Hidden Dallas: How to Visit Like a Local
Proof that Dallas is much more than just cowboys and oil fields.
Image via Complex Original
Horses, oil fields, and cowboys are probably what you imagine if you're planning a visit to Dallas for the first time. While those images will certainly resonate in the great state of Texas, your expectations may be unmet in the heart of the city. Beneath the surface of these stereotypes lies southern hospitality mixed with Southwestern fare, as well as a culture that's rapidly evolving. Following this guide will help "y'all" get to know our city.
Kickstart With Coffee at Mudsmith
Location: 2114 Greenville Ave.
Start your day off by grabbing a cup of coffee. Since we have nine months of summer and three months of other seasons, you may fancy your caffeine cold. Hit up Mudsmith. It has the best aesthetic and no coffee snob pretentiousness. Try the Black & Blue—a nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee with a smooth and delicious taste. If you're feeling bold, get the house-made Iced Toddy. It's cold brewed over 24 hours, strong enough to fuel a horse, and will leave you wondering if Walter White made it. The walls are covered in original Dallas maps, classic magazines, taxidermy of various sorts, and a local artist has painted each restroom.
Get Your 'Gram on at Thanks-Giving Chapel
Location: 1627 Pacific Ave.
Cruise past all the JFK conspiracy theorists posing for pictures on the white "X" where our 35th president was shot and head to a little-known spot in Dallas—little-known even to locals. The Thanks-Giving Chapel in the middle of downtown is a spiral chapel that looks like soft-serve ice cream. Go inside during normal business hours, have a seat on the floor, give thanks for A/C, and stare up at one of the most spectacular sights in the city: a spiral stained-glass ceiling. It's breathtaking.
Get in Touch With Your Artistic Side
Location: Dallas Contemporary,161 Glass St.; Trinity Groves,337 Singleton
While most people may go to the bigger museums around town, we'd recommend seeing what is showing at the Dallas Contemporary. Outside, you can see the random Playboy Marfa display that recently made its way here after being excommunicated from the trendy rural town in Texas. And while Dallas isn't known for its street art, the citywide mural projects are great to see. International street artists like Shepard Fairey, Faile, Michael Sieben, JMR, and local heroes, The Sour Grapes Crew, have been brought in by the Dallas Contemporary to paint murals in the Trinity Groves area.
Eat the BBQ…
Location: 330 Bedford St.
So much of a city's culture can be found in the food. In Dallas, there's great BBQ. Enjoy it. After checking out some of the murals in Trinity Groves, hit up Babb Bros BBQ and have some incredible food. While it's not Pecan Lodge BBQ, you won't have to wait in line for an hour. Let's face it: Unless you're visiting from Kansas City or Memphis, Dallas has way better BBQ than most. (An honorable mention to Off the Bone BBQ and Lockhart's Smokehouse.)
But Don’t Forget the Tacos
Location: Fuel City Tacos, 801 South Riverfront Blvd.; Velvet Taco,3012 North Henderson Ave.; Torchy's Tacos, 5600 SMU Blvd.
For authentic Mexican street tacos, check out Fuel City Tacos. On the Southside of downtown, this taqueria is made up of one half of a gas station and is one of the most popular spots in Dallas. For bigger, more elaborate Texas-style tacos, try Velvet Taco, where they are open late and the Elote (corn) is to die for.
Or head to Torchy’s Tacos for the best chips and queso in town. Also, it’s the only place that features "Dublin Dr Pepper" on tap. Dublin Dr Pepper is made with cane sugar and was named for the soda factory in Dublin, TX. When the parent company forced them to stop production, a new company, Doppelganger, matched the flavor and saved "the nectar of the gods" for all of us.
Swing Yourself Silly
Location: 8787 Park Ln.
Imagine a driving range combined with a disco bowling alley and you’ve got Top Golf. It was one of the first franchises started here in Dallas and now it’s growing rapidly around the country. Grab a crew, rent a hitting bay, order some food, and work on your slice. Rookies, amateurs, and Tiger Woods wannabes will all enjoy.
Experience the Real Friday Night Lights
While most people will come to Dallas and drive out to AT&T Stadium for a formal tour (it's amazing, by the way), you can get an authentic Texas football experience by going to any local high school stadium on a Friday night in the fall. Pick any 5A or 6A classified school to see the future college and NFL stars of tomorrow. Dallas has some of the biggest stadiums in the country, but the beauty of this culture is that most towns support their teams regardless of size. From the tailgates to the halftime shows, it's an experience not to be missed.
See the Sunset
Location: 1409 South Lamar St.
Texas is known for its sunsets. The state is a large, flat expanse, which makes for monotonous road trips, but also beautiful sunsets. Tourists will hit Reunion Tower's observation deck, but a local will head to the South Side on Lamar lofts to try to catch a sunset from the rooftop. It helps if you know a resident, but if that fails, walk in like you own the place and take the elevator to the top floor. Once you're there, enjoy the sun setting over the west side of the skyline. As night falls, hang out and wait for the giant pink neon sign to turn on overhead. Then, under the pink hue, catch the best view of the city. Relax in the Texas breeze and think, "Dallas is way cooler than that TV show ever was."