15 Places to visit in Dallas if you love to eat and shop

Exploring Dallas

After reading that Dallas is the ninth largest city in the U.S. and that it has 14 entertainment districts, we thought we needed a car to move around… but the question is, did we really need it? No. There are several ways to move around the city and it is honestly so gorgeous that you want to walk around and explore. There is a free trolley where you can hop on and off easily, there’s a metro and taxis everywhere. On the contrary to Miami or cities like New York City, there is easy access to street parking anywhere — in case you are like us and want to rent a car too.

We were also very lucky because I have a close friend, Ashley from Ashes into Fashion, whose husband used to live in Dallas and they were visiting Dallas for the weekend. They were our tourist guides and we feel like they took us to the best of the best. We tried to visit as many places as we could… so here it is, our Dallas City Guide.

And be sure to look out for the giant B&G letters around the city, do your best pose to make the “I” in big and share! We found so many fun ones during our weekend.

Mi Cocina

My friends were very excited to take me to this place because they feel it is authentic Mexican. We went to the Highland Park Village location (more on that below), but they have three locations in Dallas. The place was very fancy (I’ve heard celebrities go there frequently!) but the price point was really good, with an average of $12. We first ordered some guacamole (so delicious!) and “Crispy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes” (100 percent recommended… wait, 110 percent). 

http://www.micocinarestaurants.com/

La Duni

This place is known for their brunches and we couldn’t miss that. The place was full when we got there, which was a good sign. My husband and I shared the “Huevos Finos” (poached eggs with potatoes and baked ham) and the “Butter Brioche French Toast.” This place also has a bakery and it looked great for ordering cakes for special occasions.

http://laduni.com/

Sugar Skull

The concierge recommended this place to us for breakfast on our last day. We got there and it was all tacos… I’ve never had tacos for breakfast so it was definitely an experience. I ordered an “El Cabrito” (a taco with egg, goat cheese, avocado and spinach) and it was just $4.50. My husband ordered a breakfast plate called “Migas” (eggs, potato, beans and a tortilla).

http://sugarskullcafe.com/

Zaguan

I am from Venezuela and I was curious to see if there was any Venezuelan restaurant in Dallas. I was very excited and nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect… but they met my expectations. If you need a break from tacos and barbecue in Dallas, head to Zaguan and try something different. To start, try the tequeños (they are kind of cheese sticks, but calling them cheese sticks doesn’t do them justice). My friends who are not Venezuelan called the tequeños a religious experience (yes, they are that good!). We also tried Venezuela’s national plate called “Pabellón” (it’s shredded beef, white rice, black beans and sweet plantain). Everything was delicious, 100 percent recommended.

http://zaguan.com/

Houndstooth Coffee

After an early flight and a day of exploring, we needed a coffee break. We stopped by Houndstooth Coffee. We loved how it breaks the mold of the typical coffee franchises. You could tell their staff did not only make coffee, they had baristas that crafted them.

http://www.houndstoothcoffee.com/

Braindead Brewing

This place is located in the middle of Deep Ellum (one of our favorite areas, more on that below!). We stopped to try the beers mainly because we were drawn by the cool decor of the place (and the cute servers with tattoos are a plus!). They also serve food, which looked delicious.

http://www.braindeadbrewing.com/

Buda Juice

I love organic cold-pressed juices; I saw Buda Juice and instantly wanted to stop by. The place was all white and very inviting; they let us try as many juices as we wanted. I’ve done a couple of three-day juice cleanses and I didn’t know what to expect. I like the fact that offering samples will give you an idea if you want to try the juice detox there. I tried a couple but the day was so hot that we needed something refreshing. I went for #1 Green Juice with apple, celery, cucumber, ginger and kale.

http://www.budajuice.com/

Highland Park Village

If you are looking for high-fashion stores, this is the place to be! This is the country’s first outdoor planned shopping center and there you can find stores like Hermès, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Christian Louboutin, Saint Laurent… you name it!

http://hpvillage.com/

NorthPark Center

This is the first indoor climate-controlled mall and it is also considered one of the “7 Retail Wonders of the Modern World”; it has more than 235 retailers, restaurants and deparment stores. It also features works of art from Andy Warhol, Frank Stella and many more artists… a museum where you can shop!

http://www.northparkcenter.com/

Harry Hines Bazaar

We visited a Mexican market a couple of minutes away from Downtown Dallas. Our friends took us there to see the Mexican community in Texas and it was truly a fun experience. I had a blast; there they sell tons of wholesale items. We saw some gorgeous clothes for a fraction of what you would pay at the mall. We also got a ton of Mexican candy — by the way, I had no idea they put chile in any children’s candy… it’s different but I really liked it!

Lula B’s

Also located in Deep Ellum, this is a true vintage store with something for every budget. With thousands of square footage and two stories, they sell furniture, clothes, accessories, shoes, electronics and everything in between. I saw so many unique home decor items that I wished I could have taken in my bag back to Miami.

http://lula-bs.com/

Milk & Honey

This boutique was gorgeous! The store has a bohemian vibe and the price point is $50 on average.

http://www.milkandhoneydallas.com/

Klyde Warren Park

This 5.2 acre urban green space was our first stop on our trip and we were instantly in love with the city. There were so many little things that make this park great: There’s a park for kids, food trucks with delicious food, books to read and more. They even offer free activities every day like yoga, Zumba, Tai Chi and Salsa. It connects Uptown, Downtown and the Dallas Arts District.

http://www.klydewarrenpark.org/

West End Historic Dist.

Built in the 1800s, I love the history behind this area. It is also known for JFK’s assassin. Two must-sees in the area: The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial and The Sixth Floor Museum.

http://dallaswestend.org/

Dallas Museum of Art

This major art museum is located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas. It features more than 24,000 objects from 3000 B.C. to the present day. The general admission is free every day and special exhibitions are $16.

https://www.dma.org/

Trinity Skyline Trail

This was one of our favorite spots because you get to see the skyline of the city. This used to be an old bridge that is now only available to pedestrians and bicyclists. There is a playground with colorful climbing blocks, lounge chairs, a meditation labyrinth and a spray fountain.

Goodbye Texas

After enjoying Dallas for a couple of days, we kept thinking that we would move there in a heartbeat if a job opportunity arises. We are already planning to go back soon and explore more — there’s so much to do and to see that a weekend is definitely not enough! Hope you enjoyed my Dallas City Guide! If you are from Dallas or you have visited the city before, let me know what places I missed in order to add them to my Dallas bucket list!