Women Owned Restaurants in Dallas
The vibrant restaurant scene in Dallas makes it easy (and practically essential) to build a daily itinerary centered around where to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and between-meal snacks. Because of our robust collection of fine food establishments, we have a growing number of businesses owned and operated by the most talented women in the industry.
RED STIX STREET FOOD
You may already know chef Uno Immanivong from her many TV appearances, but her fast-casual Asian eatery makes every dish special. Born in a Thai refugee camp run by the United Nations Organization (UNO, where she got her name), she’s been wowing food fanatics with her super-spicy Damn Damn Hot Noods and Duck Fat Fried Rice ever since opening her first location across from Southern Methodist University.
PARIGI
Janice Provost transports every guest (and scores of regular customers) to Paris daily with her charming sidewalk cafe in the heart of Oak Lawn. Provost also co-founded the amazing Café Momentum, as well as pioneered the movement to legally allow dogs on restaurant patios in Dallas.
CROWN BLOCK
Managing partner and James Beard Award nominee Elizabeth Blau has transformed the restaurant inside one of the city’s most iconic buildings—Reunion Tower. The high-end steakhouse sits inside the ball itself, 560 feet above the downtown skyline. Sushi, steaks, sides, and a delightful brunch attract people for many a special-occasion meal with a view that can’t be matched.
SANDWICH HAG & CHIMLANH
Chef Reyna Duong knows her way around a sandwich, so much so that substitutions and omissions aren’t allowed when ordering one of her perfectly balanced Bánh Mì creations. Check out the menu for coffee and pastries on-site at Dallas’ first Vietnamese Cá Phê shop.
EASY SLIDER
One of the city’s earliest and most successful food truck operations, Caroline Perini and Miley Holmes’s tribute to tiny burgers has pleased patrons across the metro area since 201. Their newest location at The Exchange Hall in the AT&T Discovery District downtown makes it easy for fans to find them without stalking the food truck schedule.
BIRD BAKERY
Southern pecan pie, Mexican hot chocolate brownies, and gorgeous custom cakes join savories including quiche, tarragon chicken salad sandwiches, and yellow squash corn chowder on the menu at owner Elizabeth Chambers’s thoughtfully appointed bakery in Highland Park Village.
SHINSEI, LOVERS SEAFOOD, DEA
Owners Lynae Fearing and Tracy Rathbun have been delighting Dallas diners at the sushi hotspot, Shinsei, for nearly two decades. Their more recent endeavors, Lovers Seafood and Dea, take their attention to detail and first-class service into fresh seafood dishes and European-style fare at spots around the corner from their Inwood mainstay.
LA BODEGA ROTISSERIE + GOODS
Grab-and-go organic rotisserie chicken, tons of salad options, and hearty sandwiches await at this bustling Bishop Arts District takeout joint elevated by Skye McDaniel. Fair warning: it could forever ruin other rotisserie experiences, it’s that good.
DIVE COASTAL CUISINE
Chef Franchesca Nor has been cooking in the Snider Plaza favorite for more than a decade. Healthy, light, and flavorful foods featuring fresh seafood and organic produce to craft salads, sandwiches, and entrees. The simple Fish on the Grill truly showcases the wonders of simple preparation and expert technique.
ZEN SUSHI & RESTAURANT BEATRICE
Chef-owner Michelle Carpenter gives diners the opportunity to enjoy the flavors of her Japanese and Cajun heritage at this duo of Bishop Arts District restaurants. Start with a bowl of vegan gumbo and Mammaw’s Fried Chicken at Restaurant Beatrice before heading to Zen Sushi for a few rolls and sake. (Vice versa works, too.)
MALAI KITCHEN
Yasmin Wages and her husband Braden have turned their original West Village Thai-Vietnamese restaurant into a beloved five-restaurant brand across DFW. Scratch-made is their mantra and can be found in everything from the sriracha sauce on the table to the beer on tap. No matter what you get in between, start with Fried Imperial Rolls and end with Coconut Cream Pie for dessert.
LOCAL
Located beneath the historic Boyd Hotel (circa 1911), chef/owner Tracy Miller put the same loving touch on every aspect of the restaurant Local that she and her team did when restoring the building. Since 2003, Local has been the standard bearer for fine dining in Deep Ellum. Try the tasting menu for the full culinary experience.
ODDFELLOWS, REVELERS HALL, JAQUVAL BREWING CO. & TRADES DELICATESSEN
It’s hard to walk through Oak Cliff’s Bishop Arts District without running into a concept from Amy Cowan and partner Jason Roberts. You could spend an entire day simply touring their businesses. Begin your day with breakfast at Oddfellows, grab an afternoon beer at Jaquval Brewing Co. and a sandwich from Trades Delicatessen, then wrap things up for the night with incredible New Orleans-style jazz at Revelers Hall.
SUSIECAKES
Thrill your sweet tooth with one of Susan Sarich’s scratch-made treats at her All-American bakery with locations all over the Dalla area among its 25 national locations. Buttercream-frosted cakes and cupcakes join giant cookies on the menu with seasonal offerings that capitalize on of-the-moment flavors and ingredients.
STIFFLER'S MOM'S COOKIES
If you’re a fan of the American Pie movies, you may chuckle at this bakery’s name. But rest assured, the sweet treats are no joke and owners Tammy and Rick Stiffler started selling cookies and other sinful creations at the State Fair of Texas in 1990 and have turned it into a year-round business on the Internet. But definitely stop by and say howdy during fair season.
COUPES
Amanda Hale and partner Eric Chiappinelli wanted to bring Dallas a classic, French-inspired Champagne bar with a small plates menu to pair tasty bites with sensational sips. More than 50 Champagnes accompany another nine or so sparkling wines for an effervescently enjoyable night on the town. Enjoy any selection with fresh oysters or a beautiful charcuterie board.
CAFÉ MADRID
For more than three decades, owner Donica Jimenez has given Dallasites the joy of authentic Spanish fare in her bustling restaurant and tapas bar. Everything on the menu here exceeds expectations, but the paella will truly make you feel like you’re in Spain if you simply close your eyes and take a bite.
