This Week in Gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

The Crab Station is now open in Deep Ellum, and a grand opening party will take place Saturday, August 24.

Photo courtesy of The Crab Station

Seems like there is a lot to celebrate. From an annual celebration of a restaurant making it another year on the daunting Dallas dining scene to some new spots opening their doors for the very first time, it's all happening this week. And if you want an ice cold beer or a perfect pour of some fine wine, they're available, too. Cheers!

Tuesday, August 20

Duckhorn Vineyards Wine Dinner at Roy's Restaurant
Join Plano's posh seafood restaurant as they welcome this storied winery for a night of food and flavor. Courses include jumbo prawns, Georges Bank sea scallops, herb grilled Hawaiian Shutome, USDA Prime strip loin, and macadamia nut toffee crunch cake — all paired with premium pours. Tickets are $95, and dinner starts at 6:30 pm. To make a reservation, call 972-473-6263.

Beer Dinner at Local Yocal BBQ & Grill
Legal Draft Beer Company is making the drive from Arlington to McKinney to collaborate with chef Adam West on a five-course beer dinner. Courses include pan seared sea scallops, chicken and waffles, smoked wagyu coulotte, duck duo, and chocolate five ways. Tickets are $70, and dinner starts at 6:30 pm. To make a reservation, call 469-225-0800.

Red Beans Roadshow at Cafe Momentum
This one-night pop-up welcomes Pableaux Johnson and his Monday-night New Orleans tradition to Downtown Dallas. Guests will enjoy a Louisiana meal of deviled eggs two ways, crab cakes, and red beans and rice with cornbread. Dessert is, of course, Louisiana bread pudding. Beverages include cider from Austin East Ciders, as well as wine and beer. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available upon request. Tickets are $55, and the fun starts at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday, August 21

Cakebread Cellars Wine & Food Dinner at Sevy's Grill
Leave it to this Preston Center-area restaurant to bring in this iconic Napa winery. In fact, Lisa Gurvey will be on hand representing Cakebread and will chat about the events that have led to the winery's success. Courses include halibut cheek; confit pork shoulder; A Bar n Ranch tri-tip; and a polenta, black cherry, and Texas honey cake. Tickets are $115, and dinner starts at 6:30 pm. To make reservations, call 214-265-7389.

Thursday, August 22

After Hours Cocktails Tour at The Samurai Collection
The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection allows Dallasites to explore the largest private collection of samurai art and armor outside of Japan. This monthly, after-hours cocktail tour happens the last Thursday of every month and includes bites by Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar and refreshing beverages. There is also a chance to win prizes. Tickets are $15, and the event starts at 6:30 pm. Call 214-965-1032 for more information.

Friday, August 23

City Hall Bistro Second Anniversary at The Adolphus
The all-day southern European-inspired eatery by Chef Jeramie Robison celebrates its two-year anniversary with this “A Taste of City Hall Bistro” dinner. Guests can sample staple dishes and flavors through interactive dinner stations while chatting with chefs of the restaurant. There will also be a live, local guitarist. The dinner starts at 6 pm, and tickets are $45 for a two-hour dinner reservation and a glass of Cava. To make a reservation, call 214-651-3686.

The Ivy Tavern 5th Year Anniversary Celebration
This popular bar is celebrating five years with lots of music and entertainment throughout the weekend. Friday will be a return to the 1980s with DJ Jen Miller, and prizes will be awarded for the best era outfits. Whiskey Pants is performing on Saturday, and the fun concludes Sunday with the chilled-out Reggae tunes of Watusi. Admission is free, and the fun kicks off at 9 pm on Friday and Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday.

Saturday, August 24

Grand Opening at The Crab Station Deep Ellum
It's grand opening day for this new crab shack in Deep Ellum, and to celebrate, the first 100 tables will get a chance to spin a prize wheel. They will also get a free appetizer, free dessert, and raffle tickets for a 55-inch 4K television. Guests who dine in will also get a 10 percent discount off of their total bill during the grand opening month of August 24 to September 24. The doors open at 11 am, and admission is free.

Austin Eastciders Block Party at Bishop Arts District
Head down to the Bishop Arts District for this booze-infused block party that allows for endless exploring, tasting, and shopping. Guests can enjoy cider and food pairings at participating restaurants, including Eno’s Pizza Tavern, Neighborhood Cellar, Tacos y Vino, and The Local Oak. Retail shops will also be passing out complimentary cider samples and offering in-store promotions. Tickets are $5-$10, and the block party begins at 2 pm.

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Losing some spice

Beloved neighborhood taqueria to close after 37 years in Dallas' Oak Cliff

Facebook/El Padrink

Cafeteria y Loncheria El Padrino will close its doors at the end of 2026, following 37 years serving the neighborhood.

An Oak Cliff taqueria will close its doors at the end of 2026, ending nearly 37 years serving the neighborhood. Cafeteria y Loncheria El Padrino, the brightly painted-brick gem at 408 W. Jefferson Blvd., will lose its lease at the end of December, according to Juan Contreras, son of the restaurant's owner.

Contreras confirmed to CultureMap that property managers will not renew his father's lease and have given the restaurant less than three months to vacate.

“Honestly it’s not a surprise,” Contreras says in an Instagram post. “With Bishop Arts and all the development interest around it, something was bound to happen eventually.”

The little restaurant sits at the end of a row of thrift and quinceañera dress shops, a few blocks from Bishop Avenue and the evolving Bishop Arts District.

Contreras, who shares his father's name, says the little Oak Cliff El Padrino was his dad’s first restaurant. “His dream," Contreras notes. "He’s been feeding this neighborhood since 1989.”

The family later opened a second location in Pleasant Grove.

Both restaurants are beloved for their welcoming atmosphere and unfussy, authentic Mexican fare.

"As a small business in Oak Cliff, we know what it means to be part of a community. Our neighbors are not just customers .. they are family," notes a Facebook post from the taqueria.

While handmade tortillas and tacos are staples, customers also come for antojitos — or "little cravings" — such as guacamole, menudo, pan dulce, queso, French fries, and chips. Heartier options include machacado (shredded meat) and eggs with bacon strips and cheese in the beans.

Regulars know, love, and fear the camarones a la diabla — shrimp that made a deal with the devil — with shellfish "swimming in salsa roja so picante, it’ll make your abuela say '¡Ay, Dios mío!'," says El Padrio's Facebook page. They recommend ordering a cold agua fresca de piña bien before taking a bite: "That sweet pineapple coolness is your lifesaver."

The younger Contreras, who is involved in local advocacy and community organizing, says the history of Oak Cliff — particularly the area around his father’s restaurant — illustrates the less welcome side of neighborhood revitalization.

“This has been building for years. Elected officials and interest groups sell you a beautiful picture of what a neighborhood can become," he says in his social media post. "What they leave out is that the people who stayed and kept these neighborhoods alive when nobody else wanted them are usually the ones priced out or pushed aside for ‘better’ tenants.”

The elder Contreras came to the U.S. "with nothing but his hands and the hope that his kids would have it easier than he did," says the son, "the way so many of our fathers did."

Unless something changes before the end of the year, the Oak Cliff location will continue operating throughout 2026, Contreras says. The Pleasant Grove location will remain open and unaffected, he adds.

“If you’re one of the Oak Cliff regulars or you’ve been meaning to stop by, now’s the time,” he says. “Come eat, order out, and tell your friends. Every visit means a lot to my dad right now.”

Hope is not entirely lost for the owner and local fans of his restaurant, Contreras says. The Contreras family has weathered its share of challenges and does not intend to give up on Oak Cliff easily. They just need to find an appropriate and affordable space from which to operate.

“This isn’t our first rodeo. If you know of a move-in-ready space in Oak Cliff where my dad can plug in and cook, send me a message," he says.

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This Week in Gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Losing some spice

Beloved neighborhood taqueria to close after 37 years in Dallas' Oak Cliff

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Luxury steakhouse Steak 48 poised for Dallas debut at prime location

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