Where To Drink Now

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 6 places to booze it up with a valentine

Stampede 66 has the spicy, sweet margarita you're looking for this Valentine's Day.

Photo courtesy of Stampede 66

Wine might be the conventional way to win over your sweetheart — and it certainly accompanies most Valentine's Day meals — but sometimes you want to order something red, hot, and romantic. These six drinks are guaranteed to send sparks flying this February.

Passion-Chile Margarita, Stampede 66
The flashy Modern Star Canyon margarita gets all the press, but this spicy sibling is no slouch. A combination of passion fruit and jalapeño is added to Jose Cuervo and lime, giving the traditional fruit margarita some heat.

Scarlet Letter Punch, Ida Claire
Whether you're imbibing on your own or with several friends, this illicit-sounding cocktail can help you get in the mood — mainly because its list of ingredients begins with "Bonnie's bathtub gin." Add in hibiscus tea, honey, grapefruit, lemon, and seltzer, and you've got an elegant drink.

Boozy Red Velvet Cake Milkshake, Hopdoddy Burger Bar
It's pretty much impossible to still have room for dessert after one of Hopdoddy's meaty creations, so try visiting for dessert and drinks alone. Or, more specifically, dessert and drinks in one. Diners are encouraged to pair any of the restaurant's decadent milkshakes with an alcohol of their choice, and you can't go wrong around Valentine's Day with red velvet cake.

Cherry Chocolate Double Brown Stout, Deep Ellum Brewing Company
Can't leave out the beer lovers! This seasonal release takes brown stout up a few notches with the addition of Red Tart and Dark Sweet cherries at the beginning of fermentation and cocoa nibs at the end of conditioning.

Yosemite, The Theodore
This dainty drink is on the menu year-round, but its mix of pink peppercorns, blueberries, basil, Reyka vodka, and crème de viollette makes it seem especially suited to wooing this month.

First Kiss, Madrina
Hot newcomer Madrina is packing 'em in for its food, but the Mexican- and French-inspired drink menu deserves a closer look. There are several cocktails that sound like they'll get you hot and bothered (Lips Are Moving and Love Stuff, for example), but the First Kiss — pisco, Potstill rum, honey cream, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters — conjures up visions of tropical beaches and romantic sunsets. Who wouldn't be put in the mood by that?

craft-beer cocktails

Market News

Foxtrot Café & Market is ready to reopen 2 locations in Dallas

Foxtrot

All (shoppers) hail the return of Foxtrot, the upscale market chain, which is reopening two locations in Dallas. According to a release, the two shops re-opening are at 3130 Knox St, and in University Park, at 6565 Hillcrest Ave. They'll reopen in January.

Their reopening follows an abrupt system-wide closure that took place in April, when their parent company declared bankruptcy. The locations were subsequently acquired by a group led by chain co-founder Mike LaVitola, who is reviving the concept.

There are currently five locations in the Chicago area, where the company was headquartered.

The Dallas stores will reintroduce customer favorites, including their gummies and gummy mixes, while showcasing products from small and local makers.

A refreshed menu will feature made-fresh-daily options like panini sandwiches, salads, and bowls for lunch, complemented by an array of baked cookies.

They'll also upgrade their selection of breakfast tacos in a collaboration with a local artisan still to be announced, to bring an expanded selection to the menu. New options will include borracho bean, brisket guisado, and grilled veggie tacos.

"We are delighted to welcome our Dallas neighbors back to our newly reopened locations on Knox Street and in Snider Plaza, University Park," says Foxtrot co-founder Taylor Bloom, who is also a Dallas native.

Foxtrot made its debut in Dallas in 2019, opening a location at 2822 McKinney Ave., then went on to open three more locations including Greenville Avenue, Knox Street, and Hillcrest Avenue, where they built a following for breakfast tacos and coffee.

The McKinney Avenue location has since been taken over by Berkley’s Market, the not-dissimilar Dallas-based neighborhood market known for gourmet goods. Berkley's also has a flagship location on Knox, at 3300 Knox St., which they opened in 2023.

openings supermarkets