A Designer’s Guide to Dallas Dining

Here at Beyond Interior Design, we enjoy the overall experience that a restaurant offers. The multitude of flavors in a dish, the vibrant ambiance of the dining room and the vital energy of other patrons all add to your culinary affair. However, there is one additional aspect that can make or break it when it comes to choosing a place to dine: the restaurant’s interior design.

Of course we are slightly sensitive to this aspect since it is what we do best. A well-designed establishment can truly transform the way you view and approach a restaurant. So in case you need a bit of direction in planning for your next outing, we have got you covered. Let us present to you a Designer’s Guide to Dallas Dining.

Anise Food and Wine

Anise Food and Wine is a new Mediterranean wine and food bistro located inside the lobby of the Drey, a 38-room boutique hotel in one of Dallas’ revitalized districts. The restaurant offers chill vibes and large, shareable plates in a modern-Mediterranean space. Geometric accent tile covers the floor and bar while wishbone-style counter stools nestle your body as you enjoy a cocktail at the bar. If you are a wine sommelier, their floor-to-ceiling wine cellar will keep your palette entertained.

Monarch

Monarch is a wood-fired Italian restaurant with a modern aesthetic created by Two-Michelin Star Chef, Danny Grant and his team. The menu serves handmade pastas, fire-grilled steaks and fresh seafood (they feature a dish with a whole live Alaskan King Crab). But what really caught our attention was the detail in the design. The bar area is decorated with patterned accent armchairs and emerald, tufted dining chairs.

The dark floral wallcovering engulfs the room helping give the entire space a moody vibe. But the bar area isn’t the only space that is showing off its looks. The dining areas don’t hold anything back with sleek, sophisticated seating arrangements, mood lighting and bold tile and rug selections. However, the one single space that creates the perfect dining vignette is the neutral, ultra-modern take on a dining booth (see below). The gold-covered walls with the backlit, custom banquette create the perfect nook to enjoy an evening of culinary delight.

Paradiso

The next eatery on our list is Paradiso, the full-service, Southern European-inspired restaurant that is nuzzled in greenery. The indoor/outdoor dining space offers a menu for all occasions, albeit a limited one between 3:00 – 5:00 pm. The space is smartly designed with a fluid transition between the euro chic interior seating areas and the garden-inspired exterior space.

Bold artwork dresses the walls while an abundance of textures add depth against the mostly neutral setting. As you know, we love the use of plants to add life to a space and Paradiso does a superb job at incorporating an array of greenery throughout all areas. Bonus points for the black, iron doors that anchor the perimeter of the dining room as they open up to the outdoors.

Casablanca

Casablanca is a Moroccan-themed lounge with a retro-inspired karaoke speakeasy named Casanova. Chef Nick Hurry has curated a menu of flavorful bites and flirtatious starters that can be coupled with the adult libations served at the bar. Speaking of the bar, the accent tile that fully takes over the bar area is the highlight of this blog post! It is absolutely stunning in its bold glory. The design of the restaurant is, as anticipated, full of texture and neutral hues while creating a refreshingly, sultry feel at night. This is the perfect space to enjoy the Texas spring evenings that Dallas is offering.

A Designer Guide to Dallas Dining wouldn’t be complete without a few honorable mentions. Town Hearth (and its bright yellow submarine) and La Mina make our list for their bold design choices (and delicious menu). For a refined, more subdued selection, the Mansion Bar at the Mansion at Turtle Creek checks all of the right boxes with its piano-infused ambiance and rouge surroundings. And we couldn’t forget the RH rooftop restaurant at Restoration Hardware. Standing 3-stories above the busy Dallas shopping district, the restaurant offers the perfect mix of whimsical dining and minimal design. A shout out to the Cloud sofa! 

Did some of your favorite restaurants make the list? Let us know!