Opening day has arrived for a new restaurant in Uptown Dallas: Written By The Seasons, an indie farm-to-table restaurant, has debuted at The Quad, at 2681 Howell St., where it's serving seasonal fare, open for lunch and dinner, with weekend brunch to come this spring.
This is the second location of a restaurant that was founded in Bishop Arts in 2021 — a restaurant that also just earned a nod from the new-to-Texas Michelin Guide.
Written is owned by Brenton Phillips with his wife Hailey Nutt and Dallas native Tripp Russ, and is known for its rotating seasonal dishes, showcasing fresh ingredients with a creative twist.
The Quad's executive manager director and partner Ramsey March described it as "one of our favorite restaurants in Dallas," stating that "the restaurant has a devoted following in the Bishop Arts District, so we’re excited that Brenton and Hailey will be exporting their special brand of hospitality to our project in Uptown."
The restaurant also earned a "Recommended" award from the first Michelin Guide awards in Texas, bestowed in November 2024.
Typical dishes include:
- kimchi pancakes
- coconut braised baby carrots
- cod with sweet potato puree
- scallops with risotto
- pistachio pavlova
Rosmery Menendez, the restaurant's director of operations, says that the two locations will not have identical menus.
"Uptown is a special neighborhood and we're happy to be there — The Quad is a great spot, and we're happy that the heart we have at our restaurant in Bishop Arts is translating to Uptown," she says. "But we're treating the two locations as independent restaurants. It won't be the exact same menu. There are some similarities and we have a few semi-classic dishes like our grilled shrimp & avocado with mango and Asian pear at both locations. But we'll do unique dishes for each. For example, we're doing a snapper with sticky jasmine rice that is only being served at The Quad. And when we do seasonal updates, the menus will not be the same."
The culinary program at Written By the Seasons is run by rockstar chef duo Melody Bishop and Dennis Kelly, farm-to-table pioneers who came to Dallas from California in 2012 to open the now-closed Lark on the Park and whose far-reaching acclaim includes a nomination for Rising Star Chef in CultureMap's 2015 Tastemaker Awards.
"Written By the Seasons reflects their travel and experiences," says Menendez, a former chef who also moved to Dallas from California to help open Brewed + Pressed, a coffee and juice bar in the West Village, and who was nominated for a Tastemakers Award for best pastry chef in 2022. "They change the menu not just for the season but specifically for the farming season in Texas. If Mel says the peaches are no longer good, then we stop using peaches. They work with local producers to take advantage of what's best at the time."
Decor-wise, the new location was designed by Jones Baker, the Dallas firm known for its tasteful restaurant work, who collaborated with co-owner Hailey Nutt. The space boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, not unlike the Bishop Arts location; but unlike Bishop Arts which is bright and airy, Uptown is outfitted in dark woods, dark marble, and low lighting. There's also a personal touch, with family photos on the walls.
Written by the Seasons is one of a slate of new restaurants opening at the Quad, which recently re-opened after a massive makeover.
The property originally had plans for seven on-site eateries slated to open in fall 2024, including Two Hands, an all-day café; LDU, an Australian coffee bar; Domodomo, a chef-driven dock-to-table concept; Mamani, a modern European fine-dining restaurant; Crushcraft, Thai street food concept; and Bread Club, an upscale bakery.
