• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark 2016
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    This week in gluttony

    Mardi Gras parties lead 13 best food & drink events in Dallas this week

    Celestina Blok
    Feb 16, 2026 | 2:51 pm
    Mardi Gras King Cakes, Masks, Beads, and Coins

    Fat Tuesday's the day to let the good times roll.

    Getty Images

    Fat Tuesday arrives this week, and several Dallas-area restaurants and bars are ready to let the good times roll. The Lunar New Year also lands this week, and an upscale steakhouse will celebrate with dance performances and a special menu. Winter Olympics fans, don't miss an Olympic-themed bar crawl with eight stops representing eight countries featuring themed food and drink specials along the way.

    Tuesday, February 17

    Mardi Gras celebrations:

    • Columbian Country Club. Enjoy complimentary gumbo (first come, first served) along with craft specials for $17, including Bourbon Street Old Fashioned, Lafayette Espresso Martini, and Frenchmen Street Sour. The party starts at 5 pm.
    • Dee’s Table. Owned by New Orleans native Dee Lincoln, Dee’s Table will feature $10 hurricanes and king cake martinis along with dinner specials including fried crawfish tail, seafood gumbo, catfish, shrimp po’ boys, and Cajun Pastalaya.
    • Fish City Grill & Half Shells. The sister seafood restaurants will feature happy hour all day with $5 draft beer, half-price wines by the glass, $9 old fashioneds, and $5 gold margaritas along with $11 calamari, $10 double smash bacon cheeseburgers, and $2 select oysters. Most locations will also host live music starting at 5 pm.
    • Ida Claire. Specials will include $8 hurricanes, sazeracs, and daiquiris along with featured dishes like gumbo, red beans and rice, boudin balls, seafood platters, and king cake. There’ll also be live music, festive throws, and prizes for finding the king cake baby.
    • Rock & Brews. The Colony outlet of the KISS-themed restaurant owned by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will feature all-you-can-eat crawfish boil starting at 5 pm priced at $34.99, including jambalaya, strawberry fields salad, and Purple Rain Drop beignets.
    • Rockfish Seafood & Grill. All locations of the seafood chain will feature $8.99 shrimp boil, $5 off Voodoo platters, $10 off Ragin’ Cajun platters, and $5 hurricanes.

    Wednesday, February 18

    Cinnaholic Richardson’s 10th Anniversary
    The Richardson outlet of the cinnamon roll chain will mark 10 years with $1 Old Skool rolls all day long. The deal is valid in-store only with one roll per guest. Hours are 6 am-8 pm.

    An Evening at Ginger’s with Kevin Boehm
    The subterranean cocktail lounge will host James Beard Award-winning restaurateur and author Kevin Boehm for an evening celebrating the release of his memoir, The Bottomless Cup. Guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres and wine while mingling with Boehm before a candid, front-row discussion. The $85 ticket includes a copy of the book, with a signing to follow the Q&A. The event begins at 6 pm.

    Thursday, February 19

    Evening with Stephan Pyles & Paula Lambert at The Crescent Club
    Next up in The Crescent Club’s celebrity chef dinner series is culinary duo Stephan Pyles (known as the father of Southwestern cuisine) and Mozzarella Company founder Paula Lambert, who will partner to prepare a multicourse meal paired with wines. The dinner is $200, plus tax and service fee, and begins at 6 pm with a cocktail reception.

    Bar crawl Harwood District Olympics bar crawl. Harwood District

    Saturday, February 21

    Winter Olympics Bar Crawl in the Harwood District
    Travel to eight different countries via this Harwood District bar crawl. The schedule includes stops at Mercat Bistro (France), Tequila Social (Mexico), Dolce Riviera (Italy), Poco Fiasco (Switzerland), Harwood Arms (Great Britain), Saint Ann (Japan), Te Deseo (Colombia), and Elephant East (China), followed by an after party at Happiest Hour (USA). Tickets are $15, plus tax and a small fee, and include priority entry and specials at each destination. The crawl will run from 12-5 pm. Coordinating outfits encouraged.

    Craft Community Pop-Up
    Ahead of Craft Restaurant & Beer Market’s opening next month in Preston Center, the eatery will host a preview pop-up with complimentary smashburgers and drinks, along with giveaways and games. Donations will be accepted on-site for Heaven’s 27 Foundation. RSVP required for free burger. The event will run from 12-5 pm.

    Chili Cook-Off at Oak Cliff Brewing
    The second annual event invites guests to sample chili from talented competitors and vote for the best. Tickets are $15 and include samples, one craft beer, and live music along with kid-friendly activities including face painting and a bounce house. The cook-off will run from 12-3 pm. Teams can register to enter here.

    Lunar New Year at Nuri Steakhouse
    The Uptown steakhouse will celebrate the Year of the Horse with lion dance performances and a themed four-course prix-fixe menu. The dinner is $145, plus tax and gratuity, and reservations begin at 5 pm.

    mardi grasfat tuesdayfood events
    news/restaurants-bars
    popular
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Dallas intel delivered daily.

    Steamy shop

    New romance bookstore-cafe brews up lattes and love stories in Arlington

    Luciana Gomez
    Apr 21, 2026 | 1:45 pm
    Daydream
    Photo courtesy of Daydream
    It is love at first sip in this quaint coffee shop and bookstore.

    Like the setting of a Hallmark Channel rom-com, a new bookstore in downtown Arlington invites customers to sip, swoon, and stay awhile. Called Daydream, the shop specializes in romance books and features a cozy coffee shop nestled right inside the bookstore, located at 380 E. Front St., Suite 110, in the heart of downtown Arlington.

    The charming concept is from Alma Sardas, graduate from University of Texas at Arlington who, after a couple of years working in public relations agencies, decided to pursue her dream of owning a romance bookstore.

    As a longtime bookstore and coffee shop lover, Sardas explains, her idea for the shop came from wanting a space that felt like stepping into one of those stories.

    “I’ve always loved bookstores and coffee shops individually, but I didn’t see many spaces that fully leaned into a specific genre and created an immersive experience around it," she says. "That’s where the dream started - building something that felt intentional, cozy, and unique.”

    The book collection is entirely curated by Sardas and features a wide variety of subcategories within the romance genre, including cowboy, dark, fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance and romantic suspense. “There’s a little bit for everybody,” Sardas says.

    The young entrepreneur cites It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and Daydream by Hannah Grace (which inspired the name of her shop) as the romance novels that have shaped her love for the genre.

    “They all show different sides of romance: emotional, escapist, and fun,” she says.

    Daydream Daydream brings people together over their love of coffee and literature. Photo courtesy of Daydream.

    The inviting shop pairs the quiet charm of a library with the aroma of a coffee house, in a brightly lit space featuring a palette of cream, blush pink, and light wood tones. There are circular marble-top bistro tables and rounded swivel chairs for customers to enjoy their books and coffee. They also have a dog-friendly outdoor space with a few pink chairs and tables.

    Her offering aligns with the growing trend of younger generations that are craving real-life spaces, and opportunities to unplug, slow down and connect. “I think naturally younger people are going to start gravitating towards books again and the fun escapism that comes with it, rather than the never-ending vicious cycle of comparing themselves to their digital life”, Sardas says.

    Sardas, who is half Cuban and half Mexican, draws on her cultural heritage for both her deep-rooted love of coffee and the inspiration behind the menu she created.

    The menu includes classic drinks such as espresso, latte, and Americano, all served hot or iced, as well as tea - chai and matcha. They serve Cuban coffee, or Cafecito, a homage to her Cuban father.

    The shop has a couple of signature coffees, including a honey vanilla oat latte, and The Havanna, a dulce de leche latte, and they are working on a Mexican-inspired latte in honor of her mother’s traditions.

    Daydream The shop features a pink La Marzocco espresso machine.Photo courtesy of Daydream

    For pastries, they have partnered with Richardson-based La Casita Bakeshop, a thriving women-owned business, to serve an assortment of croissants, cinnamon rolls, cookies and muffins.

    They use beans from Alma Coffee (same name as hers though purely coincidental), a veteran and women-owned company that works closely with farmers in Honduras and roasts in Georgia.

    Daydream's hours are 9 am-7 pm Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm Sunday; closed Monday.

    Sardas says that starting in May, she plans to host regular events such as themed book clubs that tie into popular tropes and books, like contemporary, dark romance, and queer romance. There are also book discussions, meet-and-greets, author signings, midnight release parties, and themed café nights in the works.

    They are also collaborating with local creatives on activities like candle-making workshops and cake decorating workshops to make the space feel more interactive.

    “It truly is a dream,” Sardas says. “We are excited to be open and ready to be a stop for the Arlington community and beyond.”

    coffee shoparlingtonopeningsbookstores
    news/restaurants-bars
    popular
    Loading...