Pop-up News

2 high-profile foodie pop-ups hit Dallas with fancy layer cakes and BBQ

Milk Bar's signature Birthday cake.

Milk Bar

DFW foodies will get something more on their Memorial Day weekend than hot dogs on the barbie, via two high-profile concepts that are staging limited-run pop-ups. One is a bakery from New York, the other is a preview of a BBQ restaurant, opening soon in Dallas.

Here's the 411:

Milk Bar
Famous bakery from chef Christina Tosi, founded in New York, is coming to Dallas with a pop-up that'll run for five days from May 26-31. It'll be delivery only, via Doordash, Caviar, Postmates, and UberEats.

Milk Bar is known for its unexpected twists on familiar desserts and especially for pioneering the unfrosted layer cake trend, in which you can see the layers with frosting in between but not covering the exterior.

The menu includes:

Birthday Cake. Rainbow-flecked vanilla cake with birthday crumbs and rainbow sprinkles
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Milk Bar Pie. Sticky, buttery, salty-sweet filling in a hearty oat cookie crust
Birthday Cake Truffles
Strawberry Shortcake Truffles

Hours on Wednesday May 26 through Sunday May 30 will be 10 am-10 pm; Monday May 31 will be 10 am-2 pm.

This is not Milk Bar's first pop-up in Dallas; they did one in 2019 out of Emporium Pies. Dallas is but one city in a pop-up series that will also take place in Chicago and Atlanta with dates still to come.

Loro pop-up
One of the biggest openings in Dallas in 2021 will be Loro, the BBQ restaurant collaboration between Austin chef Tyson Cole and BBQ king Aaron Franklin. It was originally supposed to open in 2020 but then COVID-19 happened. But they're coming, they're coming, and this pop-up is a preview.

It's a one-day pop-up on Saturday May 29 from 2-5 pm in the parking lot of their coming-soon Dallas location at 1812 N. Haskell Ave., and it promises to be insane. Both chefs will be there handing out free sliced bavette with coconut rice, shishito salsa verde, and gin + tonic slushees to each guest.

They'll be doing it in two time slots, 2-3:30 pm, and 3:30-5 pm.

Only one reservation per guest is allowed. Parking is limited due to construction, so they encourage carpooling.

trends 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