Rounding Up The Dining News

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls return in this Dallas restaurant news roundup

Cici's pumpkin cinnamon roll, not actual size, not actual Taylor Swift engagement ring.

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This end-of-summer edition of dining news around Dallas feels transitional, even a little wistful, with early hints of fall — AKA pumpkin — in the air. There's some real firsts here: a smoothie chain expanding into food, a chocolate shop expanding into the airport, and a burger chain adding a smashburger to its permanent menu. See you in September!

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Smoothie King has launched “Power Eats” — its first food menu. Items include Peanut Butter Toast with bananas, strawberries, blueberries; Chocolate Hazelnut Toast with chocolate hazelnut spread, strawberries, blueberries, & granola; Avocado Toast with avocado and everything seasoning; Protein Boxes with hard-boiled eggs, cheese, & fruit, or with peanut butter & fruit; baked eggs with veggie, turkey sausage, or turkey bacon; or chicken tenders.

Dude Sweet Chocolate is opening a storefront at DFW International Airport in Terminal D, according to a Facebook post from founder Katherine Clapner.

Miznon, the fast-casual concept featuring middle-Eastern food, has closed its last Dallas location in The Colony, at 5808 Windhaven Pkwy. #100, within The Shacks Dining & Dog Park, where it opened in November 2024. The concept made its Dallas debut in Deep Ellum in early 2024, but that location closed in April 2025. Miznon was founded by Israeli chef Eyal Shani, and brought to Dallas by owner-franchisee Jude Akpunku, a native of Dallas who did not respond to queries, but there's a for lease sign on the door.

Taco Ocho, the small local taqueria chain, closed its location in Richardson on August 27; a spokesperson said the closure was due to lack of business. It had been there for 14 years. The chain's other three locations in Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney are all still open and taco-ing it up.

Loop 9 BBQ, which opened in Grand Prairie in 2023, has closed. The restaurant originally opened as a partnership with Larry Lavine, the founder of Chili's, but he left the company in 2024.

Mod Pizza has brought back the Pumpkin Spice No Name Cake featuring a pumpkin-spiced cake with cream filling, coated in a sweet, autumnal glaze.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar, the Austin burger chain, has added a Wagyu smash burger to its permanent menu featuring two patties with shaved onions, pickled jalapeños, and a new secret sauce. Russian dressing?

Cicis Pizza, the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, is welcoming back is Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls, consisting of cinnamon rolls drizzled with pumpkin spice icing with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, available through November 9, or while supplies last.

Cerulean Blue Coffee House in Flower Mound has a September Cookie of the Month: Peanut Butter. It joins Cerulean Blue staple cookies the Chocolate Chunk and Caramel White Chocolate. New food offerings also joining the menu include crispy chicken biscuit sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich, and acai bowl.

SusieCakes, the home-style bakery chain, has debuted a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake featuring spiced pumpkin cake topped with coffee buttercream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Available September 2–28 at all SusieCakes locations.

Sonic has two new seasonal items starting on September 1: Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee featuring cold brew with salted caramel and toffee, poured over signature Sonic ice and topped with cold foam and salted toffee pieces, $3 for a 20-ounce; and Salted Caramel Croissant Bites featuring flaky pastries dusted with a caramel sugar blend, $2 for a 4-pack.

DQ has a new Dr Pepper BBQ Patty Melt starting September 1 available through mid-October, while supplies last, at participating DQ restaurants in Texas. It consists of a beef patty, American cheese, bacon, two onion rings, jalapeno relish, and Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce on Texas toast.

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard has a new Apple Butter concrete, with the essence of slow-cooked apples and a hint of buttery richness. Plus three limited-time Concretes: Apple Butter Concrete blending Vanilla Frozen Custard with Apple Butter, Vanilla Wafers, and Apple Pie filling; Pumpkin Pie Concrete with Frozen Custard blended with Pumpkin Crème and Vanilla Wafers; and Harvest Swirl Concrete with Apple Butter and Pumpkin Crème, blended with Vanilla Frozen Custard. Available at participating locations through October 5, while supplies last.

Evelyn, the steakhouse in the Dallas Design District, has a chef on TV: Chef Henry Johnson will be a contestant on the new season of Hell’s Kitchen: Battle of the States, airing on September 25. For the first time in Hell’s Kitchen history, every chef will be from and represent a different state. In the premiere episode, Ramsay will whittle down these 50 semi-finalists to the Top 18.

MAD Concepts Group, the parent company behind beloved Texas restaurant brands Jakes and Tacos & Avocados, has appointed spitfire up-and-comer Kendra Shier as President of both concepts, effective immediately.

news-you-can-eat lists

Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings