Deep Dish in Dallas

Mockingbird Station fills taproom void with Chicago deep-dish pizza

Deep dish at Mockingbird Station.

Courtesy photo

Corporate deep-dish pizza by way of Boulder, Colorado, is finally here: Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, the national casual-dining restaurant known for "hand-crafted" pizza and craft beer, opened its first Dallas location at Mockingbird Station on December 8.

Old Chicago picks up the baton from previous tenant Mockingbird Tap Room, which lasted only six months in the space that previously housed the fast-casual Vapiano. Should this space just be a pop-up?

Maybe this time will be the charm. Old Chicago has 14 specialty pizzas, including the Chicago 7 with pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onions, black olives, green peppers and mushrooms. Meat Me has four meat toppings, green olives and basil. There are two crust types: Chicago Thick, a buttery hand-tossed cornmeal crust served in the pan, and Tavern Thin, which has a light and crispy texture and is served square-cut.

Non-pizza items include appetizers such as the pepperoni roll, plus salads and burgers. The more than 30 craft beers on tap include Texas brews like Deep Ellum Brewing Company and Rahr & Sons.

Based in Broomfield, Colorado, CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries Inc. is the largest craft brewery restaurant operator in the country, with nearly 200 franchised and company-owned restaurants primarily operating under the Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants and Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries brands. CraftWorks also operates regional casual dining brands that include ChopHouse and Big River.

Founded in 1976, Old Chicago operates in 22 states with 96 restaurants.

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Mex-Mex News

Mexican restaurant Vidorra to bring queso and margaritas to Rockwall

Photo courtesy of Vidorra

Tuna at Vidorra.

A popular Dallas-based Mexican restaurant and bar chain is coming to Rockwall: Vidorra, first founded in Deep Ellum, will open a location at 2620 Sunset Rodge Harbor Heights on December 5, just in time for the holidays.

The restaurant is conveniently located off I-30, near the western shores of Lake Ray Hubbard and the popular harbor district, where it will serve authentic Mexican dishes with a modern twist.

That means creative margaritas and Vidorra's signature Queso Blanco served in a 400-degree molcajete bowl – a fan-favorite experience.

Other entrees include street tacos, birria tacos, and sizzling fajitas, plus a top-shelf margarita flight, fruit-infused cocktails, and large-format drinks perfect for sharing.

Vidorra is a part of Milkshake Concepts’ impressive portfolio of influential restaurants, which includes The Finch, Saaya, Harper’s, Serious Pizza, and Serious Eats.

Vidorra, which means “the good life,” has locations in Dallas, Grand Prairie, and Addison. This will the the fourth, notes Milkshake Concepts CEO Imran Sheikh in a statement.

“We want to reach every corner of DFW with ‘the good life,’” Sheikh says. “We’re thrilled with how enthusiastically Vidorra has been embraced by the communities in Dallas, Addison and Grand Prairie, and we can’t wait to begin serving new fans in Rockwall. There’s much more to come across North Texas and beyond – including Grapevine and Nashville, Tennessee which will open in 2025."

The 5400 square-foot Rockwall restaurant boasts traditional Mexican decor and a vibrant atmosphere, in line with the brand’s other locations. The immersive dining area and airy patio perched above Lake Ray Hubbard will be the ideal destination for family-friendly dining, festive happy hours and large gatherings of fun-loving friends and co-workers.

Happy hour runs from Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm, featuring half-off select apps, $4 select beers, $5 select wines and $6 Vidorritas (rocks or frozen). Guests can also enjoy extra specials on Margarita Mondays, with half-priced ritas all day, and Tacos & Tequila Tuesdays, which feature a shot of tequila and two street tacos for just $8 all day.

tex-mex openings