Guy's in Town!!!

Guy Fieri is in Dallas scouting for future Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

The irrepressible Guy walks among us, Dallas.

Photo by Jay Jerrier

UPDATE: Fieri and crew had dinner at the Deep Ellum branch of Cane Rosso, the Neapolitan pizzeria he spotlighted in 2012. Owner Jay Jerrier posted a photo of himself and Fieri, saying "When Boo says he wants the best pizza in town, you take him to the Roscoe. Happy to be able to host a dinner for Guy, the Food Network and Citizen Pictures in Deep Ellum last night."

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Fans of charismatic TV food personality Guy Fieri already have their calendars marked for October 11, which they've circled with a red heart, as the platinum-coiffed restaurateur is making an appearance at the State Fair of Texas to judge a barbecue contest.

But the true Guy devotee should also be taking the day off on October 10 — and, just to be safe, October 12 — as the Mayor of Flavortown is in Dallas this very minute scouting for possible future locations to feature for his hugely popular Food Network series Diners Drive-ins and Dives.

While no one is officially talking, because tipping off anyone to an appearance by Guy would inevitably result in uncontrollable mobs, Fieri has already been spotted trying out the fare at an area barbecue restaurant with a number in its name. At least one more barbecue restaurant is on his itinerary. He's also checking out our fried chicken scene.

This much is known: Fieri has already popped in at One90 Smoked Meats, the small, smoked-meat spot on Northwest Highway in East Dallas. The restaurant was closed to customers while filming was underway, and his trademark 1968 red Camaro convertible was parked in front.

Customers were also being turned away at Whistle Britches, the fried-chicken-and-biscuit spot in Far North Dallas from chef Omar Flores, where the red Camaro, with its "FLVRTWN" license plate, could be seen parked outside.

Multiple diners say his crew was at Tacos Mariachi at dinnertime on October 9.

Guy was also rumored to be making his way to Deep Ellum later in the day, although the rumors do not extend to which restaurant he'll be featuring. We can say it's not Cane Rosso, Pepe & Mito's, or Twisted Root, because all of those restaurants have already been spotlighted in prior episodes.

Regular watchers know that Diners Drive-ins and Dives likes to spotlight small, independently-owned, slightly quirky eateries. Could it be a newbie like Easy Slider, the food truck-turned slider-restaurant? More fried chicken, at Brick & Bones, the relaxed bar serving a spicy rendition? Or an old-timer like Angry Dog, home to great burgers and wings?

Fieri is at the State Fair to co-host a kids cooking contest, in association with Carnival Cruise Line, for whom he does restaurant concepts that include a barbecue-themed place and a burger joint.

He'll co-host an event called "Carnival's Kids BBQ Challenge with Guy Fieri," taking place on Wednesday, October 11 at 4 pm on the Carnival Lido Deck Stage.

Fieri has some restaurant action happening in Dallas. In 2015, an outlet of his burger concept Guy's Burger Joint opened at Starplex Pavilion, and has signed on to open a "one-of-a-kind" flagship restaurant inside Arlington's Texas Live! development, with the concept still to be determined.

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Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year

Ari's

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A buzzy grocery store in downtown Dallas has closed: Ari’s Pantry, the small local chain specializing in Italian groceries and to-go foods, has closed its location in the heart of the Central Business District at 1800 Main St.#124.

A statement from the owners called it "a difficult decision." The closure is effective July 15.

"We are truly grateful for the welcome Ari's Pantry received from the downtown Dallas community. You have supported our business and shared in our passion for Italian food and hospitality. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Downtown Dallas location effective today," their post said.

The closure comes a little over a year since they opened in May 2025.

Downtown was the third location for the small mom-and-pop market, which debuted in Winnetka Heights in December 2023 to fulfill owner Ari Lowenstein's passion for all things Italy, with pastas, gourmet goods, dried foods, produce, plus meals for dining in or to go.

They opened a second location in Trinity Groves in 2024, which is currently marked on their website as "closed for the summer," although it does not list a re-opening date. Lowenstein was unavailable for comment.

The downtown location was originally a joint venture between Lowenstein and Alan Kearney, a downtown enthusiast who owns businesses nearby such as The Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, as well as Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff. However, Kearney withdrew from the store after it opened.

To accommodate the needs of downtown workers and residents, Lowenstein added a coffee shop and gelato stand. It was open for coffee at 7 am and until 9 pm, with a dining area where customers could have wine and cheese.

The location at 1800 Main St. seems to be in a favorable spot, surrounded by residential buildings and hotels such as the AC Hotel and Statler Dallas. Who has not spent a night in a hotel and longed for a market nearby with snacks and wine? It's also across the street from Neiman Marcus, whose imminent closure in September has provoked some pearl-clutching about the prosperity of downtown. But the downtown population does not always support local businesses.

Ari's was not the first to find the location challenging: It was previously occupied by the well-mounted Berkley's Market, which closed in 2024 after six years in the space.

The owners stated that they would "continue focusing on our locations in Coppell and Bishop Arts as we look ahead to the next chapters of Ari's Pantry," before thanking "every customer who stopped in for coffee, lunch or gelato, picked up dinner, discovered a new favorite ingredient."

downtown closings