78 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS seriously. Evidently, the team over at Seegars Deli does, too. We haven’t had a bad thing off the Seegars menu, although it’s taken a while to make our way through it because trying anything new means choosing not to go with that aforementioned, totally elite pastrami sandwich. Vinyl seating and plastic trays lined with red-and-white-checkered paper give Seegars a classic feel. The ashtrays on every table help with that, too. Seegars would be a welcome addition to any neighborhood, but in the up-and-coming Cedars, there’s even more room for this deli to shine. BEST DOWNTOWN LUNCH SPOT The Commissary 1217 Main St., Dallas commissarydallas.com With its striking blue tile and revolving door of downtown yuppies in search of a sand- wich, Commissary is not quite a hidden gem. That doesn’t mean we’re any less inclined to stop in ourselves. Bakery, coffee shop and lunch spot combined, Commissary has what the office-weary need. The thick-cut steak fries (really a serving of spiced potato wedges) are good to share, and the chicken ciabatta and grilled cheese sandwiches are the cure for when we’re feeling a bit brain- fried. Commissary reminds of a downtown Dallas era now passed; or maybe we just think that because the pastry display spar- kles like a ‘90s Neiman Marcus jewelry case. BEST ICE CUBE Armoury Deep Ellum’s hibiscus-pink peppercorn tea ice cube 2714 Elm St., Dallas We never would have thought that an ice cube could be a canvas for creativity, but Armoury D.E. is taking chilling your drink to the next level. The “As Above, So Below” cocktail is served with either bourbon or tequila, and in- corporates flavors of sage, lemon, hibiscus and pink peppercorn. Those latter flavors come in the form of a rose-shaped ice cube made of a hibiscus-pink peppercorn tea. It’s a beautiful, vibrant top-off to a tart, raspberry-colored craft cocktail, which as a whole stands at odds with the bar’s horror movie-themed Hungar- ian decor. Somehow it all works, and from now on we’d like all of our drinks to be chilled via fun-shaped frozen treats, please. BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT Elephant Indian Grill 1115 North Beckley Ave., Dallas elephantgrill.com When Elephant Indian Grill came onto the Oak Cliff landscape at the end of 2025, it was a wide-open market. For all that OC has, a diverse Indian food spot is not among the treasures. But what could have been a low-bar standard was easily surpassed by this ambitious eatery. Among the Observer staff, we have tried, and are willing to sign off on, the tikka masala, the lamb curry, the stuffed naan and the array of delectable spiced meats and sauces and veggies (oh my!) that come on the Elephant Grill plat- ter. (If you’re looking for an accessible way to move on from your ‘mild chicken tikka masala with garlic naan, please’ order, the platter is a good place to start.) Still, that’s only about a fifth of the menu, so we’ll be going back again and again. For research purposes. BEST THAI RESTAURANT Sweet Rice Street Eats 831 West Davis St., Dallas sweetricetx.com/copy-of-carrollton If you’ve ever thought to yourself that a home-cooked meal made by a tiny Laotian grandmother would heal all your woes, Sweet Rice is the place for you. We can’t say for sure whether an ancient old woman is cooking the Lao-Thai street food coming out of this kitchen, but each dish offers the warmth and comfort of a plate made with love. The fried chicken wings are sticky, spicy and spectacular. The curries deserve several awards, and the noodle dishes are hearty and fresh. A medium spice level will likely take care of any heat-related cravings. There’s no better way to finish Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels Elephant Indian Grill