Due to the now-past Thanksgiving break, I wasn’t able to find time to sit down and review a restaurant. Instead, I enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals from my family.

To compensate, I’m going to discuss my three favorite local restaurants in the Dallas area. I’ve lived in Dallas my entire life, have visited many restaurants around here and can guarantee these are some of the best you’ll find.

My favorite lunch and dinner spot is J&J Deli. When it comes to choosing a restaurant to go to with my friends for lunch or dinner, getting take-out with my family, or enjoying a meal on my own, J&J is always a name that gets thrown into the hat.

J&J offers a variety of food ranging from subs, sandwiches, flatbreads, salads, platters, wings. You name it, J&J has it. My personal favorites from here are boneless chicken bites with mild sauce. They are incredibly crisp, not overly saucy, and have the perfect amount of breading.

I enjoy just about all the subs they offer, but my go-to is an Italian sub with banana peppers. Side dish wise, my favorite is their parmesan truffle fries.

Moving back to earlier in the day to breakfast, my favorite is Bagel Art Bakery, which specializes in, well, bagels, of course. Bagel Art, known to us locals simply as “Bagel,” offers a huge selection of bagels, as well as a huge selection of cream cheese flavors. They also offer breakfast sandwiches with your choice of bagel serving as the bread.

Their bagels and cream cheese have both sweet and savory options, allowing you to kill your breakfast cravings. My favorite bagel combo on the savory side is a toasted multigrain bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese. On the sweet side, I enjoy a toasted plain bagel with chocolate chip cream cheese. If you haven’t done so already, give this place a try.

When it comes time for a celebration or a “fancier” dinner is in order, take a trip to Lum’s Fernbrook Inn, which offers some of my favorite seafood. Obviously, they don’t have only seafood, but that’s my go-to here. Their menu offers meals from the land, air, and sea, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy. When I’m looking for a lobster dinner, Lum’s is where I go.

When I’m at Lum’s and not feeling lobster, I go for the fried scallops. Without fail though, every time I’m here I start with a dozen of their baked clams, which never disappoint. If you’re looking for a good meal, Lum’s will always have your back.

If you’re going to be in town over winter break, take a friend and try any of these restaurants. If you’re out of town over break, ring in the spring semester with any of these. You won’t regret it and may just find a new local favorite.