99 bottles

The 6 best indie liquor stores in Dallas to stock the bar

The enviable address at Inwood Village makes PoGo's the liquor store pick forPreston Hollow.
Photo courtesy of Pogo's
Monticello Liquor is probably best known for its collection of scotch andbourbon.
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In November 2010, local booze hounds popped their corks when Dallas finally turned wet, i.e., voted in favor of allowing beer and wine sales across the city. We can thank Kroger for being the primary mover (so buy your wine at Kroger); the initiative made Dallas prime turf for a slew of liquor-selling enterprises to swoop in, including Trader Joe's, Spec's, and Total Wine and More.

Those big-box places are convenient and often have muscle that secures discounts or hard-to-get items. And don't forget veteran local chains like Sigel's, Goody Goody, Centennial and PK's.

But as part of our Best of Everything series, we're here to celebrate the standalone indie: the one-stop shop that serves and reflects its neighborhood. Here are six, in alphabetical order.

Hall’s Wine & Spirits
Quirky gas-station-convenience-mart-liquor store in Colleyville used to be out in the middle of nowhere; but then Colleyville happened. As Hall's Grocery, it always sold a little beer and wine along with gas, smoked meats and assorted tchotchkes. But since it became a licensed liquor store, it has stepped up its game, with more organized shelves holding a big selection of spirits. The weirdness factor has partially faded, but the ability to get rare craft beers has not.

Kegs & Barrels
Unassuming shop in Plano sells beer and wine only, but what a selection — especially craft beer, and way before craft beer became A Thing. It stocks more than 400 beers from around the world, including lots of rare imports, plus ale, cider, fruit beer, organic beer, mead and microbrews. You can mix your own six-pack, and the store hosts tastings on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 pm. The claim to fame is kegs: They keep a selection on hand so you don't have to pre-order. (But pre-ordering is still a good idea.)

Kindred Spirits
This Lakewood store is so Lakewood, with its small-town, family-run charm; owner Eric LeBlanc's mom helps out with the wine, and co-owner John Whitaker's 14-year-old son often lends a hand at the register. The theme is boutique wines that no one else has. They sometimes contact wineries directly, so theirs is the only place in Dallas to stock that particular wine. Kindred also goes against the pack: When everyone else is swimming in New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, Kindred turn to French Chenin Blancs.

Monticello Liquor
Uptown shop has a primo location at the foothills of Highland Park, with accessibility to US-75 that makes it convenient for homebound commuters as well. Service is crisp and attentive, and the wine selection is well-edited, with a little something for everyone. Monticello also has one of the biggest assortments of sake. But it is probably best known for its collection of scotch and bourbon, with exclusive, allocated, one-of-a-kind bottles that are no longer available.

PoGo’s Wine and Spirits
An enviable address at Inwood Village makes PoGo's the liquor store pick for Preston Hollow — a niche that any store would love. It fills the role ably by stocking esoteric spirits and fine wines that aren't found everywhere else. They back it up with service. The staff is heavily invested in its merchandise, attending tastings so they can offer knowledgeable advice on every bottle in the store.

Spirits Dallas
Spirits makes the list if for no other reason than it's in Deep Ellum, where it has stoically weathered the neighborhood's ups and downs for nearly 20 years. Its bare-bones, utilitarian atmosphere — just bottles on shelves — matches its urban environment to a T. There are more spirits than wine, but it has what you need if you're in a pinch — and at a slightly lower price than what you'd find elsewhere.

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News You Can Eat

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is headed to Garland and more Dallas dining news

Lazy Dog

Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar is expanding in DFW.

This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is topped by a mega-exciting opening for Garland, plus new dishes for spring and lots of fresh new beverages.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the casual dining restaurant known for its innovative twists on American dishes served with small mountain-town hospitality, is opening a location in Garland. It'll be located at 5180 N. President George Bush Highway, and marks their sixth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to a release, it'll open in spring 2024.

“We look forward to bringing our concept of delicious food, warm hospitality and small mountain-town vibes to Garland. Lazy Dog has been received with open arms as we’ve joined new neighborhoods, and we can’t wait to be part of this community,” says Chris Simms, Lazy Dog founder & CEO in a statement.

Influenced by the lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains, Lazy Dog Restaurant serves made-from-scratch American food and drink with seasonally inspired ingredients. Other DFW locations are in Addison, Allen, Arlington, Euless, and Plano.

Salad and Go has four new drive-thru locations coming to DFW: 1102 W Main St, Lewisville April 1; 3401 Midway Rd, Plano April 3; 211 E. Euless Blvd, Euless April 10; and 3820 Belt Line Rd., Addison April 22.

A-T Bistro is the new name for Au Troisième, the Park Cities bistro that opened in Preston Center in 2022. A-T Bistro has been its nickname all along. Now they've decided to make it official. The restaurant is a nominee for Best New Restaurant in CultureMap's 2023 Tastemaker Awards and also madeTexas Monthly's "10 Best New Restaurants in 2023" list. In addition to the name change, A·T Bistro has also added a 600-square-foot outdoor dining space, 14-seat private dining room, 600-bottle wine cellar, Sunday brunch, daily lunch specials, and happy hour menu.

Boneless Butcher, the Dallas startup that makes vegan BBQ ribs and steaks, is now popping up at the Dallas Farmers Market every weekend with a small menu, three-to-four items including Korean BBQ burritos, a bulgogi steak sandwich, steak nachos, sloppy BBQ sliders, loaded steak nachos, and a banh mi.

La Madeleine has new limited-edition bakery items for spring: Blueberry & Lemon Individual Cheesecake topped with tart lemon whipped cream; Blueberry and Lemon Crepe with blueberry-cheesecake filling and fresh blueberries; and Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting. Three seasonal favorites are also returning: Lemon Blueberry Danish with blueberries and a lemon cream center; Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookie with tangy lemon glaze; and Lemon Poppyseed Muffin with a sweet lemon glaze drizzle.

Dog Haus has a new creation: the Pepperoni Pizza Sausage, a savory link with pork and fennel Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato, and oregano. Guests can get it the Würst Way, served on King's Hawaiian rolls with spicy basil aioli and grated cheese; the Corn Dog Way dipped in Dog Haus’ root beer batter; and “Sliced Way” grilled and sliced with spicy basil aioli. A new item in the Absolute Würst Sausage Series arrives each month.

Cowboy Chicken, famous for its rotisserie chicken, has added chicken tenders to its menu, served with honey blaze, ranch, BBQ, and honey mustard sauces.

Genghis Grill has partnered with chef Robert Kabakoff on a trio of new Fried Rice bowls: Kimchi Fried Rice with spicy pickled cabbage, fried rice, scrambled egg, in spicy Korean chili sauce; Jambalaya with chicken, sausage, shrimp, onion, bell pepper, and dirty rice; Farmhouse with chicken, bacon, jalapeños, ranch seasoning, fried rice with carrots, bell pepper, onions, and a cream BBQ ranch sauce. They start at $8.49.

Dunkin' has new Breakfast Tacos with scrambled eggs, sharp white cheddar cheese, fire-roasted corn, and tangy lime crema in a soft flour tortilla, with or without bacon. What sets Breakfast Tacos apart is the fact that the fire-roasted corn takes center stage.

Cicis Pizza is collaborating with Mike’s Hot Honey to offer a Hot Honey pepperoni pizza, drizzled with the signature chili pepper-infused honey. Now through April 30, the Hot Honey Pizza will be in the third slot after Garlic Cheesy Bread and Pepperoni Pizza, or to-go, $10 for a medium, $12 for a large, or $15 for a giant.

Yogurtland, the self-serve frozen yogurt brand, has two new seasonal fro-yo flavors: Thai Tea and Boba Milk Tea, inspired by two classic tea experiences. Thai Tea frozen yogurt is new, with a bold black tea flavor and sweet cream notes. Boba Milk Tea is a returning flavor, with brown sugar notes. They also have a new limited-edition topping: rainbow mochi.

Chick-fil-A has brought back Watermelon Mint Lemonade after six years. It's available as Watermelon Mint Sunjoy, Watermelon Mint Iced Tea, and Watermelon Mint Frosted Lemonade, starting Monday, April 3. According to a release, the Watermelon Mint Lemonade has a devoted following. "Guests loved the Watermelon Mint Lemonade in 2017, so we are thrilled to bring it back to our menu and introduce new ways for guests to enjoy this flavor," a spokesperson says.

Gong Cha has a new Sparkling Series of bubbly beverages featuring combinations of fruit flavors, pearls, jelly, milk foam, and sparkling water: Sparkling Milk Foam Mango with Star Jelly, a bright, fruity and fizzy mango drink topped with milk foam and chewy, peach flavored jelly in star shapes; Sparkling Lychee with Mango Popping Pearls, a tropical fruit blend of lychee with bursts of mango in each pearl; and Sparkling Hibiscus with White Pearls,-aA sweet & sour hibiscus drink with tart, floral flavor and chewy white pearls. The chain has seven locations in DFW.

Häagen-Dazs® Shops has a new ice cream confection: Pineapple Coconut Shake, an alcohol-free ode to the classic piña colada, made from Häagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut ice cream, topped with whipped cream and a slice of fresh pineapple, available April 1-June 14.

Milk Bar, the New York dessert company, has launched two new cookie types in grocery stores: bite-sized crunchy cookies (“crunchies”) and ready-to-bake cookie dough. Known for familiar-yet-unexpected items like their Compost Cookies, Milk Bar entered into the Grocery category in 2020. Crunchies will come in four flavors: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Toast, Pretzel-y Chocolate Chip, and Vanilla Butter Crunch, and sold at Whole Foods. The cookie dough comes in two flavors: Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow and Fruity Cereal, and is sold at Target and Kroger.

El Chico has two new cocktails featuring tropical flavors: Guava ‘Rita: with Monte Alban 100% Agave Silver Tequila, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, Reàl Guava and margarita mix; and Sangria Swirl, a house frozen ‘Rita with El Toro Silver Tequila and red sangria swirl. Both are $7 and will be available April 3-July 3 at participating El Chico locations: 1549 S. Bowen Rd. Pantego; 7621 Baker Blvd., North Richland Hills; and 503 I-30, Rockwall.

Manhattan Project Beer is launching a blonde beer called Peacekeeper as a permanent offering. It's a blonde ale with a hint of guava and a crisp finish, and will be available in cans, and on tap at some bars, still TBA.

WES Brands, the Dallas-based company launched after the $610 million sale to Diageo of Aviation American Gin, has a slate of executive hires: Shawn Thurman as CEO, Sean Penn to President & COO, Kyle Stein as President, Lauren Ryan-Kiyak as Senior VP of Marketing, and Chris Jebbia as Senior VP of Finance. The company is focused on the growth of its existing brands - Mark Wahlberg's Flecha Azul Tequila and Jamie Foxx’s BSB Flavored Whiskey - and soon-to-launch spirits brands.

Chili’s is no longer using children’s activity placemats that promote keeping parrots and monkeys as pets, after a complaint was lodged in Nebraska. The North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance collaborated with PETA to discourage use of the placemats.

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