Arlington sits between Dallas and Fort Worth and eats like both. Texas barbecue here means beef — brisket first, then ribs and sausage, smoked over post oak and served without sauce as a matter of principle.
Tex-Mex is the other constant: fajitas, queso, enchiladas under chili gravy. It is a real regional cuisine rather than a compromise, and the Metroplex does it as well as anywhere.
Arlington also has a substantial Vietnamese and Korean population, with restaurants and markets concentrated on the east side toward Grand Prairie. Stadium events dominate the entertainment district, but the independent restaurants are spread through the older neighbourhoods and along Pioneer Parkway.