Named as the number one place to buy property in 2017, the city of Dallas is having a moment – especially as a centre of international business and culture. Here's out pick of where to eat and drink while you're in town on business.

Coffee pit stop

Weekend
Despite the name, Weekend 
is open daily from 6.30am to 6pm. Located at the foot of 
The Joule hotel, this sleek 
white establishment – think bohemian barista meets Apple Store – prides itself on using high-quality ingredients, including beans from Seattle’s famed Victrola Coffee Roasters. Simply relax with a newspaper and a steaming cup of the flavoursome Empire Blend.
1511 Commerce Street, Downtown 


Breakfast meeting

Ascension
Light, bright and airy, Ascension is perfectly positioned in the middle of Downtown within easy walking distance of many of the major hotels. Founded by an Australian, Russell Hayward, this cheery café-restaurant is the ideal place to host an upbeat early-morning meeting from 7am. The croque madame eggs Benedict is a perennial favourite. 
1601 Elm Street, Downtown 
 

Dallas Business Traveller's Guide – Where to Eat and Drink

Dining alone

Mercat Bistro
Tucked away in dainty Harwood – an arty district between Downtown and Uptown – Mercat Bistro is lively and welcoming without being even remotely overbearing. There are plenty of seats for 
solo diners at the chic metallic bar. Alternatively, small Parisian-style tables dotted about the bistro are perfect 
for one. The French-themed menu is exemplary and includes possibly the best steak tartare this side of the pond.
2501 North Harwood Street, Harwood 

Business dinner

Fearing’s
Run by celebrity chef Dean Fearing (aka “the father of Southwestern cuisine”), this establishment is known for hearty Texan food served with a fine-dining flourish. Standouts include the Dr Pepper-braised Rosewood Ranch short ribs with whipped potatoes and crisp tobacco onions. There’s prime celebrity-spotting to 
be had, too. Fearing, who 
is also a musician, sometimes treats diners to an electric-guitar performance. The restaurant benefits from its position on the ground floor 
of The Ritz-Carlton hotel and staff will happily customise 
a menu or arrange a private room for larger groups.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 
2121 McKinney Avenue, Uptown 
 

Drinks with clients

The Tipsy Alchemist
High-end and hipster in equal doses, The Tipsy Alchemist looks like the conflation of an industrial laboratory and a boutique hotel. The theatrics involved in cocktail creation (think tubes, funnels, liquid nitrogen) are invariably impressive but the finished products alone are worth 
the journey. Try the Smoking Barrel Old Fashioned served with brûléed vanilla sugar.
2101 Cedar Springs Road, Uptown 
 

Dallas Business Traveller's Guide – Where to Eat and Drink

Tip

Dress up a little. Dallas is a very fashion-focused city and people tend to err towards the smarter side, particularly for meetings and dinner. Gone are the shoulder pads and power dressing of the ’80s TV series but a blazer and smart shoes goes a long way, even 
in a relaxed bar environment.

SEE ALSO: A Business Traveller's Guide to Dallas Hotels

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