19 April 18 - 24, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Where to Brunch in Dallas From waffles to lobster and mariachi bands, Dallas brunch is on point. Here are some of our favorites. BY ANISHA HOLLA AND LAUREN DREWES DANIELS I t’s always brunch season in our books. Below are some of our favorite spots in Dallas where you can satisfy those ach- ing late-morning cravings. Let the brunching begin. Chimichurri 324 W. Seventh St. Bishop Arts restaurant Chimichurri dazzles with its brunch menu , offering housemade empanadas, a gaucho steak and traditional dishes you won’t find elsewhere like chori- pan and spaghetti porteno. Start with a Benedict empanada filled with a poached egg and chimichurri hollandaise, or the spicy beef with ground beef and Latin chil- ies. The Orejitas de Elefante is a plate of crispy potato chips topped with buttermilk and blue cheese dressing. The Argentinian French toast is painted with a Nutella and dulce de leche drizzle. Finish the meal with an apple empenada topped with dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream. Dream Cafe 6465 E. Mockingbird Lane Dream Cafe is a Lakewood staple with a bar, open-air dining room, and a climate-con- trolled and pet-friendly patio. Most main brunch plates are $12 to $14, but the farmers scramble with cheese is a humble $3. They have all the brunch standards but start with Cloud Cakes: fluffy ricotta pancakes topped with fruit and creme fraiche. The Low Country Shrimp and Grits with a Cajun cream sauce is popular. The Eye Opener Cocktails include a frozen Irish coffee with Jameson, plus there are fresh pressed juices (including the Cold Elixir with carrot, or- ange, ginger, lemon and turmeric). Hair-of- the-dog and healing all at once. El Encanto 3054 Webb Chapel Road, Carrollton Indulge in a simple but addictive brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day of the week at El Encanto. There’s nothing more com- forting than an unfussy stack of buttered pancakes or a plate of chilaquiles with a base of delectably crispy corn tortillas. Fresh vegetable and fruit juices make good accompaniments, along with uniquely Mexican concha bread that’s passed around in a basket during brunch hours. Everything is plated beautifully, with a splash of color. Encina Dallas 614 W. Davis St. Encina, home of the famous blue corn pan- cakes, puts a modern Mexican twist on brunch classics from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. Mexican-inspired dishes like the hatch chili flatbread and goat guisada tacos are great, but they take a back seat to sweet endings like the PB&J French toast, com- plete with a topping of toasted coconut and pecan granola. Traditional and seasonal mi- mosas flow easily. The Fivee 1319 Botham Jean Blvd. The brunch party never ends at The Fivee Bistro and Bar in the Cedars neighborhood. Fried chicken seems to be a central theme here. Favorites include The Fivee’s chicken and waffles dumped in a colorful display of fruit, Sriracha drizzle and powdered sugar, and the loaded French toast layered in more crispy fried chicken and gravy. Order a $60 mimosa tower for the table and drown your- self in the live music. The party lasts from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Garden Cafe 5310 Junius St. The food at Garden Cafe shines, as does the ambiance. Feast on a plate of smoked toma- tillo chilaquiles or sweet potato pancakes while lounging in a literal garden in the Ju- nius Heights neighborhood in Old East Dal- las. Many of the ingredients used in dishes are plucked right from the garden. The spot is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday for some fresh-as-they-get brunch dishes. A slice of seasonal Mom’s pie here makes a visit that much better. The Henry 2301 N. Akard St. The Henry near Victory Park in Dallas is a two-story brunch mecca. The space is beau- tiful, but when the weather is nice and the windows upstairs are open it’s glorious. Start every meal here with the rustic house- made bread and pesto. Then move on to more substantial dishes like the harvest bowl, which is quite healthy but tasty enough that it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. The Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Sandwich is highly recommended too. Party-tip: Park in the adjacent garage and bring your ticket in to get validated. Henry’s Majestic 2303 Pittman St. The original Henry’s Majestic, a longtime Uptown staple, had to vamoose after the building was sold. No worries, they found a new home with a sprawling courtyard and stage in West Dallas where Chicken Scratch once was. The food here is very well done, as are the drinks. The brunch menu specifi- cally has big indulgent dishes for the table and a sparkle bar for your drink of choice. Classics are thoughtful, like chicken and waffles with buttermilk-fried thighs, hatch chile gravy and cold brew maple syrup. You can also get their famous bone marrow burger. Brunch is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. José 4931 W. Lovers Lane Good vibes, food and margaritas have turned José on Lovers into a go-to Mexican spot. It’s no surprise then that its brunch menu has also climbed to the top of the Dal- las food ranks. While huevos rancheros, chi- laquiles and molletes represent traditional Mexican options, other dishes come with a uniquely Americanized twist. The cabo bowl, a parfait-like dish made of hibiscus- scented yogurt, or the concha French toast made with egg-battered Mexican pastry in place of the traditional brioche bread, are both good preludes to the extensive drink selection, with over 24 types of cocktails and caffeine-infused pick-me-ups. Ladylove Lounge 310 W. Seventh St. Tucked away in the Bishop Arts District, La- dyLove stands out as a unique record lounge conceived by vinyl enthusiasts David Grover and Kate Siamro. The recent addition to Dallas’ growing brunch scene opens at 11 a.m. on Sundays and cooks up a simple but tasty menu of steak and eggs, breakfast bur- ritos, French toast and other brunch delica- cies, all served in big portions. Sip on a vinyl-themed cocktail and stick around for the live DJ music, spun exclusively from vi- nyl records. From the ambiance to the drinks to the music, everything is on-brand. Nuno’s Vegmex 8024 Spring Valley Road Indulge in an exclusively plant-based brunch at Nuno’s, a to-go-only joint that sits in the tasty but rare intersection between vegan and Mexican food. Breakfast crunch- wraps, biscuits and gravy, fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs are just some of the clas- sic breakfast foods that Nuno’s makes dairy-, egg- and meat-free. End with a huge serving of Nuno’s new chicken-fried steak, a vegan beefsteak rolled in breadcrumbs and topped with a ladle of homemade plant-based gravy, and wash it down with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s comfort brunch without the meat. | CITY OF ATE | t Dish Anisha Holla The carnitas hash from Jose is particularly tempting. Lauren Drewes Daniels The Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Sandwich at The Henry is a solid brunch option. Encina The blue corn pancakes at Encina Dallas. >> p20