Bistro in Dallas

Kay Agnew and her daughter, Margaux, opened Bridge Bistro in the Design District in 2012. Kay has been part of the Dallas dining scene for more than 25 years. She opened Margaux's (named after her daughter) in 1985 and moved around a few times (eight to be exact). Bridge is an updated version of Margaux's that serves breakfast and lunch. The place occupies a corner spot in an old building that has recently received a makeover. Modern floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides contrast with original, dark concrete floors and a few large antique pieces. The Agnews kept some of the favorites from the old menu at Marguax's, such as the shrimp and crawfish enchiladas, crawfish etouffee and pasta chadelier. These items are on the lunch menu along with soups, salads, sandwiches and a few more entrees. The breakfast menu has a few light dishes, including 3 Happy Cows yogurt, steel-cut oats, Empire bagels and house-made marmalades, along with a few heartier meals, including omelets, huevos rancheros and daily chef specials. http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate/2012/01/bridge_bistro_opens_in_design.php

When City Hall Bistro first opened, it nearly sank like a rock under the weight of its attempt to capture nearly every trend in the food world. With no head chef at the helm, the Adolphus Hotel’s elegant-casual restaurant tried to be all things to all Instagrammers, with uni, paella, squid ink pasta, Lebanese duck pancakes and a few too many shaved truffles. Then chef Jeramie Robison took command and calmed the waters, paring the menu down to a small selection of simple, cleanly made Mediterranean dishes. The wine list is equally approachable and equally focused on southern European delights. City Hall may not blow anyone away, but it’s a very satisfying restaurant — and, thanks to its location in the far back corner of a hotel lobby, it rarely gets too busy.

Top pick: The farro salad nicely illustrates the kitchen’s ethos of doing things simply but right: Add a creamy feta dressing and some veggies, then toss in crispy roasted chickpeas to make sure the texture isn’t gloopy. The brunch menu is especially good, too — and yes, $16 is a reasonable price for a breakfast sandwich when it’s well-balanced, generously filled with slices of wagyu beef and served alongside a pile of crispy-outside, fluffy-inside potatoes.

The downside: Cooked or candied lemon peels occasionally drop into plates like surprise house guests. Also, the bathroom is quite a long walk back through the hotel lobby bar, and staff like to escort guests because so many diners have gotten lost.

Fun fact: This is more of a hot take than a fun fact, actually, but we’re in the hot take business, so here goes: City Hall Bistro is the best hotel restaurant in downtown Dallas.

When Izkina opened in Deep Ellum Youth Hostel, chef Joel Orsini was in the kitchen creating a menu of Spanish tapas that we loved. In 2019, though, Orsini left and Izkina got a new name — Booty's — and a menu focusing on "international street food." The food was still good, last time our critic was there, but different. Check out our stories on the rebranding for more details.

La Bodega is a grab-and-go spot that serves a small menu of sandwiches, salads and rotisserie chickens. There is no dine-in here, but a few tables outside to eat picnic style. This is the work of Oak Cliff native and Dallas restaurant veteran, chef Skye McDaniel.

Chef Luke Rogers and wife Geni have curated the near-perfect cozy local bistro in Oak Cliff, where a meal here feels like being invited to your neighbor's home. Formerly known as Beckley 1115, the Rogers added a full-service bar and tucked a few more tables into the space as part of the rebranding. The menu still trades in American fare with touches of Italian influences: fish fillets, steaks and house-made pastas dominate the entrees. Appetizers sparkle, like the tallow-basted focaccia or crunchy arancini with yellowfin tuna.

Top Pick: Make sure to ask about the specials; they change frequently and Rogers isn’t afraid to attack classic dishes with culinary school touches (upscale chicken nuggets, anyone?).