Fried Chicken News

Chicken restaurant from Dallas chef Omar Flores soars the suburbs

Whistle Britches is winning over the 'burbs of the north.

Whistle Britches

The second location is set for Whistle Britches, the Southern restaurant with fried chicken from chef Omar Flores. According to CBRE, the restaurant will open in February 2018 at 6121 W. Park Blvd. in Plano, at The Shops at Willow Bend.

Whistle Britches will be one of six to eight new restaurants at Willow Bend's expanding "restaurant district," part of a $125 million renovation and expansion at the mall.

CBRE senior VP Greg Pierce says Willow Bend is a prime spot. "With the addition of great tenants such as The Crayola Experience, Equinox health club, and the Plano Children’s Theatre, we believe Starwood will be able to pull off something exceptional at Willow Bend," he says. "To be an integral part of the great mix of restaurateurs coming into this project is a testament to the creative mind and dedication to exceptional, high-quality dishes Chef Omar is regarded for."

Whistle Britches opened its first location in 2016 at 6110 Frankford Rd., Dallas, in the former Spork space, which was a converted Sonic Drive-In with large roll-up doors leading out to an inviting wood-decked patio.

A James Beard semifinalist and critical favorite, Flores can now focus on Whistle Britches full-time since Casa Rubia, his tapas-style restaurant at Trinity Groves, was shut down in July.

Whistle Britches is a full-service, dine-in restaurant with biscuits, chicken and waffles, and chicken wings. One of the most popular dishes is a sandwich made with fried chicken and a biscuit. There is brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and a full service bar with local beer and cocktails.

For Whistle Britches, Flores is partnered with Alec Marshi, who also owns Carmel Restaurant in Coppell, an American-Mediterranean spot he opened with his parents in 2014. The expansion won't stop with Plano, Marshi says, and there's a menu expansion in the works as well, with some salads and dishes that are a little healthier than fried food.

"The Frankford location has done well, and we've been fortunate that a lot of landlords have approached us," Marshi says. "After Plano, we're looking at Southlake. We almost have a location, we're very close. We're liking the suburbs."

openings

Coffee News

Italian brand Lavazza Coffee opens training facility in Dallas

Lavazza

Lavazza Coffee

A coffee brand from Italy has planted a stake in Dallas: Lavazza, founded in the northern Italian city of Turin in 1895, has opened a state-of-the-art training center in Dallas, at 1722 Routh St. #960, where it will serve as a hub for coffee enthusiasts throughout the Southwest.

Dallas is the newest outlet in Lavazza's coffee training network, joining locations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, West Chester Pennsylvania, and Toronto — part of their expansion across high-growth markets in the U.S., and its mission to elevate coffee culture globally. (They're also doling out endorsement dollars in commercials featuring Steve Carell and John Krasinski.)

The facility is equipped with espresso, brewing, and coffee innovation equipment, and will serve Lavazza partners, industry professionals, baristas, and distributors. They'll offer hands-on training, SCA certification, menu development, and emerging coffee trends.

Lavazza already partners with many respected hospitality groups and culinary destinations in Dallas including Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Coury Hospitality Group, Al Biernat's Steakhouse, and Vandelay Hospitality.

In October 2025, Lavazza also began serving coffee on flights by Fort Worth-based American Airlines — further strengthening their connection to the North Texas market. The facility will enable Lavazza to provide closer, more consistent support to these partners and help elevate their coffee programs through continued training and collaboration.

Lavazza has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Today they're one of the leading players on the global coffee scene, with a portfolio of top brands that lead their respective markets, such as Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild, and Kicking Horse.

In a statement, Lavazza North America president Hossam Ashraf says that "Dallas has an incredible energy and an ever evolving coffee scene," while Lavazza North America Marketing VP Daniele Foti says that Dallas is great, and we must concur.

"As one of the fastest growing hospitality and culinary markets in the country, Dallas represents a tremendous opportunity for Lavazza," Foti says. "Our investment in this new Training Center demonstrates our commitment to the region and to the partners who bring the Lavazza experience to life every day. Dallas is a city of innovation and high standards, and we are excited to deepen our roots here."

coffee openings