: FRESH MASHED TATORS
The CHOP HOUSE is located in the lobby of a historic hotel. The hotel opened on June 14, 1891; it was reported that Joel Fisher’s Hotel was nearing completion. The brick work was almost done, and the project was about to be turned over to the carpenters. Although it wasn’t referred to as such, the structure must have been the Midland Hotel, as there weren’t any other brick hotels in Hico. The rest is simply history in the making… since that time, the hotel has caught fire, burned, and been remodeled several times in its long, glorious history. The hotel and CHOP HOUSE are absolutely incredible, from the beautiful Texas-style furniture to the vibrant colors and wide-open spaces inside. The CHOP HOUSE menu is full of chef-driven, from-scratch eats that will blow your taste buds to the stratosphere. This is A MUST TRY in 2024!
HOLY FRIED CHICKEN! If there was a BATMAN SUPER HERO of FRIED CHICKEN, this would be it. The FRESH RED CHILI FRIED CHICKEN is so tantalizing and delicious you will have naughty Red Chili Fried Chicken dreams forever after you eat it the first time. It’s a short drive to HICO, Texas, but worth it for this amazing fried chicken. My three favorite eats all come with an order of this SUPER HERO fried chicken. You get the Red Chili Fried Chicken, Fresh Callard greens, and buttery, silky mashed taters. I’m telling you now, it’s WORTH THE DRIVE!
Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken
Fort Worth & Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Fried Chicken
Favorite Eats: Mac-N-Cheese
Favorite Eats: fresh Fried Okra
Nationally owned, but still some of the BEST. I’ve enjoyed Gus’s in MEMPHIS as well before I had it in TEXAS. I know this is considered Hot Chicken, but I don’t care because it’s damn delicious. Gus will say it’s simply the best fried chicken on the planet… but you won’t know what they mean until you try a piece or two yourself! I’m telling you: this spicy, crispy fried chicken will make you want more after each bite. The chicken is savory, light, crispy, and has some heat that you will fall in love with. The legend is that someone asked Gus Vanderbilt of Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken for his fried chicken recipe, and he simply replied, “I ain’t telling.” They marinate it overnight, put a little of this on it, with a dash of that, and then toss it in the fryer. By the time we get the finished cluck cluck, it’s fresh, hot, a little spicy, and with a delicious crunchy skin. I can’t ever stop eating the stuff. All I know is Ol’ Gus knows what the hell he’s doing. I’m sure he won’t ever turn loose his legendary chicken recipe, but fortunately for us you can eat as much as you can buy. You better take a bib, some wipes, and get some chicken to go while you’re at it! It’s a trip straight to chicken DeliciousVille. You better add some of the Mac-N-Cheese and fresh Fried Okra for the 2024 big win. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Jesus BBQ Restaurant
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Fresh Fried Chicken
Favorite Eats: Fresh House Chili
Favorite Eats: Fresh House Enchiladas
Family owned and operated by Fort Worth’ians, it all began over 50 years ago when Mr. Jesus had a dream of serving up fresh Mexican food, BBQ, and deliciousness for hungry people in Cow Town. Located in a very small and cozy old building, the Jesus Family is still slang’n some of the BEST FRIED CHICKEN YOU WILL FIND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. You will have to wait 20 to 25 minutes while they prepare your meal, which is a good thing. If you order fried chicken and it’s brought out immediately, you know it has been sitting under a heat lamp. No good! It’s worth the wait for FRIED CHICKEN DELICIOUSNESS. Priced right, prepared fresh using old family recipes, everything we tried was absolutely perfect. My three favorites are the fresh fried chicken, with a side and chili a plate of Jesus fresh enchiladas. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Babe’s Chicken Dinner House
9 DFW Locations
Favorite Eats: Fresh Fried Chicken Family Style
Babe’s is locally owned and operated, and I know the family well. They’re passionate about your dining experience and always strive for perfection. I’m going to make this easy for you and tell you that Babe’s is a family dining experience like no other in the fried chicken world. They offer a cozy family atmosphere with awesome service and delicious southern fried chicken. Pick your protein, and enjoy with unlimited shareable sides. Babe’s will tell you that, “We wanted a sit-down restaurant where people really feel at home. Babe’s is a casual place where you’ll feel comfortable in your blue jeans or cutoffs. Where your neighbors wait on you and your whole family.” That pretty much sums up Babe’s, except to say they are slinging some of THE BEST fried chicken in Texas. It’s always prepared fresh, hand-dipped and with Babe’s passion for savory, crispy deliciousness! If you haven’t been to a Babe’s, you need to head over and chow down. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, because they are going to have to roll you out of there in a wheelbarrow! Tell’em Trey sent you! A MUST TRY in 2024!
BEST BAKERIES, CAKES, ICE CREAMS & SWEETS – North Texas
We enjoyed visiting and eating with some of the best pastry chefs in the business during 2023. Each place has been carefully chosen and is a small business, chef-driven establishment. They only use the BEST fresh ingredients, vegetables, spices, butters, creams and milks to create some fresh, bold, and yes, even modern flavor profiles that everyone will love. All of the eats and dishes are prepared with passion, love, and creativity. Remember, baked goods have to be exact even if they seem simple. Even the simplest dish is sometimes the most difficult to pull off because all parts must be complete perfection to create that culinary jingle that I like to call deliciousness. – Trey
Baked Bread & Pastry Co.
Granbury, Texas
Favorite Eats: Everything on the menu
This place! OMG! One of the BEST! Located in Granbury, it’s worth a drive from anywhere in North Texas just to get BAKED. Have you been BAKED yet? They offer a wide variety of FRESH HOUSE-BAKED PASTRIES, BREADS, BAGELS, COOKIES, SCONES, SANDWICHES, DRINKS, COFFEES and more. They’re an artisan bakery focusing on slow fermented sourdoughs and European style pastries. All are carefully handcrafted and baked with love. “It’s served with smiles, friendship, and lots of love. I can’t begin to explain the passion, pride, and love that goes into everything that comes from BAKED.” Everything is prepared using locally sourced farms, offering fresh ingredients and vegetables when available to create fresh and delicious flavor profiles that are TRULY UNFORGETTABLE. Another great thing about BAKED is that you can enjoy it all in a cozy, beautiful, and warm atmosphere inside or outside. The staff is all smiles and offer nothing but the VERY BEST in service, and they do it with love. If you love baked goods, you need to GET BAKED. A MUST VISIT in 2024!
La Casita Bakeshop
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Everything On the menu
Woo-Hoo! Let’s talk about bakery perfection. It all started in the back of a brew pub and grew to what it is today. James Beard Nominated Pastry Chef Maricsa Trejo and her husband Alex Henderson are slang’n some of the BEST, and they offer something for everyone. As soon as you walk through the parking lot the aromas of fresh baked goods smack you in the face like MIKE TYSON. Your mouth starts to salivate and your taste buds get put on notice. It’s at this very moment your feet start to do the BAKERY HAPPY DANCE. Once you walk through the door and those vibrant smells of fresh roasted beans, bakeshop pastries, and breads smell so delicious and inviting you’re instantaneously intoxicated. I LOVE THIS PLACE because there is nothing but perfection lurking with every sip or bite you take. It doesn’t matter where you live in the DFW area, you owe it to yourself to enjoy some La Casita deliciousness and friendly service. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Anything and Everything
I’m just going to say this: I’ve traveled all over the world and I can tell you for certain that you WILL NOT and CAN NOT find a better PASTISSERIE than BISOUS BISOUS. Nobody will ever convince me otherwise. Chef Andrea Myer is riddled with PASSION – she lives and breathes it. A few years ago, I hosted her on my TV show and Radio Podcast and fell in love with her little shop and all things Bisous Bisous. They describe it best: In French, Bisous Bisous ( /bi-zu/ ) means “Kiss, Kiss” or “Lots of Love”. When greeting friends and loved ones, the French kiss each cheek, one kiss on each side. At Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie, they specialize in French-style pastries and pride themselves on fresh, original creations tailored to each customer. They use the finest ingredients and handcraft delicious French macarons & pastries daily.
Owner & Executive Pastry Chef Andrea Meyer found her sweet tooth at a young age and cannot remember a time when dessert was not her favorite part of the day. Having spent months in Paris, immersing herself in the culture and indulging in all thing’s pastry, she knew there was something more in her future. She left her successful, yet unfulfilling, corporate career as a project manager behind, embraced pastry as her passion at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, and has never looked back. Crediting her time with Bouchon Bakery & Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, California for developing and refining her skills, she welcomes customers with a familiar smile and kind heart that everyone hopes for from their neighborhood bake shop. They strive to exceed your expectations with every bite. They offer so much and specialize in holiday offerings, birthdays, parties, you name it. Andrea and her team are there for you to enjoy some BISOUS BISOUS DELICIOUSNESS. Not just the best patisserie in North Texas, but one of the BEST in the world, period! YOU must visit in 2024!
Chip’d Cookie Nachos
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any combination they offer
Yee-haw! have you been Chip’d Faced yet? NO? You’re missing out! It’s a NEW way for you to enjoy ooey, gooey cookie perfection. The first time I heard about Cookie Nachos, I was reading about them in the kitchen and I yelled to Jana, “Have you ever heard of COOKIE NACHOS? OMG, they look unbelievable!” Well folks, that was the start of me going down the cookie rabbit hole and researching Cookie Nachos. You’re in luck, because I did it all for you… lol, not really! I’m just a selfish person guilty of my own sweet cookie desires. It’s a good thing, too, because I discovered a NEW and VERY UNIQUE COOKIE that you’re going to LOVEEEEEEE!
CHIP’D COOKIE NACHOS are OOEY, GOEY, SWEET, and CHEWY deliciousness. They come topped and smothered with topping to create the most unique cookie snack in North Texas. Chef and creator Kaity Draper has been filled with passion since she was five years, old baking with her mom in the kitchen. Ever since then she has owned bakeries and had 3 children, all while working on perfecting the perfect cookie dessert. She found it with CHIP’D, and they’re truly life-changing cookies that you’re going to fall in love with!
I’m serious – with flavors like Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cream Pie, Caramel Brookie, Chip’d Cookies Met Cream Nacho, Loaded Pretzel Chip’d Nacho and many more, it’s impossible not to fall in love. They’re a MUSY TRY in 2024!
Cookie Society
Dallas/Frisco, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Cookie You Stick in Your MOUTH
WOW! That’s exactly what I said after my first bite of Chef Marissa’s cookie. I was so impressed with the warm, sweet deliciousness that I enjoyed another. And then another. Before I knew it, I had turned into the cookie monster, simply devouring all the cookies. At some point Jana tuned to me and asked, “Trey are you going to breath between bites? And stop smacking!” I was breathing, that’s why I was smacking… so I didn’t have to stop shoving Marissa’s unbelievable cookies in my mouth! Bite, chew, breath and enjoy! Then you just keep repeating the same process until they’re all gone. No need to share with anyone, because they can get their own far as I’m concerned. Yeah, that’s right – YOU AIN’T GETTING MY COOKIE SOCIETY COOKIES – go get your own! That’s how it’s done because her cookies are simply that perfect. I couldn’t and didn’t find one bad cookie, and I ate them all. The way I see it, her cookies are so creative, fresh, warm, chewy, and delicious that they should be illegal in all fifty states! YES, THAT F#$% DELICIOUS!
As I told you before, I love stories, and Marissa has a good one. Marissa and Jeff Allen, a husband-and-wife duo, birthed the idea for Cookie Society. Marissa has always had a passion for baking, and after a trip to NYC with her husband, she was inspired by a famous bakery’s amazing cookies. She decided to create her version of the “Ultimate Cookie” with indulgent, crispy edges, chewy, and tender center. After months of recipe development, she achieved it! Starting with a Chocolate Chip cookie, Marissa created the famous Banana Pudding cookie, and the flavors expanded to over 70. She gave cookies to anyone who would take them, including her husband’s teammates (a retired 8-year NFL veteran), who raved about them in the locker room. Marissa started receiving orders from her husband’s teammates before she was officially selling her cookies. That’s when Marissa and Jeff realized they could turn their passion into a business. After a year of brainstorming, they established Cookie Society in 2018. The rest is history and now you can enjoy them too.
I love cookies, and there are a lot of regular, old fashioned and scrumptious cookies in North Texas, but THEY AINT MARISSA’S! You owe it to yourself to try one of her cookies and see for yourself. Just don’t blame me when you discover your new cookie addiction. Before you know it, you’ll be hiding cookies from your, family, friends, and co-workers so you can take a bite without sharing and keep that cookie fix going. You’re going to fall in love them. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Zero Gradi – USA
Dallas & Friso, Texas
Favorite Eats: Anything
Owned and operated by the Gradi Group in Dallas, they are a chef-driven pastry, sweets, artisanal gelato, and coffee shop. Everything is prepared fresh and in-house, utilizing the freshest and finest ingredients to create perfection. You can dive into artisanal gelato, fresh pastries and coffee at Zero Gradi, experiencing Italy’s finest with every bite. I was so impressed with the fresh offerings that we tried everything they had available that day. Yes, call me a sweet-loving hound, but we had to try it all! I couldn’t believe how tasty and scrumptious the pastries were. Layer after layer of deliciousness. If you love pastry shops, then you need to check them out and chow down. A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Churroland Cafe
Garland, Texas
Favorite Eats: Any Churro Combo
Favorite Eats: Fresh Churros
I fell in love with this joint! Small business and locally owned, they are slang’n the freshest and most delicious churros in the DFW area. It may be located in Garland, but it’s worth a trip to chow down and enjoy some fresh churros or churro treats. It’s hard to make a decision, so I would try a few. My favorite were the fresh churros with some caramel drizzle. I can’t translate how delicious these churro treats are, so you need to go chow down and check them out for yourselves. A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Dolly LIama
Dallas, Plano & DFW, Texas
Favorite Eats: Lama Gone Nuts (Bubble)
Favorite Eats: Shake & Bake (Cookie Monster)
Favorite Eats: Mini OG Box of waffles (Mixed Flavors)
It’s a national franchise, but locally owned, and they’re slang’n crazy treats. If you’re looking for a NEW and UNIQUE sweet treat shop that has a big variety of options, then go see THE Llama Waffle Master. All the treats are over the top and stacked, packed and coated with sweet and savory goodness. Truly worth a trip to enjoy and get your sweet tooth fix. It’s true – she’s a real llama who lives on a beautiful farm in the South of France. She brings joy to everyone she meets and had a particularly positive impact on the businessman who created The Dolly Llama Concept. The rest is history and now you can enjoy some happiness too! You have visit because it’s a MUST in 2024!
Guanajuato Bakery
Fort Worth, Texas
Favorite Eats: Mixed Baked Goods
Another small business that is locally owned, this bakery is truly amazing. Offering fresh baked Mexican breads, cakes, cookies, pasteles, edible image cakes, and so much more. It’s all baked fresh directly in the bakery, and you can watch them working and slang’n baked goods. You will grab your bags and start filling them up as you walk around making your choices. Your mouth will start to water and your deliciousness senses kick into hyper drive. You are going to love this place. A MUST TRY in 2024!
RoyalTea Co.
Arlington, Texas
Favorite Eats: Eggette Sundaes
A locally owned small business, I was surprised by what we received. We heard about this place and saw some photos before we visited. It WILL NOT prepare you for the BIG packed and STACKED treats you will receive. It was so awesome to get my first EGGETTE SUNDAE! An EGGETTE a gai daan jai—or egg waffle, or eggette, depending on whom you ask— and is a quintessential Hong Kong street snack, meaning “little chicken egg.” The snack came about in the 1950s and is said to have been invented by shopkeepers who needed to find something to do with all the cracked or broken eggs. The rest is history and you can enjoy one of these in Arlington, Texas. We loved ours! Truly UNIQUE in every way possible! A must try 2024!
Sunrise Scones FTW
Clearfork Farmers Market
Favorite Eats: Any Fresh Scone
SUNRISE SCONES are rocking Fort Worth with their fresh scone deliciousness! Jana discovered them on the internet and you can find them at the Clearfork Farmers Market. The scones are perfect, flavorful, and delicious. They also offer anytime Sunrise Take & Bake scones! These scones are available in packages of 4 per flavor – bake just one or bake them all. If you love SCONES, then you have to check them out because we loved them. A MUST VISIT in 2024!
Pure Milk & Honey
Mockingbird Station
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Ice Cream Tacos, Nachos and Shakes
Favorite Eats: House Made Marshmallows
A locally owned small business and WOW – what a discovery this was! Their unique ice cream and treats are handcrafted with LOVE. At Pure Milk & Honey, they’re passionate about using natural, tasty, and wholesome ingredients. Their soft serve ice cream is creamy and sweetened with just the right amount of quality honey to illuminate your taste buds and satisfy your sweet tooth. Their fresh and local Texas milk is from a certified organic dairy farm. To abide with their dedication to quality and natural ingredients, they do not add any artificial colors or flavors to their ice cream, preserving the milk in its purest form. Their raw honey and honeycombs are 100% pure and natural. They come from a local certified bee farm that manages their prized honey with the utmost care. They love that something as sweet and delicious as pure honey can have an assortment of positive health benefits as well! This place is fantastic and unique in the sweets and culinary world, so if you love sweet treats, I would highly recommend you take a ride over and chow down. You’re going to fall in love with the smooth, silky, flavorful deliciousness offered from Pure Milk and Honey. A MUST visit on 2024.
Joy Macarons Ice Cream Sandwiches
Fort Worth & Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: Big Macaron Ice Cream Sammys
Favorite Eats: Macarons
Woo-Hoo! I fell in LOVE with these the minute I took my first bite. Each bite of the hand-made Macaron ice cream sandwiches is pure bliss. It’s smooth, a little sweet, savory, and delicious, with a slight crunch. A little bite of Macaron heaven with each one. Locally owned and operated, JOY Macarons was founded in 2012 by Liz Lanier, a passionate baker and mother of 3 young children, with a background in advertising and retail management. Liz perfected macaron recipes in her home kitchen and began selling at local events and farmers markets. The first JOY Macarons retail store opened in 2014 in North Oak Cliff, where Liz lives with her husband and kids. JOY has expanded to include 4 retail locations and over 70 wholesale partners in the Dallas – Fort Worth area and continues to be owned and operated by the Lanier family. If you’re never tried them you need to in 2024! THEY’RE A MUST HAVE!
Peach Cobbler Factory
Arlington, Texas
Favorite Eats: Cobbler Dessert Flight
Favorite Eats: Peach Stuffed Cinnamon Roll
Peach Cobbler Factory is a national company with local franchises and it’s a fantastic concept. The Peach Cobbler Factory is home to the world’s most unique offering of desserts, all under one roof! Delicious cobblers with ice cream, banana puddings, savory, sweet cinnamon rolls, Pudd-N Shakes, Bigger & Better Cookies, Bigger & Better Brownies, Churro Stix w/Dipping Sauces, Belgian Waffles, and more! You can wash it down with their Made-in-House Sweet Peachy Tea or Cold Rush Cold Brew Coffee. We really enjoyed this place and all of the fresh sweet and or savory sweet treats. They’re a MUST VISIT in 2024!
Delicious Candy Pickles Factory
Desoto, Texas
Favorite Eats: Candied Pickles
Favorite Eats: Candied Treats
Favorite Eats: Kool-Aid Pickles
WOW! What a discovery! Small business, locally and family owned and operated since 2014. They offer very UNIQUE PICKLE TREATS and other items. If you never had a candied pickle, you’re missing out. They are texturally similar to a candied apple, but with a unique a pickle-tart flavor that’s really delicious. Their company took off like a rocket in 2015, being the first original Candy Pickle Factory in the entire world. They have over 250 flavors of delicious candy pickles. Their candy pickles are always compared to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. It doesn’t matter what you call them, just go try one, two, or three! I loved them and found them to be UNIQUELY DIFFERENT. A MUST TRY in 2024!
Paciugo Italian Gelato
North Park Center Only
Dallas, Texas
Favorite Eats: The Dallas Gelato D’oro 100.00
Paciugo North Park, located at NorthPark Center, has some of the BEST Gelato in Dallas. It’s prepared fresh every day, and throughout the day as needed. When you walk by, you can smell sweet deliciousness wafting in the air, and that’s because they also make the waffle cones fresh to create a waffle cone experience like you’ve never had. Gelato is served with a flavor of your choice in a tasty waffle cone.
You have to remember this: Italians don’t do anything half-heartedly. They’re passionate about every aspect of life – from their wine to their sports cars. They feel the same way about their desserts. At Paciugo they still make the gelati and sorbetti the traditional Italian way, with the freshest fruits and all-natural ingredients. The result is a light, unbelievable, smooth frozen dessert with 70% less fat than ice cream. More flavor. Less fat. They can’t help it if they got it right the first time! They offer a unique GELATO treat that’s special, and can only be found at the North Park Mall location. It’s all hand-made fresh to order and has a unique and delicious flavor profile. It comes complete with edible gold and a gold spoon, which you’ll get to keep and take home. It’s absolutely stunning to see, and loaded with sweet deliciousness you will love!
BEST THEMED CAKES in North Texas
Cake-Aholics Bakery
Arlington, Texas
Best Theme Cakes
A locally owned and small business bakery, it’s one of the BEST in TEXAS. I’m always blown away by the creative and artistic ability from Chef Matt in Arlington, Texas. I stumbled into Matt’s retail location a while back and was so impressed that I’ve never forgotten it. I follow him just to see the incredible and beautiful cake creations he dreams up. His creations have been featured on Food Network and many other places and have garnered national attention. His retail location offers all kinds of sweets, cakes, and cookies – just a plethora of savory sweet snacks for you to choose from. He works hard to create magic and deliciousness for his customers in each cake creation. They will mesmerize you and blow you away! If you’re looking for something creative, colorful, unique, and delicious I would highly recommend you visit Matt’s website, or take a ride over to his retail location. Do yourself a flavor and check him out! You will THANK ME LATER! A MUST VISIT in 2024!!
Best Farmers Market North Texas Area
Dallas Farmers Market
Downtown Dallas, Texas
The Dallas Farmers Market is truly awesome with all its shops and happenings. You can find some fresh and delicious eats, fruits, pizzas, a big variety of eclectic Knick knacks, and clothes. They take the term Farmers Market to a NEW level, offering pretty much everything. It’s also dog friendly! If you love to hit farmers markets, the Dallas Farmers Market is a must visit in 2024.
The Clearfork Farmers Market
Tailhead Clearfork Fort Worth, Texas
The coziest, cleanest, and most interesting farmers market in Cowtown. We absolutely love the variety of offerings and all the small business folks. Everyone is so nice and helpful, no matter who you speak with. The Clearfork Farmers Market began in April 2016 and now proudly features over 25 local farmer, rancher, and artisan vendors every Saturday, year-round. The Clearfork Farmers Market is committed to providing fresh, high-quality, and locally-grown products to the Fort Worth community in a unique and fun setting at The Trailhead in the Clearfork development. It’s truly worth a visit in 2024!
The Weatherford Farmers Market
Downtown Weatherford, Texas
I’ve been visiting here since I was a young buck, and it just gets better every year. Offering a variety plants, pottery, furniture, produce, and some of the BEST PEACHES in North Texas. You can’t go wrong with a visit to Weatherford – there is so much to do. I would highly recommend you take a ride out and enjoy the Weatherford Farmers Market in 2024.
Thank you so much for following our food and travel adventures. We hope to meet you at a table soon. Stay Hungry! Stay Kind! Most of all keep LOVE in your hearts and LIVE life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Always eat something DELICIOUS!
