Addison News

West Coast wine bar makes Texas debut in Addison with whiskey and snacks

There'll be wine, whiskey, and food.

Photo by District

A San Francisco-based wine bar-restaurant is bringing its Bay Area panache to Texas: Called District, it'll open its first Lone Star State location at Village on the Parkway, at 5100 Belt Line Rd. in the former Mercy Wine Bar space.

According to a release, it'll open in the fall with globally inspired shareable plates, wine and whiskey.

District was founded in San Francisco in 2007, and currently has three locations in California; Addison will be the fourth. Helping usher it into Dallas is Johnny Carros, who last opened Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen, now closed, and previously worked at Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House and Jasper's, among others.

Jon D'Angelica and his partner Ryan Vance built the first District as a wine bar concept with shareable plates; as the concept evolved, they added whiskeys to the mix. The menu was created by executive chef Bob Cina and changes often based upon the seasons and availability of product.

Core menu items include:

Fontina and Spinach Arancini with smoked tomato sauce
Lamb Meatballs made with house ground lamb & pork, chermoula tomato sauce and manchego cheese
Tempura Avocado with jalapeño-lime aioli and sweet ‘n spicy sea salt
Calabrian Sausage Pizza with Calabrian chili sauce, arugula, cippolini onion, pecorino
Zucchini Blossom Flatbread with baby squashes and herbs, truffled ricotta, Texas sweets
Diver Scallops with Cali caviar, leak & salsify soubise, tempura mushroom, citrus sea foam
Smoked Lamb Chops with pistachio-parmesan polenta frita, Castelvetrano lamb jus, minted salsa verde

Wines will be both new and old-world, and the whiskeys will focus on high quality and small-batch production. Beers will be from local brewers including Tupps Brewery and Peticolas Brewing Company.

The cocktail menu will feature classic recipes with a modern twist, using fresh herbs, fresh squeezed juices, and house-made syrups. Standouts include the Sazerac Barrel Aged Old Fashion and Lavender Tom Collins made with gin, house made lavender syrup, lemon juice and topped with soda.

The Addison location will have 3,800 square feet with interior seating for 94 (including bar), and patio seating for 40.

Decor will pay tribute to the historic brick and timber warehouse spaces of their Northern California locations, with woods, rustic chandeliers, and a variety of seating options including lounge, hi-top tables, and banquettes surrounding a large centerpiece bar.

They've also commissioned an oversized bullhorn sculpture made from two stroke motorcycle exhaust pipes.

"We chose Dallas due to the vibrant dining scene and growth here as our first location outside of our hometown," D'Angelica says. "We fell in love with the people and its city. I'm proud of what we have accomplished in Northern California and am energized about the possibilities that lie ahead of us."

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle

Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, RIP

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, founder of the acclaimed local steakhouse Al Biernat's, passed away on November 13, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; he was 69.

Biernat was one of Dallas' all-time great hospitality figures, dating back to his days at The Palm steakhouse, for whom he worked in Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.

Biernat founded his namesake restaurant in 1998 on Oak Lawn Avenue, where his standard of excellence and doting charm made it a destination for special occasions, Park Cities swells, and celebrities in town.

His sense of hospitality had little competition in Dallas. He was a charming and personable host who genuinely liked people, and it didn't matter whether you were Conan O'Brien, David Crosby, or one of the other high-profile diners that visited his restaurants — or else just a regular schlub: He had a knack for making everyone feel special and remembered.

Biernat was born on August 20, 1955 and grew up in Michigan, then lived in Colorado, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, before moving to Dallas to work at The Palm in the West End, where his dynamic presence gave the restaurant an incomparable vitality; it closed in 2017.

He opened Al Biernat's at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave. in 1998, followed by a second location in North Dallas at 5251 Spring Valley Rd. in 2017.

He began to experience ALS symptoms in May 2023, was diagnosed in December, and revealed his condition in February 2024. The revelation was met with an outpouring of sympathy and well wishes from the hospitality industry — a sign of the high regard in which he was held.

The average life expectancy for people with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing, or in the hands, arms, legs, or feet. He began to have difficulty communicating in September, and spent his last days in a hospice.

On September 18, he broached the topic of dying, before ending on a note of gratitude to friends and family.

"Having Bulbar ALS I am realistic about my future," he said. "Friends and family have asked me if I’m afraid of dying, and this is what I say to them. Because of the salvation of Jesus, I will be rejoicing in my spirit to see him in all of his glory. Since we are all flesh, soul, and spirit, only my flesh is being left behind. But don’t get me wrong, I have a blessed life in this world, with a loving wife, and a beautiful family and many wonderful and caring friends. I am grateful!"

Both Al Biernat's locations will continue to remain open under the management of Biernat's nephew Brad Fuller, as they have for nearly the past two years.

Biernat is survived by Fuller, as well as his wife Jeannie and three daughters: Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat and grandchildren. According to family members, details regarding a celebration of his life will be announced soon.

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