You don’t have to go far for an adventure or new experience, especially if you’re living in a city as big as Dallas! During our spare time, my husband and I like to explore places within Dallas and other parts of Texas, like Fort Worth, Houston, and so on. Our favorite type of new experience involves food (vittles) and lots of it! We enjoy attending local events, exploring new drink/dessert locations and finding non-chain, hole in the wall restaurants wherever we go! So, this page is dedicated to all the food – aholics out there! Bon Appetit! For desserts and drink or coffee shops, click on the links below!

DESSERT

BUBBLE TEA/COFFEE

Keep reading to see some of our favorite FOOD spots within the Dallas, Houston and neighboring areas!

Dallas Region

Chiloso, Rowlett

Chiloso is our newly discovered favorite Mexican bistro to go to! For the past few months, whenever family or friends come into town, this is the place we take them to. We love their food, all of it… from their chicken quesadillas to their mouth watering rice bowls. They have several locations within the Dallas-Denton area, but our go to is the Rowlett one since it’s just two minutes from our house! We love the atmosphere of the restaurant, the easy go feel and their service!

Would we go again?

Definitely… The prices are very reasonable and the selections are great. If you’re in the area, this is a must try place….you won’t regret it!

Mija’s Taqueria, Rowlett

Being just a few minutes from our house, this quiet taqueria is a perfect go to place for a quick meal or snack. The service here is great and the food is even better. It’s small, yet welcoming, even for groups or families with young kids.
We ordered some quesadillas and beef tacos with rice and beans and it was delicious!

Address: 3705 Lakeview Pkwy, Rowlett, TX 75088

Would we go again? For sure. There is so much more on the menu that we have not tried yet. Will definitely go back another time!

Anjappar Chettinad, Irving

This Indian restaurant, northwest of Dallas, is hands down one of the best we’ve been to. Both the times we have been there, the food was mouth-watering and delicious! Their Gobi Manchurian dish was so good, we ended up ordering a second plate of it. The wait is a little long, especially if you’re with a larger group, however when the food came, it was well worth it. The service is decent and prices are for the quality, not quantity.

Would we go back? Oh yes! Even if it’s on the other side of the town.
There is another location in Plano, but we have not been to that one yet.
Address: 7750 N MacArthur Blvd #195, Irving
Timing: 1130-3PM, 530-10PM

Mumtaz Indian Restaurant, Richardson

My hubby and I were in the mood for some Indian food (that we don’t have to cook). We headed to Mumtaz, a North Indian restaurant for a late lunch. This place was recommended to us by several people so we thought we would give it a shot. Even though we were cutting close to their buffet closing time, we were surprised to see the amount of items on their buffet menu and how fresh everything was. The service was great as we did not feel rushed at all. We loved the food… everything from the naan to the goat curry was finger licking good. Not to mention the delicious gulab jamun. We were so stuffed, we could barely move let alone get back to our car! The pricing was reasonable for a Saturday afternoon and for the amount of items they had for buffet.

Would we go back?

Definitely. We loved the food and will definitely go back a second time if we are in the area. I recommend it if you are looking for some good North Indian food. The best part was that the food was not “watered down” as it is in some other restaurants. The spices were all very present and flavorful.

Locations: Richardson: 216 W. Campbell Rd. Plano: 301 W. Parker Rd.

Ricky’s Hot Chicken, Richardson

After having Hattie B’s Hot Chicken from Nashville, we were eager to try out this place. Both my husband and I like spicy food, so one afternoon, we headed over to Ricky’s Hot Chicken in Richardson! They have a closing period from 2-4pm and we were the last ones to arrive right before they closed for lunch. The staff were super friendly and the service was paced fairly well for all the precautions that had to be taken during this time.

We ordered some wings and tenders, with came with fries and a drink each. You can pick the spice level which also makes it great for those who can’t handle too much spice. I usually do good with spice, but I went with the ‘medium’ spice level knowing that it will be spicier than the ‘medium’ you get at other restaurants. The total came out to $20 for for two meals; but even if we had ordered one meal, it would have been plenty for us. They have a really good ‘comeback sauce’ which I recommend you try out with the fries, but they charge 50 cents for a small container.

Would we go back? Yes! We both loved the chicken; the quantity was satisfying and there was much less oil than the chicken we had in Nashville. This was definitely a plus point in my books and we will be heading back to Ricky’s for another round!

Super Chix, Richardson

After this, hubby and I went on a hot chicken spree and found several hot chicken spots in a short period of time. After Ricky’s, we visited a few around the Dallas area, but the one worth mentioning is Super Chix, which we found towards the end of this spree. I liked how their chicken sandwiches weren’t as oily and hubby loved their fried pickles. Their outdoor seating, the location and pricing all made this hot chicken joint an even better experience.

We went to the Richardson location, which is in a relatively new area. There is also two other locations in the DFW area; one in Dallas and another one in Frisco. Check them out!

Zalat Pizza

We found Zalat Pizza through instagram during coronavirus and have already been there several times. It’s not cheap, but once you eat pizza like this, there is no going back to those other chain pizza places. After visiting Italy in 2019, this is the first place we felt the pizza tasted like real pizza and not artificial.

They have over 10 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and they’re still pretty busy every time we go. If that doesn’t give you an idea of how good the pizza is, then I don’t know what will.

Dog Haus Biergarten, Richardson

Hubby and I met here for lunch one week day between work. To say we loved the food is an understatement; we devoured it. The first time we went, we tried a hot dog and a burger and both were equally delicious! The second time round, we had 3 different hotdogs. We went a little bit after noon, hence it wasn’t crowded. We were able to sit outside both times and enjoyed the outdoor set up. It’s great to hang out with a group of friends and is also very family friendly!

Would we go back? YES! We absolutely love their food and will definitely be back for a third time.. or fourth.. or.. hey, whose counting? Right?

Austin

Tarka Indian Kitchen, Austin, TX

We stopped for lunch here after a long day out in Austin and we loved it. There were plenty of options as you can see in the menu below and the price ranges were fairly decent. They have many locations including Austin, San Antonio and Houston.

As you can see my favorite north Indian food items are naan and tikka masala. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and it was so delicious that my mouth is watering now! Being Indian, I can tolerate a high spice level and we choose the highest level of spice for the curries. However, the ‘HOT’ spice level is not as hot if you’re used to eating Indian food.

These pictures are not full portions..we were so hungry and the food looked so good that we just dug in.

Would we go back here? Definitely! I highly recommend you try it out too!

888 Pan Asian Restaurant, Austin

We were in the mood for some Asian food and we found this great place in Austin! When we got there, it was packed but the waiters were moving very quickly. There was not a single waiter standing around doing nothing. They all seemed to help each other and were constantly working to accommodate the next guest. We were told a wait time of 15-30 minutes, but they had us seated much before that.

Would we go here again?

Definitely! The food was delicious, the service was outstanding and the prices were fairly decent. I even ordered a thai tea to take home with me and it was delicious as well.

Address: 2400 E Oltorf St #1A, Austin
Hours: 11AM-2AM

Gourdoughs, Austin

Gourdoughs is a well known breakfast slash dessert slash afternoon snack spot. It can really be anything because they have such a good variety of huge donuts. This awesome doughnut truck offers both sweet and savory, mouth watering donuts that can be enjoyed any time! The lines are usually long, but they have outdoor seating areas to hang around!

Would I go back? YES! I’ve been waiting for a chance to go to Austin just for this! The last time I went was several years ago.

Round Rock Donuts, Round Rock

We wanted to stop at a local breakfast spot before driving into Austin in the morning. Hearing really good reviews, we headed over to Round Rock Donuts in Round Rock, a city north of Austin. The donuts are to die for! I can usually say no to donuts and the extra calories it comes with. We actually only got ONE first, for my husband. But these donuts just melt in your mouth! We had to go back in and order another one because one doughnut from this shop is never enough! Neither is two… or three… Okay, we didn’t really keep count. This super small, yet cute privately owned shop knows what they are doing!

Check out the menu on their website! Warning; don’t look if you’re hungry.
Address: 106 W Liberty Ave, Round Rock, TX 7866

Would we go again? Yes! If we drive through Round Rock city, we will definitely make another stop!

Houston & Surrounding Areas

Kenny & Ziggy’s, Houston

I was trying to catch up with some friends over brunch, not caring much for the location we chose. But Kenny & Ziggy’s blew us away; my husband and I loved it! It’s the perfect brunch, lunch, afternoon hang out spot, everything! It’s the only Jewish Deli we have been to and we are on the search for more. I ordered some french toast- the best french toast I’ve ever had. My husband had a corned beef breakfast dish, which he enjoyed as well. Even their coffee was better than most places! They also had some sweets to purchase which we couldn’t say no to. Hence, we bought some cookie cakes to take home as well. We don’t go to Houston often, but we definitely want to go back again. If you decide to try out this place, go hungry!

Oishii, Dallas/Houston

Sushi is one of my favorite dishes and I love trying out new Sushi restaurants. Oishii is a great sushi spot that also has some Chinese and Vietnamese eats. We first went to the Houston location and loved it. It was small and PACKED, but people kept coming in and the line never died out the whole time we were there. Then, we tried out the Dallas location for my husband’s birthday and we enjoyed our dinner there as well. We had a long wait time there as this location was also pretty small. But there is a standing area with wines half off on one day of the week and this kept us busy while we were waiting:)

Would we go again?

Of course! I do wish they would make the place a little bigger to accommodate more people and to have less wait times, but it is what it is.
Dallas location: 2525 Wycliff Ave #110
Houston location: 3764 Richmond Ave
Hours vary daily at both locations.

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Cafe, Houston

This was that one place in Houston that I took anyone who came to visit! I love this hole in the wall non-chain restaurant because of it’s relaxing and “Europe-like” ambience. Their service is great and we can see them making the crepes right in front of us. They have several options of crepe including meat or eggs as well as sweet options including nutella and fruits! I’ve even been here for lunch by myself! This is one of those places I will never get tired of.

Address: 2420 Rice Blvd, Houston
Click here for their website!

They also have several other locations around the Houston area, but this is definitely my go-to!

Broken Egg Cafe, Houston

One of my favorite brunch spots to eat at is at Another Broken Egg Cafe. I’ve been to several of them and I love all of their locations. Their variety of brunch items makes this cafe worth returning to. If you have not been to a Broken Egg Cafe yet, check it out! If you go during the weekend, you will have a wait time, so I suggest you visit during a weekday! Many of their stores have been closed during Covid-19, but I hope they start up again once the virus dies down.

Angelina Brewing Co., Lufkin

My husband grew up in Lufkin and we go back to visit once every couple of months. We were out with some friends in the downtown Lufkin area and stumbled upon this relatively new place. They had a variety of beers to choose from and my husband and friends liked it. The appetizers were pretty decent too! The best part was their friendly and timely customer service!

Will we go there again? Probably. There aren’t much choices around Lufkin, so when we find something good, we will probably go again!

Out of Texas Must Try List!

Community Bakery, in Little Rock, AK

We stopped here on our way from Tennessee back home to Texas and we loved it. It truly felt homely and I felt like I can sit there for hours. It looks like a perfect hang out spot, a great place to sit and study and a quick coffee on the way to work kind of place. We had one of the best panini we’ve ever tried and that was just one of the many items on the menu. They also had a big dessert section and we chose the chocolate pie to go with our coffee.

Would we go again? For sure! If we drive through Little Rock again, we might just stop by for another panini! Will probably skip out on the pie next time though!

Address: 1200 Main St. Little Rock, AR

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Nashville, TN

During our brief visit to Nashville, we were told by many people to try out Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. When we got there, the line was wrapping to the side of the building and to the parking lot. It was packed inside, as everyone was enjoying their hot chicken lunch! We tried a plate of hot wings with two sides, which came with a piece of bread, pickles and a drink. I can see why it is highly recommended; the food was delicious!

*Be careful of the spice level you choose; this is more like the “Indian” spice levels, not the American one. We felt the chicken may have had more oil on it than preferred, but that didn’t stop us from devouring it.
*If you live in the Dallas area, there is a newly opened restaurant called Ricky’s Hot Chicken (see review above) which is a pretty good version of Nashville’s Hattie B’s.

They have a total of 7 locations so far; check out their website here for the location closest to you! The menu is posted on their home page.

Stay tuned for reviews on must try food spots, bubble tea cafes and dessert places!
<<COMING SOON >>
NIWA Japanese BBQ
Bombay Sweets

Check out this blog post for all the delicious food we had in Italy!

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