Lorena Garcia Tapas y Cocina: As the name suggests, this place is for small plates and bar eats. Options include arepas, gratin, Cuban ropa vieja, and a full bar with beer, wine, and basic cocktails. By gate A33.
Dallas Cowboys Club: A heavily branded restaurant and bar serving up Tex-Mex and burgers. Sports will, obviously, be playing, and there’s a wide selection of wine, beer, and cocktails to choose from. By gate A22.
Pappasito’s Cantina: Plenty of guac options if you’re looking for something on the lighter end of this barbecue-filled airport. There’s also Tex-Mex staples, tacos, and quesadillas. To drink, there are enough Margarita and Paloma variations to keep you well satisfied before takeoff. Pappasito’s also has an outpost in Terminal C. By gate A28.
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que: Pull up a chair and prepare to be uncomfortably full. The Salt Lick serves up barbecue platters with bread and three sides. For breakfast, there’s big breakfast burritos and breakfast tacos. The beer list is limited, but if you like the barbecue sauce, you can buy a bottle and take it home with you. By gate A16.
Cousins Bar-B-Q: Another airport barbecue restaurant, but this one is above all others. It’s the airport outpost of one of Texas’s beloved smokehouses with lots of smoked meat options and all the sides you could ask for. By gates B12 and B43.
Cantina Laredo: Mexico City-inspired food like tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, and carne asada. To drink, get the Casa Rita, which is the spot’s twist on a traditional Marg. By gate B28. Also has an outpost in Terminal D.
Hickory: Airport food — even airport barbecue — has a reputation for being shuttled through security pre-cooked or almost pre-cooked. Hickory smokes some of its meats right on site. By gate B20.
Rodeo Bar: A small and quick place to jump in for a glass of wine, cocktail, beer, shot of whiskey, or shot of whiskey alongside a beer. By gate B32.
UFood Grill: Healthy eating options aren’t exactly DFW’s strength. UFood Grill is here as one shining savior with a menu that lacks any hint of a frier. By gate B40.
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: Gulf-inspired meals like jumbo shrimp and fish served up with New Orleans cocktails like Hurricanes and Sazeracs from the bar. By gate C14.
Bleu Mediterranean Bar: Upscale Mediterranean food and a full bar for the Martini types. By gate C11.
Pappasito’s Cantina: Plenty of guac options if you’re looking for something on the lighter end of this barbecue-filled airport. There’s also Tex-Mex staples, tacos, and quesadillas. To drink, there are enough Margarita and Paloma variations to keep you well satisfied before takeoff. Also has an outpost in Terminal A.
Whitetail Bistro: Set aside some time, if you have it, for upscale French-Texan bistro food at Whitetail. Think quail and open-faced tri-tip sandwiches. A daily selection of macaroons are available for dessert. By gate D22.
Banh Shop: The specialty here is obviously the banh mi, but there’s a full range of Vietnamese cuisine like soups and noodle dishes. It’s good food fast. By gate D10.
Abacus: Seafood, upscale snacks like foie gras, cocktails, and wine. By gate D22.
Cantina Laredo: Mexico City-inspired food like tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, and carne asada. To drink, get the Casa Rita, which is the spot’s twist on a traditional Marg. By gate D24. Also has an outpost in Terminal B.
Cru Food & Wine Bar: The list of wines by the glass and by the bottle is long — especially for an airport wine bar. Food is on the lighter end if you’re looking for a barbecue reprieve. By gate D27.
Shinsei: An upscale sushi restaurant that’s an outpost of a beloved restaurant in Dallas proper. Along with the sushi, favorites include garlic-pork potstickers. By gate D31.
Stampede 66 Express: Modern and upscale Texan and Southwestern dishes in a casual setting from chef Stephen Pyles, who’s largely credited with bringing Southwestern food to the forefront. Come for the barbecue and Tex-Mex. By gate D27.
Love Shack: Texas burger and fries joint. By gate E11.
Blue Mesa Taco & Tequila Bar: The name says it all here. Fill up on tacos and tequila drinks (or wine or beer if that’s more your speed) before your flight out of Dallas. By Gate E31. 