Urbano Cafe, Dallas

Pint-sized Urbano Cafe in East Dallas is the epitome of a neighborhood restaurant – warm, intimate and very wallet-friendly. Local, seasonal ingredients means the chalkboard menu rotates often, but perennial menu staples tend to include fun Caprese “s’mores,” toasted crostini that sandwiches melty mozzarella cheese with tomatoes and sweet balsamic syrup. Depending on the night, guests might also order up pumpkin ravioli with sage-brown butter sauce, seared scallops over lemon risotto or down-home buttermilk fried chicken. The tiny space is simply decorated, with soft brown walls, a few framed black-and-and white photos and white tablecloths; with just nine tables, it doesn’t take many customers for the place to feel lively. A welcome BYOB policy with a reasonable corkage fee makes Urbano even more appealing, and if you forget to bring yours, there’s a well-stocked Italian grocery store located next door.