Lucia

David Uygur cures every meat Lucia serves in a room he built for it, about eight of them on the board a night, and the prosciutto on the board now has been hanging two and a half years.1

Why go

Uygur came back from a trip to Italy twenty years ago wanting to cure meat, started small as the chef at Lola, and now runs a salumi room inside a small restaurant in Bishop Arts.1 6 The MICHELIN inspector calls the cooking clarity and comfort over excess.2 The pastas are made in house and the menu moves with what Texas growers have.2 6 The room holds a Bib Gourmand from the MICHELIN Guide's first Texas selection in 2024 and kept it in 2025.11 The James Beard Foundation made it a nominee for Outstanding Restaurant in 2023 and Uygur a nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2024, and in 2026 the nomination was pastry chef Maggie Huff's, in Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.12 3 4

Order this / avoid

Order: the salumi board. The Dallas Observer calls it chef David Uygur's prized salumi board, and every meat on it was cured in the building.7
Order: at least one of the seasonal pastas. Rachel Pinn says not to leave without one.6
Start with the brown butter old-fashioned. The Observer's line on it is one of the best drinks we've ever had.7
Drink Italian. The inspector's note on the list is a strong focus on Italian bottles.2
Avoid: counting on a table. There are nine, and the bar seats that open up hold one or two.6

What locals & experts say

RJ Yoakum, chef at Sushi Kozy: David Uygur is super talented. Any pasta he makes is great, he makes probably the best culatello I've ever had outside of Italy with his charcuterie, but that's if you can get in. It's one of my favorite places in Dallas, and it's definitely a staple.8
Bruno Davaillon, chef at Georgie, asked where he eats now: Otaru Sushi & Handroll Bar, Lucia, Encina, Xaman Cafe and Ayahuasca Cantina. I live in Oak Cliff, and it's great to have good restaurants in the neighborhood.9
Eater Dallas, Rachel Pinn, Spring 2026: chef David Uygur makes a night at Lucia an experience. This tiny spot is still one of the toughest reservations to land in town.6
The MICHELIN inspector on the two owners: Husband-and-wife owners David and Jennifer Uygur have built a beloved Bishop Arts destination, where David leads the kitchen and Jennifer welcomes guests with genuine warmth.2

Good to know

There is no fixed menu. The dishes change daily, so go with whatever the kitchen has.6
A handful of seats are kept back for walk-ins, and the bar often has room for one or two.2 6

Verdict

must-visit — An Italian room that cures its own prosciutto in a salumi room rather than buying it in, and makes its pasta the same day. Order the salumi board and whatever pasta is on that night, start with the brown butter old-fashioned, and if the tables are gone take two seats at the bar.