If Austin boasts that it has more restaurants per capita than any other place in Texas, and is thus its restaurant capital, Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City. These restaurants, in contrast to Austin's, are more gourmet affairs than college-friendly, although there's always enough range from expensive to inexpensive to keep the visitor fed regardless of pocketbook.

The food is diverse, if Southwestern style cuisine seems to be Dallas's pride, and thus often its most expensive fare. Lovers of mesquite can only be pleased. But any type of food, no matter its reputation, can be found gourmet-style here, and Dallas is best known for its barbecue, Mexican, and Tex-Mex cuisine. Even steakhouses, perhaps associated with ranches and cowboy d‚cor, can show up in buildings you might think better suited to French-style ritz. What "genre" of food is served makes little difference as to how is served and where, and the restaurants range from the casual to the ultra classy. Why, food critics say that some of the best restaurants in America are here.