Downtown News

Italian restaurant from Chicago to open in century-old Dallas building

The pizzas sound divine.

Courtesy of Etta

A chef-owned Italian restaurant from Chicago is coming to downtown Dallas: Called Etta, it's from chef Danny Grant and will open in the East Quarter, the development on the easternmost side of the Central Business District.

According to a release, Etta will open in 2022. It's going into a century-old two-story building at 2203 Commerce St., where it will span 11,000 square feet, including a second-floor patio.

Etta East Quarter represents the third concept in Dallas from What If Syndicate, the national hospitality group from Grant and partners David Pisor and Jim Lasky. In March, they opened Monarch and Kessaku, two restaurants inside The National building. Both the National building and East Quarter are projects being developed by Dallas-based Todd Interests.

Food
The menu will feature local and seasonal fare including:

wood-fired pizzas
house-made pastas
salads
dishes to share

Etta's sibling Monarch is also Italian-leaning but more high-end; Etta has a neighborhood restaurant theme with "affordable" prices.

Pastas such as orecchiette with fennel sausage run from $18 to $25. A wild mushroom pizza with "melted" onions, goat cheese, black truffle, and raclette cheese is $22. A pancetta pizza with pistachio pesto, English peas, mint, and pecorino is $22 and sounds divine.

There are two family-style dishes to share including the signature Pig Picnic, a $62 feast with pork loin and pork belly alongside vegetables, lettuce cups, bread, and sides such as dill spiced yogurt, chimichurri, serrano, Veracruz oil, drippings, and garlic butter.

The restaurant will be open daily for dinner and will also serve weekend brunch.

Neighborhood
The East Quarter comprises 18 charming brick buildings that used to be automobile showrooms, centered around the Meletio building, now being restored and developed by Todd Interests, along with a new 20-story mixed use development with retail, office, and residential space.

The Etta building has a historic garage and an adjacent alleyway space which What If is working to find unique ways to use.

In a statement, Grant calls the development "progressive and incredibly thoughtful" and says they're honored to be a part of it.

downtown

Spicy chicken joint

TikTok-famed hot halal chicken chain The Red Chickz pecks into Carrollton

Facebook/The Red Chickz

Dipping hot chicken into sauce is a big thing at The Red Chickz.

A California hot chicken chain that's famous for being TikTok-famous is making its Dallas-Fort Worth debut in Carrollton. Called The Red Chickz, it will open at 3204 E. Hebron Pkwy. #220, Carrollton, on Saturday, July 25.

This will be The Red Chickz's second location in Texas, following a restaurant in Cypress, outside Houston.

Founded in Los Angeles in 2018, The Red Chickz serves 100 percent halal chicken with a California twist on Nashville hot chicken, says a release. Halal refers to the method in which the chicken are slaughtered, one that focuses on humane treatment of animals, cleanliness, and acknowledging the value of life.

The Red Chickz menu features chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, tacos, and loaded fries, with seven spice levels ranging from no heat to extra hot.

Their signature item is the Honey Butter Sandwich, which pairs a Nashville hot chicken breast with honey butter, pickles, and slaw on a brioche bun. Other menu standouts include a French Toast Sandwich, Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos, cauliflower for vegetarians, plus sides such as cheese curds, corn ribs, mac and cheese, and seasoned fries.

They also offer a range of sauces for dipping, including Comeback Sauce, Honey Butter, Smoky Honey Mustard, and Homemade Buffalo Sauce.

The Carrollton restaurant is owned by franchisee Nazar Osman, an entrepreneur from Northeast Africa, who moved to the United States in 1992. He says he plans to open two more locations around Dallas.

CEO and co-founder Shawn Lalehzarian says the success of the Cypress restaurant made expanding further into Texas a logical decision.

"The incredible response we've seen in Cypress confirmed Texans have a strong appetite for bold flavors, quality food, and memorable dining experiences," he says in a release. "As the Dallas-Fort Worth region continues to attract new residents, businesses, and investment from across the country, Carrollton is a natural next step for our expansion."

Part of the chain's appeal comes from its modern social media strategy. Rather than relying on traditional advertising, The Red Chickz built its brand through TikTok videos showcasing the crunch, texture, and spice of its chicken, often tapping into viral trends and encouraging customers to create their own content.

Some (ie, those who don't work in traditional media) might say the strategy has paid off: The chain has amassed more than 1.2 million TikTok followers and recently was named a finalist for the 2026 Chicken Marketer of the Year award.

Similarly, their strategy to build buzz around the Carrollton store seems to have been to invite influencers to post videos of chicken being dipped in giant buckets of sauce, like this one and this one and this one and this one. Yummy!

To celebrate the grand opening in Carrollton, the first 150 customers on July 25 and 26 will receive a free Honey Butter Sandwich with a purchase, and all guests will get 25 percent off their order during opening weekend. Sauce for everyone!

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