With so much history behind it—from Bonnie and Clyde to its one-time status as Dallas’ busiest trolley line—the Bishop Arts District is been begging to be explored. So the folks behind Dallas Bites! and Dallas by Chocolate decided it was a natural for those who might wish to eat their way around the neighborhood, and learn about its past. The first Bishop Arts Walking Food & Historical Tour was held on the gorgeous afternoon of September 30, and it did not disappoint. Tour guide Jeanine Stevens led 16 hungry guests down alleys and over cobblestones to discover the area’s hidden treasures, both gastronomical and cultural.
First stop: Veracruz Café, which describes its menu as Mesoamerican, Mayan, Huateco and Aztec cuisine. Guests sampled such unusual appetizers as picaditas, a pizza-like arrangement topped with black beans, tomato sauce and fried cheese, and a salsa that featured guajillo chili peppers grilled with cilantro.
Walking past the old Rialto Theatre is Boomers on Bishop, a collection of small boutique stalls including Cigar Arts which specializes in micro-blended, hand-rolled cigars. Owners Rodger and Maribel Black provided a delicious feast that included both sweet (banana) and savory (pork) tamales from the in-house deli, as well as a sampling of sandwiches and potato salad.
Across Davis, the group settled in on the expansive patio at 303 Bar and Grill, savoring lump crabcakes, Asian bbq chicken sliders, crawdaddy mac and cheese and roasted bell pepper chickpea hummus that were set out by manager Jeromy Woodham. Walking west on Davis, the group rested and refueled at Bolsa Mercado, where chocolatier Steve Smith talked about and sampled his truffles. Cheeses, salami and bread from Village Baking Company rounded out the tasty offering.
If tour guests were not sated enough, there were also stops at Lockhart Smokehouse (original Kreuz Market smoked sausage links and refreshing watermelon mojitos), Emporium Pies (the Cloud 9 pie was ethereal) and finally at Dude, Sweet Chocolate. Asides on Oak Cliff’s millionaires, famous broom factory, mobsters and major league baseball stadium rounded out the colorful journey.
Stuffed or not, tour guest Kathy McElroy said she would do it all again. “What a fantastic tour it was. I think I was able to eat maybe just a little bit more since we did do some walking. Learned a lot and ate some wonderful food as well.”
The next Dallas Bites! Walking Food Tour will take place this Sunday, October 21 from 1-4:15 p.m., and monthly after that. For more information on the $35 tour, visit their website or call 972-814-5997. Stevens hopes to make these fun tours a regular occurrence in the Bishop Arts District. “This area is so full of history and great eateries that it is a not-to-be-missed adventure.”
