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(From October 2009) There’s nothing finer than champagne and Brie while gazing at the fabulous Dallas skyline from the terrace of this über-hip bar. And if you’re of a mind, there’s also a grilled chicken sandwich with sautéed spin-ach, red onion, and sun-dried tomato aioli or a salmon salad melt with Gruyère on toasted ciabatta, both served with copious amounts of fries. Although there are no desserts at the bar, the servers will happily whisk over a slice of buttermilk pie (crisscrossed with puckery blood orange reduction) from the Cliff Café, the hotel restaurant a few steps away. Bar.

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(From April 2009) While its menu may not be as extensive nor its setting as grand as those of the cafe at the Kimbell, in Fort Worth—the benchmark by which all museum cafes should be measured—this casual new cafeteria-style dining venue across from UT’s Blanton Museum of Art is well on its way. Choose from a varied light menu designed by UT chef Josh Watkins (formerly of the Driskill Hotel), including yummy flatbread pizzas, crisp build-your-own salads, and panini (we raved over the Italian, with prosciutto, smoked ham, salami, and provolone). Visit the adjacent gift shop on your way out. Beer & wine.

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(From November 2009) If you find yourself racked with hunger while strolling the lovely grounds of Laguna Gloria art museum around lunchtime, you needn’t flee for sustenance: 34th Street Café is now serving up tasty pre-made sandwiches and salads. We enjoyed the roast beef with Gouda and horseradish, particularly its spongy poppy seed bread.

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(From October 2008) This charming spot promises “Scandinavian tapas,” offering an intriguing selection of little dishes like lobster chowder with crawfish and a salad of greens, grapes, and kiwi. Give serious consideration to the shrimp in phyllo with spinach and Gorgonzola. Or ponder a choice of Danish or Swedish meatballs. Lunchtime specials include comfort foods like chicken and dumplings and open-faced sandwiches. Bar.

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(From November 2009) New to the hip Austin Triangle development, this Colorado chain has people going cuckoo for a childhood favorite: grilled cheese. And not just a slice of cheddar stuck between two slices of bread (although you can get that too). Just about every combo of meats, cheeses, breads, and condiments can be tried. We liked the Yoga Teacher, with turkey, avocado, spinach, and a tangy Italian dressing pressed on seven-grain bread with gooey Provolone to boot. Next time, we’re going for the French Kiss, a romantic union of Gorgonzola and sun-dried-tomato spread on focaccia.

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(From March 2009) Once just a cute neighborhood market with scattered seating for food from the deli, Cissi’s has revamped its entrance area into a wine bar serving a limited menu of nouveau bistro fare. Sitting at the window beneath the twinkling lights wrapping the mammoth oak tree outside, we started with wafer-thin waffle-cut potato chips dusted with savory Gruyère shavings. A grilled date wrapped in crispy smoked bacon made a perfect sweet-salty snack. Pork rillettes served with pickled quail eggs and warm fresh bread made us happy, but it was the sugary doughnut served with salty toffee that nearly got a standing ovation. Now that chef Deegan McClung has left to go to Jeffrey’s, some of the dishes may well change. But the general idea remains the same, for now. Beer & wine.

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(From October 2008) Well, we knew progress would catch up with this tiny hamburger joint; it now offers five candy bars for dessert rather than the solitary Snickers bar formerly on the menu. But we stick with tradition. Everyone knows that it’s all about the burgers anyway, and the ambrosial crispy onion rings. Try the chicken-fried-steak burger—it’s over the top. Beer.

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(From December 2009) With family photos lining the walls, this erstwhile corner store dishes up dependably delicious, straight-up Italian food. We dug into the lunch special, a pork chop flanked by a generous serving of spaghetti in marinara sauce, and then splurged and went for the Toscana: al dente fettuccine in a piquant wine sauce enriched by chicken, artichoke hearts, and capers. Beer & wine.

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(From October 2009) In a spectacular front row seat overlooking the intersection of Corpus Christi Bay and the Ship Channel, we had a satisfying light Starving Artist lunch of half a panino-style sandwich plus a (large) cup of outstanding roasted red pepper soup. One of our favorites, the Southwest Caesar—crisp romaine with chicken, black beans, tomatoes, crisp tortilla strips, Parmesan, and chipotle Caesar dressing—can be viewed as “light” only if you take home half in a doggie bag. Bar.

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(From June 2009) The medium of choice for this fixture in the artists’ mecca of Edom is food. Well-known around these parts for its delicious pastries and designer burgers, EBG is branching out, sharing recipes on its Web site and offering cooking classes. On a recent lunch visit, the Reubenesque (a very stylish corned-beef-and-Swiss) spoke to us, as did the Shrimp Louis salad, presented with homemade bread. Once a month, EBG hosts a “gourmet night”; in February, for Mardi Gras, the menu offered alligator eggs. Hmm.

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