Sub Shop Comeback

Beloved Park Cities sandwich shop makes triumphant return

Park Cities favorite NY Subs is back, to the delight of the community, as seen by this poster in the halls of Mcculloch Intermediate School.

Photo courtesy of Facebook/Mcculloch Intermediate School

An institution beloved by Highland Park residents and SMU coeds is back from the dead: New York Sub, the Park Cities sub shop that closed in October 2014, reopened via a surprise rescue from white knight Andrew Kelley.

Kelley, who attended Kendall College in Chicago and has been cooking and managing in the food-service industry in Chicago and Dallas for 15 years, was one of many customers with fond memories of the original. He brags that it was he who ate the last sub there before it closed in 2014.

"For me, there are just some restaurants that should always be open — Kuby’s, Bubba’s, Burger House, and New York Sub," he says.

The shop had been open for 40 years, until previous owner Ken Harkness announced the closure in 2014. Harkness, who grew up in the Northeast, opened New York Sub in 1974 and grew the chain to eight branches before consolidating back to one.

After closing, Harkness, who not only owned the restaurant but also the building, leased the space to Project Pie, a pizza chain that had big designs on the area. When Project Pie abruptly pulled out of Dallas in March 2016, Kelley stepped in to bring NY Sub back.

He's kept many of the sub shop's original signature decorative elements, including the retro magnetic menu board and the exterior neon sign, the only one in Highland Park, grandfathered in.

But the interior now has a vintage charm, thanks to Kelley's designer mom, Pam. The building was taken down to the studs, revealing a brick wall, which was left exposed. "New" furniture was bought at auction.

He's also given the menu an update. While the lineup of sandwiches and the creamy oil-and-vinegar dressing are the same, the ingredients are now organic and non-GMO, with bread sourced from Village Baking Co.

The reopening drew a warm welcome from fans on Facebook.

"Ate there on Day 1!" wrote one customer. "Still got a #14 no cheese. Awesome as always. So glad you're back."

openings

Margaritas & fajitas

Dallas Mexican favorite El Molino to debut new location at Preston Royal

Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

Enchilada plate at El Molino.

A Dallas Mexican restaurant that quickly built a following for its wood-fired fajitas and flaming margaritas is expanding with a second high-profile location. El Molino, from Vandelay Companies, will open Monday, August 10 in Preston Royal Shopping Center.

According to a release, the new restaurant will take over the former Anchor Sushi Bar space at 6025 Royal Ln., Ste. 250.

The opening comes about 10 months after El Molino debuted in Snider Plaza, where it introduced a menu centered on wood-fired fajitas in a cozy, upscale atmosphere. It earned much acclaim and even garnered a nomination for Best New Restaurant in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

According to the release, the new restaurant spans 6,000 square feet - significantly larger than the 83-seat original - and will feature an expanded menu while maintaining the neighborhood feel of the Snider Plaza location.

Entrees, chips, queso, and margs at El Molino.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

At the heart of the menu is still El Molino's wood-fired fajita program, with options including USDA Prime tenderloin, grilled chicken, jumbo tiger shrimp, marinated prime ribeye, and combination platters.

Other dishes include queso, elote corn chowder, fresh tuna nachos, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and entrées such as the Las Vegas Ribeye, Crispy Shrimp Brochette, Filet Mignon Famosa, and Grilled Sonora Quail.

The beverage program includes the restaurant's signature Flaming Margarita, frozen margaritas in flavors such as passion fruit, pineapple jalapeño, cherry vanilla, and mango, plus handcrafted cocktails and sipping tequilas.

El Molino Flaming margaritas are a must.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

According to the release, the Preston Hollow location will also offer a daily happy hour from 3-6 pm at the bar with discounted frozen flaming margaritas, house margaritas, and sangria.

“The response to El Molino since its debut has exceeded our expectations, making Preston Hollow a natural next step for the brand,” says Hunter Pond, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vandelay Companies, in the release. “This larger location allows us to welcome even more guests while building upon the food, hospitality and overall experience that have made the Snider Plaza restaurant so successful.”

El Molino The Preston-Royal location will take over the former Anchor Sushi Bar space.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

Pond also addressed the closure of Anchor Sushi Bar and why El Molina made sense to take over its spot.

“We intentionally opened Anchor Bar in two very different footprints to determine the best long-term model for the brand,” said Hunter Pond, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vandelay Companies, in a statement. “What we learned is that Anchor is at its best in a more intimate setting, like our Knox location, and that's the format we'll continue to expand. A larger footprint is much better suited for a high-energy Tex-Mex concept like El Molino, making Preston Royal the ideal home for its next chapter.”

Once it opens August 10, the Preston Hollow location of El Molina will be open for lunch and dinner, 11 am-9 pm Sunday-Wednesday and 11 am-10 pm Thursday-Saturday.

mexican cuisine preston hollow snider plaza preston royal openings