58 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS small seasonal tasting menus and staff full of sommeliers. Wine novices will enjoy the free wine tastings usually hosted on Satur- days and the Wine 101 classes that give an in-depth look into wine. Regional wine and certification classes are for those who know their way around Bordeaux, but if you don’t, stop by for lunch or dinner and let the som- meliers do the pairing. BEST BURGER Maple and Motor 4810 Maple Ave., Dallas mapleandmotor.com A burger shouldn’t be too fussy and Jack Perkins at this old-school spot sees to it. Even after appearing on Diners Drive-In and Dives in the early days, this humble burger abode has stuck to the basics: fresh ground beef (chuck and brisket) sizzled in its own fat with cheese on a toasted “grill- shined bun,” per the menu. The burgers are half-pounders. Read the signs and follow basic directions and you’ll have a lovely meal here. BEST SMASHBURGER Herby’s Burgers 2109 S. Edgefield Ave., Dallas @herbysburgers In the Edgfield neighborhood of Oak Cliff is a retro burger joint replete with a jukebox and baby-blue checkered tile floors. The spot from Will Rhoten, also known colloqui- ally as DJ Sober, is named after his dog, Herby. And while we love all the kitsch and warm-fuzzy feelings of yesteryear, we’re ac- tually there for the beautifully messy burg- ers and loaded tater tots. The signature burger is the OG Smash: a quarter-pound beef patty topped with American cheese, grilled onions and a house-made Herby Sauce on a Martin’s potato bun. Perfection. BEST RESTAURANT IN DEEP ELLUM LOCAL 2936 Elm St., Dallas localdallas.com On the ground floor of the former Boyd Ho- tel in Deep Ellum, chef and owner Tracy Miller opened Local, her ode to the seasons and familiarity, in 2003. For over two de- cades, the restaurant has seen its way through the neighborhood’s ever-changing facades, and her seasonal takes on the clas- sics have quietly cemented her as a staple in the neighborhood. Local has been cele- brated with the same ethos as Miller herself by maintaining the details and trying not to follow the trends. Doing so has kept her anything but off our radar, though. BEST HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH Ricky’s Hot Chicken 100 S. Central Expressway & 8400 Preston Road, Dallas rickyshotchicken.com Ricky Chan was so moved when he bit into his first-ever hot chicken sandwich that it inspired him to create his own recipe and open a restaurant: Ricky’s Hot Chicken. His extensive fieldwork in Nashville and experimenting from his apartment snow- balled his sandwiches into having a cult following that, in time, demanded more space. Order your bird bone-in or boneless, with six different (and accurate) heat lev- els. The best day to stop in is on a Monday, when they offer you 15% off your order just for dining in. BEST HIDDEN GEM B2J Fish Soup 151 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano buerjiacsf.com B2J Fish Soup is an authentic Chinese restau- rant in Dallas that is likely the only spot in the city sourcing, cooking and serving live fish. It’s barely noticeable in the small Plano strip mall it resides in, but those who squint will be re- warded with a layered and flavorful soup loaded with Szechuan peppercorns that cre- ates a numbing sensation in your mouth. Huge portions make this an ideal spot for group din- ing, but if you’re going solo, the owner can size down the portion for one. Although you’ll barely make a dent and still leave with a full bowl of leftovers and an extra side of rice. BEST MARGARITA Archive 1922 Greenville Ave., Dallas apothecary.bar Soft serve margaritas were the drinks of the summer, and this one, made by the team at Alchemy, is made with grilled pineapple soft serve, Patrón tequila, lime and sprinkled with chili salt. The beauty in this drink is that its presence on the menu could be fleet- ing or permanent, and we won’t know until fall comes knocking in the city. Order if you like your drinks a little tangy, a little sweet and a little smoky. If you’re north of 635, this beaut can also be found at Flamant, Apothe- cary’s sister concept. BEST SANDWICHES Jimmy’s Food Store 4901 Bryan St., Dallas jimmysfoodstore.com Jimmy’s Food Store has been serving fine Italian food and wine in East Dallas for over 60 years. The DiCarlo family’s shop has an interesting collection of goods sourced from Italy, but those stopping in for a quick visit are here for the deli counter. The award-winning Italian sub and muffuletta sandwiches are two of the most popular or- ders, but the family takes the most pride in the meatball and spicy Italian sausage sand- wiches, which they make in-house. Make sure you eat the sandwiches while they’re hot, and have plenty of napkins stashed in your car since there aren’t any tables inside. BEST FOOD IN A BAG Spice Bag at Apothecary 1922 Greenville Ave., Dallas apothecary.bar Portable munchies are always the way to go, but walking taco who? Dallas does it with a pinky up at Apothecary. Earlier this year, the newly-revamped dual-concept bar absorbed its award-winning sister concept, Rye (RIP). We dried our tears over a spice bag topped Lauren Drewes Daniels Herby’s Burgers | B I G D R E A L I T Y : C O L L E E N R E E D | C olleen Reed, a Dallas-area ballerina, danced her way into the Season 3 pods looking for a relationship that could keep up with her ambitions. She struck out with a couple of early connections before finding a match in Matt Bolton, a local corpo- rate VP. Their relationship on the show wasn’t the smoothest, but still, they made it to the altar — and ultimately said yes to one another. During their on-screen courtship, the couple visited SEA LIFE Aquarium in Grape- vine and even argued after she told Bolton she had gone to the up- scale Dallas lounge Candleroom without him. Reed later revealed in a podcast interview that the decision was hardly a sure thing: The night before the wedding, the couple flipped a coin to decide whether to get married. For a while, the unlikely reality-TV marriage worked. But after nearly four years together, they separated in November 2024 and publicly announced the split in May 2025. They finalized their divorce later that year. Since the divorce, Reed has been candid about the experience while continuing to dance with Ballet North Texas, where she has performed roles in pro- ductions including “The Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In January 2026, Reed discussed the divorce at length on the “What’s the Reality?” podcast, saying she ultimately knew end- ing the marriage was the right decision for both of them. She said the couple had been strug- gling with differences in life goals, values, quality time and emotional connection, and that she wanted to feel deeply in love be- fore starting a family. She also revealed that she has stayed close with fellow Season 3 cast member Alexa Alfia and is cautiously put- ting herself back out there — even sending a di- rect message to a crush during the podcast. For someone whose “Love Is Blind” story once hinged on a coin toss, Reed’s post-show life has become less about whether she found the right partner and more about finding her own footing. How long have you lived in the Dallas area? . Eight years What is your favorite Dallas restaurant? . Drake’s Hollywood What is your favorite Dallas park or greenspace? . White Rock Lake What is your favorite coffee shop? . LDU Coffee to Go What is the one place in Dallas you take out-of-town visitors? . The Library Bar | Q & A |