Pizza News

Pizza Lounge and vegan pioneer in Dallas' Expo Park closes after 12 years

They had bodaciously topped pizzas and late-night hours.

Photo courtesy of PJ's

A pizzeria that's been slinging pies in Exposition Park since 2009 has closed: Pizza Lounge , located at 841 Exposition Ave., closed on January 9, after 12-plus years.

The restaurant announced its closure on Facebook, saying there were a "variety of factors" leading to the closure, which was abrupt; employees were not told ahead of time.

In their goodbye, they thanked everyone, "fans and foes," as follows:

"pizzaLOUNGE would like to thank everyone who visited and supported pizzaLOUNGE over the past 12 plus years. We are sad to announce pizzaLOUNGE is officially closed as of Sunday 1/9/22. pizzaLOUNGE has been very successful because we provided excellent pizza and had the luxury of having such a strong loyal following. There were plans to expand but, unfortunately it couldn’t come to fruition, and there are other factors forcing our closure. Nonetheless, the past 12 years have been successful because of all of your support.

We had a funky beat that you could grub out to.
Thank you very much pizzaLOUNGELandians, fans and foes."

Co-owner David Habony said that they were still in the wrap-up stage and he couldn't offer any more details on the other factors, but that it would be up to him to divulge those factors at a future time. So there you have it.

Pizza Lounge opened at a time when Expo Park was in an upswing of sorts, taking the most visible location at the corner of Exposition Boulevard and Parry Avenue.

A collaboration between Habony and Michael Liebermann, two first-time restaurateurs, the Lounge had a feisty vibe, with overstuffed furniture, a jukebox stocked with brash selections, and subversive names for menu items such as the Sofa King pizza.

Their menu included pizzas piled high with toppings, plus sandwiches and gourmet salads such as pear & gorgonzola on spring greens.

They became a beacon for the Dallas vegan crowd, who held regular meet-ups there, because they were among the first mainstream restaurants in Dallas to offer vegan options such as Daiya mozzarella cheese and plant-based pepperoni and Italian basil sausage.

With their location across from Fair Park, they were a beneficiary of the spillover from the State Fair of Texas. They also accommodated the late-night crowd, keeping later hours than most.

The restaurant went through a difficult period in 2010 after Liebermann assaulted a customer who didn't pay for his food. The victim filed a suit but it was eventually dismissed.

pizza closings

Saucy Summer

Loro Asian Smokehouse bottles fan-favorite sauces for summer in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

This lively salsa can now dress up dishes at home.

You can't bottle famed Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin's meat-smoking skills, but you can bottle the sauce at Loro, his popular Asian Smokehouse founded with Uchi chef Tyson Cole. Three of the restaurant's signature sauces will be available for a limited time this summer, starting June 21 and ending July 5.

A press release promises "bold, smoke-kissed flavors" on offer during the restaurant's "Saucy Summer" event. Guests can pick them up from all Loro locations across Texas. In Dallas, that means 1812 North Haskell Ave. in East Dallas and 14999 Montfort Dr. in Addison. There are also locations in Austin and Houston.

Fans of Loro probably already know these flavors from dipping wonton chips and slathering fried chicken sandwiches.

Loro Hot Sauce Loro's smoked hot sauce and chicken are a perfect match.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

The three sauces for sale are:

Tamarind BBQ: A sweet sauce that's "a little wild" thanks to spicy and fruity flavors. Ingredients include tamarind, honey, soy, pineapple, Thai sriracha, mesquite, and nam tok seasoning — usually a mix of lime, chili flakes, and other standard seasonings like salt and sugar. This one is recommended for brisket, grilled chicken, or brushing ribs in the last five minutes of cooking.
Loro Hot Sauce: Described as "buttery" and "chili-forward." It's also made with Thai sriracha and augmented with dried Thai chili flakes, vinegar, butter, and tallow. The recipe was made with eggs, tacos, fried rice, wings, sandwiches, and spicy spreads in mind.
Green Chili Salsa and Marinade: Be careful with this spicy sauce, which has a "sneaky heat." The overall tone is bright and herbal thanks to green tomato, cilantro, garlic, lime, and ginger, with soybean paste and Thai chili adding oomph. This sauce is great for marinating chicken or shrimp, but it can also be poured right on top of tacos and rice bowls or used to finish veggies and grilled fish.

Each sauce sells for $8, but shoppers can bundle three of them for $20.

Purchases can be made for dine-in or takeout via Toast. Deliveries are available via Door Dash and Uber Eats while the promotion is running. To stay on top of stock, only a certain number of sauces will be sold each day.

Loro Tamarind BBQ Sauce Sauce-lovers can bundle all three sauces for variety.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

Whether or not guests purchase a sauce, they can use the code SAUCYSUMMER to take $10 off to-go orders placed July 3 and 4.

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