Once considered little more than a suburb of Dallas, Plano’s population has more than doubled since the mid-‘90s and is now a thriving city in its own right. Gone are the days when residents had to brave the Tollway to get a decent meal; now many Dallasites, not to mention travelers from other parts of Texas and beyond, travel to eat in Plano.
Plano has range, with restaurants that spotlight global cuisines, fine dining establishments, classic old-guard institutions, top notch coffee shops, and even a fish market with a speakeasy inside. While crowds flock to the Downtown area and the Shops of Legacy, the hidden gems are worth seeking out, too. Let this list function as a starting point as you begin eating your way through Plano.
Brya Zan Thai Noodle + Brew
This fast-casual Thai spot from the husband-wife team behind Malai Kitchen (a Thai-Vietnamese fusion restaurant with four locations around the Metroplex) is all about customization. Choose your protein and preparation—including drunken noodles prepared with house-made noodles, panang curry, and basil fried rice—and modify ingredients to your heart’s content. Brya Zan is a Thai restaurant and brewery in one, so pair your meal with a Peach Tea Wheat beer or a Malai Thai-P-A. 1909 Preston Rd., Plano, bryazan.com
Uchiko Plano
When Hai Hospitality brought chef Tyson Cole’s Uchi to Dallas in 2015, the city rejoiced, and the Japanese restaurant, as well as its sister restaurant Uchibā next door, have remained local favorites ever since. The brand’s newest addition in the Metroplex, Uchiko Plano, is similar to Uchi, but adds depth to the menu with dishes cooked on a wood-fired grill. Try interesting sushi options, like soft-shell crab maki with apple and fried shallot, before digging into lobster from the hearth. 7801 Windrose Ave. Ste. H 150, Plano, uchiko.uchirestaurants.com/location/sushi-plano
Whiskey Cake
This restaurant that changes its menu with the seasons and sources from local farms may have 12 locations around the U.S., but it is nothing short of a Plano institution. Find it bustling any night of the week, as regulars flock for goat-cheese fondue made with Texas olive oil, rotisserie-fired chicken with roasted vegetables, and of course, whiskey cake: a sticky toffee cake in a bourbon-based custard sauce, topped with spiced pecans and whipped cream made in-house. 3601 Dallas Pkwy., Plano, whiskeycake.com
Mama Vicky’s Pupusas y Mas
Although it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of place, this unassuming restaurant slings the best Mexican-Salvadoran fusion food Plano has to offer. A thick tortilla, stuffed with various fillings, the pupusa is to Salvadoran cuisine what the taco is to Mexican cuisine. Here, you can get both, but seeing as tacos are a dime a dozen throughout the Metroplex, take this opportunity to try any of the seven pupusas on offer, including chicharron, flor de calabaza, or bean and cheese. 1112 E. 15th St., Plano, mamavickeysplano.com
Flamant
From the team behind Apothecary in Dallas, Flamant is the newest restaurant in the collection, known for live-fire European cooking, innovative cocktails, and seasonal pop ups. Flamant’s awe-inspiring aesthetic, with crystal chandeliers, a cubist wall mural, and sprawling patio with fire pits, is another reason to venture in. 5880 State Hwy. 121 Ste. 103-b, Plano, flamant.restaurant
Seabreeze Fish Market and Grill
The fish on the menu is flown in fresh, while the lobster rolls come two ways: New England-style, tossed with mayo, or Connecticut-style, served warm with butter. But Seabreeze is more than a fish market and restaurant—it has a hidden speakeasy, too. Named The Wilfred after the owner’s dog, the intimate cocktail lounge is tucked inside the market. Here’s a hint for getting in: The password is the year we landed on the moon. 4017 Preston Rd. #530, Plano, seabreezefish.com
West African Way
At this cozy West African restaurant, sample flavors from the owner’s home country the Gambia, including a hearty peanut stew called Domoda, as well as recipes from throughout the region, like beef or lamb Benachin, a one-pot rice dish with plenty of spices. Try one of the traditional West African drinks, like Baobab from the Baobab tree. In Africa, people make the drink by picking the fruit pod, pouring water directly inside, and giving it a shake. 1405 Jupiter Rd. #116, Plano
Lemma Coffee Co
This specialty coffee shop with three locations in the Dallas suburbs is the place for aficionados. At Lemma, they’re serious about coffee, working with small importers to source beans from the best coffee regions all over the world. In Plano, relax with a Lemma Latte and a pastries from Montecito Bakery, surrounded by exposed-brick walls and clean polished wood floors. 1023 E. 15th St., Plano, lemmacoffeeco.com
WON BBQ
Watch servers grill meat right at the table at this Korean-Chinese fusion barbecue restaurant. Start with a soup or stew, like the kimchi-tofu soup or spicy short rib stew, and then choose among various cuts of pork and beef for grilling. Unique dishes from the kitchen include a northern Chinese dessert called silk pulling sweet potato: The fried potato is covered in molten sugar, so when you pull off a piece, you’ll get a long, silky sugar string. 1301 Custer Rd. #360, Plano, wonbbqtx.com
Vickery Park
This restaurant with its straightforward menu, always-bustling bar scene, and classic-rock wall art will warm you up any night of the week. It’s a great place to play a little shuffleboard, meet locals, throw some darts, and enjoy a few craft beers and a burger. 1011 E. 15th St., Plano, vickeryparkplano.com
Wu Wei Din
This restaurant earns plenty of accolades for its classic Taiwanese cuisine, and for good reason. The expansive menu features five varieties of beef noodle soup—one of Taiwan’s signature dishes—along with more than a dozen kinds of dumplings. There’s something for nearly every craving, whether you’re looking to branch out or settle into familiar Chinese restaurant favorites like lo mein and Kung Pao. 1505 N. Central Expy., Plano, wuweidinchinesecuisine.com
Ye Ole Butcher Shop
This iconic meat-lover’s haven has been around for more than half a century and has racked up quite the crowd of regulars. An order-at-the-counter spot with deer trophies on the walls, Ye Ole Butcher whips up jumbo buffalo burgers, hot link sandwiches, and sausage on a stick. It’s a restaurant and butcher shop in one, so stay for a burger or grab a side of beef to go. 811 E. 15th St., Plano, yeolebutchershop.com
Lily’s Café
Start your day with a traditional Guatemalan breakfast at this all-day café with white tables and blue chairs. Hearty options like El Chapin include chorizo stir-fried with jalapeño, tomato, and onion, and come with eggs and beans. Go back for dinner and try any of Guatemala’s signature dishes, like a chicken curry called Pepian. 3100 Independence Pkwy. Ste. 299, Plano, sites.google.com/lilyscafeplano.com/menu/home
Better Than Sex
This dessert restaurant makes a bold claim, and it backs it up with red drapery, exposed brick, and mood-setting chandeliers. Better Than Sex is date-night ready with tantalizing sweets like the Smokin’ Smorgy Cheesecake and suggestive cocktails such as the Stiff One, a salted caramel Old Fashioned. With tables seating two to four, the dessert haven satisfies with with chocolate-rimmed wines and vanilla bean ice cream balls squirted with Callebaut white chocolate. 1010 E. 15th St., Plano,betterthansexdesserts.com
Pappalecco
In the heart of Downtown Plano, Pappalecco is a sun-soaked all-day café. Led by husband-and-wife duo Jolly Chen and Chi Yan, the Italian café is the first in Texas and energizes with personalized lattes made with the counter-side EVEBOT coffee printer. For lunch, enjoy paninis and salads before indulging in gelato churned in-house. 1009 14th St., Ste 600, Plano, pappalecco.com…