The Best in DFW

Abacus 

After a recent overhaul of the entire restaurant, including a sharp-looking redo of the bar and an augmentation of the wine program, Kent Rathbun's flagship is more of a draw than ever. It impresses continually that the restaurant can create a five-star dining experience (definably New American with some global-minded touches) in an atmosphere where you feel as comfortable decked out as you do in jeans – albeit designer ones.

4511 McKinney Ave. 214-559-3111. www.abacus-restaurant.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Aurora 

Aurora has been a steadfast showcase for the highest demonstration of longtime Dallas chef Avner Samuel's talent since 2003. Earlier this year, Mr. Samuel committed to serving more organic and locally grown ingredients. But with signatures like the potato chiboust with osetra caviar and green apple sorbet still available, it's clear he hasn't strayed too far from his heady, Francophile cooking style.

4216 Oak Lawn Ave. 214-528-9400. www.auroradallas.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Bijoux 

The guests at Bijoux often wear "special occasion" on their well-tailored sleeves. Chef-owner Scott Gottlich matches the formal atmosphere in this jewel box of a restaurant with seasonally revolving multicourse menus. Two knockout dishes from a late spring meal: Long Island duck breast garnished with foie gras fried rice and a fried quail egg, and halibut made luxurious with a surprisingly elegant eggplant purée and fresh baby artichokes.

5450 W. Lovers Lane (in Inwood Village shopping center). 214-350-6100. www.bijouxrestaurant.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Charlie Palmer at the Joule 

Scott Romano, the on-site executive chef, reflects the aesthetic of the restaurant's namesake chef-owner by offering a New American menu (with hints of European and Asian influences) that volleys confidently between tradition and innovation. Love the salumi plate and the homemade pasta. Brandan Kelley ably took the reigns of the wine program after the departure of master sommelier Drew Hendricks.

1530 Main St. (at the Joule hotel). 214-261-4600. www.charliepalmer.com. $$$-$$$$. Full bar.

Craft  

New chef de cuisine Anthony Zappola stepped seamlessly into the chef clogs of Kevin Maxey (who left to open the Atlanta outpost of Craft): The farm-to-table philosophy prescribed by chef-owner Tom Colicchio is carried out as subtly and soulfully as ever. Shout-out to pastry chef Shannon Swindle, who makes perhaps the finest seasonally inspired desserts in the city.

2440 Victory Park Lane (in the W Hotel). 214-397-4111. www.craftrestaurant.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Fearing's 

Been to Fearing's lately? It's as frenetic as the day it opened a little over a year ago. That's the magnetism of Dean Fearing, who tirelessly works the varied, gorgeous rooms of his restaurant and oversees the kitchen crew that creates dishes that are a little bit Southwestern, a little bit fusion and have a whole lot of personality. A recent check-in meal included an admirably restrained wild striped bass with crab succotash.

2121 McKinney Ave. (in the Ritz-Carlton Dallas). 214-922-4848. www.fearingsrestaurant.com. $$$$. Full bar.

The French Room 

As executive chef of the Adolphus hotel's venerable dining room, Jason Weaver may be the lowest-profile high-end chef in Dallas. You never hear much about him, but he and his staff quietly prove themselves as provocateurs with their graceful, occasionally daring New American cuisine. (If you're new to this restaurant, the French went out of the French Room some time ago.) For the uninhibited, Mr. Weaver recently introduced a 14-course Grand Tasting blowout.

1321 Commerce St. (at the Adolphus hotel). 214-742-8200. www.hoteladolphus.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana 

Lanny Lancarte II, a member of the clan that owns legendary Joe T. Garcia's, has a seductive cooking style that is tricky to categorize: Think of it as energetic New American technique crossed with the cuisine of Mexico's upper cultural echelons. Or don't think much at all – simply enjoy his individualistic food. If the foie gras chile relleno or the sea bass with homemade angel hair is on the menu, consider yourself blessed.

3405 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth. 817-850-9996. www.lannyskitchen.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Lola the Restaurant 

Just from glancing through his ever-changing menu, you can tell that executive chef David Uygur is the kind of cook who still really loves food. He cures his own meats, with glorious results. He takes chances, though his dishes never come off strange or overly experimental. And, given the quality and the obvious attention to detail, Lola still feels like a bargain. (And if you like quiet, romantic restaurants, this is your place.) Owner Van Roberts cultivates one of the most exciting and stunningly affordable wine lists in town.

2917 Fairmount St. 214-855-0700. www.lola4dinner.com. $$$-$$$$. Wine and beer.

Mansion Restaurant at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek 

John Tesar took over the Mansion's fabled kitchen and has made it his own with dishes like vanilla-bean-speared foie gras and Alaskan king crab in a duo of butter sauces. The main dining room is an appropriate introduction to his cooking, but if you really want to sample the measure of his powers, splurge on the prix fixe-oriented Chef's Room, or the Chef's Table, where Mr. Tesar personalizes your fantasy meal.

2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. (entrance on Gillespie Street). 214-443-4747. www.mansiononturtlecreek.com. $$$$. Full bar.

The Mercury Grill 

After an uneven experience last year, a recent dinner at the Mercury revealed the heart of executive chef Chris Ward's culinary sensibility. The man is a classicist who can take trendy ingredients (such as pork belly) and exotic seasonings (like Moroccan preserved lemon and spices on a lamb shank) and treat them in a way that feels at once fresh and comforting. He and his staff also make a mean lobster soufflé, and the sensuality of the signature pearl couscous carbonara never grows stale.

11909 Preston Road. 972-960-7774. www.mcrowd.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Nana 

Anthony Bombaci has a boundary-pushing culinary perspective that enriches our dining scene. You don't expect fillips of molecular gastronomy while eating in Nana's staid dining room atop the Hilton Anatole, but he pulls it off in playful whimsies like tuna tartare with wasabi pea "gravel" and lamb scented with "liquid licorice." Don't worry, there's plenty for conservative palates, too.

2201 N. Stemmons Freeway (27th floor in the Hilton Anatole). 214-761-7470. www.nanarestaurant.com. $$$$. Full bar.

Stephan Pyles 

Stephan Pyles, a deserving giant in our culinary scene, has repeatedly proved himself to be a chef who combines a sense of place with a feeling for the current culinary pulse. These days, that means silky, Peruvian-inspired ceviches; banana empanada with spit-roasted pig and cardamom; and whole fish fleetingly perfumed with vanilla. The bone-in cowboy rib eye and the Heaven and Hell cake will never leave the menu, nor should they. Newly installed executive chef Tim Byres has fine-tuned the kitchen admirably.

1807 Ross Ave. 214-580-7000. www.stephanpyles.com. $$$-$$$$. Full bar.

York Street 

If we could have but one wish come true for the Dallas dining scene, it would be to have more restaurants headed by chefs with aesthetic values similar to Sharon Hage's. Less flash, more inspired simplicity. Her intelligent but light-handed way with salads, her unapologetic use of unusual meats, her devotion to seasonal and local ingredients: Go and taste for yourself why Ms. Hage is spoken of with near-universal reverence in this town.

6047 Lewis St. 214-826-0968. www.yorkstreetdallas.com. $$$. Wine and beer.

How we choose

Selections are based on recent reviews and dining experiences by Dallas Morning News restaurant critic Bill Addison and other regular reviewers, including Kim Harwell, Michael Hiller, Kim Pierce and Lawson Taitte.

When you see this symbol in on GuideLive.com, you'll know that location is a critics' pick. Critics' picks are presented alphabetically, without ranking. For more details on our price key and star ratings, check GuideLive.com's Restaurant Frequently Asked Questions. To join in and view other dining features, check the Restaurants page at GuideLive.com.