New to Oak Cliff/ West Dallas - What are your favorites? (Fort Worth: apartment complex, hotel)

[JS86]

I am excited to be moving to NOC!

Hoping for recommendations on parks, restaurants, live music, grocery stores, coffee shops…

Specifically : is kessler parkway an actual park or just a green space by the road?
Is the trinity trail good for running, or just a scenic view?
Is the Belmont hotel still worth a visit, or is the view blocked by the new high-rise?
Where are the best areas for walking / bike riding?
Any places recommended for live music in NOC?
Is bishop Arts good for nightlife, or more of dinner/shopping only?

Any good grocery markets?
Any fruit / agua fresca places?

Any places to avoid?

If parking in a gated apartment complex just in an outdoor parking area with controlled gate access, is it worth it to pay for the private garage parking? Have already had a car break in at the Oak Lawn area so wondering if its better to be safe…(nothing valuable was in site and car is not anything special)

(I am also new to Texas in general)

Thanks in advance!

[Aceraceae]

Joy Macarons
Lockhart Smokehouse
Zolis Pizza
Taqueria El Si Hey

[TrueDat]

Yes, the Belmont is still cool to visit though the view isn't what it once was. For a good bar with a patio (though no view), also check out The Foundry (almost directly across from the Belmont).

As for some of your other questions:

Off-Site Kitchen for burgers

Veracruz or La Calle Doce for Mexican

Eno's for cracker-crust pizza

Lucia for Italian

Spiral Diner for vegetarian

Lockhart's for barbecue

El Si Hay for a taqueria

Oddfellows or Jonathon's for breakfast/brunch

The Texas Theatre for art house movies (and the occasional concert)

The Kessler for live music

Bishop Arts is mostly for food/bars. There used to be a jazz club there but it left many years ago.

The area remains severely under-retailed in terms of grocery stores. Cox Farms is good for produce and some basics but it's not great for everything. Sylvan Thirty development was supposed to have a butcher by now but that never happened and Cox carries very little meat because they presumed a butcher would be part of the development. The Tom Thumb on Hampton is not great. There's also an Aldi's on Fort Worth Avenue and a couple of Fiestas in the area. There's also a small place called Urban Acres but I understand they're becoming less of a store and more of a restaurant now.

Kessler Parkway is the street with the trail running alongside.

The Trinity Skyline Trail is OK for cycling or running.

Trinity Skyline Trail

[mami2emily]

Only recently started visiting that area and I love it! We have tried (and really liked) Eno's Tavern, Lockhart's, Spiral Diner, and Emporium Pies. The only slight disappointment to me was Emporium. Maybe it's because we lived in Georgia many years and good pies abound just about everywhere. Emporium was good, but it didn't knock my socks off.

[JS86]

Awesome suggestions - thanks!

How is Lake Cliff Park?

Any thoughts about whether its worth paying the extra $100 a month for a private parking garage? As I said in my OP, I have already had a break-in in my current parking garage in Oak Lawn, not wanting to ask for more!

[TrueDat]

Is the $100 parking space covered and would the alternative be uncovered? If so, I would pay the $100 to be better able to avoid hail damage to your car in the spring.

[JS86]

Oh wow didn't know hail was happening here ! Thanks for the tip

[ChristieP]

Oh yes. We get a LOT of hail in the spring! Personally, I always make sure my car has a spot in the garage or at least under a cover!

[alastrian2]

Specifically : is kessler parkway an actual park or just a green space by the road?

Kessler Parkway is more of a green space by the road that also has a little park like thing that leads to one of the Trinity River Levees. I run a lot in Kessler/Stephens and the parkway is a blessing for a recovery run because it's pretty flat (versus the brutal hills everywhere else.

Is the trinity trail good for running, or just a scenic view?

I wouldn't consider it rough enough for a trail run, but it's good for running when it's not 100 degrees out.

Is the Belmont hotel still worth a visit, or is the view blocked by the new high-rise?
Still worth a visit though I think their food has gone down hill.

Where are the best areas for walking / bike riding?
Check out DORBA for the best info on this [url=http://www.dorba.org/]Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association

Any places recommended for live music in NOC?
Hands down, the Kessler. It is listening room style, so less rowdy

Is bishop Arts good for nightlife, or more of dinner/shopping only?
I think it's pretty good- more live music, pubs have entered in the past few years. Check out 10 Bells, Wild Detectives, Nova (near Bishop)

Any good grocery markets?
I like Urban Acres

Any fruit / agua fresca places?
Stroll down Jefferson ave for these- every one has something a little different

Any places to avoid?
Cafe Brazil? Slow service and lackluster food.

If parking in a gated apartment complex just in an outdoor parking area with controlled gate access, is it worth it to pay for the private garage parking? Have already had a car break in at the Oak Lawn area so wondering if its better to be safe…(nothing valuable was in site and car is not anything special)
For the hell of the heat, get the garage parking

There was another mention of Lake Cliff Park, which is a great park. I have a kid, so I love the play area. Also enjoy running there as part of shorter runs and using the area for pickup socker or Tennis. Kidd Springs Park is another worth checking out.

[JS86]

Thank you - great info!