Cheesecake News

Cheesecake Factory will build more cheesecake at new Dallas-area location

Mmm cheesecake.

Photo courtesy of Cheesecake Factory

It's cheesecake for the win at The Shops at Highland Village, the shopping center in Highland Village west of Lewisville Lake, where a new location of The Cheesecake Factory will open in late 2023.

The restaurant will go into a 9,700-square-foot space at 4100 Deer Creek, # 110 previously occupied by a Barnes & Noble, which closed in June and will re-open in a former Pier 1 in Flower Mound in late fall.

A release calls the Cheesecake Factory "the chain famous for its wide-ranging menu, generous portions, and desserts, "especially its signature cheesecakes."

Any right-thinking person might list cheesecakes first, but let's cut the Cheesecake Factory some slack. With a name like the Cheesecake Factory, they're in a struggle to not be typecast as just cheesecake.

The chain was founded in Beverly Hills in 1978 by David Overton, whose mother owned a bakery selling cheesecakes. It's easy to take for granted now, but if you lived in Los Angeles during that time, The Cheesecake Factory was kind of a marvel.

Now, there are more than 200 restaurants around the world, including three in the Dallas area: Allen, Frisco, and the original Dallas location which opened across the street from NorthPark Center in 1998. There are also three in Tarrant County: Fort Worth, Southlake, and Arlington, for a total of seven in DFW.

The restaurant has a diverse array of dishes, including American classics such as burgers, pasta, and seafood, as well as international flavors, salads and appetizers. Not just cheesecake.

Overton says that The Cheesecake Factory is pleased to be opening a location in The Shops at Highland Village.

"The Cheesecake Factory has enjoyed being part of the greater Dallas area since first opening there in 1998, and we look forward to being part of the Highland Village community," he says.

The center also has plans to renovate the Southern courtyard near the new location into a drive-thru parking lot.

“The Shops at Highland Village is thrilled to welcome The Cheesecake Factory as the newest addition to our center,” said Ravi Wadhwa, senior general manager at The Shops at Highland Village. “Having this national powerhouse brand join our portfolio is significant win that will purposefully complement our unique tenant mix. Like many of our guests, we are counting down the days until this fan favorite opens its doors to our community.”

desserts openings

Coming attraction

J. Alexander’s to debut in Plano with famed steaks and carrot cake

Courtesy J. Alexander's

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Tennessee-born upscale dining chain J. Alexander’s is set to make its Dallas-Fort Worth debut in Plano, with an extensive menu of hand-cut steaks, sandwiches, Asian-influenced appetizers, and its famous carrot cake.

J. Alexander’s will open the doors at 3980 Dallas Pkwy. on Monday, January 26, marking its first location in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

For those who are unfamiliar with J. Alexander’s, the chain opened its first location in Nashville, Tennessee in 1991, and has since expanded to nearly 40 outposts across the country. It is known for an upscale vibe and classic American cuisine, similar to a spot like Houston’s or Perry’s Steakhouse.

The Plano location is the 39th for the chain, which was acquired in 2021 by SPB Hospitality, which also operates Logan’s Roadhouse and fast-food chain Krystal, among other eateries.

“Bringing J. Alexander's to the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a meaningful step in our continued growth and reflects our confidence in the state,” says G.J. Hart, SPB Hospitality CEO, in a release. Hart added that the chain already has plans to open a second location, in Prosper, later this year.

When it opens in Plano, J. Alexander’s will serve a “polished yet approachable” menu that’s mostly centered around its wood grill. A number of beefy options will be on offer, including teriyaki-marinated Steak Maui and slow-roasted prime rib, along with lighter options that include trout almondine, seared ahi tuna, and a shrimp Louie salad.

Shareable snacks include deviled eggs and the “Avocado Bomb,” a striking dish of hand-cut ahi tuna and crab salad with thin slices of avocado wrapped around it to resemble the whole fruit.

It's also known for its icing-topped carrot cake, which many insist is the best they've ever had — numerous copycat recipes for the treat exist online.

On the boozy side of the menu, J. Alexander’s will serve an extensive list of wines, plus cocktails like the Midnight Margarita, mixed with black cherry jam, reposado tequila, and pink Himalayan salt. A lineup of handcrafted martinis will also be available, including the cheekily-named Red Headed Rita (mixed with pomegranate juice and blanco tequila) and the Fleur-de-Lis, made with sparkling wine, St. Germain, and grapefruit juice.

When it debuts on January 26, J. Alexander’s will be open Monday-Saturday from 11 am-10 pm, and Sunday from 11 am-9 pm. As part of the opening day festivities, J. Alexander’s says that it will make a donation to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, a nonprofit that provides assistance to those impacted by child abuse.

steakhouse openings j. alexander's plano