We may be in the sleepy dregs of summer, but there's nothing sleepy about the Dallas restaurant scene right now. We've got press releases on openings, pop-ups, chefs tables, seasonal menus, Hatch chile burgers, cupcakes, mac 'n' cheese, vegan pizza, and pickle-flavored beer.

We've got brunch.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining news:

Roti Mediterranean is opening its newest location in downtown Dallas in the Arts District at 2000 Ross Ave. on August 19. The restaurant follows the principles of the Mediterranean diet, with a customizable menu with options from a salad, rice plate, pita, or laffa wrap. You select a protein such as falafel, chicken, steak, salmon, and lamb meatballs; an unlimited amount of toppings such as hummus, tomato-cucumber salad, red cabbage slaw, couscous, feta cheese; and sauces such as dill-cucumber yogurt, garlic sauce, vinaigrette, or red pepper.

The Crab Station, a Viet-Cajun inspired seafood restaurant, is opening in Deep Ellum at 2813 Commerce St., in a very sweet storefront that was, for a time, Planet Sub. This is the eighth location for the chain but the first to be so centrally located. Menu items include boiled seafood, oysters, fried seafood platters, jambalaya, lobster rolls, gumbo, Wagyu burgers, chicken, and sausage po boys. They'll hold a public grand opening on August 24 at 11 am.

El Rincon Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar has opened its location at the Shops at Stonebriar in Frisco. Their menu consists of Mexican favorites, made with fresh ingredients, and includes appetizers such as queso flameado, nachos locos, and shrimp brochette. At lunch, they serve elotes, brisket empanadas, and quesadillas. Dinner options include Rincon nachos, flautas, and chimichanga. They opened their first location in downtown Carrollton in 2016.

Original ChopShop has opened a new location at 2408 Preston Rd. in Plano, at the intersection of Park Boulevard. Original ChopShop first came to DFW in 2018 with its first shop in Las Colinas, followed by locations at The Shops at Legacy in Plano and in University Park. Other openings planned in 2019 include Dallas' Lakewood Village and Allen at US 75 and Stacy Road. The Plano opening marks the company's fourth location in DFW and the 11th system-wide.

The Whippersnapper, the Henderson Avenue bar, has devised another themed pop-up for August called "The Leaky Cauldron." It has a Harry Potter theme with corresponding drinks, Harry Potter characters, photo ops, and nightly entertainment. Patrons are advised to break out their costumes and magical wands. The bar is duplicating the success it had in early 2019 with The Drunken Clam, its Family Guy-themed pop-up. The Harry Potter theme will last through September 7.

Jasper's Uptown is taking over the former Abacus space at 4511 McKinney Ave. Strange it's called Uptown; isn't that the Knox District? Abacus closed in May. This will be the third Jasper's, along with locations in Richardson and The Woodlands. The Plano location closed in late 2018.

Jalisco Norte, the authentic Mexican restaurant in Turtle Creek Village, has added a new exclusive dining experience called the Chef's Table. Jalisco's acclaimed chef Jose Meza serves a six-course tasting menu of traditional-inspired dishes, each paired with a Mexican wine from the Guadalupe Valley in Mexico — wines not found outside of Mexico, by the way. It's $150 and includes wine; tax & gratuity not included. It's offered nightly with seatings at 6 and 8 pm.

Commissary in downtown Dallas has launched a new menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads. New sandwiches include The Italian with house-cured meat and house-pickled giardiniera, and a veggie bánh mì made with crispy tofu. A new turkey sandwich has gruyere, sweet pepper relish, and oregano vinaigrette. All sandwiches and salads are prepared fast and wrapped ready-to-go, expediting the lunch-hour rush. Diners can still dine on-site, but the to-go lines have been alleviated. There's also a selection of pre-made fresh salads, sides, and gourmet snacks; and a new line of paletas and seasonal flavors of gelato, including kiwi coconut, strawberry elderflower, Vietnamese coffee, hibiscus rhubarb, and black sesame.

Tillman's Bishop Arts has launched a new menu for fall/winter. Dishes include pecan-crusted green tomatoes & okra; shrimp cocktail; a slider trio with carnitas, crab cake, and Wagyu beef; shrimp & crawfish risotto; Dr. Pepper BBQ half chicken; three new steaks; and a double-bone pork chop. They'll join Tillman's favorites such as chicken fried steak, goat cheese tater tots, and s’mores. Tillman's plans to update the menu each spring and fall.

The Clover Club has launched a New Orleans-style "brass band brunch," with a live brass band and menu created by chef Anthony Van Camp. Highlights include steak & eggs with an 8-ounce NY strip, two eggs, and potatoes; brioche French toast; lobster scramble; benedict avo on toasted brioche, with avocado, tomato, poached eggs, and hollandaise; shrimp + grits; and spicy broccolini. he It runs on Sundays 11 am-4 pm, but the party continues on the rooftop patio from 1-5 pm.

Liberty Burger has a Hatchback burger, a beef patty mixed with roasted Hatch peppers and chopped bacon, topped with garlic aioli, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, roasted Hatch salsa, and bacon on a brioche. It's available for two weeks, while supplies last.

Snuffer's has two sandwiches with Hatch chiles: the Hatch Chile Cheeseburger with a side of fries and Hatch Chile sauce for $9, and the Hatch Chile chicken sandwich for $8.50. Add a side of the Hatch Chile Sauce to anything for $2.

El Fenix is doing an assortment of Hatch chile dishes, including Hatch queso blanco, plus chicken or cheese enchiladas topped with choice of Hatch queso blanco or Hatch chile verde sauce.

Del Frisco's Grille has debuted four new health-focused dishes, including plant-based cauliflower steak frites and three new gluten-free shrimp dishes, including BBQ shrimp Cobb salad, Mediterranean shrimp bowl, and jumbo shrimp cocktail. They're at all four DFW locations.

Sprinkles has a limited-edition cupcake flavor: Fluffer Nutter. It's a clever concoction with banana cake, peanut butter frosting filling, and topped with toasted marshmallow spread. It's $5 and available through August 25 at the Sprinkles locations in Dallas and Plano.

Chick-fil-A has added mac & cheese to its menu nationwide. This is the first permanent side addition to Chick-fil-A's menu since 2016. It can be ordered with any lunch, dinner, kid's meal or catering order. Baked in the restaurant each day, it features cheddar, parmesan, and Romano cheeses. Participating restaurants are also rolling out frosted caramel coffee, a seasonal sweet treat, running until November 9 or while supplies last.

Outback Steakhouse has a set of new dishes including a twist on fried chicken. The Bloomin’ Fried Chicken features a boneless chicken breast hand battered in Outback Original Bloomin' Onion seasoning, fried, drizzled with spicy bloom sauce, and served with mashed potatoes and seasonal veggie. Pineapple & pork medallions feature pork tenderloin medallions glazed with caramel mustard and garnished with grilled pineapple. Creamy shrimp scampi dip features lemon, garlic, shrimp, diced tomatoes, parmesan and jack cheeses, with tortilla chips. Chocolate Tower is a 6-layer chocolate cake with chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and raspberry sauce.

Twin Peaks has launched new menu items including spinach dip with spinach, artichoke, cayenne, cream cheese, Swiss, and parmesan; and fried pork rinds with Cajun rub and Nashville hot sauce. Its lunch and handheld categories have two new additions: tomato basil soup and a smoked pork Cubano sandwich with ham, pork, Swiss, pickles, mustard, and chipotle mayo. Drinks-wise, there's a cowboy margarita made with bourbon, which is not really a margarita, and La Güera, their new Mexican-style lager brewed with corn.

Tutta's in the West End Historic District has introduced a vegan menu with pizzas such as BBQ Jackfruit and The Bella.

Ocean Prime Dallas has launched a new custom blend from Woodford Reserve, a one-of-a-kind selection to be served in-house that represents an expression of the local taste in Dallas and is not available anywhere else.

Lockwood Distilling Co. is a distillery opening in the Richardson Heights neighborhood in fall 2019 which will feature gastro fare and small-batch distilled spirits.

Deep Ellum Brewing has released Blind Lemon, a new 5 percent craft-brewed hard seltzer with lemons, available on tap at bars, with 6-pack and 12-pack 12-ounce cans to follow later this year.

Martin House Brewing Co. has partnered with Fort Worth-based Best Maid Pickles on two new products: Sour Pickle Beer and a Craft Beer Pickle. The base for the Sour Pickle beer is Martin House's Salty Lady Sour Gose, with Best Maid Pickles' dill brine added during the brewing process for a pickle-y sour/salty beer. The Best Maid Craft Beer Pickle is a bottled, fresh-pack pickle with coriander, lemon zest, and added sour to achieve the Salty Lady beer's salty and sour flavor.