This Week in Gluttony

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Don't miss your opportunity to craft the perfect Cointreau Rickey cocktail at the Cointreau pop-up bar cart on Sunday, July 31 from 1-3 pm.

Photo courtesy of Cedar Grove

What's on the docket for this week's food events? Lots of drinking and brunching. Plus, there's a philanthropic, family-style dinner with a great chef lineup to end the week.

Thursday, July 28

West End Wine Walk starting at 1001 Wine & Spirits
This inaugural event starts with a free wine tasting at 1001 Wine and Spirits. The group then walks to RJ Mexican Cuisine, Tutta's Pizza, and Ellen's Southern Kitchen to try some of their wines at happy hour pricing. Things wrap up at the 555 Ross Apartment's clubhouse. Guests are welcome to bring their own bottle of wine to enjoy at 555. The event lasts from 5:30-7:30 pm.

Franconia Brewing Co. Dinner at Ten50 BBQ
Ten50 BBQ, Franconia Brewing Co., and Beeler Pork are teaming up for an evening of beer, pulled pork, sausage, pork ribs, and house-made sides. All guests also score a free 16-ounce Franconia pilsner glass. Tickets are $30, and the event kicks off at 6:30 pm.

WhistlePig Rye Whiskey tasting at Dude, Sweet Chocolate Plano
Whiskey and chocolate — amazing alone, even better together. This decadent night with Dude, Sweet Chocolate and WhistlePig Rye Whiskey includes a guided tasting featuring five signature confections paired with sips like the 12 Year Old World and 10 Year Old Straight, as well as the Barrel-Aged Manhattan and Maple Old Fashioned cocktails. Tickets are $25, and the event kicks off at 6 pm.

Saturday, July 30

Fourth Anniversary Get Down at Lakewood Brewing Co.
How else would one celebrate four great years on the Dallas brew scene than with an epic party. A number of bands, including Love Past Blue, Shotgun Friday, Justin Pickard, and more, will perform onstage in the Beer Garden, and food trucks, including Pit Commander BBQ, For Love of Pizza, Helen's Hot Chicken, and the Tamale Company, will be onsite. Tickets are $30, and the fun kicks off for VIPs at noon. General admission entry times are at 1, 2, and 4 pm. All of the 4 pm admission sales are being donated to the Guns & Hoses Foundation of North Texas.

Sunday, July 31

Brass Bunch Sundays at Cook Hall
Enjoy live jazz from 12-2 pm every Sunday, with a new headliner each week. There will also be $5 mimosa carafes, Bloody Marys, and draft beer to keep the good times rollin'.

Cointreau Pop-Up Brunch Bar Cart at Cedar Grove
In true summer soiree fashion, this blossoming Dallas hot spot is hosting a Cointreau pop-up bar cart for the next four consecutive Sundays, from 1-3 pm. The brunch promotion includes a $5 glass at the cart, where a Cointreau representative helps customers muddle, squeeze, and pour an array of fresh ingredients into a Cointreau Rickey cocktail.

The Giving Table at Trinity Groves
In honor of of the recent tragedy involving Dallas Police Department and DART officers, the food and beverage industry is uniting for a family-style dinner prepared by Dallas’ finest chefs and restaurants. Hosted by Sharon Van Meter, Katherine Clapner, Brian McCullough, and Lisa Moore, the evening features cocktails, live entertainment, and a silent auction. More than 30 restaurants are participating, including Abacus, FT33, Flora Street Cafe, Fearing’s, LARK on the Park, Lucia, Meddlesome Moth, Parigi, Pecan Lodge, Shinsei, and more. Tickets start at $65, and the event starts at 6 pm. All proceeds benefit the families of the DPD and DART officers, as well as the Dallas Police Explorer Program.

dinner breweries event-planner

Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings