City Guide / Dallas

Dallas Neighborhood Guide: Downtown Dallas

By Bri Hand | Jul 27, 2021
Building in Downtown Dallas, Texas

If you’re planning on moving to Dallas, TX, you’re likely trying to figure out the best neighborhoods in Dallas, and which one would be the right fit for you. Downtown Dallas used to be a sleepy business district with corporate buildings and not much else. But it’s gone through a serious glow-up in the past few years, with chic new hotels, restaurants, luxury apartments for rent, and shopping options. Close to the Arts District and the trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood, Downtown Dallas is a convenient spot to explore all this city has to offer.

Thinking about finding an apartment for rent in Downtown Dallas? Here’s our guide to the best restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, outdoor attractions, gyms, nightlife, and transportation in the neighborhood.

Where to go out to eat in Downtown Dallas

Tucked in the back of what used to be Dallas’ main city hall, City Hall Bistro serves up excellent bistro classics in a mid-century modern space for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and Mediterranean apps and entrees make this Dallas restaurant a must-try spot. 

Head over to the hip Joule Hotel for CBD Provisions, an upscale yet unstuffy dining option that serves creative Texas-inspired and Southern farm-to-table cuisine. Start with the Tango Tuna Nachos, and be sure to try one of their perfect cuts of steak. 

Both meat and veggie fillings can be found at Empanada Cookhouse, an awesome fast-casual restaurant that serves some of the best Latin American food in town. We recommend the Beef Chimichurri and Three Peppers empanada fillings. 

Where to get groceries in Downtown Dallas

The Dallas Farmers Market is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with an open-air farmer’s market on Saturdays and Sundays. You’ll find everything you need at this dynamic food shopping complex, from food to wine and whiskey stores, and even a community garden! 

Whole Foods is another great grocery option for all your essential cooking needs. This grocery store is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (and opens at 8 a.m. on Fridays). 

Where to get coffee in Downtown Dallas

Also located inside the Joule Hotel, Weekend Coffee is a hip coffee spot that serves pour-over and espresso drinks, along with pastries. 

Be sure to also check out Stupid Good Coffee, whose name really says it all. Locally roasted beans and unique flavors like Nutella coffee make this cafe extra special. 

Nestled within the Dallas Farmers Market complex, Palmieri Cafe is a local favorite with house-roasted beans and pastries made from scratch. It’s the perfect spot to grab a drink to sip while you browse fresh produce. 

Outdoor attractions in Downtown Dallas

With beautiful city and river views, the 14-mile Trinity Levee Trail is the perfect place for downtown residents to run, walk, or go bird-watching. It doesn’t hurt that it’s dog-friendly, too! 

Another dog-friendly Dallas spot is Dog Run at Main Street Garden Park, a small city park with a well-maintained dog run right in the middle of Downtown Dallas that’s open 24 hours a day. 

City Sports Park offers indoor and outdoor courts for just about any sport. Check the organization’s website for pickup game hours, open play, and leagues you can join.

Local gyms in Downtown Dallas 

Many apartments in downtown Dallas have their own fitness centers, but if you want to venture out for a workout, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. A nice clean gym with plenty of space and machines for every need, Trophy Fitness Downtown is a local fitness franchise that also offers personal training and group classes. 

Crossfit Heat is beloved by the Crossfit community in Dallas for its high-quality equipment, well-trained instructors, and convenient location. 

You can also check out PRAG, a locally owned Dallas gym with top-of-the-line equipment and flexible gym hours.

Things to do in Downtown Dallas

With over 24,000 items dating from the ancient past to the present day, the Dallas Museum of Art has one of the best art collections in the entire country. You could spend a whole day wandering the halls of this magnificent museum. 

Just down the street from the Dallas Museum of Art is Nasher Sculpture Center, a small sculpture museum with some of the biggest names in the medium. Masterpieces by the likes of Alexander Calder and Richard Serra fill the indoor-outdoor grounds.

Primarily known as a nightlife hub, the nearby Deep Ellum neighborhood also has its fair share of decent shopping. Check out Deep Vellum Books, Deep Ellum Denim, and Flea Style

Nightlife and live music in Downtown Dallas

As if craft beer, craft cocktails, and good Texas eats weren’t enough, the happy hour at Jaxon Beer Garden is hard to beat. Check out $4 Texas drafts from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and after 7 p.m. on Sundays. 

Lee Harvey’s is a legendary honky-tonk bar in the outskirts of Downtown Dallas that will transport you to another time and place. With live music almost every night and cheap drinks to boot, this bar will have you two-stepping in no time. 

If you like craft cocktails and live music, head to Midnight Rambler, a chic subterranean bar beloved in Downtown Dallas. 

Transportation in Downtown Dallas

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) trains will easily get you downtown from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, but beyond that, you’ll probably rely on car transport. Commuter bikes and scooters are not as prevalent here as they are in other cities.

Land in a great apartment in Downtown Dallas

If you like the idea of moving to Downtown Dallas, Landing offers fully furnished apartments with flexible lease terms, concierge services, seamless transfers, and all the amenities and luxury you need. Browse our available apartments for rent in Downtown Dallas, or contact us to learn more about how Landing works.

Still looking for the right Dallas, TX, neighborhood for you? Browse our other Dallas neighborhood guides:

blog-cta-city-dallas
Bri Hand

Bri Hand is Landing's Content Marketing Manager. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her partner and dog, Arlo, but relishes any opportunity she can to travel so she can try new foods, see gorgeous sights, and daydream about living somewhere new after visiting there for less than 24 hours.