Local Cuisine and Libations

Food is one of the many passions Corley and I both share. She loves to cook and we both enjoy introducing our friends and family who don't live in Dallas to the many different and unique options we have. Dallas is home to several major restaurant companies like Brinker International and Yum! Brands which means this area is also privy to many new restaurant concepts that are tested out here before they are opened up across the country. Dallas is also known as having one of the highest number of restaurants per capita which is sometimes a double-edged sword when trying to making a decision on where to go.

None the less, we wanted to highlight just a few of the many excellent restaurants that are near the Downtown and Uptown neighborhoods. We've also provided a short list of the many fine local bars and pubs in case you're in search of a cold beverage during the weekend.

BBQ
Cowboy Chow - known as much for their open-range or chuck-wagon style dining as they are for making Deep Ellum their home on the range.
Dickey's - ya, we know this is a chain, which by default should disqualify this recommendation, but their BBQ is dang good and the original location opened up in Dallas back in 1941.
Sammy's BBQ - a favorite lunch spot for the suits from downtown during the week.

Tex-Mex
Primo's Bar & Grille - opened up by two cousins, hence the name, who will have the place packed on any given weekend.
Manny's Uptown - serving some of the best margaritas and brisket tacos out of an old house-turned-restaurant in Uptown

Hamburgers
Twisted Root - gourmet meats, house-made condiments like ancho-chipotle ketchup and horseradish mustard with a dash of Deep Ellum attitude.
Jake's Hamburgers - you can pay a visit to their Uptown location or check out the one in Lake Highlands that is a short stroll from our house.
Village Burger Bar - everything is skinny in Uptown's West Village, including the fries.

Pizza
Campisi's - original location, which is still in business today on Mockingbird Lane, opened in the mid-1940's and at one time had ties to Jack Ruby and Dallas' organized crime. There is a downtown location if you're not looking for a history lesson.
Coal Vine's - the ambiance and taste of a little New York pizzeria in the middle of Uptown

Seafood
Five Sixty - Wolfgang Puck's new Asian fusion restaurant that has arguably one of the best views of downtown Dallas.
Deep Sushi - hands down the best sushi in town
S&D Oyster Co. - once a neighborhood grocery store and livery stable is now a great place for oysters on the half shell, hush puppies and fresh snapper.
Hook, Line & Sinker - if you like it fried, you'll feel right at home here.

Brunch
Dream Cafe - everything from Cloud Cakes and Austin Tacos to Migas or a Monte Cristo.
Cafe Brazil - often highlighted in the Dallas Observer's annual Best of Dallas list. You'll have plenty of options at their diverse coffee bar as well as from the Brazilian-inspired menu. There are a few standard breakfast options as well to round out the selection.

Bars and Pubs
Stoneleigh P - once a pharmacy and located directly across for the 1920s landmark hotel. A great Uptown neighborhood bar with a pool table and Golden Tee.
Gingerman - by far one of the largest draught beer selections in Dallas.
Uptown Pub - dark wooden fixtures, cozy booths and a perfect patio for West Village people-watching.
Adair's - if you're looking for a Texas-style experience, you've found the place. Adair's has been a staple of the Deep Ellum area for more than 27 years where you'll be served beer in a can and can almost always hear a good Texas county band playing.
Elbow Room - it was a tough call on whether to put the Elbow Room under the Pizza category or here with the other bars as they have some of the best pizza in Dallas. They also have one of the better jukeboxes, pools tables, shuffle board and darts.
Old Monk - another regular on the Dallas Observer's Best of Dallas list. This pub offers up an impressive beer list that compliments the lights from a monastery in Pennsylvania and a turn of the century altar door.

What to Do in Big D

Now, we realize that there are a number of you coming to the wedding that are either from Dallas or live in the DFW Metroplex. This post is not for you. For those of you who have never been to Dallas or who have but are wondering what really is there to do in Dallas, keep reading.

Dallas doesn't necessarily jump off the map as a tourist destination like L.A., Chicago, NYC, etc. but if you spend enough time here, you'll find that Dallas has a unique culture, a storied past and a little something for everyone. To be fair, Dallas is just a part of what makes this area of Texas so great and we're not going to attempt to list out everything we have within reach. But, if you're feeling adventurous, you can always make a trip out to Ft. Worth the see the World's Largest Honky Tonk, or over to Arlington to see Jerry's World or up to Plano to find out who really shot J.R.

What we have done is pulled together a list of things to do and places see in and around downtown Dallas. This isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, a complete list but merely recommendations that we both love and enjoy. We hope you do to.

The Arts
Dallas Museum of Art - located in the heart of the Arts District, you can see works of art here from Monet, Renoir and van Gogh, to name a few.
Nasher Sculpture Center - modern and contemporary sculpture pieces. Popular events include the Target First Saturdays for kids and parents.
Crow Collection of Asian Art - galleries dedicated to the arts and cultures of China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.
AT&T Performing Arts Center - even if your schedule doesn't allow for you to catch a performance, it's a least worth a walk around to take in the latest architectural addition to the Arts District.

History
The 6th Floor Museum - a sobering reminder of what happened on November 22, 1963 in Downtown Dallas.

Shopping
The Original Neiman Marcus - opened in 1914 and home to the grandiose and elaborate. Beware, this store is closed on Sundays.
West Village - the place to see, be seen and do all your posh shopping in Uptown.
Knox / Henderson - Apple store, Crush, Knox St. Market, historic Highland Park Pharmacy (complete with their own soda fountain), Wild About Harry's, Froggies 5 & 10 (toy store for the young and young at heart).

Fresh Air
White Rock Lake - running, biking, sailing, fishing. Think Central Park but bigger and with more water!
Katy Trail - formerly the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT or “Katy”) railroad that traveled through Dallas, now a great way to see the American Airlines Center, Uptown, and Highland Park.
Top Golf - micro chipped golf balls track your accuracy and distance as you aim at a variety of in-ground-targets. Don't worry, there are heaters in every bay to keep you warm during the January weekend.

Where the Wild Things Are
Dallas Zoo - just look for the 67.5 foot giraffe sculpture peering over I-35E.
Dallas World Aquarium - flora and fauna from five continents, 14 countries, three oceans, and more seas and rivers than they can keep track of.

Go Local
Dallas Farmers Market - browse through a multitude of local farmers and retailers selling everything from produce and meats to flowers, spices, gourmet cookies and home decor.

Why Not
Dallas Segway Tours - experience The West End, Katy Trail or the American Airlines Center by way of your own Segway.