Farmers Market News

Dallas Farmers Market ushers in trendy new food hall

Big doings start May 6 at the Dallas Farmers Market.

The Dallas Farmers Market is taking a big step on May 6 with the grand opening of The Market, which is being dubbed a "food hall." Formerly known as Shed 2, The Market is a fully renovated indoor space featuring local merchants, artisanal food vendors, and restaurants.

Friday’s celebration kicks off at 2:30 pm with an appearance by Mayor Mike Rawlings and continues into the afternoon with speakers, live music, vendor samples, prizes, and giveaways.

The Market follows the 2014 opening of The Shed, now dedicated to local farmers, and the January 2016 opening of Mudhen, the freestanding restaurant and beer garden from restaurateur Shannon Wynne. Mudhen chef Suki Otsuki's healthful menu highlights fresh, local ingredients from the city and The Shed — exactly the kind of relationship envisioned by operations director Amanda Vanhoozier.

"Our ultimate vision is for The Market and The Shed to have a symbiotic relationship in which The Market's restaurants and food vendors source local produce and artisanal ingredients from farmers in The Shed, much like Mudhen does currently," she says.

Tenant selection was overseen by Jack Gosnell and Sasha Levine of Dallas-based commercial real estate firm CBRE. DF Market Holdings LLC is leading the redevelopment and revitalization efforts.

The Market’s current 21 restaurants, food vendors, and merchants include:

Abundantly Aromatic: Bath and body soaps, sprays, scrubs, and candles.
Betty’s Blue Ribbon Fare: State Fair of Texas-winning jams, preserves, and marmalades.
Bullzerk: Quirky Dallas-themed apparel, posters, art, and gifts, expanding from first location on Lower Greenville.
Cajun Tailgators: Crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, and red beans and rice.
Caribbean Cabana: Cuisine from different islands in the Caribbean.
Chelles Macarons: French macarons in assorted flavors.
Dallas Antique Company: One-of-a-kind antiques, vintage items, and reproductions from European markets.
Doc Popcorn: National concept offers more than a dozen flavors of popcorn, kettle corn, and caramel corn using non-GMO corn and 100 percent corn oil.
El Mero Mero Tamalero (formerly La Popular): Tamale house with breakfast tacos and other Mexican favorites.
Laili: Fast-casual Asian and Mediterranean fare inspired by flavors from the Silk Road.
Lone Chimney Mercantile (formerly Pop-Up 214): Texas-inspired photography, wooden wall art, handmade jewelry, and furniture.
Market Provisions Co.: Organic produce and artisanal goods not available at The Shed or only available on weekends from pop-up vendors as well as standard commodity items for nearby neighbors.
Nammi/Coolhaus: Vietnamese fusion fare and gourmet ice cream sandwiches.
Palmieri Cafe: Italian coffee shop with sweet and savory pastries, gelato, and Italian coffees.
Rex’s Seafood at The Market: Fresh seafood, shellfish, oysters, and more for dining in, and a market selling fresh fish and seafood to take home.
San Miguel Exporta: Mexican imports including tapestries, pottery, and gift items from San Miguel de Allende.
Scardello Artisan Cheese: Cheese shop focused on local, handcrafted cheeses and tasty accompaniments.
Si Tapas: Hot and cold tapas, Spanish cheese plates, cured meats, soups, and paellas.
Stocks & Bondy: Fresh stocks and signature sauces for home cooks, chefs, and caterers, as well as a seasonal menu featuring gourmet soups for diners.
Taqueria La Ventana: Gourmet tacos, burritos, salads, churros, beers, and margaritas.

Five more tenants are expected to open this summer:

920 Bakery: Breads, pastries, and made-to-order sandwiches and salads.
BellaTrino Neapolitan Pizzeria & Cucina: Neapolitan-style pizza and Italian dishes.
Chombos: Southern comfort food.
Noble Rey Brewing Co.: Taproom from local craft brewer, expanding from its Design District location.
Sno: Gourmet shaved ice.

sustainability farmer-diaries downtown openings

Wine Bar News

Sultry Mexican wine bar-cocktail lounge to open in Dallas' Bishop Arts

Valle

Valle Bishop Arts

There's an exciting new bar spinoff coming to Dallas' Bishop Arts: Called Valle, it'll open at 509 North Bishop Ave. #C, in the former Bishop Cider Taproom, where it will serve as a sultry Mexican wine bar and cocktail lounge.

Valle is a sibling to Vinito, the Mexican wine and beer shop that opened at 939 W. Jefferson Blvd. in 2023, from partners Arturo Flores and Eduardo Mendoza.

With Vinito focused on retail sales, Flores & Mendoza decided to spread the love for Mexican wine by offering a place where patrons could sit down and enjoy a glass or bottle, plus beer, agaves, and craft cocktails as well.

"We've loved championing Mexican wines at Vinito and thought we could take our customers to the next experience," Flores says.

Vinito offers more than 100 labels of Mexican wine in every varietal: tempranillo, malbec, rose, sparkling, chardonnay, chenin blanc. Prices are reasonable, with many bottles in the $30 range, topping out at $120 for a Monte Xanic Gran Ricardo vintage 2021. They also have all the classic Mexican beers: Modelo, Bohemia, Corona, Dos Equis.

At Valle, they'll offer wines by the bottle plus a dozen wines by the glass, and flights that celebrate regions of Mexico. The menu also has a special category dedicated to "Agaves," with tequilas, mezcales, and sotol; and a handful of craft cocktails such as a margarita, paloma, and a carajillo de olla, a coffee cocktail with tequila, Spanish liqueur Licor 43, and cold brew.

"We know that not everybody drinks wine, and we want people to feel welcome and have options," Mendoza says.

They'll do snacks and finger foods, like chips & salsa and nuts, but the space has no kitchen and the focus will be on the bar. They'll be open daily from 4 pm to midnight, and until 2 am on weekends. They're hoping to launch their soft opening in the next week.

Mendoza has a strong hospitality background, and was previously general manager at Meso Maya, where they met; Flores worked there while pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. During the pandemic, they started having conversations over wine and became inspired.

"When people think about Mexico, they think about beer, mezcal, tequila, but not wine, and we wanted to change that," Mendoza says.

The bar is named for Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico, the "Napa Valley of Mexico" and the region where the majority of wine in the country is grown. They're planning to offer a wine club, with exclusive tastings, events, and new bottles available to participants.

They've also partnered with relevant businesses such as Santitos, a syrup company based in Oak Cliff that makes syrups with Mexican-inspired flavors; and Four Corner Brewery, whose Firme Azul beer they'll serve and donate the proceeds to a Hispanic scholarship fund. They're getting coffee beans from Caffetio Co., based in Austin but born in Monterrey, Mexico.

“We are big advocates for the Hispanic community, and our partnerships reflect that," Flores says.

For the location, they were aided by Amanda Moreno-Lake, President of Redevelopment and Partner at Jim Lake Companies, and a big supporter who helped them find their spot for Vinito as well.

"I saw the vision and plans and knew I wanted to help Eduardo and Arturo," she says. "Sometimes small businesses need that chance to grow and succeed."

Flores says they've completely redone the 700-square-foot space, with bar seating for 10, four high-top tables, and a lounge area with leather chairs and coffee table.

"It's intimate," Flores says. "Where Vinito is light and warm, Valle is dark and cozy, with a deep green and gold palette — like the evil sister of Vinito."

oak cliff openings wine