The December edition of CultureMap's monthly Where to Eat in Dallas column has a holiday theme. Celebratory meals are in the offing, and all you need to figure out is where to go.

Here are five Dallas restaurants for when you need a place for a large group, an affordable meal, a fun bar with great food, a quintessential Dallas classic, or the newest hot spot to impress your foodie friends.

Here's where to eat in Dallas right now:

Best quintessential Dallas: Mister Charles
You could go for the old Dallas cliches of steak and Tex-Mex but Dallas is better than that these days, thanks to new restaurateurs like Duro Hospitality, whose portfolio of restaurants — The Charles, Sister, El Carlos Elegante — all have great food and atmosphere to die for. Go to their buzziest concept right now: Mister Charles, the sophisticated bistro that opened in the former Highland Park Cafeteria space on Knox Street, which is one of the Dallas restaurants that recently earned a nod from the Michelin Guide.

Best fun bar with good food: Playwright Pub
For the times when you are not into officially Dining Out but want a drink and a decent bite to go with it, Playwright Pub fills the bill. This congenial Irish pub at One Arts Plaza in Dallas' Arts District is part of the same family as Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's, all of which share a great selection of whiskeys, scotches, and plentiful beers on tap — along with excellent renditions of fish & chips, Scotch eggs, shepherd's pie, and bangers & mash. It has a keen patio, too.

Best for a large group: Victory Social
Gourmet food hall just opened on the ground level of One Victory Park where it hosts six dining experiences, ranging from fast-casual to full-service; from coffee to cocktails; from outdoor to private dining. The multi-eatery is from Hospitality Alliance, who were previously involved with AT&T's Discovery District, and features concepts dedicated to trendy items including steak frites, fried chicken, tacos, an all-day-cafe, and Neapolitan pizza.

Best affordable meal: Taco Y Vino
Tacos are always an affordable option but this is about more than just cheap eats. Taco & Vino is a fun place where you can enjoy great tacos with a glass of wine. Before opening this cute Oak Cliff spot, owner Jimmy Contreras worked in the wine industry, giving him the expertise and know-how to promise a nice selection, which you can get by the glass or bottle (and even take a bottle home). Bonus points: They just won Best Patio in Dallas.

Best buzzy new spot: Le PasSage and Rose Cafe
Dallas being Dallas, there's a buzzy new place every week. But the Terminal at Katy Trail just welcomed two sibling restaurants: Le PasSage is an Asian-inspired concept with Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese dishes, such as green prawns with cashew, Peking duck, and winter squash. Rose Cafe is a French-Asian restaurant with quick bites, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including overnight oats, lemongrass shrimp summer rolls, cucumber-dill cream tea sandwiches, and pork shoulder bao buns.