Sticky Buns on the Move

Top Dallas breakfast spot forced to move due to rent hike

Sticky buns are on the move.

Courtesy photo

A new landlord will put Crossroads Diner on the move. The critically acclaimed breakfast spot across from Presbyterian Hospital will move to the corner of Preston and Campbell roads in early 2016.

The center on Walnut Hill Road east of 75 where Crossroads is located was purchased in October by Cypress Equities. "They have decided to redevelop the center, and it happened to coincide with the renewal on my lease," says chef-owner Tom Fleming. "They raised my rent, and that has forced me to move."

Since opening in 2011, Crossroads has become not only a major neighborhood spot, especially for the under-served Lake Highlands area, but also a breakfast destination for diners all over. Fleming approaches breakfast from a chefly perspective, making everything from sausage to his signature sticky buns from scratch.

Fleming took what most would call a lousy location and transformed it into a breakfast bee's nest.

"This place was dying, and I feel like we revitalized it," he says. "That being said, I'm a free market capitalist, and I understand they've got to return the money to their investors. But it has have forced us to move."

When he went looking for a new location, he thought first of his faithful customers.

"What bothers me about the whole thing is the customers from Lake Highlands and East Dallas and Park Cities, I draw from all over there," he says. "They have made us what we are because of their loyalty and commitment to what we’re doing. Part of me feels bad I couldn't find something that would be more convenient. I looked at every vacant space. But restaurants are a math equation. There was not a location that met all of the needs we have."

His new space will be on the end-cap at the Kroger shopping center, in what used to be a Hallmark store, and he's looking at relocating in January, with probably a two- to three-week gap as he makes the move.

"One of the reasons we've continued to is that we put the best breakfast out there," he says. "It's a commitment and that’s what we do. "

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BBQ News

Tejas BBQ nabs former Civello's space in east Dallas for tacos & BBQ

Tejas BBQ

BBQ from Tejas BBQ

A new restaurant serving BBQ and Mexican food is opening at a hallowed East Dallas address: Called Tejas BBQ, it'll open at 1318 N. Peak St., which old-timers will remember is the space previously occupied by longtime pasta shop Civiello’s Raviolismo.

It'll open in spring 2025.

Tejas BBQ is from Antonio Guevara and Tifany Swulius, two industry vets who founded the concept in 2022 as a late-night pop-up camped at local spots such as The Balcony Club and Three Links.

Their menu is a crowd-pleasing fusion of smoked meats with Mexican favorites such as tacos and pozole. Bestsellers include brisket and the fajita tacos with grilled vegetables and green salsa. The meats— brisket, pulled pork, and sausage— are all smoked over charcoal.

They make a complementary team: Swulius is the experienced baker who handles breads and desserts; Guevara is the BBQ king.

For their buns, which they use for their brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, they add a special ingredient.

"Whenever I'm smoking brisket, I save the trimmings and put them in the smoker with the brisket and the fat to render off, then we use that smoked beef tallow for the buns," Guevara says. "It gives the buns a more silky, smoky flavor. We want to make our own tortillas eventually, but that's a big undertaking right now."

Desserts include peanut butter blondies and corn cookies for $2. Prices range from $3 for a taco to $25 for a pound of brisket.

Their location has foodie history: It's the former home of Civello's, which had been open since the 1980s selling ravioli and pasta from family recipes that dated back to the 1950s. The original family sold the business in 2022; the new owner closed the shop in October 2024. It remains a charming storefront, a few doors down from Peak Inn, but with no indoor seating, available for pickup and delivery orders only.

Guevara and Swulius both work full time as bartenders, Guevara at Lakewood Landing and Swulius at Sundown at Granada, although Guevara recently put in his notice to focus on Tejas.

In the meantime, they continue catering events and have their eyes set on the State Fair of Texas to get one of the coveted featured vendor spots.

"Last year, we decided to partner up and try to get into the fair," Guevara says. "We didn't, but they invited us to apply for a business master class under the guidance of a vendor-mentor. Hopefully that'll give us a bette chance of getting in this year, so that's the goal."

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