Chef News

Restaurant and retail center in Farmers Branch scores celebrity chef

You've seen her on TV, and soon you'll be able to see her in Farmers Branch.

Photo courtesy of Wine Poste

A mixed-use center underway in scenic Farmers Branch has a slate of new restaurants that'll include a TV-famous chef.

The center is the Shops at Mustang Station, a retail development with restaurants, retail, and entertainment set in the Station Area, a master-planned district unfolding in West Farmers Branch.

The shopping and restaurant village has already signed on Cox Farms Market and the Cedar Creek Brewhouse & Eatery. According to a release, there are new tenants coming in, as follows:

Roots Southern Table, the Southern-fare concept from Top Chef alumna Tiffany Derry and her partner Tom Foley. In a statement, Derry says she likes the center's small-town feel because it's what Roots is all about.

Red Stix – Asian Street Food, an Asian street food concept developed by Uno Immanivong, formerly of Chino Chinatown in Trinity Groves. Immanivong calls Red Stix Street Food "a great complement to The Shops, because it adds to the diversity of Farmers Branch eateries and mirrors the families within the community."

Victoria's Mexican Kitchen, a Farmers Branch Tex-Mex favorite formerly known as The Victoria Restaurant, will relocate The Shops. Chef-owner Francisca Alvarado says that it allows The Victoria family to continue operating in Farmers Branch, where its roots were laid.

Starwood Cafe, a breakfast and lunch concept from owners Violeta and Andy Rushiti.

Developed by Western Securities and leased by SHOP Companies, the Shops at Mustang Station is a five-building development at the corner of Valley View Lane and Bee Street. Anchored by a DART rail station, it's also minutes away from business hubs such as the Valwood Industrial Park, Westwood Business Park, and Mercer Business Park, as well as recreational green spaces and sports facilities.

Western Securities broke ground on the three-acre site in 2018, with a completion date scheduled for early 2020. These restaurants, along with Cox Farms Market and Cedar Creek, will open around the same time.

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Pizza News

Donatos Pizza debuts in Texas with first opening in Frisco

Donatos

Donatos Pizza

An anticipated pizza chain is about to make its Dallas debut: Donatos Pizza, the franchise famous for spreading its toppings to the very edge of the crust, will open its first location in Texas at 8990 Coit Rd. in Frisco.

According to a release, it'll open on November 12.

Donatos is so into its method of distributing toppings all the way to the edge that they have registered a phrase: Edge to Edge® pizza.

Their menu features more than a dozen varieties of pizza such as veggie, four cheese, and pepperoni with hot honey. Their signature crust is a thin-crust but they also offer thicker alternatives as well as a cauliflower crust. Pizzas come in a 7-inch individual and go all the way up to a 14-inch large. Prices range from $15 to $25.

Fans appreciate their better-than-average ingredients and describe it as more flavorful compared to other corporate pizza chains, with a crisp thin crust and generous toppings.

In addition to pizza, Donatos' menu includes oven-baked wings, sub sandwiches, including meatball and Italian cold cuts, plus appetizers and salads.

“Opening a Donatos Pizza location in Texas is a dream come true for us. As lifelong fans of Donatos, we’re thrilled to bring this beloved Ohio-based brand to the Frisco community,” said Casey Dennis, co-owner of Donatos Pizza Frisco. “We can’t wait for everyone to experience great pizza and join us for some fun at the grand opening on November 12th.”

Bringing Donatos to Frisco are two three natives of Ohio, all with a connection to Donatos: Dr. Rico Singleton, Casey Dennis, and Cameron Hopkins — all eager to share their long-time love of Donatos in their new home in Texas. They also share a brotherhood through Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., which emphasizes initiatives like Bigger and Better Business, reflecting their entrepreneurial spirit.

Singleton is a native of Zanesville, Ohio, with a background in Information Technology who has lived in Texas for 8 years. Dennis is from Columbus, has a degree in pharmacy, is lifelong friends with Singleton, and has also lived here for eight years. Hopkins is also a native of Columbus, with a background in software engineering and real estate investing and has lived here five years.

They're also opening another location in the Dallas area in Flower Mound, coming later this year.

“Bringing Donatos Pizza to Texas marks a historic milestone as we begin this exciting journey to expand the brand throughout the DFW area,” says Donatos President and CEO Kevin King. “We look forward to becoming an integral part of the Frisco community through our promise to serve the best pizza and make your day a little better.”

Donatos Pizza was founded in 1963 when Ohio State sophomore Jim Grote bought a small pizza shop in Columbus, Ohio, where the company is headquartered. At one point, Donatos was bought out by McDonald’s in 1999. By 2003, Grote bought it back.

Ther are currently 470-plus locations in 28 states. That includes 175 stores plus nearly 300 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants.

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