Henderson Avenue Beer News
Black Forest Biergarten adds German accent to Henderson Avenue
With all the German heritage in Texas, it makes sense for Dallas to have a German-style biergarten. In February, we will, when Black Forest Biergarten opens off Henderson Avenue at the corner of McMillan.
Black Forest will have German beers on tap, a German-themed menu and a spacious patio that will do its best to re-create the spirit of Munich. The place comes from Blake and Di Ann Bogus, who got their feet wet in the bar business as owners of Knox Street Pub in Uptown Dallas. After seven years, they were ready to try something different, so they sold the bar in June 2013.
Black Forest will have German beers on tap, a German-themed menu and a spacious patio that will do its best to re-create the spirit of Munich.
"We wanted a different feel than Uptown provided, something more casual and something that could include our teenage kids," Di Ann says.
Their quest led them to the idea of a German beer garden. In addition to locally made sausage and German-made or -influenced beers, it will embrace a concept they call Gemütlichkeit, which they define as the "notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic and the opportunity to spend quality time."
They're going into what used to be the Save Way Market, next to Slip Inn and across from both Beauty Bar and Barcadia. The space itself will be about 1,800 square feet, with a 2,000-square-foot patio.
"The old store will be the inside part, and the patio is going where the parking lot used to be," Di Ann says. "We're putting in garage door openings that lead out onto a covered patio and an outdoor patio that's to open to the elements."
The menu is "brat-based," she says. "If you eat meat, you can eat a sausage," she says. "But we're looking for a sausage that's vegan too. And pizza, and a big soft pretzel. Everyone likes pretzels."
The bar will have 10 taps, with beers such as Paulaner Oktoberfest and Real Ale's Hans' Pils, plus specialty drinks. There will also be TVs for watching soccer and football, as well as live music Thursday through Saturday.
"What we're doing is not like anything else there," Di Ann says. "We're hoping not to take business but to generate more, and to enhance the eclectic atmosphere of that area."