This month, we head to one of my Dallas-area go-tos: Eno’s Pizza Tavern. It offers an environment cozy enough for a couple on a date but is also a perfect place to celebrate with a group of friends or family. The key for me when dining has little to do with the hype surrounding it. Rather, it’s about environment, ingredients and execution. Eno’s consistently does all three very well.
Set in an old storefront in the Bishop Arts district of Oak Cliff, the restaurant features exposed brick and lots of wood—floors, tables and beams in the ceiling. Large multi-pane windows with metal frames provide some distinctive separation between the dining and bar areas. Eno’s had the rustic, industrial look down years before it became as popular as it is now for restaurants. It all adds up to a cozy space that doesn’t feel overly casual. Diners can be as relaxed as a group of college students or as professional as business people in suit and tie. It all works here.
Now the ingredients—the cocktail program and simple menu feature fresh-from-scratch recipes. The lunch menu is a pared down version of the full dinner menu, so I suggest going for dinner first so you can choose from a wider variety of everything the restaurant makes. Having frequented Eno’s for nearly six years, I have had the opportunity to sample a wide array of the offerings. The menu instructs you to “Start Here” with the appetizer selections. Top choices are: The Perfect Picnic, an excellent charcuterie board with artisan cheeses and meats; roasted bread, house-made bread and butter; truffle cheese bread, toasted house-made bread with melted cheese and truffle oil; and finally the Big Bruschetta, a slice of the house-made bread that supersizes what you imagine a serving of bruschetta to normally be!
You won’t find any pan or deep-dish pizzas here, which should be fine with anyone who cares about the flavors on top of the crust. Instead, the toppings reside on a paper-thin crust that is chewy inside with a lightly charred edge. The firewood-stoked oven makes quick work of merging the toppings and the crust. Each slice is so light and easy to eat that in no time at all, the pizza disappears. My favorites are: The Pig Smiley, honey, Benton’s ham, Eno’s spicy sausage and Calabrese pepperoni (the small ones that curl up when cooked); Moma’s Pie, oven-roasted tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil for a simple meatless classic; finally, the Supreme, red onion, black olives, mushroom, Eno’s spicy sausage and bell peppers to cover all the bases.
The execution is where Eno’s gets it right every time. Regardless of which day of the week or time of day it is, the staff consistently rolls out well-prepared food paired with speedy service. Take a group or take your significant other and enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail from their bar while you wait for your selections during what will surely be a relaxing evening.
ENO’S TAVERN
407 N. Bishop Ave. Dallas
214.943.9200
EnosPizza.com
As Southlake Style’s foodie fellow, James is passionate about discovering unique dining experiences in the DFW area by night while crafting high impact marketing strategies by day as founder of Audacious Think. A native Oklahoman, he now considers the hometown of his beloved Dallas Cowboys to be his own as well. Follow James on Instagram or Twitter: @james_a_reid