Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 new bars with must-try cocktails

A new over-the-top cocktail is in town.

Sugar Factory

With all of the recent openings and new drink menus, there is no shortage of candidates for the November edition of Where to Drink in Dallas right now, CultureMap's monthly feature that offers suggestions on where to drink in Dallas. Right now.

This month includes two brand-new places, a third that's almost brand new, and one place that has a tempting new cocktail menu for the holidays.

Here's where to drink for November:

AC Hotel Dallas by The Galleria
Marriott hotel by the Galleria opened about three years ago and has an in-house eatery-bar called the AC Lounge, where they serve Spanish tapas, wine by the glass, and a full ba of cocktails. They just rolled out a seasonal drink menu, incorporating fall ingredients such as allspice, pumpkin, pecan, orange and star anise. Cocktails include the Spiced Pear Gin Fizz with Anjou pear, allspice, star anise-infused Dripping Springs Gin, lemon juice, Fever Tree club soda, and egg white; and the Pumpkin Bourbon Smash with Makers Mark Bourbon, spiced pumpkin, lime juice, Demerara syrup, and pecan bitters made in-house. The proximity to the Galleria makes it a perfect apres-shopping drop-in (or before, if that's how you roll).

Parterre
Newly opened downtown venue is a coffee shop and a cocktail bar in one from coffee guru Mike Mettendorf, and like its siblings La Reunion and State Street Coffee, it takes what it does very seriously: from carefully sourced coffee beans and impeccable coffee drinks, to a crafty approach to cocktails, including coffee-based cocktails such as he Espresso Martini with vodka, Kahlúa, espresso, and vanilla; and the irresistible Carajillo with Pierre Ferrand Ambré Cognac, Licor 43, and espresso. No detail gets overlooked, and there's a staff with pedigrees to deliver the best. Wine drinkers are advised to drop in on Wednesdays when they half-off wine bottles from 3-6 pm.

People's Last Stand
There's been lots of coming and going at Mockingbird Station, but this pioneering craft cocktail haunt has shown superpower endurance, cycling in new menus nearly every week, being extra creative, and just bringing their A game every day. All menu cocktails are $11, which is a deal by current craft cocktail standards, and they host a happy hour daily until 7 pm featuring a selection of $8 cocktails. Right now, they're one of three bars in town (along with La Reunion in Oak Cliff and Shoal's in Deep Ellum) who are featuring a special "Gold Fashioned" starring Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky, a fruity, Highland-style of whisky that's dubbed "the Golden Dram" because of its water source, the Pitilie Burn, a river known for its deposits of gold. The drink combines Aberfeldy 12 year old, honey syrup, Angostura bitters, and Orange bitters.

The Stix Icehouse
Full-service restaurant and bar sprawled out over 14 acres of land in McKinney, features a menu of indulgent comfort food: catfish n chips, nachos, chicken-fried chicken, soups, and salads. Guests can wash down their delicious comfort food with specialty cocktails, like the AppleMoon Magic Cocktail (moonshine spiked with apple cider) or one of 24 beers on tap. In addition to great food and drinks, The Stix features a nine-hole disc golf course, wiffle ball, corn hole, ping pong, swings, a tree house and a large event space perfect for group outings and large family events.

Sugar Factory
Buzzy restaurant-candy store opens with fanfare this weekend, with over-the-top food and drink including their dry-ice-smoking cocktails served in crazy-big goblets. The Lollipop Passion comes garnished with lollipops and candy necklaces, while the Watermelon Patch features Pitbull’s Voli 305 Vodka and sour watermelon gummies. Many of their cocktails have a celebrity tie: The Rock's Soul Man with his Teremana Tequila; 50 Cent’s Candy Shop with Branson Cognac; the Mamitas Hurricane made with Mario Lopez’s Casa Mexico Silver Tequila and Brody Jenner’s Mamitas Seltzer; Bruno Mars’ Watermelon Piña Colada and Mai Tai made with SelvaRey Rum; Nick Cannon’s Big Clouds Goblet; Snoop Dogg’s Tropical Fruit Punch made with his Indoggo Gin; and Nick Jonas and John Varvatos’ Strawberry Cadillac Reposado Margarita made with Villa One Tequila.

pizza

Pizza News

Donatos Pizza debuts in Texas with first opening in Frisco

Donatos

Donatos Pizza

An anticipated pizza chain is about to make its Dallas debut: Donatos Pizza, the franchise famous for spreading its toppings to the very edge of the crust, will open its first location in Texas at 8990 Coit Rd. in Frisco.

According to a release, it'll open on November 12.

Donatos is so into its method of distributing toppings all the way to the edge that they have registered a phrase: Edge to Edge® pizza.

Their menu features more than a dozen varieties of pizza such as veggie, four cheese, and pepperoni with hot honey. Their signature crust is a thin-crust but they also offer thicker alternatives as well as a cauliflower crust. Pizzas come in a 7-inch individual and go all the way up to a 14-inch large. Prices range from $15 to $25.

Fans appreciate their better-than-average ingredients and describe it as more flavorful compared to other corporate pizza chains, with a crisp thin crust and generous toppings.

In addition to pizza, Donatos' menu includes oven-baked wings, sub sandwiches, including meatball and Italian cold cuts, plus appetizers and salads.

“Opening a Donatos Pizza location in Texas is a dream come true for us. As lifelong fans of Donatos, we’re thrilled to bring this beloved Ohio-based brand to the Frisco community,” said Casey Dennis, co-owner of Donatos Pizza Frisco. “We can’t wait for everyone to experience great pizza and join us for some fun at the grand opening on November 12th.”

Bringing Donatos to Frisco are two three natives of Ohio, all with a connection to Donatos: Dr. Rico Singleton, Casey Dennis, and Cameron Hopkins — all eager to share their long-time love of Donatos in their new home in Texas. They also share a brotherhood through Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., which emphasizes initiatives like Bigger and Better Business, reflecting their entrepreneurial spirit.

Singleton is a native of Zanesville, Ohio, with a background in Information Technology who has lived in Texas for 8 years. Dennis is from Columbus, has a degree in pharmacy, is lifelong friends with Singleton, and has also lived here for eight years. Hopkins is also a native of Columbus, with a background in software engineering and real estate investing and has lived here five years.

They're also opening another location in the Dallas area in Flower Mound, coming later this year.

“Bringing Donatos Pizza to Texas marks a historic milestone as we begin this exciting journey to expand the brand throughout the DFW area,” says Donatos President and CEO Kevin King. “We look forward to becoming an integral part of the Frisco community through our promise to serve the best pizza and make your day a little better.”

Donatos Pizza was founded in 1963 when Ohio State sophomore Jim Grote bought a small pizza shop in Columbus, Ohio, where the company is headquartered. At one point, Donatos was bought out by McDonald’s in 1999. By 2003, Grote bought it back.

Ther are currently 470-plus locations in 28 states. That includes 175 stores plus nearly 300 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants.

openings pizza