First Lady Approved

Cafe 43 at George W. Bush Presidential Center brings new lunch option to ParkCities

Club 43 entrees include Arctic char on a bed of corn and peas.

Photo courtesy of Cafe 43
Cafe 43 salads include this combination of greens with turkey, berries andcandied pecans.

Photo courtesy of Cafe 43
Club 43 interior is centered on large painting that's a favorite of Laura Bush.

Photo courtesy of Cafe 43
Cafe 43 starters include toasts with house-made ricotta and tomato marmalade.

Photo courtesy of Cafe 43
Cafe 43's sandwiches include pulled pork with slaw and a pickle.

Photo courtesy of Cafe 43

A week after opening, Cafe 43 – the full-service restaurant at the new George W. Bush Presidential Center – held a media lunch on Thursday to share highlights of the menu, followed by a complimentary tour of the library. The restaurant sits at the entrance of the museum in a large, airy room with high ceilings, lots of windows and wainscoting with inlaid molding on the walls.

The library chose Dallas-based Culinaire International, a restaurant-catering company, to manage Cafe 43 and run the catering operation for private events such as meetings.

Executive chef John Maas and chef de cuisine Jason Wade introduced a representative sampling of dishes, beginning with hummus and pita triangles and a crostini-like starter with small soft toasts, house-made ricotta, olive tapenade and tomato marmalade. Bread comes from La Spiga.

Two salads were shared: turkey Cobb with greens, large chunks of avocado, and two fried green tomatoes on top; smoked chicken salad was sweet, thanks to the berries, oranges and other fruit.

Entrees sampled included pappardelle with vegetables, and Arctic char over a medley of corn and peas. Two sandwiches were chosen based on their popularity: pulled pork and turkey pastrami, which Maas said were the top sellers. Desserts included an unusual "griddled" carrot cake with puffs of fluffy cream cheese. Wade explained how he did it: buttering slices of the cake, then grilling them until the edges were crisp and hot.

Maas came from Hackberry Creek Country Club in Irving, and he was executive chef for Cityplace Conference Center. Wade was most recently a sous chef at Whiskey Cake.

In addition to Cafe 43, the library has a casual quick-serve place called the Courtyard Café. For now, both seem directed towards museum guests, who are being charged $7 for parking, and there are currently no validations for cafe diners. You can take the DART Rail to Mockingbird Station, as long as you don't mind walking a few rather large but not undoable blocks.

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Coffee News

French cafe Maman from New York debuts in Dallas' Casa Linda Plaza

Maman

Cookies and cappuccino from Maman

A French cafe chain from New York is ready to debut its ritzy fare in East Dallas: Maman, a celebrated spot with coffee and brand-name pastries, will open a location in Casa Linda Plaza at 1152 N. Buckner Blvd. #124, in the former Schlotzsky's Deli.

According to a release, doors will open at 8 am Thursday, October 15.

Maman was founded in Soho in 2014 by partners Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, and has expanded across the U.S, with 50-plus locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Canada.

The company made its Texas debut in November 2025 with a cafe at The Plaza at Preston Center in Dallas, followed by a Lakewood location that opened earlier this year and a Plano location that opened in August. Another location is planned at Fields West in Frisco, as well as in Southlake.

Beyond the cafe operation, they have expanded into a lifestyle brand, selling merchandise in the culinary, design, and entertainment spaces; there's also a cookbook, Maman: The Cookbook, All Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart.

Expanding to Casa Linda Plaza is a big deal for East Dallas, which has its share of coffee shops but precious little in the way of precious upscale businesses.

“Casa Linda is such a vibrant community in Dallas, and we’re thrilled for maman to join the neighborhood,” says Marshall in the release. “Dallas has welcomed us since we opened our doors ... We can’t wait to bring our pastries and coffee and hope to become our neighbors' home away from home.”

The new location features 2,366 square feet of space with seating for 50 guests, plus an outdoor patio with seating for 12.

The cafe will be open during daylight hours with coffee, breakfast and lunch: espresso drinks, tea, and pastries such as croissants, kouign maman, Bundt cakes, tea cakes, and cookies. Heartier breakfast and lunch items include quiche, a breakfast bowl, and Mediterranean steak sandwich.

The Casa Linda location will feature Maman's French-inspired favorites, along with some Dallas-exclusive offerings and the seasonal fall menu, including:

Magnolia Sweet Tea Fizz (Dallas exclusive): a cold-steeped magnolia bud tea made with Topo Chico, sweetened with local Texas wildflower honey syrup and served with a lemon wedge and fresh mint.
Lone Star Cinnamon Bun (Dallas exclusive): a sweet, fluffy pastry filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a creamy vanilla glaze and a signature pastry star.
Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Roll (Dallas exclusive): a soft, buttery pastry swirled with salted caramel, vanilla and toasted Southern pecans.
Blueberry Lavender Muffin: a delicate blueberry lavender muffin topped with buttery crumble and powdered sugar.
Pumpkin Pie Croissant Cube: a laminated croissant cube filled with pumpkin pie buttercream, topped with torched meringue and sprinkled with pie crust crumbles.
Maple French Toast Latte: featuring Grade A New England dark maple syrup reduced and infused with butter, real vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg and fleur de sel.

They also partner up on brand collaborations with food & beverage names such as Martha Stewart.

Known for their rustic-chic décor, hanging plants, and Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies, Maman will equip the former deli space with a new kitchen and the installation of their signature interior touches to create a cozy, European garden atmosphere. They boast a French provincial aesthetic with vintage furniture, wood floors, imported tiles, signature blue toile that extends to the custom espresso machine. These furnishings have made Maman a favorite for bridal showers, luncheons, and celebrations.

Casa Linda’s Maman exterior facade is covered by a striking floral mural painted by Joel Haynes Art.

To celebrate the grand opening on October 15, Maman will kick off the day with an 8 am ribbon-cutting. The first 100 guests to make a purchase will receive a complimentary tote and classic chocolate chip cookie. There will also be pop-ups and specials throughout the day.

The Casa Linda location will be open 7:30 am-6 pm Monday-Friday and 8 am-6 pm on weekends, with the kitchen closing daily at 4 pm.

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This story originally published on February 16, 2026. It has been updated with details on the opening date, menu, and more.

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