Mac N Cheese News

New restaurant is a mac & cheese nirvana for Dallas comfort food fans

A restaurant dedicated entirely to mac and cheese.

I Heart Mac & Cheese/Facebook

A new restaurant dedicated to everyone's favorite comfort food is opening in Highland Village: I Heart Mac & Cheese, a chain that specializes in — surprise! — mac & cheese will open a new location at 2250 Justin Rd. #112.

According to a release, the restaurant will open on April 20 and will give away free mac & cheese for one year to the first 10 guests. (Limit to one bowl per week, up to a $10 value for each bowl.) They open their doors at 11 am. Storm the castle!

I Heart Mac & Cheese is a fast-casual concept specializing in made-to-order macaroni & cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches. They also have quinoa, broccoli, and cauliflower bowls, gluten-free pasta, and a complete vegan menu. The menu combines award-winning recipes with a grown-up approach.

The concept was founded in South Florida by Steve Giordanella, a colorful entrepreneur whose past businesses have included making bullet-proof vests. The release says it was founded in 2019, although this story indicates that it existed as far back as 2017. A spokesperson says that the first location opened in 2016, but they did not become a franchise until 2019.

The Highland Village location is franchised and operated by Ricardo Araujo.

The menu features a variety of health-conscious bases including quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower, gluten-free pasta, plant-based protein, and dairy-free alternatives, as well as an extensive array of traditional mac & cheese and sandwich options.

Guests select a pasta, bread, quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower, or tater tot base with a choice of 10 proteins, 11 vegetables, and nine cheeses.

Gluten-free, vegan, and plant-based options are also available. Sesame ginger, mango habanero, buffalo, BBQ, and pesto are a few of the dressings and sauces available to mix in or top off each creation.

There's Buffalo blue mac & cheese, short rib Philly mac & cheese, and chicken Parmesan mac & cheese.

The newest I Heart Mac & Cheese location in Highland Village will feature signature chef-driven combinations including:

The "tacoroni": cheese shell tacos stuffed with meat and mac &cheese
Baked Chicken Parmesan, Baked Meatball Parmesan
The Cuban
Pepperoni Pizza
Lobster & White Truffle Mac

Vegan options include a vegan mac & cheese with vegan cheese; and a vegan patty melt on wheat bread with a Beyond burger, vegan cheese, onions, tomatoes, and a vegan cheese sauce.

Sides include cheesy broccoli and tomato soup.

Desserts include mini chocolate chip cookies, brownies, marshmallow treats, and caramel cookies.

Their signature dish is "The Best of Both Worlds," a Baked Mac & Cheese Sandwich with short rib, white cheddar cheese, and American cheese finished off with BBQ sauce. Whoo.

They currently have more than 20 locations across the U.S.

openings

Craft Beer News

Dallas Stars owner to open beer-centric Craft restaurant in the U.S.

Craft

Food and beer from Craft.

A restaurant concept from Canada is opening its first U.S. location in little old Dallas: Called Craft Restaurant & Beer Market, it's a small chain with an emphasis on craft beer and elevated casual dining opening in Preston Center at 5974 W Northwest Hwy.

That location is a former medical office, across the street from the Starbucks at the corner of Kate Street. According to a release, it will open in in early 2026 — their first in the American market.

The concept was founded in 2019 by craft beer wunderking PJ L'Heureux, who is partnered with Tom Gaglardi, owner of the Dallas Stars and the Moxies chain. It will feature more 100 beers on tap including local Texas brews, along with cocktails, wine, and a fresh, globally inspired menu.

L'Heureux calls Dallas "a natural fit" for Craft.

"Our large restaurant footprint, commitment to local products, and dedication to community are what Texas is all about," L'Heureux says in a statement. "Texas and specifically the Preston area of Dallas, with its booming economy, diverse culture, and love for craft cocktails and beer, is the perfect place for us to begin this exciting new chapter."

Craft will occupy a state-of-the-art, 10,500 square-foot space with a modern yet welcoming interior, featuring warm woods, industrial accents, and a massive 360-degree bar as its center.

The space will also include a 5,250 square-foot rooftop patio with a full bar, booth seating, lush greenery, and a games area — suitable for casual gatherings and special celebrations.

Craft president Scott Frank says that the chain, which has nine locations across Canada and is no relation to the Craft restaurant concept by chef Tom Colicchio, likes to create unique menus and partnerships in each of the communities they are in.

"Craft has always been about bringing people together, and we're thrilled to share our passion for craft beer, exceptional dining, and community building with our friends in the Texas market," L'Heureux says.

Gaglardi previously brought Moxie's Grill & Bar, his glossy Canadian sports-bar restaurant, to Dallas in 2016 — the first in the U.S. He's since opened locations in Plano, Southlake, and Houston.

craft beer openings