May is AAPI Month. To honor the contributions of these communities, we’re highlighting 12 Dallas-Fort Worth businesses worth visiting. 

Populations across Texas are increasing, and the Asian-American community is leading that growth. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian Americans are growing at a faster rate than the entire state’s population. And the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area has had a larger rise in Asian American population than any U.S. metro area. May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), which recognizes the contributions and achievements of these communities. 

The month was first recognized as Asian-American Heritage Week in 1979 before being extended to the entirety of May beginning in 1992 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. President Barack Obama signed a proclamation in 2009 to officially recognize May as AAPI Month. Joe Biden signed another proclamation in 2021 to recognize May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI). Donald Trump removed the federal recognition earlier this year, but that hasn’t stopped millions of Americans from continuing to honor contributions throughout AAPI Month and beyond.

Since Dallas-Fort Worth has such a thriving population, there are a significant number of small and local businesses across the metro that are worth checking out. Here are 12 Asian-owned businesses to support throughout May and AAPI month—and then to keep visiting throughout the year. 

1. Tei-An

1722 Routh St Suite 110, Dallas, TX 75201

Tei-An earned a MICHELIN nod in 2024, and the authentic Japanese soba noodle house continues to impress. Chef Teiichi Sakurai apprenticed at a Tokyo restaurant while in high school, dreaming about opening up his own location one day. After coming to the United States in college, Sakurai eventually found his way to Amarillo en route to Dallas. He continued studying along the way and made his dream come true with the opening of Tei-An.

2. Hatsuyuki

907 Foch St, Fort Worth, TX 76107

Providing among the best hand-rolled sushi across Dallas-Fort Worth, Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar in Fort Worth’s West Seventh area offers premium seafood and some truly innovative flavor combos. Chef Jun Mo Yeon believes in simple presentations with fresh flavors, and he’s been delivering on that promise since 2018.

Hatsuyuki is a fun community experience, with every seat in the restaurant situated around the sushi bar. You get a paper menu, write down your selections with a small pencil, and return it to your server. Then, the fun begins. With specials that change daily, you could realistically visit every day in a week and never try the same thing twice. 

3. KUFRI 

1152 Mississippi Ave, Dallas, TX 75207

KUFRI has a simple mission: to champion handloom weaving while employing women and elderly weavers. Mili Suleman was born in Bombay, raised in Oman, and graduated from TCU with a degree in sociology and graphic design. Her constant exploration led to many formative experiences growing up, including visiting fabric stores with her family. That helped shape the inspiration behind KUFRI, which offers textiles, wallpapers, pillows, accessories, and more. 

4. Detour Donuts and Coffee

8161 FM 423 #250, Frisco, TX 75036

If you’re like me and will absolutely take a detour to visit a donut shop, you’ll want to check out Detour Donuts and Coffee. The name comes from Chef Jinny Cho detouring from her engineering degree to open the donut shop, which debuted in 2018.

Beyond unique flavors like Mango Sticky Rice, Blueberry Ghost Cheese, and the Korean shaved ice dessert Patbingsu, Detour makes plenty of specialty items for holidays like the Fourth of July and Christmas, as well as AAPI celebrations such as Lunar New Year and Holi. The donuts may look unique to the holiday, but they share a consistent theme of being delicious. Donuts truly can make the world a more welcoming place. 

5. Fast and Furious

Multiple locations

The number of Fast and Furious locations rivals the number of “Fast & Furious” movies, which is fitting since the restaurant owned by Jay Lim borrows from the movie franchise’s flashy cars to enhance the decor. Remember, it’s all about family—namely, making sure their bellies are happy when you go out to eat.

You’ll find the Japanese Grill in Dallas, Fort Worth, and nearly a dozen other suburbs.

6. May Dragon

4848 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254

It’s not every day you can visit a restaurant owned by a city mayor, but that’s precisely the case with May Dragon. Mayor Jow Chow opened the old-school Chinese restaurant in 1986 and regularly served Chuck Norris as the actor was taking a break between “Walker, Texas Ranger” scenes. Chow wasn’t mayor when he opened the restaurant, though he was on the City Council for many years. He became Addison’s mayor in 2005, serving until 2011 and getting re-elected from 2017 to 2023.

7. Melby’s Coffee & Tea House

8420 Denton Hwy #111, Watauga, TX 76148

Melby’s Coffee & Tea House began as a hobby during the pandemic. While many home bakers decided to abandon their sourdough starter, Jay and Journey Hoang realized they had something special. They went to local farmers markets and were blown away by the support; those weekend trips turned into a full-fledged store that offers coffee, teas (including boba), and plenty of other tasty treats. Try a Dubai chocolate or tiramisu latte and don’t forget to leave without ordering a macaron or quiche—or better yet, both.

8. Life Stories by Hoang

515 S. Carrier Pkwy, Ste 102B, Grand Prairie, TX 75051

As a child, Hoang Nguyen inherited his parents’ old film camera. Right away, he was hooked. He eventually bought his own camera and pursued an architecture degree. His meticulous attention to detail has served him well in both architecture and photography. Now, Nguyen serves folks across Dallas-Fort Worth through Life Stories by Hoang. Give him a shout for headshots, portraits, commercial, and real estate photography needs, weddings, and other events.   

9. Arch by Suki

3032 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75226

Arch by Suki specializes in eyebrow shaping through threading, though you can also try other services like microblading, eyelash extensions, and herbal facials. Sukhee Suwal, the Arch by Suki’s owner and operator, grew up in Nepal before coming to America. She’s been working in the brow world since 2008.

Browse the brows and see why Arch by Suki is one of the finest self-care options in town. As a bonus, the studio is near a handful of tasty restaurants, so you can treat yourself in multiple ways during AAPI Month.  

10. Addison Dental Group

2414 Marsh Ln, Ste #103, Carrollton, TX 75006

Led by Dr. Tuan Chau and Dr. Bradley Chau, Addison Dental Group is a highly-rated establishment for oral health and hygiene. Dr. Chau is also a frequent participant in humanitarian programs, such as providing dentistry to adults and children in underserved villages in the Dominican Republic. I’m not saying you need to schedule an unnecessary root canal, but if you don’t have a regular dentist or can’t remember the last time you got a teeth cleaning or oral X-rays, visit Addison Dental Group. 

11. U Beauty

Tina Chen Craig, the mind behind U Beauty, has had quite the entrepreneurial journey. She began her career as a television host before launching BagSnob in 2005. The company was one of the original fashion and lifestyle blogs, and Chen Craig continued using her media savvy to grow the brand. That all led to U Beauty, which, in the founder’s own words, is “self-confidence in a bottle.” The products are delivered via a proprietary capsule technology, they’re more sustainable than traditional beauty items, and 1% of every order gets donated to a nonprofit, so you’re doing good while you shop.

U Beauty is an online shop, though Chen Craig makes her home in Dallas.  

12. Inlay Asian Market

5332 Trail Lake Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76133

Dubbed “Your Happy Little Grocery,” Inlay Asian Market has been a Fort Worth delight since 2018. Owner Seng Raw Tsumhpawng and her family are incredibly friendly and keep the grocery in tip-top shape.

The store imports about 90% of its items from international markets, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, China, and Myanmar. That means the recent tariffs from the White House are impacting their prices, so they need local support more than ever!