Holiday News

New York's Christmas Miracle pop-up bar puts Dallas on its nice list

Christmas cocktails are coming to town.

Photo by Melissa Hom

A festive holiday tradition featuring cocktails returns: The famed Christmas-themed pop-up bar Miracle is coming back to town, with installations at 90 bars across the U.S., including Dallas.

Miracle takes over existing bars and transforms them into a temporary Christmas-time bar with festive decor, serving holiday-themed drinks.

The idea for this annual takeover was conceived in 2014 by New Yorker Greg Boehm, who owns a bar supply company called Cocktail Kingdom.

In a statement, Boehm acknowledges that the mood in 2020 is different.

"It has undoubtedly been a tough year for everyone, and our industry has been hit hard, so some holiday cheer is in order," Boehm says. "We feel incredibly lucky to welcome back so many of our dedicated partner locations and even welcome new ones across the world, with the safety and enjoyment of our guests as our top priority."

Select locations will offer to-go cocktails, and outdoor seating areas will be set up where possible to practice social distancing.

Cocktails by Joann Spiegel employ holiday flavors and are served in playful mugs and glassware from Boehm's supply store, which they also sell. How convenient.

New cocktails for 2020 include:

Jolly Koala with Gin, Vermouth, and Pine-Cardamom-Sage Cordial
On Dasher, with Bourbon, Mezcal, Sweet Vermouth, Spiced Hibiscus, Burlesque Bitters, and Lemon
Fruitcake Flip, with Brandy, Jamaican Overproof Rum, Amaretto, Fruitcake, Cherry Bitters, and a Whole Egg

The pop-up begins on November 23 and runs to the end of 2020. It'll be located at the following bars in Texas, including three in the DFW area:

Austin: Miracle on 5th Street (at The Eleanor by The Roosevelt Room)
Dallas: Miracle at 2010B Greenville Ave.
Frisco: Miracle at the Aussie Grind
Fort Worth: Miracle on South Main
Galveston: Miracle Daiquiri Time Out
Houston: Miracle at Johnny’s (at Johnny’s Gold Brick)
San Antonio: Miracle on Houston Street (at Jet-Setter)
Waco: Miracle on Austin Ave (at Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits)

There's also a companion tiki-themed pop-up called Sippin Santa, which will take place in a mere 25 cities across the U.S., including Dallas and Austin. (It has previously hit Houston, but not this year.)

Sippin' Santa partners with tiki cocktail expert Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, owner of Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29 in New Orleans, which is home to his own Sippin' Santa location annually.

In Austin, it'll be Sippin' Santa at Nickel City.

In Dallas, it'll be Sippin' Santa at Royal 38.

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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.

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