Deep Ellum News

Hip wine bar concept will open first Dallas location in Deep Ellum

The wine wall at their location in Houston, which opened in 2018.

Photo by Becca Wright

Deep Ellum is getting a cool wine bar that'll fit right in. Called Postino Wine Cafe, it's an Arizona-born concept from Upward Projects, known for its artful restoration of historically relevant buildings in fun, funky neighborhoods.

According to a representative from the company, they'll open at 2647 Main St. in spring 2021.

The chain, which has 13 locations in Arizona, Colorado, and Texas, including two in Houston, has built a following thanks to great prices on wine, a menu of sharable items, and expansive patios on which to drink and eat.

They also follow a laudable philosophy of moving into neighborhoods like Deep Ellum and re-purposing older buildings already in existence, which not only promotes in-fill development but also gives those neighborhoods a vibrant new destination.

Their Deep Ellum location shares a standalone building with Merit Coffee, with a revitalized 3,500-square-foot space that includes seating for 110 inside, and 50 seats on their outdoor patio.

Postino Wine Café draws its name from the Italian word for postman, an homage to the former 1940's post office in Phoenix where the first Postino opened 19 years ago. But Postino co-founder/CEO Lauren Bailey says in a statement that each location is unique to the neighborhood and community in which it lives.

"Feeling a connection and alignment with a neighborhood and its community is what drives us to open our doors and a new location," Bailey says. "It might sound a little woo woo, but I wait for goosebumps and that feeling in my gut that this is our next home. There is so much to love about the city of Dallas – and Deep Ellum in particular – with its multi-decade patina of creativity and culture."

Postino hallmarks include

sophisticated mid-century modern furniture sourced from local vintage shops
quirky found objects and showstopping art installations
rollup garage doors
custom walnut wine walls
get-your-shazam-ready playlists

They'll be open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Their menu includes boards, bruschetta, soups, salads, and panini, nearly all tailor made for sharing.

A category called "snacky things" includes:

crispy cauliflower
meatballs and goat cheese
sweet potato wedges
chicken and filet mignon skewers with garlic yogurt
NY grilled cheese with mustard, ketchup, and pesto

The bruschetta option is cool in that it comes with choice of four options from a list that includes:

brie, apple & fig spread
prosciutto di parma, fig & mascarpone
warm artichoke spread
smoked salmon & pesto
burrata, bacon, arugula & tomato
ricotta, dates & pistachio
almond hummus & chopped tomato

They'll offer 30 wines by the glass along with a wide variety of Texas craft brews, including beers from BrainDead Brewing nearby - how neighborly.

Weekend brunch is Saturday-Sunday from 9 am–1 pm, with $5 mimosas. Their happy hour specials are epic including $5 until 5pm every day for all wines by the glass and pitchers of beer. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, you can get a bottle of wine and a board of bruschetta for $25.

"Postino will always be focused on serving our surrounding community and really becoming a part of the fabric of a neighborhood," Bailey says. "We can’t wait to welcome our new neighbors and friends here in Deep Ellum."

deep-ellum wine

Diner News

Home-cooking classic Chubby's closes location in southwest Dallas

Chubby's

Biscuits and gravy at Chubby's

A beloved diner near Duncanville in southwest Dallas has closed: Chubby's, famous for its home-cooking cuisine and splendiferous breakfasts, has closed its location at 7474 S. Cockrell Hill Rd., near I-20 and 67, after 18 years.

In what will be a relief for Chubby's many fans, the original location, at 11331 E. Northwest Hwy., is still open. A manager at the original location confirmed that the Cockrell Hill location had closed, while a spokesperson for the property said the building was up for sale because the owner was "ready to retire."

The location has been on the market since June, but they finally shuttered the restaurant on October 31. It had been at that address since 2008, taking over a space that was formerly Owens Family Restaurant, and originally a Bob Evans Restaurant.

Chubby's was founded by brothers and Greek immigrants John and George Touris, who opened the first location in 1987. Over the years, they opened more locations, winning over fans with their pancakes, omelets, chicken-fried steak, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more, as well as a few Italian and Greek dishes.

If you know restaurants, you know that Greek restaurateurs usually adhere to a high standard of quality. Stellar signatures, shown in their most tempting light on Instagram, include biscuits & gravy, chicken-fried steak, Greek baked chicken with potato wedges, banana pancakes topped with banana slices and whipped cream, Greek salad, and masterful desserts including multi-layer cakes and baked pies in varieties such as cherry, coconut cream, and the rare chocolate meringue.

As their website explains, John Touris was 16 when he, his brother, and mother left Greece in 1978 and emigrated to Buffalo, New York, where John learned the ropes from his uncle, a restaurant veteran who worked at Towne Restaurant, which helped many Greek immigrants find their way in the U.S.

John moved to Dallas and in 1982 opened his first restaurant, Dough Boys, which eventually evolved into Chubby’s when it moved to its location on Northwest Highway. Together with his brother George, John built Chubby’s into a community cornerstone, expanding to four locations across Plano and Lancaster, which both closed, and this location near Duncanville, which has now closed as well.

Chubby’s is treasured by old-timers as one of a shrinking pool of diner-type places, like Mama's Daughters' Diner, Original Market Diner, Metro Diner, and Norma's Cafe, that offers unpretentious, well-prepared food at a relatively low price.

breakfast closings greek cuisine