COMFORT FOOD, ELEVATED

CONSTANT CRAVING

Go gourmet when indulging in comfort goods with these immensely satisfying dishes — Pete Northway

A spread at Eataly

Mister O1

Italian chef Renato Viola entered the US under the O1 visa category for people of “extraordinary ability,” which, in his case, relates to pizza. He has since built an international empire of pizzerias whose latest outpost opens this fall on Oak Lawn Avenue. At Mister O1, thin-crust pizzas are crafted from rested dough and topped by traditional as well as unique combinations. Consider the scrumptious Star Michele filled with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Italian tomato sauce, grilled eggplant, zucchini, and roasted peppers. There are plenty of options for meat eaters as well, plus calzones, salads, antipasti, and even dessert pizza pies. mistero1.com

TJ’s famous lobster roll

Chef Renato Viola

The Star Michele

TJ’s Seafood Market

Family owned, this eatery-market combo has built a devoted following and earned multiple accolades since its debut in 1989. Among its most heralded dishes is the lobster roll — freshly steamed Maine lobster sautéed with butter, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest, and nestled into a brioche bun. TJ’s has also won “best of” citations for its fish and chips, fish tacos, smoked salmon, and cocktail shrimp. Basically, you can’t go wrong. TJ’s has locations on Oak Lawn at the edge of Highland Park and another at Preston Royal shopping center. tjsseafood.com

Rodeo Bar

Situated in a corner of the historic Adolphus Hotel downtown, the Rodeo Bar reopened in January with a modern refresh after being shuttered in 2018. The cowboy-themed tavern pays homage to its past with neon bar lights, vintage photos, and rodeo memorabilia. It’s all about the burgers here, and the house smashed special is stacked with premium 44 Farms beef, American cheese, house pickles, onion, and smoky mayo sauce atop a potato bun. Other quintessential Texas dishes are guacamole, green chili queso with chips, and banana pudding. Live music starts at 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday in the bar’s Back Room. Adolphus.com

Beef bourguignon Rodeo Bar burger, chili, queso and chips

Toussaint Brasserie

This comfortably chic restaurant fronts the Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas Downtown Hotel on Elm Street. Its French menu sports Vietnamese and Thai accents as well as classics like beef bourguignon — a heartwarming stew of braised wagyu beef, bacon, potato puree, mushrooms, and carrots served with toasted baguette. Other standbys are French onion soup and prime wagyu steak frites. Toussaintdallas.com

Muchacho Tex Mex

Fewer things are more comforting than Tex-Mex for natives of the Southwest. Muchacho Tex Mex, founded by James Beard Award semifinalist Omar Flores, elevates the cuisine’s staples with dishes like mesquite grilled fajitas al carbon with steak, chicken, crispy pork belly, or marinated Spanish octopus. The El Paso native brings a taste of his hometown to this spot’s menu and ambiance. Take in the authentic Southwestern décor with a signature margarita like the El Muchacho blended with Lunazul Tequila Blanco, Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao, agave, and lime, which can be served on the rocks, frozen, or with a sangria swirl. Muchaco’s is centrally located at the Plaza at Preston Center. muchachotexmex.com

Steak fajitas

Whistle Britches

Southern comfort is the name of the game at Whistle Britches, another concept from James Beard Award semifinalist Omar Flores. The goal here is the tastiest, juiciest, and crunchiest bird in Dallas-Fort Worth. Flores pairs his signature pickle-brined chicken with southern staples like freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, fluffy Belgium waffles, and crispy corn fritters. You can’t beat the namesake Whistle Britches sandwich, a buttermilk biscuit topped with honey butter, pepper jelly, and that crispy chicken. Enjoy it with fried green tomatoes and a Smoked Old Fashioned for a down-home-done-right experience. Whistle Britches has outlets in North Dallas, Plano, and Southlake. whistlebritcheschicken.com

Agnolotti del plin al sugo Eataly

Eataly at NorthPark Center specializes in gourmet Italian products, and it’s got you covered if you’re not able to cook. Visit pasta bar Il Pastaio any day of the week to sup on handmade pasta dishes that have roots in north, central, and southern Italy. Agnolotti del plin al sugo, for instance, originated in Piemonte in northern Italy in the 12th century. The pasta is named for its shape – “plin”, meaning “pinch,” references the pinched sides of the pasta pockets. Each pillow is filled with braised veal shank, soffritto, short rib, sausage, and Parmigiano Reggiano and then poached in a beef reduction. One of Eataly’s most famous dishes is tagliatelle all Bolognese, which originated in Bologna. The dish is made with golden pasta ribbons cut to a very specific size – 0.6 mm thick and 8 mm wide. It’s topped with traditional Bolognese sauce of beef, prosciutto di Parma, veal, pork, onion, carrots, celery, tomato paste, white wine, and chicken stock that has all simmered for hours. eataly.com

Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar

This sophisticated bistro with a garden is a mainstay of Harwood District, a posh neighborhood nestled between Victory Park and Uptown. Accented by the brick of the onetime parochial school for which it’s named and hung with unusual Samurai trappings, Saint Ann’s focuses on elevated classics crafted with local ingredients. There’s plenty here to invoke nostalgia, like southern shrimp and grits made with cheddar grits, corn succotash, pickled onion, spiced tomato, and lemon butter, and chicken fried steak paired with whipped potatoes, green beans, and bacon gravy. Remember, Chicken Fried Steak Day in Texas is Oct. 26. saintanndallas.com

The dining room

Nantucket seafood pasta

Urban Seafood

Bringing New England flavors to downtown Plano, Urban Seafood is known for its warm lobster rolls, wood-grilled fish, an oyster bar, and house-made pasta. “I grew up in Sardinia, an island off the coast of Italy, so seafood is like second nature to me,” says chef and partner Salvatore Gisellu. A house speciality is Nantucket seafood pasta - linguine, shrimp, mussels, and clams bathed in a spicy marinara. Other standards are New England Clam Chowder, creamy garlic slaw, and cioppino fish stew. Finish with chocolate truffle cheesecake. urbanseafoodcompany.com

Dr. Burger

Atipico

One of Dallas’s newest restaurants, Atípico is a Mexico City import that boasts “atypical” international menus for lunch and dinner. Relish the fan-favorite Dr. Burger – cream-cheese-stuffed sirloin, cheese fondue, arugula, and dried tomato packed between two buns and served with truffle potatoes. Also binge-worthy are cheese puffs of fried cream cheese and gouda served with Japanese-style barbecue dip. Pair bites with a Ya Maika cocktail made with Wild Turkey, jicama, chocolate, and lemon. Atípico founder and CEO Claudia de Murga named the beloved beverage after one of her six daughters. Located downtown on Akard Street, Atipico also operates two restaurants in Mexico City. atipicous.com