This Week in Gluttony

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

We may be coming off a holiday weekend, but that will not stop us from more eating and drinking. The headliner: Taste of Dallas, which returns to Fair Park. But that is not the only place to get your fill this week:

Wednesday, June 1

Sommelier for a Day at III Forks
On the first Wednesday of the month, diners get to play sommelier for a day and help select the featured wines for the coming month. Sample six wines paired with hors d’oeuvre created by executive chef Chris Vogeli. Each month features a new theme; for June, it’s South Africa. Tickets are $20, and the tasting is anytime from 5-7 pm.

Friday, June 3

Taste of Dallas at Fair Park
At this annual event, there are cooking competitions, a culinary and exhibitor marketplace, VIP foodie experiences, and more. Food is separated into three areas — Restaurant Island, Food Experience, and Food Truck Lane — and live music on the main stage includes performances by the Molly Ringwalds, Jonathan Tyler, and Everclear. Tickets start at $14 in advance and $20 at the gate. Gates open at 5 pm on Friday and 11 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, June 4

Oak Lawn Farmers Market at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church
Pick up seasonal produce from local farms along with locally made goods. Vendors are set up and ready to sell at 8 am.

Doughnut and Beer Flight at Flying Saucer Addison
At this tasting, four beers get matched with four mini doughnuts from Hypnotic. Pairings include the Boulevard Triple Julep with a pistachio doughnut, Project Campfire Stout with an espresso doughnut, Lakewood Mole Temptress with a cinnamon doughnut, and Prairie and Friends TRVE with an orange cake doughnut. Cost is $15, and the pairing starts at 11 am.

White Rock Que Caucus at Oak Highland Brewery
At the fourth annual barbecue cook-off, six teams compete for the best brisket, pork, and jackpot item, as determined by attendees. All proceeds go to the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center (DARCC). Tickets are $10, and the event kicks off at 5 pm.

Sunday, June 5

CiboDivino Marketplace Celebrates One Year
Owners Christina and Daniele Puleo are celebrating CiboDivino’s first year of business with a celebration for neighbors, friends, and family. Enjoy complimentary glasses of Stemmari wines, live music by Hunter Sullivan, and prizes. The free event lasts from 5-8 pm.

Taqueria la Ventana is on the lineup at Taste of Dallas, which runs June 3-5 at Fair Park.

Photo courtesy of Taqueria La Ventana

Taqueria la Ventana is on the lineup at Taste of Dallas, which runs June 3-5 at Fair Park.

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Hot dog

Portillo's debuts first Chicago hot dog shop inside Dallas city limits

Portillo's

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Chicago hot dog chain Portillo's has finally come to Dallas. The fast-casual restaurant concept known for Windy City-style street food debuts at 10:30 am Tuesday, March 31 at 13904 Dallas Pkwy., its first location inside Dallas city limits.

It is the 10th location of Portillo's in Dallas-Fort Worth; the first opened at the Grandscape development in The Colony in January 2023. They've rapidly expanded since then, adding outposts in Allen, Arlington, Denton, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie. They're also headed to Frisco and opening a location at DFW Airport, inside Terminal, on May 21, the website says.

The new "Portillo's North Dallas" sits at the intersection of Dallas North Tollway and Southern Boulevard, near Addison and Galleria Dallas. No more schlupping to the suburbs for hot dogs, Italian beef, and chocolate cake shakes for north Dallasites. Not as convenient for those who live anywhere else in Dallas. (Come on Portillo's, how 'bout some downtown action?)

The restaurant features Portillo's "restaurant of the future" design, comprising a smaller, more efficient footprint. Most Portillo's are about 8,000 square feet (and some from the early days could go up to 10,000 square feet). The Dallas location spans 6,250 square feet, with seating for up to 120 inside, and 40 on the patio.

It also has the brand's signature double drive-thru lanes, Portillo’s Pick-Up shelves, and a Grab-and-Go area for added convenience.

Portillo’s is known for its Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, char-grilled burgers, crinkle-cut fries, salads, shakes, and chocolate cake.

Hot dogs come in regular, chili cheese, Polish sausage, and Maxwell Street Polish sausage, which has mustard and grilled onions.

Their Italian beef sandwich features thinly sliced roast beef served on French bread, which is then dipped in hot gravy. You can order it dipped with sweet or hot peppers and mozzarella.

Portillo's North Dallas will open March 31 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 am., and doors officially will open to the public at 10:30 am. Regular hours will be 10:30 am-10:30 pm Sunday-Thursday and 10:30 am-11 pm Friday-Saturday.

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