Pizza and Beer
Bawdy pizzeria and beer garden captures prized Deep Ellum location
A new pizzeria and bar from Arizona has bagged a prime location in Dallas' Deep Ellum district, on a strip of Good Latimer that's experiencing major change. Called Bottled Blond, the restaurant is going into the former Allied Printing building at 501 Good Latimer Expy. According to a spokesperson, the forecasted opening date is mid-2017.
The property sits in an enviable spot across from the Deep Ellum DART rail station. It was originally planned as a market and restaurant combination, until the landlord was unable to find a buyer.
Bottled Blond, which honestly sounds more like a hair color than a restaurant, began in Scottsdale, Arizona, when Les Corieri, a veteran Scottsdale nightclub owner, opened the first branch in 2014. He opened a second branch in Chicago in 2016. The concept is described as the fusing of an Italian kitchen with a German beer garden, which makes a lot of sense because both of those countries are in Europe.
The menu has brick-oven pizza, salumi, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. There are chicken wings, calamari, pepperoni pizza rolls, garlic knots, and truffle French fries. There's also a big brunch, with a breakfast calzone, Benedicts, French toast waffles, and an egg white omelet.
In addition to the food and beer, other features listed on the website include DJ booths; 42 HDTVs "with multiple branding opportunities;" and two "bar experiences" with "beverage packages."
Bottled Blond's practice of staying open until 2 am has caused problems at its Chicago location, where neighbors have complained about its rowdy bar atmosphere.
The Allied Printing building was acquired by developer Robert Miller in 2014 and has since hosted random events. It's a space with a lot of history. Allied was founded in 1946 by Roy Stein, who built it into the largest commercial printer in Dallas. Stein was also father to Brent Stein, aka Stoney Burns, '60s rabble-rouser and founder of Buddy magazine.
The wall that faces Good Latimer still sported some residual murals, a throwback to the days when Good Latimer still had a tunnel lined with murals.
When he acquired the building, Miller said he was "leaning toward retail," with possibly a grocery store-restaurant combination. But he was unable to find any takers.
The street is undergoing major upheaval, with a massive mixed-use complex going in at the Union Bankers Building, taking up the block on Good Latimer between Gaston Avenue and Elm Street.
