This Week in Gluttony

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Philly Pretzel Factory will be serving up pretzels at BrewFest.

Photo courtesy of Philly Pretzel Factory

Getting back into a routine after Labor Day weekend might be rough, so we'll give you the week to recover and prepare for this weekend's awesome lineup of food and drink events. Thai? Check. Football and booze? Check. Chocolate? Got it.

Friday, September 6

First Friday Cigar, Bourbon, and Brew at Cool River Cafe
TahWahKaro Distilling Co. and Boulevard Brewing Company are teaming up to bring premium pours and lots of knowledge from visiting company representatives. Guests will be treated to hors d'oeuvres from chef Fernando Rodriguez and a complimentary, hand-rolled cigar by master cigar roller Mario Almanza. Tickets are $35, and the event starts at 6:30 pm.

Toasting to Touchdowns at Omni Frisco Hotel
Its second annual event toasts to the 2019 football season and allows attendees to take advantage of the official hotel of the Dallas Cowboys and its awesome amenities, like the elevated pool deck and bar — The Edge — which overlooks The Star. The event features signature cocktails, tailgate-inspired culinary dishes, and tunes by DJ SC. Tickets are $35, and the event kicks off at 6:30 pm.

Dallas Chocolate Festival VIP Party at Fashion Industry Gallery
On the eve of the 10th annual Dallas Chocolate Festival, VIPs are invited to gather for a first chance to explore, shop, and sample all weekend offerings. Think light bites, adult beverages, and even a swag bag. Tickets are $75, and the party starts at 7 pm.

Saturday, September 7

Dallas Chocolate Festival at Fashion Industry Gallery
This two-day, family-friendly expo aims to tell “The Story of Chocolate,” for the 10th year. More than 3,000 attendees are expected to learn, taste, shop, and experience quality chocolate from more than 60 chocolate makers from around the world. Guided tastings and chocolate making classes will be available for an extra charge. Tickets start at $35, and the festival starts at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Dallas Observer BrewFest at Dallas Farmers Market
This outdoor beer-sampling event and festival features hundreds of local, international, and craft beers. There will also be live music and plenty of food from Tutta's Pizza, Fletcher's Original State Fair Corny Dogs, Philly Pretzel Factory, and Taqueria Taxco. Tickets start at $30, and the event starts at 7 pm.

Monday, September 9

Summer Thai Kitchen Cooking Class at Sur la Table Dallas Knox District
Learn how to bring in fresh, summer flavors to some of your favorite Thai dishes as the class learns its way around a wok. The menu includes perfect pad Thai, lime and brown sugar glazed salmon, green mango and cucumber salad with peanuts, and coconut lime sorbet. Tickets are $69, and the class starts at 1 pm.

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McDonald's News

McDonald's closes 2 CosMc's beverage spinoffs in Dallas-Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of CosMc's

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After less than a year, McDonald's is cutting back on its CosMc's beverage spinoff, and that includes shutting down locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

McDonald's introduced the beverage led concept in December 2023, when it opened the first location in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The concept — which seemed to be competing with Swig, the drive-through drink chain from Utah — features coffee, lemonade, slushies, and energy drinks, plus bites such as the Egg McMuffin, hashbrowns, and McPops — like doughnut holes.

They went on to open six more locations, all in Texas: two in San Antonio and four in DFW. Both San Antonio locations still show up on the website as open but two have closed in DFW so far, as follows:

Watauga at 7304 Denton Hwy.
Arlington at Abram's Alley, 300 E. Abram St. #150

Their website currently shows the Dallas location at Campbell Road, which was the original location, as still open, as well as a location in Fort Worth on McPherson Boulevard.

Despite the closures, McDonald's still plans to continue the test in the US for the foreseeable future, a spokesperson says, including opening two new smaller format stores in Texas in 2025.

That includes a location in Allen at 861 W. Stacy Rd.

The plan is to close three of the larger locations that were remodeled into CosMc’s locations — meaning that one of the locations currently still open is due to close.

"Since opening CosMc’s, we have had the benefit of testing out different location sizes and setups – from revamping larger restaurant spaces to building smaller prototype locations that focus more on the drive-thru and digital experience," their statement says. "We learned that the smaller format stores allow us to test new, unique circumstances that are reflective of our customer base. As a result, we will open two new smaller format stores in Texas in 2025, and close three of the larger locations that were remodeled into CosMc’s locations."

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