Where to Eat List

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 10 biggest openings of the summer

The tray of many dishes at Nuri Steakhouse.

Nuri Steakhouse

We are back with Where to Eat, CultureMap's monthly column highlighting the top restaurants to check out. For September, we are both looking ahead and looking back. It's a little bit nostalgic, a little bit optimistic, as we ruminate on the hottest openings of summer '24 before we transition into fall.

Here's where to eat in Dallas right now:

Doughbird
Latest concept from Arizona-based Fox Restaurant Concepts just opened at Inwood Village, not far from its hippie sibling Flower Child. While originally positioned as a place for rotisserie chicken and pizza, Doughbird has shifted slightly towards a more generic "American classics" profile, with popular items like steak frites and crispy chicken parmesan. They still emphasize pizza, though, and do what is said to be a decent rendition of Detroit-style pies.

Even Coast
Steak and seafood restaurant that opened in August in the new Work Shop complex at Prestonwood Boulevard is from chef Omar Flores, founder of chicken restaurant Whistle Britches and Big Dill Hospitality. It's an upscale but casual concept with steak and seafood — Prime ribeye-Delmonico, bone-in ribeye, Texas redfish, Chilean salmon, lobster roll — that harks back to Driftwood, the high-end seafood restaurant he once helmed in Oak Cliff a decade ago.

Haunted Castle Cafe
Mysterious restaurant that dubs itself "the spookiest cafe in Plano" finally opened after much anticipation from local horror fans. The menu has a surprisingly interesting range of offerings from short ribs to ribeye with creamy eggplant to pistachio crusted rack of lamb, plus burgers, fresh salads, and fun themed cocktails. The food is better than it has to be, given that much of the attraction seems to lie in its spooky, haunted-castle atmosphere.

Kanpai Coffee + Beer Garden
Casual new concept is a combination coffee shop-beer garden, from a team that includes award-winning Austin chef Michael Carranza. It just opened quietly in Deep Ellum, in the former Mama Tried space, where it's serving a menu of Asian-inspired dishes and innovative creations such as Frito pie, with sushi rice and tuna tataki, and an egg sando with Kewpie mayo, plus coffee and a hospitable welcome to hang all day.

The Kati Roll Company
Buzzy Indian restaurant from New York just opened a spinoff in Plano, featuring its unique and irresistible kati rolls, a unique street food from Kolkata, India, consisting of a wrap enclosing various fillings, not unlike a burrito. But in kati rolls, the wrap part is a buttery Indian paratha flatbread, whose crisp and flaky texture makes all the difference. There are more than a dozen rolls including Chicken Tikka Roll, and Aloo Masala Roll with mashed potato, tomato, and green pepper.

La Casita
Spinoff of the acclaimed bakery-cafe finally debuted inside Half Price Books on Northwest Highway. They're doing pastries and a big coffee program, along with savory items like avocado toast, mushroom toast, potato sandwich, turkey club, Cubano, Nashville hot chicken, chicken tikki masala, and burgers. This marks their third location; they opened a similar spinoff in Rowlett, called La Casita Coffee, in 2023.

La Rue Doughnuts
The hottest opening of the summer has to be this doughnut shop in Trinity Groves which opened August 29; unsurprisingly, they sold out the first day. They do raised doughnuts, cake doughnuts, and their signature crullers, in chef-driven flavors such as strawberry shortcake brioche, butterscotch, and pumpkin spice cake. They also offer two savory items per day such as a recent Chicken & Pepper Pocket brioche with Oaxaca cheese and a jalapeño chimichurri.

Moaks Family Texas BBQ
Barbecue restaurant in the West End in the former Sonny Bryan’s spot is the latest from West End king Jay Khan (RJ's Mexican Cuisine, The Liam’s Steakhouse, Chet’s Dallas, 3 Eleven Kitchen & Cocktails) with VP of Operations David Cole. Their menu of smoked meats and sides includes brisket, chicken, sausage, baked potatoes, chicken-fried chicken, and classic desserts, including banana pudding and churro bites.

Nuri Steakhouse
Upscale steakhouse concept in Uptown Dallas from JOA Grill owner Wan Kim finally opened after two years (and many millions of dollars) in the making. The menu blends Asian, New Orleans, and Southern flavors for a switch from the typical American steakhouse. Dishes include Korean-style lobster, prime filet, Japanese Wagyu, and a chef's tasting board with handpicked chef selections. They also have a unique Earl Grey crème brûlée for dessert.

San Martin Bakery
International family-owned bakery from Guatemala opened its second DFW-area location at 5407 Belt Line Rd. in Dallas in the Work Shop center. San Martin is a sophisticated bakery and cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including exotic offerings like Salvadoreño: Corn tortillas stuffed with cheese topped with two fried eggs and ranchera sauce, served with a side of refried beans, plantains, and cabbage slaw. Their bakery is a serve-yourself feast with pan dulce, croissants, and pastries at bargain prices.

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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 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 - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy 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."

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