Dallas

Dallas is not a city that does things quietly. The steaks are enormous. The cocktails are serious. The art museums are world-class. And the Midnight Rambler — in the basement of the Adolphus Hotel — is one of the best cocktail bars in America. Gerald came to Dallas expecting Texas clichés and found a genuinely sophisticated city.

THE BARS

Midnight Rambler in the basement of the Adolphus Hotel is the best cocktail bar in Texas. The programme is rigorous, historically informed, and genuinely excellent — built around classic cocktails executed with precision and a few original creations that reward curiosity. The space is beautiful: low ceilings, leather banquettes, and a long bar that feels like it belongs in a 1930s speakeasy.

THE FOOD

Dallas takes its steaks seriously. Knife Steakhouse in the Highland Hotel is the best steakhouse in the city — dry-aged beef, excellent sides, and a wine list that takes Texas wines seriously. For something more casual, Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum serves the best brisket in Dallas: 14-hour smoked, served on butcher paper with pickles and white bread.

THE ART

The Dallas Arts District is the largest urban arts district in the United States. The Nasher Sculpture Center has one of the finest collections of modern sculpture in the world; the Dallas Museum of Art is free and excellent. Spend a morning here before lunch at Knife.

DEALEY PLAZA

Dealey Plaza is where President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The Sixth Floor Museum in the former Texas School Book Depository is one of the most moving museum experiences in America — a meticulous reconstruction of the events of November 22, 1963. Go in the late afternoon, when the crowds thin.