84 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS Cowboys gameday. During summer months, there’s still plenty of room inside when the weather is too hot to bear. Bar W hosts a healthy selection of name-brand and local brews, which can be poured into one of the bar’s giant glass steins to save trips to the bar. BEST CHOCOLATE Neuhaus Cafe 5959 Royal Lane, Dallas neuhauscafe.com Mervyn Sacher is Dallas’ Willy Wonka — he’s even worn a suit to that effect. After years working in cafes and as a chocolate buyer for Neiman Marcus, Sacher struck out on his own in the early 2000s to open Neu- haus Cafe at Preston Royal. The store spe- cializes in novelty import chocolates from Belgium, which line a display case tactfully arranged in sections of truffles, pralines and bonbons. Each candy is unique, and Neu- haus’ staff help customers find what they need for the perfect Valentine’s Day Gift or daily sweet treat. BEST BEER SELECTION Katy Trail Icehouse 3127 Routh St., Dallas katytrailicehouse.com Fifty-plus draft beers. Case closed. Seriously though, from kolsch to hefeweizen to the haziest of IPAs, beer connoisseurs and casu- als alike can find something on Katy Trail Ice House’s tap list. Local selections from lauded brewers Lakewood Brewing and Manhattan Project sit next to international novelties and Coors Light — all come in an ice-cold, magnificently frosted schooner. BEST PINT OF GUINNESS Cock and Bull Neighborhood Pub 6330 Gaston Ave., Dallas cockandbulldallas.com We’ve gotten a lot of authentic Irish pubs in town of late, and they all do great business now with Guinness trending toward the mainstream. At Lakewood’s Cock and Bull, however, the pints are poured slowly and with precision into the tulip-shaped glasses Guin- ness made its bones in before the marketing ploy we now call a gravity pint. With a head- height practically approved by Arthur him- self, this pint is served at just the right temperature. As we mentioned, there’s plenty of great pubs selling a pint of dark around town, and they’re busy because of it. Inside the Cock and Bull, each pint is a priority, and like the best winter pub back home in the Em- erald Isle, the bar is covered in wood and sur- rounded by locals’ stories. There’s more than one way to evaluate a good Guinness. BEST AREA FOR RESTAURANTS East Dallas-Lakewood- Greenville Block by block, bar for bar, there’s not a better place to eat out in town than the greater East Dallas area, where the selection is as deep as it is varied. The Michelin Guide has recog- nized the neighborhood’s diverse fine dining scene, with concepts like Peja Kristic’s Mot Hai Ba, Quarter Acre, Gemma and Ngon Viet- namese Kitchen all landing recommenda- tions or Bib Gourmand Awards. The arrival of James Beard semifinalist Chef Olivia López’s Oloyo earlier this year could also very likely add to the area’s Michelin pedigree. For refined everyday choices, neighbors have ac- cess to places like Goodwins, Terrili’s and Sis- ter on Greenville. To the south, Old East Dallas provides a haven for hidden gems like Bangkok City and Papuseria Lillian, which boasts some of the best chicharon-filled masa flatbreads in the city. The bars even have more-than-respectable culinary programs — looking at you, Cosmo’s, Lakewood Landing and Saint Valentine. BEST SERVICE MoMo Italian Kitchen 8989 Forest Lane, Dallas momoitaliankitchen.com MoMo Italian was Wende and Aaron Ste- venson’s date-night spot before they bought it, and service is like it’s their family dining Photo by Kathy Tran Katy Trail Icehouse