This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Tequila for everyone this week.

Photo courtesy of Cadillac Bar

Many Dallas restaurants are breaking out their bottles of the good stuff to toast National Tequila Day. From patio parties and mariachi music to tequila tastings and even a dog park party with “Barkaritas,” the celebrations are many. Also this week, a meat-smoking class, street food market, wine dinner, and free ice tea just in time for summer’s heat wave.

Thursday, July 22

Sweet Sips Tea Fest at McAlister’s Deli
Whether it’s sweet, unsweet, mixed with lemonade or flavored, the tea is free on Thursday at all McAlister’s Deli locations. Each customer can claim a free 32-ounce tea of any variety. One per customer. (Excludes third-party deliveries.)

Friday, July 23

Misfits Market at White Rock Lake Park
Misfits Market, which touts itself as the nation’s fastest-growing online, direct-to-consumer grocer, will pop up for one day only, 11 am-4 pm, at White Rock Lake Park (Mockingbird Lot). Attendees can expect organic and upcycled snacks, as well as fun selfie opps, cool swag, and the chance to win free groceries for a year. Visitors who donate at least $1 to Feeding America via Misfits Market’s Venmo handle will receive upcycled stroopwafel cookies from Belgian Boys and organic fruit ice pops from GoodPop. For a coupon and more information, click here.

Mastering the Art of Smoking Meats at Sheraton Dallas
Chef Zeb Hartline of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel will share his tips and tricks for smoking meats and seafood during this cooking demo series. This week, chicken and pork are featured. The $35 ticket includes the class, appetizers, and one specialty cocktail, wine, or beer. The event will take from 6 to 8 pm in the hotel’s terrace-level Herb ‘n Jungle outdoor garden, where live music will play during a post-class reception.

Saturday, July 24

Bark and Booze at Mutts Canine Cantina
The urban oasis for dogs and their people will host a tequila-fueled fiesta. Visit for the special Mutts’ Barkarita, made with Lunazul resposado tequila, fresh juices, and a touch of agave. Add a sangria popsicle made by local Social Ice for extra flair. Pups can celebrate with their own Pupsicle made with frozen peanut butter and beef broth on an edible “stick.” The specials will be available at both DFW Mutts locations.

Cambodian Street Food Market
The Cambodian Buddhist Temple of Dallas will host its first-ever pop-up street food market featuring live music and traditional Cambodian dishes and treats. Visit Saturday from 12-11 pm and Sunday from 10 am-3 pm. Admission is free, but bring cash as all food vendors are cash-only.

National Tequila Day at Joe Leo
Joe Leo is one of Dallas' newest Tex-Mex joints, opened on Cinco de Mayo, and comes from the owners of The Rustic. They're celebrating National Tequila Day from 3-6 pm with $5 frozen margaritas, a live mariachi band, and a shot luge for those feeling extra festive.

Tequila Tasting at Seely's Mill
Seely’s Mill, the legit yet still under-the-radar Texas barbecue restaurant and bar located in the lobby of The Beeman Hotel, will host a tequila tasting with live music and food. Participating distilleries include Insolito (part-owned by the band Midland), Republic, Pepe Z, Socorro, and Veneno. The $20 ticket gives patrons a taste of each tequila and light bites served with samples of local Speakeasy Hot Sauce. The event will take place from 5 to 8 pm.

National Tequila Day at Café Herrera
The contemporary Mexican restaurant at the Omni Dallas Hotel will host a ticketed tequila celebration that comes with a food, live music, and of course, tequila. Taking place from 6:30-9:30 pm on the restaurant patio, the event includes a welcome cocktail, Casamigos tequila tasting, and four taco stations. Tacos range from chile rojo grilled shrimp to shredded beef cheek. Tickets are $45 plus tax.

Sunday, July 25

Farm to Trova Dinner
Chic Dallas wine bar Trova Wine + Market is teaming with local purveyors Profound Foods and Regalis Texas to host a five-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Menu highlights include smoked salmon and trout roe tart, bone marrow toast with blackberry confit, roasted Texas quail with summer truffle, and mountain huckleberry tart with salted honey mint ice cream. The dinner is $110 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and begins at 6 pm.

news-you-can-eat dinner cocktails

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's hospitality group Yela Concepts led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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