Dessert News

Sweetest restaurant Sugar Factory opens in Dallas with red-carpet hoo-ha

Smoking drinks are just the tip of the iceberg.

Photo courtesy of Sugar Factory

The sweetness has arrived: Sugar Factory American Brasserie, the restaurant known for over-the-top sweets, is opening its first location in Texas in Dallas, at 1900 Cedar Springs Rd., in a former Ruth's Chris.

According to a release, it's opening on November 5 with a celebrity appearance and some red-carpet pizzazz.

Sugar Factory was originally founded as a candy store in 2009 before owner Charissa Davidovici, a former schoolteacher, expanded it into a candy store-restaurant combo. Dining there means larger-than-life smoking goblets, insane milkshakes, and interactive experiences designed partially for eating and drinking but also very much for Instagramming.

Atmosphere
The Dallas location features a main dining area with 200 seats, plus colored flower walls perfect for posing, and an elaborate 3D floral ceiling.

A private dining room is available for parties of up to 66 people. The bar has 20 seats and 40 high-top tables, with full menu service available. An indoor-outdoor lounge has fire pits and retractable storefront windows.

The retail store is off the dining room, reachable through a display of candy hearts, which contains more than 50 types of sweets on a floor-to-ceiling candy wall.

Food
Sugar Factory covers brunch, lunch, and dinner, with burgers, pastas, entrees, salads, desserts, and colorful rainbow dishes. Popular menu items include:

Flaming Hot Cheetos Burger, an 8-ounce Angus burger topped with Flaming Hot Cheetos, pepper jack cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, chipotle mayo, and served on a brioche bun coated with Flaming Hot Cheetos dust
Black Angus Filet Mignon, served with mashed potatoes, green beans almondine and garlic herb butter
Chicken or Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo with garlic, butter, cream, parmesan, and Romano cheese
Salmon with a Yukon gold mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and bacon herb sauce
Black Angus Filet & Lobster Surf and Turf
Big Cheesy Angus Burger topped with melted white cheddar, creamy mac & cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce on a toasted potato bun.

A seasonal item for November will be the Gobble Gobble Insane Milkshake topped with a slice of pumpkin pie.

Sweets
Guests can inject a pop of color into their dessert order with Sugar Factory's Insane Milkshakes, which are lavishly decorated and served in chocolate-covered mugs. Favorites include Giggles Snickers Milkshake, Princess Make A Wish Milkshake, and the Campfire Spiked S’Mores Milkshake.

A fondue with warm milk chocolate is served with toasted marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, cheesecake bites, red velvet cake, gummy bears, and brownie bites.

But their most legendary dessert is the King Kong Sundae, which serves up to 12 people and features 24 scoops of ice cream covered with sprinkles, gummy bears, caramel sauce, fudge sauce, giant whirly pops, and sparklers.

The bar
The restaurant's elevated white marble bar seats provide full-menu service, with signature smoking cocktail goblets like the Lollipop Passion, garnished with lollipops and candy necklaces; and the Watermelon Patch featuring Pitbull’s Voli 305 Vodka and sour watermelon gummies.

Other celebrity-stamped goblets include:

The Rock’s Soul Man with his Teremana Tequila
50 Cent’s Candy Shop with Branson Cognac
Mamitas Hurricane made with Mario Lopez’s Casa Mexico Silver Tequila and Brody Jenner’s Mamitas Seltzer
Travis Scott’s Strawberry Hustle with Cacti Spiked 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
Nick Jonas and John Varvatos’ Strawberry Cadillac Reposado Margarita made with Villa One Tequila

Events
To celebrate the grand opening, Sugar Factory Dallas is bringing in the big names with two celebrity events, open to the public.

November 5 at 9 pm will be a D set from comedian, rapper, actor, and TV personality Nick Cannon, currently oh-so buzzy as the host of The Masked Singer. The red-carpet action starts at 8 pm.

November 13 at 9 pm will be a DJ set from Sugar Factory’s official DJ, Pauly D, American television personality and one of the stars of MTV show Jersey Shore.

Sugar Factory Dallas will be open Monday-Thursday 11 am-12 am; Friday 11 am-1 am; Saturday 10 am-1 am; Sunday 10 am-12 am. For reservations, call 469-382-5737.

More Sugar Factory locations are opening in Houston and San Antonio in December 2021.

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More Masa

Pop-up sensation Molino Olōyō ready to debut restaurant in East Dallas

Photo by Dan Padgett

Some of the striking dishes as Olōyō.

A highly anticipated new restaurant from favorite Dallas pop-up Molino Olōyō has set an opening date - and it's soon: Olōyō will open as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Old East Dallas on Tuesday, May 26, according to a release.

The restaurant, from acclaimed chef Olivia López and partner Jonathan Percival, is located at 4422 Gaston Ave. in the space previously occupied by the restaurant Cry Wolf.

Announced nearly a year ago, it will be the brick-and-mortar debut of the masa-obsessed concept that's built a cult-following through pop-ups, private dinners, and collaborations across Dallas.

According to the release, Olōyō will be an intimate 23-seat restaurant will center on heirloom masa, featuring seasonal produce from Texas-based ranches and sustainably sourced seafood.

Founded by James Beard Award semifinalist López and Percival, Molino Olōyō has earned national attention for its use of heirloom Mexican corn and was included in Texas Monthly's Top 50 Tacos list.

"The name, Olōyō, meaning 'cob of the corn,' symbolizes the heart that connects all kernels and embodies the brand’s mission to honor producers, preserve heirloom corn varieties, and showcase Mexican gastronomy," the owners say in the release.

Oloyo's Olivia Lopez and Jonathan Percival at work. Molino Oloyo

“We designed Olōyō to be a space where guests can fully engage all their senses, discover new flavors, and connect with the stories behind the food,” López adds. “From hand-pressed tortillas to the flavors on the plate, every dish is meant to make people feel a deep sense of home.”

The restaurant will debut with a rotating à la carte menu before introducing a chef's tasting menu. Opening dishes include:

Sope Gordo — heirloom masa sope with Rosewood Ranches wagyu brisket, bayo beans, and kohlrabi
Enmoladas — tortillas with mole dulce de Colima, lacto-fermented honey, and housemade queso fresco
Pescado Asado — grilled vermilion snapper with salsa cruda, tortillas, and tostaditas
Pulpo Asado — grilled octopus with papas al ajillo, salsa, and tortillas

The beverage program is led by beverage director Jose Gonzalez and draws inspiration from different regions of Mexico. Cocktails include:

Jefa — tequila with hibiscus and chile de árbol
Latino Heat — a smoky-spicy take on a Paloma
Para de Sufrir — a Colima-inspired white Negroni
Agua Picada — a horchata-inspired rum cocktail with toasted rice and cinnamon

Lopez has worked in some of Dallas' premier kitchens, starting out at Craft Dallas, the onetime restaurant at the W Hotel, then through the ranks of Charlie Palmer's, CBD Provisions, Mirador, and Americana. She earned a CultureMap Tastemaker Awards nomination in 2021 for Rising Star Chef, and again for Chef of the Year in 2026. She was a James Beard Award semifinalist for "Best Chef: Texas" in 2023.

In 2021, she and Percival launched out of a commercial kitchen in Dallas' Design District, following their passion for heirloom corn, delving into nixtamalization, the ancient art of processing corn, in an effort to make a higher-quality version of the masa used in Mexican staples such as tortillas and tamales.

Molino Oloyo The chef-owners have a passion for heirloom corn.Photo by Elizabeth Lavin

What started as tamales and heirloom corn tortillas delivered to doorsteps evolved into pop-ups at Wayward Coffee Co. and Strangeways; restaurant takeovers at Mot Hai Ba; and dinners at Lone Gallery, Marcello Andres Ceramics, and private homes.

Olōyō has now settled permanently into a 101-year-old building in Old East Dallas. The space incorporates Mexican artwork, handmade tile, custom ceramics, and hand-blown glassware from Mexican artisans.

But wait, there's more.

A second concept, Molino Olōyō, is expected to open next door later in 2026. The more casual restaurant will serve items such as wagyu suadero tacos, camarones zarandeados, and churros, the release says.

"Together, the dual concepts allow guests to experience both a refined, curated menu and more relaxed, everyday Mexican comforts, reflecting the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, accessibility and community," the owners say in the release.

First things first: Olōyō opens May 26. Reservations will be available on Resy beginning Saturday, May 23 at 10 am.

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

tex-mex openings east dallas chefs pop-ups mexican cuisine

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