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

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

This Week in Gluttony

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

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

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