This Week in Gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

UPDATE: Due to threat of rain, the main event for Chefs for Farmers is moving to Gilley’s. The story has been updated to reflect this change.

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Six food festivals over three days, plus three more food happenings. If you don’t attend at least one of these Dallas events, can you even call yourself a foodie?

Friday, September 23

Greek Food Festival of Dallas at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
This three-day festival is in its 60th year and features the usual array of all things Greek, including a variety of authentic foods and treats made with love by church volunteers, using recipes passed through the generations. Also expect entertainment from Thymios and the Holy Trinity Hellenic Dancers, a marketplace with Greek and Greek-American artists and artisans, and much more. Gates open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 am, and tickets are $6.

Saturday, September 24

Chefs for Farmers presents Street Food Night Market at Dallas Design District
The night before the main event, Chefs for Farmers is throwing an epic street food fair in the Dallas Design District, sponsored by CultureMap, where attendees can take a trip around the world in one magical night. Leave your passport at home, but bring your appetite, as chefs from Texas and the nation gather together to dish out street food favorites. Tickets are $75, and noshing begins at 7 pm.

Chocolate and Cheese Heaven Tour
Two of our favorite foods come together in this tantalizing tour, which begins at Krispy Kreme on Greenville Avenue at 1 pm. Enjoy decadent chocolate and cheese samples at many of the finest purveyors in Dallas, including Mozzarella Company and Oak Cliff’s Cheese & Chutney, featuring CocoAndre Chocolatier pairings. Tickets are $43, and that includes transportation via bus, samples, beverages, and a tour guide. Additional venues are announced post purchase via email.

Dallas’ Most Amazing Patios Tour
Discover the joy of dining al fresco on this tour, with stops at Ozona, an Asian streets eats haven, and the home of some nationally ranked chicken wings. Tickets are $59 and include private transportation via bus, samples, beverages on the bus, and a tour guide. Additional information on the vendors are announced post purchase via email. Meet at Krispy Kreme on Greenville Avenue at 2:30 pm.

Mornings and Mimosas Tour
This boozy breakfast-centric adventure starts at Krispy Kreme on Greenville Avenue at 10 am and includes stops at places such as Village Baking Company. Tickets are $56, and that includes transportation via bus, samples, beverages, and a tour guide. Additional venues are announced post purchase via email.

Smoked Dallas at Main Street Garden Park
Pitmasters from all over the state — including Fort Worth’s Heim Barbecue and Dallas’ Slow Bone — descend on downtown Dallas to show off their barbecue skills. There is also a stellar lineup of live music, with performances by the Toadies, Shinyribs, Dirty River Boys, the Roomsounds, and Dean Fearing’s Lost Coyote Band. Tickets start at $28, and general admission starts at 2:30 pm.

Taste of Firewheel at Firewheel Town Center
The all-day family food festival features delectable tastes, free live music, Kidgits Kid Zone, and shopping. Walk up and down the street as you sample fare from local restaurants such as Siciliano’s A Taste of Italy, Flying Fish, Panera, Ain’t No Mo Butta Cakes, and Steel City Pops. Score 10 tastes for $20, or 20 tastes for $35. Wristbands are available at guest services, and the event starts at 11 am.

Sunday, September 25

Chefs for Farmers
This annual event is all about chefs and farmers coming together to provide good food to passionate attendees. More than 120 food vendors from all over the country set up shop alongside DJs and other live entertainment. The venue has changed from Lee Park to Gilley’s. Tickets are $100, and the fun starts at 2 pm.

Sunday Funday Festival and Market at Light Farms
This quarterly event is free and open to residents of the master planned community in Celina, as well as the general public. It features local vendors from across North Texas and food trucks like Easy Slider Truck and Kona Ice. The festival also showcases live music by Vincent Neil Emerson & the Old Souls; fun, interactive activities for kids; and pet adoptions from Collin County Animal Service. The festival begins at 1 pm.

The Greek Food Festival of Dallas is September 23-25 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Baklava from Greek Food Festival of Dallas

Greek Food Festival of Dallas/Facebook

The Greek Food Festival of Dallas is September 23-25 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

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Batting News

Immersive baseball-themed sports bar Batbox slides into Addison

Batbox

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A new venue that blends the energy of a sports bar with the excitement of immersive gameplay is about to make its local debut: Called Batbox, it's opening at 5100 Belt Line Rd. #620, Dallas, at Addison's Village on the Parkway, and according to a release, will open on October 15.

Batbox was founded in 2019 in Mexico, and has locations in Tijuana and Monterrey. Their formula consists of a state-of-the-art batting simulator — like a high-tech batting cage, similar to Top Golf — combined with food and drink, plus wall-to-wall screens for sports viewing. This is the first location in the U.S.

The venue has 10 interactive baseball simulators where guests swing real bats, hit real baseballs, and compete in a connected network that links players around the world.

A ball is pitched your way, and you hit it with a bat against a screen that looks like a baseball field.

Unlike a batting cage, the game allows participants to play in groups of up to 18, competing in teams in regular 9-inning games. The technology keeps score of hits and strike-outs, giving the feel of a real baseball game.

"Batbox Dallas combines the energy of a premier sports bar with the excitement of the most innovative baseball game ever created," says Batbox co-founder and CEO Jose Daniel Vargas in a statement. "It's a place where you can catch the big game, enjoy incredible food and drinks, and then step up to bat yourself to create memories with friends and family."

Food & drink
The menu features casual dishes and shareable options, all priced under $20, with many fresh choices.

That includes salads such as Caesar, wedge, charred Brussels salad, chicken tender salad, and a whole cauliflower head, roasted, with buffalo and blue cheese dressing.

Starters include classics like chips & cheso, wings, and nachos, but also some inventive items such as "frickles" — extra crispy pickle fries with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing; and a Tater Tot "sandwich" with Tater Tots smushed between "waffle bread."

There are tacos in five varieties including salmon, shredded beef, and vegan mushroom with avocado. There's a smashburger, a vegan smashburger, a fried chicken sandwich, and a smoked brisket jalapeno hot dog. They come with choice of side from fries, mac & cheese, Tater Tots, or a highly recommended seasoned "baseball popcorn."

Cocktails are $13, with an emphasis on tequila drinks.

The venue will be open daily, with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations can be made at batbox.com/plan, with simulators ranging from $18-$24 per hour per player.

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