Flower Child restaurant sibling Culinary Dropout to debut in Dallas

A new restaurant from a highly successful restaurant group is making its Dallas debut: Called Culinary Dropout, it's a casual gastropub with a quirky, rock 'n' roll atmosphere, comfort food, and cocktails, and it's opening in Dallas' Design District.

The opening is a ways off: According to a release, it'll debut in early 2024 at The International, a high-end showroom center at 150 Turtle Creek Blvd.

Culinary Dropout is part of Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC), the same group that owns The Henry and Flower Child, which all have locations in town. Dallas loves Fox concepts.

FRC was founded by Sam Fox, a restaurant whiz who has created a dozen brands that also include not-in-Dallas concepts such as Zinburger, Blanco Cocina + Cantina, and Doughbird.

In a statement, he says the concept is a good fit for the Design District. "I was inspired by the new growth and development of this area, it's just a really cool place to be," he says.

Food
The Culinary Dropout menu contains an edgy mix of meals done with attitude that include:

• Pork ribs slow roasted for 36 hours and basted in jalapeño BBQ sauce
• Buffalo hot wings
• Fried chicken drizzled with honey
• Soft pretzels with Provolone cheese fondue

Drinks
Cocktails feature house-made syrups, infused liquor, and fresh-squeezed juices, including:

• El Matador with añejo tequila, elderflower liqueur, ginger agave, and orange bitters
• Room Service with gin, lemon, strawberry, and bubbly

Atmosphere
The concept is said to radiate an irresistible welcome, with an eclectic mix of rockstar art, grand chandeliers, and leather booths. It includes a stage for live music and TVs for sports, and is inclusive for families, date night, a quick beer, or after-work food and drink.

There are eight Culinary Dropout locations: six in Fox Restaurant Concepts' home state of Arizona, plus one in Denver and one in Austin, which opened in 2016.

According to Fox, Dallas will be the first location with a rooftop bar, which will undoubtedly feature Dallas skyline views.

Setting
The International on Turtle Creek is an architectural icon and adaptive reuse office/showroom project created in 2005. It was acquired by Quadrant Investment Properties (QIP), a Dallas real estate investment firm that focuses on development projects in urban centers, in 2021.

QIP founder Chad Cook says that having a showpiece restaurant like this was a priority.

"The acquisition strategy for The International was centered around attracting a world class food and beverage operator," Cook says. "From the project's inception, Culinary Dropout was the ideal fit for this space. We couldn't be more excited to partner with Sam Fox and his team."