Opening News

7 sudden new restaurant openings taking place around Dallas right now

Aloo tikki from Âme in Oak Cliff.

Photo courtesy of Ame

The city of Dallas' permitting process has been mired in slowness, delaying many potential restaurant openings. But some warriors have broken through including a new Indian restaurant in Bishop Arts, a hot chicken restaurant by SMU, and fingers crossed, a cookie delivery place in Victory Park.

Here are seven sudden new openings taking place this week (or next):

Food park popup in south Dallas
The MLK Food Park is a pop-up event debuting in south Dallas' Forest District on April 9 and running through May 2. This partnership between the Real Estate Council's (TREC) Community Investors and the Better Block Foundation will feature a weekly rotation of food trucks and trailers, vendors, and musicians and entertainers.

The goal is to transform a vacant lot into a gathering space, with public art, greenspace, community flowerbeds, shady pergolas, and a children’s play area; and also to create an incubator-like setting highlighting local entrepreneurs and southern Dallas food artisans, food truck, and trailer purveyors. Vendors are listed at betterblock.org/mlkfoodpark.

Tacos on Greenville Avenue
Saint Taco is a new taqueria which opened on April 5 at 5323 Greenville Ave., in the former BBBop Seoul Kitchen space, where it's serving breakfast tacos, street tacos, Tex-Mex staples, and wings, plus fries, queso fries, and loaded fries. Their veggies and guacamole are prepared fresh daily, their meats are trimmed by hand, salsa is house-made, and their refried beans are made straight from the pinto.

BBBop hasn't disappeared: You can order their menu on a takeout basis from a ghost kitchen at that location, or else visit the BBB Bop location in Oak Cliff.

Indian food in Oak Cliff
Âme (pronounced Ah-mmh) is an exciting new French-Indian concept from mother-daughter duo Afifa and Sabrina Nayeb (Laili, 8 Cloves, and JuiceBabe in the Dallas Farmers Market) that'll open in the former Hattie's space at 418 N. Bishop Ave. on April 9.

Named for the French word for soul, Âme will serve upscale Indian food but with French techniques. It'll be open for dinner and brunch. It'll also feature a companion cocktail lounge called Elephant Bar with a big selection of champagne.

Nashville hot chicken in the Park Cities
Lucky’s Hot Chicken, the Nashville hot chicken concept from Vandelay Hospitality Group, will open on April 12 at 6309 Hillcrest Ave. in the former Digg's Taco Shop at McFarlin Boulevard. This is the second location; the original opened at 4505 Gaston Ave. in 2020.

The menu includes a chicken sandwich, chicken tenders and nuggets, mac & cheese, coleslaw, fried pickles, fries, frozen cocktails, and soft serve, plus a new red velvet Belgian waffle with three tenders. They're open 11 am-2 am daily. Online ordering is available at luckyshotchicken.com.

Cookies in Victory Park
Insomnia Cookies will open its second store in Dallas at Victory Park in "late April," they won't say which day. UPDATE 5-18-2021: The store opened on May 18. They'll host a grand opening party on Saturday May 22 from 12-8 pm, with loads of giveways.

This is the 10th location in Texas for this late-night bakery concept founded in a University of Pennsylvania dorm room by then-student Seth Berkowitz in 2003.

The Victory Park shop will be at 2422 Victory Park Ln., Unit C30 Dallas, and will deliver to the American Airlines Center, W Dallas Hotel, and surrounding Victory Park business and residential areas. There's also a location in Deep Ellum.

Chicken tenders in Plano
Raising Cane's just opened its fourth Plano location at 6060 Coit Rd., at the intersection of Spring Creek Parkway. The grand opening celebration included a special appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and Cane's 1967 vintage red Cadillac convertible, featured on TV show Fast N' Loud, was in attendance. Pity we missed it. This is the 169th location in Texas. It features a multi-lane drive thru, takeout, dining room, online ordering through its mobile app, and on its large patio. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 10 am-12 midnight, and Friday-Saturday 10 am-1 am.

Grilled cheese delivered in Plano
Plano Grilled Cheese Company is a delivery-only gourmet grilled cheese concept now open from the team at Sea Breeze, the Plano seafood restaurant and market. The sandwiches are served on Texas toast, some with seafood: The Lobster ($15) with white cheddar cheese and basil, the Smoked Salmon Club ($15) with Havarti, bacon, and red onion marmalade, and the Crab Cake ($14) with white cheddar and remoulade. Non-seafood offerings include triple cheese, chicken tenders and bacon, and a patty melt. There are also soups: smoked tomato basil bisque, seafood gumbo, and New England clam chowder, plus coleslaw, Asian slaw, and French fries. Ordering is available via Favor.

openings

Tex-Mex News

New Dallas Tex-Mex Texano Cocina opens in former El Fenix space

Texano Cocina

The name may change but the Tex-Mex goes on: A new concept called Texano Cocina has opened at 5622 Lemmon Ave., in the Lemmonwood Shopping Center, taking over the space that was most famously El Fenix, but has seen a series of Tex-Mex concepts open and close in recent years.

The space was most recently occupied by Eddie's Cocina & Cantina, and prior to that was home to Tex-Mex restaurant Casa Rosa, which closed in 2024.

Eddie's was from Eddie Cervantes whose previous restaurants include Primo's in Uptown, now closed, and E-Bar Tex Mex in East Dallas, now owned by Ernie Quilantan. Cervantes also owns Eddie's Tex-Mex Cocina at 2018 Greenville Ave., which he opened in 2021.

The location at Lemmon and Inwood is adjacent to Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and the Medical District — all neighbors who desperately want a Tex-Mex nearby. El Fenix had been in that location for 60 years before it closed in 2020.

A release states that Cervantes and his former partners have decided to part amicably, and describes Texano as a rebranding, boasting an updated vision while continuing to deliver the restaurant's signature flavors and hospitality.

"We are incredibly grateful for Eddie's vision and contributions to establishing such a beloved spot on Lemmon Avenue," says managing partner Rick Castillo. "We wish him nothing but the very best in his future projects. As Texano Cocina, we are excited to build upon the strong foundation he helped create, introducing new recipes, fresh ideas and an enhanced experience that celebrates the vibrant culinary traditions of Texas and Mexico."

That means a menu fusing Mexican and Texan flavors with a commitment to exceptional food, outstanding service, and a memorable dining experience.

There are fajitas, chicken with mole, steak with onions, mushrooms, & peppers, guiso de res beef stew, chile relleno, and redfish, pan-seared or blackened. There's also a smashburger, a Mexican cheesesteak, and eight tacos with options such as carne asada, brisket, or shrimp.

There are lunch specials including combo plates with rice and beans priced from $12-$14; and appetizers like ceviches, queso, nachos, and Texas torpedos, stuffed with chicken and cheese, then deep-fried, grilled, or wrapped in bacon.

Guests can look forward to a new remodeled dining and bar area, along with a patio area for dining in the cooler months, and an expanded menu featuring more regional Texas-inspired dishes.

tex-mex openings