Tex-Mex News

Knox Dallas restaurant Mr. Mesero gets fresh start with new name

Dallas restaurateur Mico Rodriguez will always have a following.

Courtesy photo

In the latest chapter of Mico Rodriguez versus the world, Mr. Mesero — the restaurant he owns on McKinney Avenue in Dallas' Knox district — has a new name.

It's now called Doce Mesas — for "12 tables" — and has an updated menu that's a departure from and expansion of the original.

The longtime Mexican restaurateur, whose contributions to Dallas' Tex-Mex scene include helping found the Mi Cocina chain, opened Mr. Mesero at 4444 McKinney Ave. in 2011.

It was his re-emergence after parting ways with Mi Cocina, and it has always been his exclusive, original restaurant. It opened with a profile and menu that felt more authentic and more heartfelt than Mi Cocina or Taco Diner, the trailblazing taco concept he also helped found.

Mr. Mesero went on to serve as a template for the Mesero chain, which he founded with Mesero Restaurant Group, which includes Trey Dyer, Matt Fleeger, and Ryan Rogers. They opened locations on Henderson Avenue, Belt Line Road, and Inwood Village.

In 2017, Rodriguez and Mesero Restaurant Group parted ways after some messy back and forth that included a lawsuit.

That's been settled, leaving Mico with his original on McKinney Avenue, and Mesero Restaurant Group with the rest. The same group recently, abruptly, closed the Mesero on Henderson Avenue, but also just opened a new location at Victory Park.

Rodriguez says he has no comment on that, and wishes all well, which has to be one of the most generous things a person could possibly say under such circumstances.

Rodriguez will always have a loyal following, and the good news for diners is that he's still sailing at Doce Mesas, where he will no longer be constrained by the limitations of the Mesero menu and is free to do dishes that he loves.

That means not just Mexican but a homey dish like "Grandma's roast chicken," and even a fresh salad inspired by the Asian salad at Houston's, which has always been one of his favorite salads.

"I started out with 12 tables back in 1991," Rodriguez says. "And then it was 12 tables again in 2011 when I opened Mr. Mesero. And now again in 2018. It's my history. That's what Doce Mesas means to me."

tex-mex

Grocery News

Urban grocery market will join scene in historic downtown Carrollton

Street Corner Urban Market

A new grocery store brand is making its Texas debut in Carrollton: Called Street Corner Urban Market, it's a small chain from Kansas that will go into a former vintage store at 1105 South Broadway St., across from the historic downtown square, with an opening slated for spring 2026.

The Street Corner brand is headquartered in Topeka, and comprises several concepts, from express kiosks to gas station companions. The urban market concept has 47 locations across the United States as of early 2025, in cities such as Fresno, California and Rochester, New York.

Carrollton will be a 2,500 square-foot store — bigger than a convenience store but smaller than a large-scale grocery store.

Bringing the concept to Carrollton is franchisee Leon Smith, a longtime downtown Carrollton resident looking to fill a gap in the neighborhood's retail lineup.

“I've lived in the downtown Carrollton area probably for about seven, eight years,” Smith says. “I've always noticed the need for some type of grocery chain down here. There's just nothing down here for the residents — nowhere for them to go grab something quick.”

The historic downtown area nearly has it all: family housing, four luxury apartment complexes, a townhome development in the works, a DART station, dining, parks, entertainment, and locally-owned retail and beauty services.

The missing link: a place to grab groceries, beer & wine, flowers, produce, and ready-to-eat meals without hopping on a train or driving.

Smith, an HR professional at Baylor Scott & White venturing into franchising, says the Street Corner Market shopping experience is reminiscent of Trader Joe’s, including stocking many of the same vendors, but on a smaller scale.

Catering to the community is a priority, and they'll be open to product recommendations so that the store’s offerings reflect residents’ needs.

“It's not cookie cutter ‘this is the only way that it’s going to go,’” Smith says. “I'm here to try to make it welcoming for everybody that's around here. I'm a part of this community, so this is important to me, because I know the need for it.”

supermarkets openings