This Week in Gluttony

These are the 13 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with cocktails and crown-making at Mexican Sugar.

Facebook/Mexican Sugar

Who says Halloween is just for kids? This week is packed with plenty of tricks and treats of the grownup variety, including Halloween and Dia de los Muertos events and specials, a murder mystery dinner, and two creepy craft-and-sip nights. Save room for Greek dishes and farm-focused fare by the weekend.

Tuesday, October 31

Hallowhisky Tasting at Uchiba Dallas
The Japanese dining destination will offer a special tasting menu featuring purposely peculiar dishes, like spider bao and sake with squid ink miso. The menu is $200 for two, plus tax and gratuity, and drinks pairings may be added for an additional charge. Reservations begin at 5 pm.

Cocktail Mixology & Flower Crown Master Class at Mexican Sugar
Spend Halloween evening pregaming for Dia de los Muertos by crafting a flower crown and mixing up Mexican Sugar’s signature La Catrina cocktail. Learn about the Mexican holiday’s significance as a tribute to departed loved ones. The class is $45 per person and begins at 6 pm at both the Las Colinas and the Plano locations. Then make plans to attend Mexican Sugar’s “community ofrendas” later in the week, featuring complimentary tequila and mezcal tastings, nitrogen margarita bars, selfies on Mex-Spresso martinis, DJ music, and more. Those will take place Wednesday in Las Colinas and Thursday in Uptown and Plano.

I Love the 80s…To Death: Murder Mystery Dinner at Bourbon & Banter
Tease your hair, find some blue eyeshadow, and put on some neon for this three-course dinner and murder mystery show set to take place at the Statler’s underground speakeasy. Menu items include roasted chicken and garlic cream sauce and spaghetti squash, char siu pork, and red wine poached pears with whipped mascarpone. The $85 per person price does not include tax, gratuity, or alcoholic beverages. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the show begins at 7 pm.

Trick or Treat Tacos at La Neta Cocina y Lounge
It’s the spooky taco Tuesday at this Vegas-based modern Mexican restaurant and bar, where costumes are encouraged for Halloween night specials. Patrons can take advantage of $20 endless tacos paired with $25 bottomless margaritas. There’ll also be blood orange watermelon shots. The deals will run from 7–11 pm.

Wednesday, November 1

Whistlepig Whiskey 5-Course Tasting Experience at Ellie’s
Learn about the popular whiskey brand while indulging in five accompanying courses. Whiskeys to be featured include the 6-year rye, 10-year flagship release rye, the 12-year Old World Cask Finish, 15-year Vermont White Oak finish, and at least one more limited release bottle. Tickets are $125 per person, plus tax, and the event begins at 6:30 pm.

Neal Family Vineyards Wine Dinner at Knife Plano
Neal Family Vineyards founder Mark Neal will be on-hand during this three-course wine pairing dinner to intermingle with guests and lead the pairing presentation. The lavish menu features spice-crusted yellowtail crudo, seared duck with beurre rouge, and 44 Farms New York strip. Reds will flourish with wines to include pinot noir and two cabs. (A vermentino will kick things off.) Dinner is $175 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

Thursday, November 2

Dia de los Muertos at Wild Salsa
Both the Dallas and Fairview locations of the Mexican food concept will celebrate Dia de los Muertos with live music, face painting, and $3 tacos (with a list that runs deep), $5 house margaritas, and $5 Herradura tequila shots. Those $3 tacos include al pastor, chicken tinga, carne asada, beef barbacoa, chipotle shrimp, and grilled mahi mahi. The deals will run from 5–9 pm.

Dia de Los Muertos at Taqueria La Ventana
Fast-casual Mexico City street food concept will celebrate Dia de los Muertos with all-day happy hour, DJs, face painters, and a Catrina contest – the “Queen of the Aztec underworld” depicted by a floral-accented female skull. The festivities will take place at the downtown, Addison, and Mansfield locations on Thursday November 2 from 8 am-11 pm, and the Farmers Market location on Friday.

Mercer Boardwalk Grand Opening
Massive new entertainment district in Farmers Branch will host a Dia de los Muertos-themed bash timed with the opening of three new dining destinations. Guests can get complimentary food and beverage samples from Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse, Black Agave Cocina y Cantina, and Dough Bro’s starting at 5:30 pm. Arrive early for a ribbon cutting with city officials at 5 pm, then stay until 10:30 pm for themed entertainment, live music, sugar skull stilt walkers, calavera face painter, and a strolling beer burro. Attendance is free, but an RSVP is requested.

Dia de lost Muertos Paint & Sip at Miriam Cocina Latina
Dallas Arts District Latin eatery invites guests to sip tequila and let their creative juices flow. Choose from a flight of El Jimador tequila (anejo, reposado, and blanco) or two El Jimador house margaritas, which come with a ceramic calavera skull and paint supplies. The price is $35 per person and the immersive experience is available from 6:30–9 pm.

Chefs' Night at LVI Statler
As a precursor to this weekend’s Chefs for Farmers Main Event on Saturday, five chefs will come together to create a multi-course meal at The Statler’s LVI restaurant. Chefs include Leo Morales (The Statler), Dino Gonzalez, Katsuji Tanabe (Top Chef), Leonard Botello (Truth BBQ), and John Tesar (Knife Steakhouse). The dinner is $195 and includes beverages, tax, and gratuity. Start time is 7 pm.

Friday, November 3

Greek Food Festival of Dallas
Enjoy authentic Greek dishes prepared by the families of The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church during this three-day festival celebrating Greek culture. There’ll be dance performances and live music, kids’ attractions, and a marketplace, too. Admission is $10 for adults and free for kids 10 and under. Military personnel and first responders also get in free. The festival will run from 11 am–10 pm on Friday and Saturday and 11 am–5 pm on Sunday.

Sunday, November 5

Chefs for Farmers Main Event
Old City Park will host the annual tasting event, which celebrates local family farms and the chefs that use their crops. Dozens of chefs will participate, including Antonio Rendon (Nobu), Eric Dreyer (Monarch), and Jon Bonnell (Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine). The $145 per person ticket includes unlimited food, wine, beer, and spirits, along with live entertainment. The event will run from 3–6 pm.

chefs holidays event-planner

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

openings