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10 best patios in Dallas have been nominated for 2024 Tastemaker Awards

Dolce Riviera's elegant patio

Photo courtesy of Dolce Riviera

Dallas does not lack for patios, but which are the best? Which combines pretty views, comfortable seating, good food & drink, all with a connection to the great outdoors?

Patios are the subject of this installment in our 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, our annual awards event honoring the best in Dallas food and drink.

Every year we celebrate industry pros for awards in 10 categories, with the nominees spotlighted in a special editorial series. We've already profiled candidates for Rising Star Chef, Neighborhood Restaurant, and Bars, and now we've arrived at the 10 finalists for Best Patio, as voted by our panel of esteemed judges.

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on May 16 at the Fashion Industry Gallery, where we'll toast the nominees, while indulging in bites and sips. Tickets are on sale now.

These are the nominees for Best Patio in Dallas, in alphabetical order:

400 Gradi
Hotshot pizza concept caused quite a buzz when it opened in 2019 as the first U.S. location from Australian chef Johnny Di Francesco, a food TV favorite who has appeared on shows such as MasterChef Australia, The Mentor, and Everyday Gourmet. The pizza is fantastic, the service is swell, and there's a nice list of Italian wines. But the surprise is the patio, a spacious haven facing busy Ross Avenue, across from the DMA, with plenty of people watching and an urban aura that summons the East Coast.

Dolce Riviera
Nestled in the heart of the Harwood District, this fine-dining Italian concept is from Harwood Hospitality, a company that always configures its outdoor spaces carefully. Their goal was to re-create the spirit of the world's best-known resort, the Côte d'Azur. The ambience is light and airy, with blue hues inspired by the Mediterranean Sea, blue & white tablecloths, comfy banquettes, and European-style gardens with long, crawling plants throughout the space including an actual lemon tree.

El Carlos Elegante
Mexico City-inspired eatery in the Design District from Duro Hospitality has earned raves for its innovative food menu and standout mezcal program, as well as its global list of wines and champagnes. But as befits a Duro concept, the setting is also a stunner: an oasis of soft lighting, vibrant colors, and mid-century modern Mexican decor. There are front and back courtyards sporting retractable roofs, plus fountains and fireplaces that round out the perfect cozy space, begging you to linger all day and night.

Fearing's / Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas from acclaimed chef Dean Fearing is a perennial best-of list maker, for its creative Southwest food. But it wins on atmosphere, too, with no less than seven dining experiences, ranging from the intimate Chef’s Table to the famed Live Oak patio. Enclosed by a privacy wall of hedges, it's a sanctuary in the center of the city, and elegantly outfitted with a gondola at the center, massive fireplace, and various swanky seating options, all under the graceful canopy of several large oak trees.

The Libertine Bar
Laid-back yet cosmopolitan gastropub in a vintage building on Lower Greenville was ahead of the curve in the craft beer trend and remains a reliable place to get a good beer on tap. They've also always had way-better-than-average bar food and cocktails, and offer generous happy hours, like Fridays from 12-7 pm. In 2017, they added the missing piece: a street-side patio with wooden benches, umbrellas, and hanging plants with ringside views of Greenville Avenue - now one of the hottest tables for Sunday brunch.

The Playwright Irish Pub
Irish pub at 1722 Routh St. is prospering in a location that previously saw numerous establishments come and go. Their formula includes good pub food at moderate prices, lots of beers on tap, hundreds of whiskeys and scotches, plus consistent and late-night hours. The space has an expansive patio which spills onto the courtyard of One Arts Plaza and also wraps around the front of the restaurant, where diners get views of the bustling Dallas Arts District and a backdrop of downtown.

Sidecar Social
Massive restaurant-bar-entertainment venue in Addison's Village on the Parkway has a little of everything: food, drink, games, big-screen TVs, outdoor stages, live music, karaoke - and a cozy patio facing Montfort Drive. Built on a wooden deck platform, it's a casual space that carefully incorporates mature trees which have been at that location dating back to when it was a Harold's clothing store; now those trees are blanketed with strings of festive lights. (A second Sidecar with an even bigger patio opened in Frisco in 2023.)

Sundown at Granada
Sundown at Granada is the historic Granada Theater’s younger next door sibling, and it’s all about patios. At 3520 Greenville Ave., they’ve got a rooftop patio as well as a covered patio, outdoor heated patio, and a rooftop patio. They have a solid beer selection and an innovative menu with plentiful vegan options. They've become known for rooftop movie nights, and they’re also a popular destination for a Sunday patio brunch or for grabbing a drink after a show at the Granada Theater.

Taco Y Vino
Taqueria and wine bar in the Bishop Arts District is beloved both to its Oak Cliff neighbors as well as local foodies and fans of hospitable founder Jimmy Contreras, whose experience as a wine rep not only inspired him to do a place combining tacos with wine, but also to create a notable wine list that makes it an oenophile destination. It's set in a cute white house with a spacious patio and backyard area with shady umbrellas and hanging twinkling lights. It’s comfy, casual, and colorful.

Wriggly Tin
Beer and pizza joint with its own in-house brewed beers is famous for being situated in a Quonset hut at 1906 S. Haskell Ave., whose interior has been transformed into a character-filled space lined with unique trinkets and charm. But it's their extra-large patio space that truly stands out. Enthusiastically dog-friendly, it boasts pristine landscaping, umbrellas, lazy lean-back chairs, and an aqua-and-white color scheme to complete its relaxed, summery vibe.

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Hotel News

Retro-chic hotel debuts with restaurant from Dallas chef Stephan Pyles

Celestina Blok

"Hell's Eggs" at The Seeker.

A hipster motel and restaurant starring Dallas celeb chef Stephan Pyles has debuted in Stephenville, 109 miles southwest of Dallas: Called The Interstate Inn, it's now open with a retro-chic theme that summons the '60s. Its on-site restaurant, The Seeker, a modern Texas cuisine concept will open January 30.

Named for its location at the intersection of two major highways — US-281 and US-67 — the Interstate was formerly a Caravan Inn that first opened in 1965. The development comes from Mod Motels, a Dallas-based hotelier led by siblings Lisa Lennox, Cathy Bonner, and Kirk Bonner. The trio has a passion for traipsing small town Texas highways to remodel roadside motels into dreamy destinations. (Other upcoming projects on their list include The Mimi on Main in Fredericksburg – slated for 2026 – and Iron Springs Lodge in Whitney, set to open later this year.)

Each of the 33 rooms pops with a retro-styled wallpaper in bold patterns with shades of fuchsia, orange, and yellow. Shag rugs and curvy furniture dot the premises in both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The outdoor pool evokes Palm Springs with its pale pink chaise lounge chairs and turquoise and white umbrellas.

Two rooms feature cheeky period-era surprises: a waterbed, and a vibrating bed operated by a vintage coin machine. (“Try it you’ll like it,” the coin collector says.)

There’s also a 1960 white Cadillac Coupe Deville convertible with pink leather interior that sits at the Inn’s circle drive for photo opportunities upon arrival. The vehicle is part of Lisa and her husband Eddie’s car collection.

Design credit goes to Neal Stewart Designs of Dallas, who also incorporated Western touches with artwork by Texas artists in rooms and the lobby area, and pieces from the owner’s private collections. Rates start at $329 a night.

The Seeker
As for the collaboration with Pyles on The Seeker, Lennox says it was a natural fit.

“His ability to elevate every dish with creativity and precision perfectly aligns with the elevated experience we strive to offer at Interstate Inn and The Seeker,” she says. “What better place to showcase his culinary genius than at the gateway to the Hill Country and the beginning of West Texas? We’re thrilled to have such an iconic figure as part of our journey.”

With a more modern design than the Inn, The Seeker is anchored by a 360-degree craft cocktail bar and offers booth, banquette, and table seating for nearly 90, a covered patio area for 40, and a separate private space called the Cork Room that can accommodate up to 80 and features Asian-inspired wall art and a ceiling made of cork.

From the main dining room guests can see the open kitchen where Pyles and his team will prepare upscale Texas dishes like grilled bobwhite quail salad with port poached pear, arugula, compressed beets, and local Veldhuizen blue cheese ($18), and lobster tamale pie with paddlefish caviar ($21). “Large Plates” range from Pyles’ honey-fried chicken ($24) to a bone-in cowboy ribeye ($59). Other items include an array of salmon, ahi tuna, and shrimp ceviches ($14 each or try all three for $25), and “Masa,” which includes Wagyu brisket tacos ($12) and pork belly huarache ($12).

There’s also a “Breads & Pickles” category influenced by Southern flavors offering Shiner Boch beer bread ($10), blue corn skillet sticks ($10), and watermelon rind pickles ($8). “Sweet Endings” range from butterscotch pudding ($10) to Heaven and Hell Cake ($12) made with peanut butter powder and raspberry sorbet.

Pyles will have a presence in the restaurant early on and throughout the year for menu planning, staffing, and training. He’ll also host six culinary weekend getaways per year, the first of which is scheduled for Valentine’s weekend. The package includes a two-night stay starting Friday, February 14 beginning with an evening of champagne and chocolates from Katherine Clapner, of Dude, Sweet Chocolate and a protégé of Pyles. A Saturday morning Valentine’s cooking class will be hosted by Martha Hopkins, author of Intercourse: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook. There’ll be a four-course dinner Saturday night with drink pairings, and a Sunday morning “Brunch Fiesta” featuring tacos, tamales, and tequila. The price is $1,250 per person for double occupancy or $1,500 for single occupancy.

Celestina Blok

"Hell's Eggs" at The Seeker.

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