Arguably one of Dallas' most sophisticated restaurants, Abacus doesn't come cheap but what you get tastes seriously good. Food is cooked in an open kitchen and the menu is heavy on meat, although there are some excellent pasta and fish options. The best part though, is the cleverly edited (and very extensive) wine list.

Located inside the Ritz Carlton hotel, Fearing's is Dallas at its most Dynasty – and is usually awash with oil barons and cowboys who have made a killing. As a result, the food is souped-up Americana – think buffalo in place of beef and the best fried chicken on the planet. Check out the El Diablo bar next door too.

Run by local chef Stephan Pyles, Flora Street serves a modern take on Texan food alongside classic south-western dishes. Located inside a chic glass and wood cube-style building, highlights include the butternut squash salad and the lobster tamale pie. For those who want to try everything, there's a tasting menu. Don't forget to try one or some of the cocktails either.

The menu might be based on the ultra-fashionable Paleo diet but there's nothing dull about the food at HG Sply Co. Think lots of nuts, seeds, meat and vegetables – but transformed into tasty dishes such as quinoa burgers, pulled pork tacos and a filling grains and greens salad. The décor is quirkily cool to boot.

Trying to ignore the front table and glass case filled with lavish sweets is impossible, but save those for last. First, savour the grilled Argentinian-style Picanha steak with chimichurri mojo or the Brazilian-style roasted chicken. Wash it down with a mint-infused mojito – they're the best in town.

One of the best places in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for Tex-Mex food; the tasty fare and the lovely lakeside location make it worth the 40 mile drive from Dallas. Highlights include the avocado enchiladas and the corn tortilla soup – although there are burgers and steaks for the meat-minded.

A real old-fashioned burger joint, Maple & Motor specializes in fully loaded burgers – think a fat patty topped with cheese, bacon, grilled onions, jalapeno and a fried egg to boot. You won't be able to get your mouth round it but it will taste oh-so good. The nursery-style sides include tater tots and onion rings, while the drink of choice is ice cold beer.

Cheap and cheerful but, as they say in Texas, darn tasty. Rodeo Goat is a quirkily named burger joint that makes its own organic beef patties from scratch and serves them up with a variety of calorific accompaniments – think freshly-made fries and 'Texas caviar' (pickled black-eye peas salad).

The first Sonny Bryan's opened in 1910 and the menu hasn't changed much since – although that's all to the good. Expect every sort of BBQ meat imaginable, along with classic sides such as ranch beans and potato salad all served up ranch style. Puddings include old-fashioned sweet treats such as cheesecake.