The Absolute Best Deep-Fried Foods You Can Find in Dallas

Jalapeño-chive hushpuppies

Remedy

Lower Greenville

Before any sizeable meal can proceed at this modern soda shoppe-themed spot, you absolutely must start with these spicy-sweet spheres of fried cornmeal. If the pepper flecks aren’t enough of a kick, take these puppies for a dunk in the accompanying North Carolina-style hot sauce butter.

3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House

Fried pickles

3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House

Frisco

One Southern specialty that Texans adore is the thin-sliced fried pickle, so it’s only fitting that this purveyor of that other Texan obsession -- barbecue -- should serve it. Here, the dill pickles are cut daily and hand-breaded to order, so you can be sure that your batch is fresh, sizzling-hot, and primed for pairing with your brisket.

Velvet Taco Dallas

Crisp tots and local egg

Velvet Taco

Knox-Henderson and Fort Worth

You wouldn’t expect much in the way of fried fare from a taco spot, but Velvet Taco’s got just enough American in it to make that a thing. Fresh-out-the-fryer tater tots are tossed with shredded cheese and topped with a sunny side-up egg, which can either make for the best breakfast ever or an incredible side to any number of tacos on the menu.

Courtesy of Public School on Tap

Crispy buffalo cauliflower

Public School 214

Uptown

In case you’re ever craving the tempting flavors of Buffalo wings without the mess (or the meat), PS214 has you covered. This wildly popular appetizer sees cauliflower tossed in red-sauce flavor and breadcrumbs, fried and served alongside blue cheese aioli and Buffalo sauce. One taste and you’ll see why it’s easy to forget drummies and flappers.

Courtesy of Brian Hilson

Danger Dogs

Jonathon’s Oak Cliff

Oak Cliff

The only danger these dogs pose is of the gastronomic kind: you might find yourself overstuffing your face with them. It’s pretty hard to resist sausage links dipped in pancake batter and deep-fried to crunchy perfection. They come with a side of spicy mustard for dipping, but, trust us -- pancake syrup makes for a finer companion.

Sopapillas

El Fenix

Downtown, other locations

Nothing tops off a fantastic Tex-Mex meal than a plate full of steaming-hot sopapillas, and this legendary local legend has perfected the fried-dough dessert. Tossed in its traditional cinnamon-sugar mix, it’s a hit, but El Fenix dolls up the classic all year round, with timely twists on the original, including different shapes and colored sugars to match certain holidays and even special seasonal toppings like summer peach and ice cream.

Courtesy of Bubba’s Cooks Country

Fried chicken

Bubba’s Cooks Country

Park Cities

Fried chicken has got to be the granddaddy of deep-fried awesome things, and this SMU-adjacent, Airstream trailer-looking spot serves an incredible rendition. And since Bubba’s is famed for its classic bird, it’s fresh-fried on an almost endless loop and steaming-hot, whether you pick it up in the drive-through or eat it inside the ’50s-styled diner.

Courtesy of Shana Anderson

Fried hard boiled egg

Pakpao

Design District and Preston Hollow

This appetizer at the local Thai micro-chain is an unusual but satisfying starter to an authentic southeast Asian meal. Hard-boiled eggs are fried, split in half and topped with a sweet-and-sour tamarind glaze, onions, and herbs. Don’t knock the candied-eggs thing until you’ve tried it; the talented kitchen makes it work.

Farah Fleurima/Thrillist

Blue Balls

Blue Sushi Sake Grill

Preston Hollow and Fort Worth

In addition to having the most scandalous name, this small plate is easily the most exotic on this list: spicy crab is stuffed into aged tofu shells that are then wrapped in a strip of sushi seaweed. Then the whole shebang is tempura batter-coated and deep-fried. The result is a sweet-savory union that makes for a light snack and begs for an unfiltered sake.

Farah Fleurima/Thrillist

Kennebec French fries

CBD Provisions

Downtown

We know -- fries are the simplest of all deep-fried delicacies. But that's why we all love them so. And upscale gastro-tavern CBD Provisions has the best around, using a two-step process to turn out the most sinfully crispy-outside-fluffy-inside French fries we can find.

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Farah Fleurima is a Dallas-based word wrangler who loves her gin and tonics as crisp as her bacon. As a professional food stalker and beer/cocktail/straight-liquor tippler, she loves to write not just about her culinary conquests, but also her frequent travels. You can check out more of her musings at TheDallasDiva.com.