2021 Best Restaurants in Plano
Our team has assembled the best eateries in Plano, Texas. You can see our methodology here.
Looking for a badge to celebrate your awesome accomplishment? Find it here!
1. Whiskey Cake
Try the: Deviled Eggs
Also honored in:
“We’re serving up tasty farm-to-kitchen dishes & cocktails out of our from-scratch-only kitchen and bar. Microwave? Never heard of it. We use slow-cooking methods on our live-wood grill, smoker, and spit because food just tastes better that way.
We believe that local is a place as much as it is a way of eating. Everything on our menu is infused with and inspired by the local ingredients available each season. All of this goodness is served to you as you kick your feet up in our rocking chairs, dine at a fancy table, or relax out on our porch.”
2. Mexican Sugar
Try the: Chocolate Avocado Cake
“Sultry Latin Cuisine. A smart, stylish hacienda design meets the definitive southwest Tequila Library. We have redefined Latin dishes with bold flavor; created with locally sourced fresh ingredients. Discover unique small batch hand crafted cocktails and the intoxicating combination of local ingredients that are fresh and authentically Latin, a live wood grill and sultry Latin rhythms for the perfect Mexican comfort experience.”
3. Sixty Vines
Try the: Spicy Sausage Pizza
“Because you want to unwind. Because Tulum is still eight months away. Because it might turn into a date. Because wine should be fun, not complicated. Because you don’t need a reason at all. Great food and great wine go hand-in-hand, and at Sixty Vines we believe all of it tastes better together.
Come as you are and enjoy a new attitude about wine culture. It’s time we focus on food first, with cuisine inspired by the wine country and an open kitchen that delights every sense. It’s time to experience a better way to enjoy wine: on tap and perfectly selected to complement each dish. At Sixty Vines, we have the right pour for every palate. Because food tastes better with wine.”
4. Haywire
Try the: Chicken Fried Steak
“We live at the intersection of simple and sophisticated. Where hearty meets refined. Where low-key meets high note. We are part of the Texas story, you are a part of ours, and we invite you to take the journey through the Haywire experience.”
5. The Biscuit Bar
Try the: Hot Hot Chicken
“In late 2016, Jake and Janie Burkett welcomed twin girls, Brycee Jo and Blake, into their family and began planning their lives as new parents. Their joy quickly turned to sorrow with the unexpected passing of Brycee Jo due to a severe infection. Needless to say, their world came crashing down around them.
Throughout the following weeks, family and friends gathered around the Burketts to help them navigate their grief. As is often the case, food played a pivotal role in their journey towards healing. Though simple comfort foods were a staple, one item kept recurring on the menu: Biscuits.”
6. Lockhart Smokehouse
Try the: Deviled Eggs
Also honored in: 2021 Best Restaurants in Dallas
“Jill Grobowsky Bergus grew up steeped in the legacy of great BBQ. Her grandfather, Edgar “Papa” Schmidt ran the legendary Kreuz Market from the time he purchased it from the Kreuz family in 1948 until he passed it onto his sons in the 1980’s. Jill’s newlywed years in New York introduced her to the joys of cooking, as well as, eating at some of the nation’s finest restaurants. The family lore of BBQ became a frequent topic among ex-Texans in New York. She and her husband, Jeff, plotted ways to get home to Texas.
Fast-forward several years, and they are fulfilling one of their wildest dreams. Deciding the DFW Area needed a good Central Texas style BBQ place, kismet and Jack Daniels brought them Pitmaster Tim McLaughlin. His amazing culinary skills and expertise have crafted the vision from the start. And with the help of Kreuz Market, Lockhart Smokehouse is bringing the amazing smells and flavors that people have loved in Lockhart for over 100 years to the Greater Dallas area.”
7. Urban Crust
Try the: Wood Fired Bocconcini
“Urban Crust is a wood-fired Italian Pizza Restaurant and 32 Degree Rooftop bar located in Historic Downtown Plano. It offers authentic wood fired Italian pizza and a third floor ice bar that pours drafts at 32 degrees and shots at -5 degrees.”
8. Legacy Hall
Try the: Lobster Roll
“Legacy Food Hall is a fantastic gathering space for food, beverage, and entertainment lovers of all kinds. It’s a chance to immerse oneself in the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of a region by presenting a collection of culinary experts who are passionate about turning each meal into an experience. We call it food theater.”
9. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
Try the: Butter Cake
Also honored in:
“We have a long-standing tradition of hospitality in the Simms family and have gathered the knowledge and traditions of three generations to create something we hope will be a special place for you and your family. As a kid, I treasured my time spent enjoying the Rocky Mountains and now, more than ever, I cherish the time I get to spend there with my family. I’ve always wanted to find a way to share that small mountain town vibe. Inspired by unplanned adventures, an enduring love of food and fireside conversations, Lazy Dog was created to do just that.
We have sourced ingredients from places and farmers we love and respect. Each ingredient we use is carefully picked and prepared. We make every meal by hand each day, including all of our sauces, marinades and dressings. We also have a seasonal menu, which is our ode to the current season, and where we celebrate Mother Nature’s beautiful bounty the best way we know how. If you have any questions or feedback about our menu, please don’t hesitate to share them with us here. I hope we will be your home away from home!”
10. North Italia
Try the: White Truffle
Also honored in: 2021 Best Restaurants in Tucson
“At every one of our North Italia locations, our team is full of passionate and dedicated people who work hard every day to deliver the perfect handcrafted experience. We use only the best ingredients to create and serve consistently crave-worthy food, like our chef’s choice daily pizza and fresh pasta made from scratch daily. To us, nothing is quite as satisfying as sharing a dish of handmade pasta and savoring every bite, sip, and moment with the people who matter most. From the warmth that draws you in, to the vibrant energy letting you know you’re in for something special, the North experience invites you to indulge in not just what you taste, but what you feel.”