Downtown News

Chic new black-owned restaurant-cocktail bar lands in downtown Dallas

The cocktails promise to blow your mind.

Photo courtesy of International Smoke

A food & beverage veteran from Houston is opening a plush new restaurant and bar in downtown Dallas. Called True Kitchen + Kocktails, it will open at 1933 Elm St. the historic Hart Building in downtown Dallas behind the Majestic Theatre, with comfort food, craft cocktails, live music, and DJs.

According to a release, it'll open in summer 2020.

Owner is Kevin Kelley, who had a hand in Taste Bar + Kitchen, a similar concept in Houston (the + sign gives it away). His goal: to differentiate from traditionally modest comfort food restaurants by creating a first-class facility with a high of level service and atmosphere.

He's also emphasizing that the restaurant is black-owned and will be culturally diverse.

The menu will feature nicely plated Southern classics with a twist, including:

fried chicken and lobster tails
shrimp and grits
oxtails

Sides will include greens, black eyed peas, and candied yams. Desserts will include peach cobbler, lemon cake, and banana pudding.

The release describes the cocktails as "mind-blowing," presented in a distinctive over-the-top manner with a flair unlike anything seen before at a comfort food restaurant. We are totally ready for our minds to be blown.

In 2017, Kevin Kristian 2612, LLC acquired the historic Hart Building and the adjoining property currently operated as Club Medusa. The restaurant is now in the final stages of a "7-figure" renovation.

"We began the development of 1933 Elm with the intention that it be leased to an outside entity," Kelley says. "However, it became apparent that Dallas deserves a black owned restaurant in the central business district. We are committed to not only presenting fantastic flavor profiles notwithstanding providing the best of facilities and feel for not only blacks, but every single demographic in Dallas."

"In time, we hope to be an all-encompassing, one-stop experience that boasts food, nightlife, and entertainment, also courtesy of the neighboring Majestic Theatre," he says.

It's also their hope to provide inspiration for others in food and beverage to develop and support black-owned concepts.

"Our general manager is Hispanic, our manager is black, our chef is black, and our bar manager is white," he says. "We are committed to representing the diversity that all restaurants in Dallas should. Not just in the kitchen but in management and other positions. We will be that model of restaurant diversity and opportunity, and because of that we hope to have the support of every person of every ethnicity and every background."

"Not only do black lives matter, but so do black businesses," he says. "We hope the public supports that we are not only black owned, but also that we’ve collected a diverse dream team of talent to ensure that this concept serves proper."

downtown

Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year

Ari's

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A buzzy grocery store in downtown Dallas has closed: Ari’s Pantry, the small local chain specializing in Italian groceries and to-go foods, has closed its location in the heart of the Central Business District at 1800 Main St.#124.

A statement from the owners called it "a difficult decision." The closure is effective July 15.

"We are truly grateful for the welcome Ari's Pantry received from the downtown Dallas community. You have supported our business and shared in our passion for Italian food and hospitality. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Downtown Dallas location effective today," their post said.

The closure comes a little over a year since they opened in May 2025.

Downtown was the third location for the small mom-and-pop market, which debuted in Winnetka Heights in December 2023 to fulfill owner Ari Lowenstein's passion for all things Italy, with pastas, gourmet goods, dried foods, produce, plus meals for dining in or to go.

They opened a second location in Trinity Groves in 2024, which is currently marked on their website as "closed for the summer," although it does not list a re-opening date. Lowenstein was unavailable for comment.

The downtown location was originally a joint venture between Lowenstein and Alan Kearney, a downtown enthusiast who owns businesses nearby such as The Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, as well as Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff. However, Kearney withdrew from the store after it opened.

To accommodate the needs of downtown workers and residents, Lowenstein added a coffee shop and gelato stand. It was open for coffee at 7 am and until 9 pm, with a dining area where customers could have wine and cheese.

The location at 1800 Main St. seems to be in a favorable spot, surrounded by residential buildings and hotels such as the AC Hotel and Statler Dallas. Who has not spent a night in a hotel and longed for a market nearby with snacks and wine? It's also across the street from Neiman Marcus, whose imminent closure in September has provoked some pearl-clutching about the prosperity of downtown. But the downtown population does not always support local businesses.

Ari's was not the first to find the location challenging: It was previously occupied by the well-mounted Berkley's Market, which closed in 2024 after six years in the space.

The owners stated that they would "continue focusing on our locations in Coppell and Bishop Arts as we look ahead to the next chapters of Ari's Pantry," before thanking "every customer who stopped in for coffee, lunch or gelato, picked up dinner, discovered a new favorite ingredient."

downtown closings