This Week in Gluttony

Grace goes vegetarian and more top food events in Dallas-Fort Worth

If you were too slow to score tickets to DFW Restaurant Week's kick-off party, your week is not a total wash. There are plenty of legit food and drink events, ranging from a boozy oyster-eating opportunity to an exciting vegetarian wine dinner in Fort Worth to a porky pop-up in Oak Cliff.

Tuesday, August 5

National Oyster Day at Driftwood
Guests can enjoy four oysters paired with absinthe, mezcal, scotch, sherry or sake for just $15. Sit at the bar, eat your oysters and a bartender fills each empty shell with your drink of choice, giving your taste buds a one-of-a-kind experience. In addition, à la carte oysters are $1 each, including Kusshi, Duxbury, Barnstable and Misty Points. The specials last from 5-7 pm. Call 214-942-2530 for reservations.

Thursday, August 7

Vegetarian Wine Dinner at Grace
Using the freshest locally harvested produce, Grace chef Blaine Staniford prepares an eight-course vegetarian dinner highlighting the flavors of the Texas summer; five are paired with wines. Courses include frozen white gazpacho, Texas baby summer squash carpaccio, blistered heirloom tomatoes, Texas corn bisque and cauliflower steak. Cost is $65 per person for dinner only or $115 per person with wine pairings. All dishes can also be prepared vegan. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. Call 817-877-3388 for reservations.

Porchetta Pop-Up at Oak Cliff Social Club
Lucia Dallas is on vacation this week, so Justin Holt and Michael Gibson are hosting a one-night pop-up at Oak Cliff Social Club. Holt is a pop-up veteran; he used to do ramen pop-ups at Oak Cliff venues such as Ten Bells Tavern. He and Gibson serve red wattle porchetta with salsa verde and pickles for $10 a plate. Dinner starts at 8 pm; Barefoot Hippies play at 8:30. No reservations are needed. Call 214-941-0298 for more info.

Friday, August 8

German Riesling Tasting with Kuby's Sausage at Wine Poste
Wine Poste is celebrating all things German in honor of Germany's World Cup victory. Tickets are $20 and include four Riesling tastings, sausage from Kuby's and music by Kraftwerk. The fun starts at 6 pm, and you can buy tickets online.

Monday, August 11

Seasonal Heirloom Summer Supper at Canary by Gorji
Heirloom tomatoes set the scene for presenting sustainable wild Pacific salmon and Texas wild boar tenderloin in a three-course dinner for $49. Produce experts from Whole Foods are available for discussion and questions about the delicious tomatoes they are providing. There is limited seating; reservations and pre-payment are required by calling 972-503-7080.

Slices for Supplies at Greenville Avenue Pizza Company
Customers who bring at least one school supply item receive one free slice of cheese pizza with one additional topping at this second annual event. The supplies go directly to the teachers at DISD's Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary. In addition to supplies, Greenville Avenue Pizza Company is collecting money to purchase supplies that teachers and students need at the beginning of the second semester of school. The event lasts from 5-8 pm.

Celebrate National Oyster Day at Driftwood on August 5.

Photo courtesy of Driftwood

Celebrate National Oyster Day at Driftwood on August 5.

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Opening News

Toyota Music Factory in Irving officially unveils 3 new restaurants

Photo courtesy of JAXON Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden

The party is over at Jaxon.

A trio of new restaurants have debuted at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, one of which is a familiar name: The live music and entertainment venue is now home to Jaxon Texas Kitchen, Shoals Smokehouse, and Pistil Cocktail Lounge, which have opened under the management of Hospitality Alliance, the restaurant group led by CEO Kevin Lillis (AT&T Discovery District, One Victory Park).

Toyota Music Factory opened in 2017, then underwent a renovation in 2024 that included upgrades to the outdoor stage, plaza, and storefronts of several tenant spaces. The renovation was completed in January 2025.

“We’re proud to be part of this iconic space and this vibrant community,” Lillis says in a statement. “There is nothing more enjoyable than hanging out with friends and family, listening to good music, having cold drinks, and eating great food, and we’re fortunate to be able to do that every day.”

These three new restaurants and bars were each designed by The Ferro Collective, and are all overseen by Chef Andrew Dilda, the acclaimed chef whose resume includes Reata and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. The restaurants cover a variety of dining options: Southern classics at Jaxon, barbecue at Shoals Smokehouse, and craft cocktails at Pistil.

Jaxon Texas Kitchen 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #110
Jaxon Texas Kitchen, which originally opened at the AT&T Discovery District and which was nominated for a CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Best New Restaurant in 2021, returns to DFW in a 10,000-square-foot, two-story destination for Southern hospitality. Open for lunch and dinner daily, the menu includes signature dishes plus elevated Southern dishes crafted by chef Dilda, with an honest and authentic approach to classic Texas dishes, emphasizing substance over style.

The menu includes fried green tomatoes, chicken-fried steak, a burger, shrimp & grits, and brick chicken.

Decor features a welcoming indoor/outdoor environment that incorporates Texas-inspired elements. Design highlights include a custom-built mixed media collage of Texas-born movie stars, antler-adorned beer taps, cactus terrariums at the entrnace, and earth-toned banquette seating.

Shoals Smokehouse 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #120
Inspired by Muscle Shoals, the famed recording studio in Alabama, Shoals combines Texas barbecue, fried chicken, and the sounds of rock and blues for an atmosphere where food and music blend seamlessly.

The menu features smoked meats, fried chicken, and Southern sides, celebrate the flavors of the South. The restaurant has patio seating facing the outdoor plaza stage, a retractable glass wall that lets the backyard in, TVs throughout and a centrally located full bar.

Courtyard at Toyota Music FactoryTMF

Pistil Cocktail Lounge 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #220
Developed and operated by Hospitality Alliance’s Beverage Director Angela Montesclaros, and considered the “sister” joint to Jaxon, Pistil is an evening-only cocktail bar featuring a blend of gothic western and wild west flair: a stylish hangout operated and designed by women for those looking for a place to kick up their boots — for cocktails, conversation, and barbecue.

Pistil offers a wine list with wines from renowned vineyards, including sustainable and woman-owned vineyards, as well as a food menu with small plates and seasonal dishes highlight Texas farms and ranches. A secluded garden provides cocktail ingredients and garnishes picked by the bar staff. Unique design elements include an elaborate stained-glass installation of a West Texas sunset.

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