This Week's Hot Headlines

Guy Fieri chows down on Dallas barbecue in this week's top 5 stories

See Slow Bone on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives in April.

Photo courtesy of Slow Bone

Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week features another appearance by Guy Fieri and another development regarding the downtown Neiman Marcus. Plus, a big round of Dallas restaurant openings to know about. Dig into the most popular Dallas stories below, and find your best bets for the weekend in our handy event planner.

1. Dallas BBQ joint gets down with Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. A chef-driven BBQ restaurant in Dallas is headed to Flavortown: Slow Bone, the Texas barbecue restaurant from acclaimed chef Jeffery Hobbs, will appear on Food Network in April in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the series hosted by the effervescent Guy Fieri.

2. Lots of fun new openings elevate this Dallas restaurant news roundup. There's no shortage of dining news around Dallas, with a slew of openings, spring menus, and limited-edition bites.

3. Halal gyro chain from St. Louis opens first Dallas restaurant in Plano. A new restaurant specializing in gyro sandwiches has made its Texas debut: Called Soulard Gyro, it’s a fast-casual concept founded in St. Louis opening its first Texas location in Plano in a former Rockfish space at 4701 W. Park Blvd #105, where it opened on February 17.

Soulard gyro sandwich and fries. Photo courtesy of Soulard

4. L.A. team opens Italian steakhouse in Carte Blanche Dallas space. A new Italian restaurant that brings a lot to the table has opened in Dallas: Called Ocean Ranch, it opened on March 4 at 2114 Greenville Ave., the space that was previously home to award-winning restaurant Carte Blanche.

5. City of Dallas obtains mystery land deed for downtown Neiman Marcus. There's a new chapter in the ongoing breakup saga between the city of Dallas and Neiman Marcus, the luxury retailer which is closing its longtime location in downtown Dallas at the end of March.

Hits for a Good Cause

CultureMap writer and Cowboys crush it for charity in home run derby

CultureMap's Alex Bentley competing in the Media League part of the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby

Photo courtesy of Reliant

CultureMap's Alex Bentley competed in the Media League part of the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby.

There was some friendly rivalry on and off the field at the 13th annual Reliant Home Run Derby at Riders Field in Frisco on May 14, where members of the Dallas Cowboys and a dozen local media members stepped up to the plate to raise money for North Texas charities.

Before Cowboys fans showed up for the main event, the day kicked off with the 10th annual Reliant Media League, featuring 12 reporters from around Dallas-Fort Worth - including CultureMap's Alex Bentley - taking their hacks for a charity of their choice.

On what was said to be one of the hottest days in the event's history, each media participant got 10 swings in the first of three rounds, earning $100 for every hit and $300 for every home run.

Bentley, a first-time competitor, advanced to the second round with four others, and with a strong second-round performance - including a home run on his final swing - made the three-swing final round against WFAA reporter Sean Giggy.

CultureMap's Alex Bentley celebrating a home run in the Media League part of the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby. Photo by Brandon Wade/AP Content Services for Reliant

With Kristi Scales, sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network, calling the action, Giggy narrowly edged Bentley by hitting two home runs compared to Bentley's two hits and one home run.

Collectively, the media members raised $36,220 for local North Texas charities, including $4,335 by Giggy for his charity, Keeper of the Game, and $4,135 by Bentley for his charity, The Street Dog Project.

The Street Dog Project is comprised of a small group of volunteers who, since 2016, have rescued hundreds of dogs from the streets and found them loving homes.

WFAA reporter Sean Giggy celebrating his win the Media League portion of the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby WFAA reporter Sean Giggy and his son celebrating his win in the Media League portion of the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby. Photo by Brandon Wade/AP Content Services for Reliant

Reached for comment, Bentley said: "For a 50-year-old man who hadn't touched a baseball bat in 16 years to even compete was amazing, but to be one of the finalists was beyond all my expectations. I'm very happy with my performance, but even happier that I was able to raise a lot of money for a good cause."

Ten Cowboys players then took the field in front of hundreds of fans, trading in their pads for a bat for a chance at baseball glory.

Participants included Bryan Anger, Brandon Aubrey, Jake Ferguson, DeMarvion Overshown, Dak Prescott, Luke Schoonmaker, Trent Sieg, Tyler Smith, Terence Steele, and Sam Williams.

With each hit and home run earning a donation from Reliant, the teammates raised a total of $80,000 to benefit The Salvation Army of North Texas.

Ferguson, the Cowboys tight end, was named the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby Champion with $20,600 raised and 22 home runs.

As the winner, Ferguson also received a $10,000 bonus from Reliant for his chosen charity, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson celebrating his win at the 2026 Reliant Home Run Derby.Photo by Brandon Wade/AP Content Services for Reliant

charity event culturemap dallas cowboys fundraisers home run derby sports sports-fitness