Soda Fountain Down

Dallas' old-timey Highland Park Soda Fountain will close in September

The era of the Highland Park milkshake has come to an end.

Highland Park Pharmacy

After 106 years, the Highland Park Soda Fountain on Knox Street is closing, due to the construction of a new office building in its location.

According to a post on its Facebook page, the last day for the old-timey restaurant is September 9, which is a Sunday.

Founded in 1912, the soda fountain was originally a pharmacy. In 2006, it was bought by Sonny and Gretchen Minyard Williams, former owners of the Minyard supermarket chain.

They shut down the pharmacy operation in 2010, but kept the quaint soda fountain going.

Its menu is a nostalgic slice with cheap prices to match. There are sandwiches, soups, salads, milkshakes, and breakfasts, all for $7 or less.

A basic grilled cheese with choice of American or Swiss cheese is $5.49. There's a club, pimento cheese, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, or ham salad sandwich.

There are ice cream sundaes, ice cream floats, egg cream sodas, and lime or orange "freezes," like a milkshake but made with sherbet.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the family that owns Weir's Furniture has partnered with real estate firm Four Rivers Capital to redevelop the corner of Knox and Travis. Their plans include a new building in that location and an underground parking garage.

There's a chance the soda fountain could re-open — but it would be in the new building, which would seem to defeat the point.

An employee says their future is uncertain. "We are invited back, but it would be a couple of years after construction," she says.

Meanwhile, the reminiscing has begun. "Come be a part of history before it's too late," they urge. "And don't forget to get a Souvenir T-shirt."

closings

Hot cross buns and Easter treats sweeten this Dallas restaurant news

Empire

Empire Baking Co. hot cross buns

This edition of Dallas restaurant news has a dose of Easter sweetness in the form of holiday-themed baked goods including the signature of the season: hot cross buns. That's in addition to a spring menus, new dishes, one closure, and four gratifying new openings around town.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news right now:

Waters Edge Winery & Bistro is now open at 6750 Abrams Rd. in the former Fireside Pies space in Creekside Village. The winery was founded by founded by husband-and-wife Ken and Angela Lineberger and carries more than 50 wines plus a bistro-style menu with appetizers, flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, bowls, paninis, and desserts.

Outback Steakhouse opened a Prosper location at 840 S. Preston Rd. on April 1. The Aussie-themed chain is known for its fried Bloomin' Onion and low-cost steaks. The space also features a unique piece of art representing the Prosper community, including a kangaroo enjoying the town’s love for football and nods to local ranches and farmland.

Graze Craze, the charcuterie store, recently opened a new location at 3755 S. Lake Forest Dr. #300 in McKinney. The brand specializes in charcuterie boards with customizable food displays including fruits, vegetables, cheese, gourmet sweets, jams, dips, and more.

Two Hands, a fast casual Korean hot dog restaurant, has opened in the Hong Kong Market at 9780 Walnut St. #360A. They're known for creations such as a potato dog coated in potatoes or a half mozzarella, half meat corn dog. It was founded in Virginia in 2020 before expanding across the country. Five other DFW locations are in Grand Prairie, Mesquite, Irving, Arlington, and Murphy.

Lost Colony, a Tulum-inspired Mexican restaurant in Highland Village, will close at the end of May. According to a post on the restaurant's site, the closure is a result of new property ownership, which is "intending to open their own concept in our space." They'll continue hosting holiday specials and meals until the last day.

Ollio Patisserie has Easter specials including a macaron box with six pastel macarons, decorated with hand-made designs in flavors such as vanilla, Nutella, strawberry, pistachio, lemon, and lavender; and Easter Nest Danish, a flaky pastry filled with Nutella cream, topped with edible candy grass and Cadbury mini eggs. Available for pre-order until April 18.

Empire Baking Co., the Dallas bakery chain that's home to the best bread in town, has brought back one of its most popular seasonal specials: hot cross buns, the sweet roll spiked with dried fruit and decorated with a white frosting cross. They'll be at the chains three locations — Inwood Village, SMU/University, and West Village — through Saturday April 19.

Breadhaus, the Grapevine bakery, is doing a a whole suite of seasonal specials that include hot cross buns, Portuguese sweet bread, Portuguese cookies, and Easter cookies. The hot cross buns will be available through April 20.

Ravelin Bakery hot cross buns Hot cross buns at Ravelin Bakery in Denton.Ravelin

Ravelin Bakery, the acclaimed bakery in Denton, is doing hot cross buns, available April 18-19, plus Easter cookies, plus Italian Easter bread, baked in the shape of a dove, made with candied citrus and a special almond topping.

Fearing's at The Ritz-Carlton has launched a pre-show menu featuring Dean's tortilla soup, Novia Scotia halibut, BBQ spiced beef filet & chicken fried Maine lobster, and Granny Fearing's banana pudding. Prix-fixe menu starts at $79 and starts at 5:30 pm daily.

Cafe Momentum has a new spring menu featuring coffee-rubbed New York strip, served with sautéed oyster mushrooms, turnips, spinach, and finished with roasted garlic and miso butter; black lentils dish is a combination of mixed spring vegetables, local greens, and grilled lemon tahini; and rabbit ravioli, filled with rabbit, cheese, and oyster mushrooms, topped with a white wine velouté. Desserts include pineapple carrot cake, avocado cheesecake mousse, and seasonal fruit sorbet.

Reggae Jerk Hut, a Jamaican-Haitian fusion restaurant in McKinney, is launching daily brunch. Menu items include oxtail and grits, jerk fried chicken & waffles, and oxtail scramble every morning starting at 10 am.

The Charlotte has a new weekend brunch withcinnamon roll pancakes, breakfast Benedict, French toast bites, chilaquiles, and a cereal bowl with choices like Trix and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Saturday-Sunday 11 am-4 pm.

Tacodeli has a new taco on the menu: the al pastor taco features pork marinated in house-made adobo, topped with jalapeño escabech. Available for a limited time for $6.

Thirsty Lion Gastropub has a new spring menu featuring Mediterranean meatballs, spicy sausage and ground beef with Harissa and panko, garden power bowl, BBQ pulled pork sandwich, and miso & orange glazed salmon for $12-$26. They've also added a Southern peach crisp with cinnamon glaze, orange zest, pecan oat streusel, passion fruit caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream for $12.

Logan's Roadhouse has a new Real Deal value meal starting at $12. It includes an entrée, one side, a salad, a drink and bottomless rolls. Entrees include peppercorn bacon chicken sandwich, All-American cheeseburger, wood grilled chicken dinner, and beer-battered fish.

El Chico has new Mama's Flavoritos cocktails featuring a sangria swirl and a guava 'rita, each for $7.50. April 15 through July 14 at Rockwall, Richland Hills, and Pantego locations.

World of Beer Bar & Kitchen has a new spring menu featuring three items: Caprese burger with flame-grilled Angus beef patty melted mozzarella, roasted grape tomatoes, and peppery arugula, finished with creamy pesto aioli on a toasted brioche bun; mango habanero wing sauce; and Ruby’s Grand Dreamsicle, a blend of Skyy Vodka, Aperol, Grand Marnier, orange juice, ruby red grapefruit and Stiegl Radler.

Jimmy John's has a new Toasted Hot Combo, or the T.H.C. Box, in honor of 4/20. It features the choice of one of Jimmy John’s new crispy and gooey toasted sandwiches such as the chicken bacon ranch or roast beef and cheddar, paired with any flavor of chips, a Jimmy Pickle spear, and a sweet treat starting at $13.

lists desserts holidays news-you-can-eat