Café 43

4.9

1554 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

Charming
Good for business meals
Neighborhood gem

Café 43, located at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, is a contemporary American restaurant which features a locally sourced, organic, seasonal and sustainable menu for weekday lunch and weekend brunch. It is one of the most preferred venues in the city for private events in the evening for groups of up to 150 because of its stunning design, flexibility, private entrance and breezy terrace. Admission to the Center is not required as Café 43 has its own entrance.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm Brunch Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm
Phone number
(214) 200-4302
Website
http://www.bushcenter.com/plan-your-visit/dining
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
John Maas
Catering
Upscale American cuisine focused on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
Private party facilities
Cafe 43 is available evenings for seated dinners of up to 120 guests and cocktail receptions for up to 150 guests. There are other private event spaces located throughout the Center.

Location
2943 SMU Blvd., Dallas, TX 75205
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Bush Avenue
Parking details
There are several nearby parking garages on the SMU campus.
Public transit
From the Dart Mockingbord Station take the Mustang Express bus route 768.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

50 Dallas Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Private dining

Popular dishes

Southern Benedict*$15.00
pulled BBQ pork, buttermilk biscuits, andouille gravy, asparagus
Avocado Toast*$15.00
two eggs, sauteed spinach, grapefruit / orange / blueberry salad
Huevos Rancheros*$15.00
two fried eggs, salsa ranchero, black beans, avocado, queso fresco, corn tostada
Brioche French Toast*$15.00
smoked bacon, berries, maple syrup

Starters

Corn Soup$8.00
potato, queso fresco
- Cup$8.00
- Bowl$12.00
Sweet Potato & Apple Bisque$7.00
roasted shallot
- Cup$7.00
- Bowl$11.00
Fried Avocado$12.00
black beans, smoked tomato, chipotle aioli
Hummus$12.00
roasted pepitas, olive oil, grilled flatbread
Caesar Salad$7.00
roasted tomato, croutons, parmesan

Salads

Cranberry Chicken Salad$17.00
almonds, rustic wheat, apple cider dressing
Seared Salmon*$20.00
green beans, potato, olive, baby greens, dill dressing
Smoked Chicken$17.00
berries, tomato, orange, pecans, balsamic dressing
Lump Crab$21.00
avocado, bacon, roasted corn, baby greens, lemon dressing
Cobb$18.00
chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, corn, chipotle honey vinaigrette

Sandwiches

with market fruit or fries | sweet potato fries, tarragon aioli +$2

Grilled Burger*$16.00
thick cut bacon, sharp cheddar, brioche
Turkey Panini$16.00
green apple, cheddar, spinach, tomato, mayo
Tenderloin Cheesesteak$17.00
grilled peppers and onions, provolone
Grilled Chicken$15.00
avocado, tomato, red onion, swiss, mayo
Corned Beef$15.00
swiss cheese, russian dressing, sauerkraut, marble rye
Mrs Bush's Favorite Sandwich$15.00
tomato, avocado, mozzarella, mayo, wheat
Bacon Grilled Cheese$16.00
cheddar and havarti, tomato, sourdough

Entrées

Salmon*$20.00
bok choy, asparagus, mashed potatoes, lemon sauce
Pecan Crusted Chicken$18.00
herb mashed potato, green beans, dijon
Roasted Cauliflower$15.00
mushrooms, tomato, chimichurri
Omelet$14.00
mushroom, spinach, gouda, market fruit, petite greens
Chicken Enchiladas$18.00
refried black beans, tomato pico, salsa verde

Desserts

Mrs Bush's Award Winning Cowboy Cookies$8.00
vanilla ice cream
House Made Ice Cream or Sorbet$7.00
President & Mrs Bush's Favorite Banana Pecan Ice Cream$7.00
DC Caramel Brownie Bar$8.00
vanilla and caramel ice cream
Warm Maple-Apple Bread Pudding$8.00
white chocolate sauce
Bourbon Pecan Tart$8.00
caramel sauce, whipped cream

What 1,554 people are saying

Café 43 reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Dallas - Fort Worth
American
Dallas
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Café 43, nestled within SMU's campus, offers a "wonderful dining experience" with "excellent food" and "exceptional service." The menu features a delightful variety, including "the best corn soup," "pecan-crusted chicken," and "whipped feta with honey." Its "lovely atmosphere" is ideal for business lunches or museum visits. Parking fees are noted.

1,554 Reviews

L
Lee VIP
Dallas117 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We can’t wait to back. It is always excellent experience.
Is this helpful?
J
Judi
Houston22 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food & exceptional service! Beautiful relaxing cafe!
Is this helpful?
S
Sara VIP
Dallas154 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Favorite place to take people for lunch. It’s quiet it’s beautiful and the food and service are great.
Is this helpful?
K
Kathleen VIP
Dallas11 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was such a treat to be at a lovely meal where we didn’t have to yell to be heard at our table. Yummy food especially dessert!!
Is this helpful?
P
Pamela
Charleston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cafe 43 is quaint and elegant. The menu features so many delicious choices. The food is wonderful.
Is this helpful?
L
Lee VIP
Dallas117 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a marvelous experience. Great food, attentive staff, nice wine list, and beautiful design. And museum as a bonus.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Austin1 review
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I loved everything about Cafe 43. Such a lovely way to send Saturday brunch before heading into the presidential museum. Food was fantastic and the staff were exceptional.
Is this helpful?
R
Ronny
Dallas182 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
This is a wonderful full service restaurant offering a wide range of excellent dinners cooked to absolute perfection. It is hidden in a presidential library on the the SMU campus, but could be a standalone restaurant in any neighborhood. The restaurant is spacious and naturally well lighted by its many large windows. Servers are wonderfully friendly and efficient. Disappointing, it is not open at night. Highly recommended!
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R
Roger
Dallas2 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and service . Really good experience I’ll come back.
Is this helpful?
M
Mandy
Dallas3 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a great lunch today. Loved the chicken sandwich and bacon grilled cheese. Great service and food came out fast was was great.
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FAQs

Café 43 is rated 4.9 stars by 1554 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

2943 SMU Blvd., Dallas, TX 75205

Additional information

Cross street
Bush Avenue
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm Brunch Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
There are several nearby parking garages on the SMU campus.
Public transit
From the Dart Mockingbord Station take the Mustang Express bus route 768.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
John Maas
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.bushcenter.com/plan-your-visit/dining
Phone number
(214) 200-4302
Catering
Upscale American cuisine focused on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
Private party facilities
Cafe 43 is available evenings for seated dinners of up to 120 guests and cocktail receptions for up to 150 guests. There are other private event spaces located throughout the Center.

Featured in

50 Dallas Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Café 43

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

50 Dallas Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Custom inquiry

Caesar Salad

Corn Soup

Salmon

Main

Southern Benedict*$15.00

Avocado Toast*$15.00

Huevos Rancheros*$15.00

Brioche French Toast*$15.00

Starters

Corn Soup$8.00

Sweet Potato & Apple Bisque$7.00

Fried Avocado$12.00

Hummus$12.00

Caesar Salad$7.00

Salads

Cranberry Chicken Salad$17.00

Seared Salmon*$20.00

Smoked Chicken$17.00

Lump Crab$21.00

Cobb$18.00

Sandwiches

Grilled Burger*$16.00

Turkey Panini$16.00

Tenderloin Cheesesteak$17.00

Grilled Chicken$15.00

Corned Beef$15.00

Mrs Bush's Favorite Sandwich$15.00

Bacon Grilled Cheese$16.00

Entrées

Salmon*$20.00

Pecan Crusted Chicken$18.00

Roasted Cauliflower$15.00

Omelet$14.00

Chicken Enchiladas$18.00

Desserts

Mrs Bush's Award Winning Cowboy Cookies$8.00

House Made Ice Cream or Sorbet$7.00

President & Mrs Bush's Favorite Banana Pecan Ice Cream$7.00

DC Caramel Brownie Bar$8.00

Warm Maple-Apple Bread Pudding$8.00

Bourbon Pecan Tart$8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Café 43 restaurant rated?

Is Café 43 currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

50 Dallas Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day