Cenzo's Pizza & Deli

"You know what makes for a great first time meeting a stranger from a dating app? A family-friendly restaurant with bright lighting. Cenzo’s down in North Oak Cliff is that spot. It’s got pizza, which nearly everyone loves, but the menu also offers by-the-slice options, sandwiches, and salads if you and the person you’re vetting disagree on toppings (they do not offer a Hawaiian pie, so that immediate red flag is already cleared). If it’s going well, they also offer wine and beer, or you can head to Tiny Victories nearby to continue the night. If not, at least you got some pizza. The music is always on-point here, with a playlist that only spins tunes from roughly 1976 to 1996 — another way to vet your date’s music tastes." - Courtney E. Smith, Rachel Pinn

"This former laundromat is now the platonic ideal of a neighborhood pizza joint. Staff dole out cold Oak Cliff lagers and Italian wines while chatting with regulars who live down the block, picnic tables line the covered patio, and pizzas are named for nearby streets. The menu is divided into red and white pies, and it’s best to choose one from each category: We like the red-sauce Montclair with Italian sausage and caramelized fennel, and the texturally interesting white-sauce Clinton with lemon ricotta, calabrian chili crisp, and pistachios. If you’re still hungry, the meatball sandwich slathered in cheese and marinara makes a compelling dessert." - kevin gray

"This place was developed to be family-friendly, from the bare bones interiors to the large outdoor patio seating. While most of the pizzas have bespoke meats on them, there is a pepperoni option for picky eaters and a kids menu with a simple cheese pizza, pepperoni, or chicken strips and fries for the super picky eater. The chaperones can help themselves to a beer or wine while they hang out and enjoy a fine pizza pie and there’s a big, fenced-in outdoor area where kids can do kid-things." - Courtney E. Smith

"An authentic neighborhood joint that all the neighbors walk to opened in Oak Cliff last year. It’s owned by chef Chad Dolezal, who hung up his fine dining whites and moved from Austin to Dallas to make his career his own. He’s also quickly captured the minds and hearts of Dallas’s most avid pizza and sandwich lovers; the Thursday chicken Parmesan is a can’t-miss experience." - Courtney E. Smith

"Known for its chicken parm sandwich, available only on Thursdays." - Courtney E. Smith