McKinney News

Acclaimed restaurant team to open Centro on the Square in McKinney

Downtown McKinney

Photo courtesy of City of McKinney

There's an exciting new restaurant coming to McKinney from a team with serious cred: Called Centro on the Square, it'll open in Historic Downtown McKinney at 112 E. Louisiana St., across from the McKinney Performing Arts Center.

Centro on the Square is a collaboration between restaurateurs Brian Dunne, owner of Mexican Bar Company in Plano; and George Stergios, owner of Knife Steakhouse Plano.

After six-plus years as neighbors in the restaurant district at The Shops at Willow Bend, the two decided to pool their considerable expertise and open a new concept together in McKinney.

Dunne logged many years in the hospitality industry, working in cities such as Washington DC, New York, and Chicago, before relocating to Allen and opening Mexican Bar Company in 2018.

Stergios is currently famous as the owner of Knife Steakhouse, and was previously head of food & beverage at the Highland Dallas hotel, where the original Knife opened. But he's also the son of Basil Stergios who, with his brother, owned the venerable seafood institution Vincent's Seafood, which closed in 2015 after a century. George has grown up in the Dallas dining scene.

With these combined credentials, Centro surely seems promising. Opening day is a ways off — they're looking at early spring — and details on the menu and concept are still in the works. But they're planning on an exceptional dining experience with an inviting menu, serious craft cocktail program, historical setting, and top-notch service.

The menu will feature standout starters and salads, fresh seafood, locally raised steaks, and house-made pasta prepared daily. They'll start out with dinner, then add lunch and brunch.

Centro is going into a renovated 100-year-old building, in a space that was previously home to acclaimed restaurant Harvest, which relocated in 2023. They'll do a space blending historic charm with modern touches.

Dunne and Stergios are both longtime locals: Stergios has lived in McKinney for more than six years, while Dunne has resided in nearby Allen for nearly a decade.

In a statement, they say they've always been drawn to the energy of Historic Downtown McKinney, and watching the steady foot traffic and vibrant activity on the Square during construction reinforced their decision to open a restaurant there.

"The Square is truly unique and has a pulse of its own," they say.

openings

Irish Pub News

Beloved downtown Dallas Crafty Irishman pub expands to Victory Park

Kennedy's Irish Pub

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A favorite Irish pub in downtown Dallas is expanding: The Crafty Irishman, which opened in downtown a decade ago, will open a spinoff location in nearby Victory Park at 2401 Victory Park Ln. #190, in the former Dibs on Victory space.

According to a release, it'll open in the next few months.

“Victory Park has been on our radar for many years,” says The Crafty Irishman founder Alan Kearney. “It’s a community in itself, with a great mix of residential, retail, and office. We will absolutely be geared for the games at Victory Park. Sports play a huge role in any pub back in Dublin, and that same energy will be part of what we do here.”

The new location will be larger than the downtown original and will feature a second-floor patio deck. It has been designed with the same characteristics and atmosphere as a great metropolitan city-center pub, the kind you would find in the heart of Dublin.

The menu will feature The Crafty Irishman’s staples such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and Scotch eggs, along with hundreds of whiskeys and a wide selection of European and local beers.

While the food may be the same, the vibe will not, Kearney says.

“This isn’t a copy and paste version of our downtown pub,” he say. “Every community is different and has its own personality. But one thing that never changes is our commitment to genuine hospitality, great food, and that warm, authentic Irish feel.”

Kearney is a native of Ireland who has emerged as a leading figure in Dallas' Irish pub scene, particularly in highly urban areas such as downtown and Bishop Arts-adjacent, with concepts that include Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, also in downtown Dallas and The Playwright Irish Pub located in Dallas' Arts District. He was the first to open an Irish pub in North Oak Cliff with Cannon's Irish Pub, which he opened in the cool Cannon's Village building in 2019.

He's shown a knack for being able to find an audience in locations that prior operators were not, such as the One Arts Plaza space where The Playwright is located — a space that saw a number businesses come and go before he came along.

The Victory Park location will offer lunch, dinner, happy hour, and late-night food, providing guests with a full-day dining and social experience. Validated parking and valet service will be available directly beside the pub.

openings