Tailgate party tops 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

CultureMap Dallas invites sports fans to The Tailgate this week.

Photo courtesy of CultureMap Dallas

CultureMap Dallas invites Dallas sports fans to the city's biggest tailgate party of the year, happening this week at The Empire Room and featuring bites from more than 20 restaurants and a big-name special guest sports star. But first, Oktoberfest events are still in full swing for more tastes of German culture and cuisine, a free class on beer styles that comes with tastings, and a tequila dinner purposely coinciding with the next full moon.

Thursday, October 2

Beer Styles 101 at Grrrowler's Tap Room & Beer Garden
The Colony destination for brews and pub grub will host its first-ever “beer school” offering an intro to beer styles. Explore lagers, ales, stouts, IPAs, and pilsners with a certified cicerone, and enjoy guided tastings along the way. The class is free and begins at 6:30 pm. Reservation required.

BubblyQ at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas
There are just a few tickets left for this 17th annual foodie fundraiser benefitting the American Cancer Society. Led by chef chair Dean Fearing, the tasting event features a dozen of Dallas’ top restaurants, including Shin Sei, SER Steak + Spirits, The Saint, and Beverley’s. Tickets are $175 and include craft cocktails, live music, and a silent auction. The event will run from 7–10 pm.

Friday, October 3

The Po'Boy Shop Grand Opening
Dallas’ new go-to for Louisiana-style po’boys will host its grand opening weekend with giveaways, photo ops, and the debut of a new menu item – chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. The Preston Center shop will give away golden tickets randomly placed inside orders Friday-Sunday, good for free po’boys for a year. Guests can also drop their business cards for a chance to win po’boy trays for the office. Grand opening festivities hours are Friday-Sunday 11 am-4 pm.

Fall Into Flavor Wine Dinner at Landon Winery
Downtown McKinney winery will host a fall pairing dinner featuring three courses. The menu includes smoked tomato bisque paired with pinot noir, Texas beef with Cajun creamed corn and wild herb chimmichuri paired with tempranillo and signature reserve blend, and Texas olive oil cake with grapefruit, brown butter glaze, and smoked pecans paired with Riesling or Texas tawny port. The dinner is $90 plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

Saturday, October 4

Oktoberfest at The Toyota Music Factory
This plaza celebration of German culture, in partnership with Hop & Sting Brewing Co., will feature live music, German food and drink from Jaxon, and festive competitions like stein hoisting, keg rolling, and more. Games will begin at 2 pm with the free concert to start at 7:30 pm.

Celebration Party at Coupes
Champagne bar in Oak Lawn Dallas is celebrating its recent achievement being listed as one of the “Top 10 Destinations for Champagne in the US” by the Bureau du Champagne USA with a party from 3-10 pm with 25 percent off any bottle of true Champagne.

Sunday, October 5

Laketoberfest at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Lake Ray Hubbard location of the brewpub chain will host its annual lakeside Oktoberfest celebration. Taste local, national, and international Oktoberfest brews from (512), Altstadt, Manhattan Project, Saint Arnold, Warsteiner, and more. Tasting cards can be purchased at the restaurant for $20 and include six flight-size pours. Bavarian food specials will include Jaeger schnitzel with German potato salad, Sheboygan sandwiches, pretzels, brats, and apple fritters. The fun begins at 11 am, with the annual stein hoisting competition set for 3 pm.

The Tailgate at The Empire Room
CultureMap welcomes fans of local sports and local food to this annual tailgate-themed party at The Empire Room featuring tailgate-inspired bites, premium cocktails, a silent auction of sports memorabilia, and special guest, former Texas Rangers pitcher Derek Holland. More than 20 participating restaurants include JOA Grill, STK Steakhouse, Dee’s Table, and Loro. There's still time to vote for your favorite taco in our Top Taco Tournament; the winner will be revealed at the event. Tickets are $50 and the party starts at 12 pm.

Monday, October 6

Harvest Moon Celebration at Kessaku
There’ll be a full moon for this five-course dining experience at the 50th floor Japanese restaurant, which will feature pairings by Mijenta Tequila. Juan Coronado, Mijenta’s co-founder and mixologist, will guide guests through their tequila journeys. The dinner is $150 plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 7:30 pm.

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Burger News

Twisted Root Burger Co. closes original Dallas location in Deep Ellum

Twisted Root Burger

Twisted Root Burger Co.

An iconic burger joint in Dallas' Deep Ellum has closed: Twisted Root Burger Co., which helped usher in the "better" burger trend, has closed its original location at 2615 Commerce St. after 20 years.

The restaurant issued a statement, saying that, "After many memorable years, Twisted Root Deep Ellum has permanently closed."

"As our original location, this restaurant will always hold a special place in our story," their statement said. "We're incredibly grateful to every guest, neighbor, and team member who supported us along the way. Thank you for the memories and for being part of where Twisted Root Began."

Twisted Root founding chefs Jason Bôso & Quincy Hart ditched Wall Street to launch Twisted Root Burger Co. in Deep Ellum in 2006, serving up half-pound burgers with over-the-top toppings and a saucy attitude long before gourmet burgers were a thing.

The "better burger" trend began in the early 2000s, taking what was previously a fast-food item and gave it a chef spin, with gourmet ingredients and more upscale surroundings. Twisted Root was one of the pioneers in DFW alongside names such as John Tesar's The Commissary and the Liberty Burger chain.

Boso took an especially cheeky approach, adding ingredients like peanut butter and giving menu items humorous names like the Kevin Bacon burger stacked with three slices of bacon.

Their "Low Rider" features a burger with taco seasoning, avocado, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips, while their "Steak Me Home Tonight" is a beef patty with shaved roast beef, American cheese, provolone, grilled onion, and beer sauce. They have a worthy vegan burger; four robust salads including a Cobb salad and "My Big Fat Greek Salad"; and milkshakes you can customize with ingredients such as Oreos and M&M's. They also serve beer, wine, and cocktails at some locations.

Prices range from $11 to $16.

Things changed forever for Twisted Root in 2009 when the Deep Ellum restaurant was spotlighted by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives — securing its continued success indefinitely (since Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives airs frequent repeats which bring another round of customers).

They went on to open many locations of Twisted Root across Texas and neighboring states. However, they struggled during the pandemic, with some locations declaring bankruptcy and some locations closing.

The chain was rescued by Local Favorite Restaurants, who acquired the concept in 2020. Local Favorites maintained Twisted Root's culinary stance as well as their resolve to "not taking ourselves too seriously." There are currently locations in Carrollton, Coppell, East Plano, Arlington, Mansfield, Bedford, Waco, Lubbock, Athens, and Abilene. (Local Favorites also recently acquired the Cotton Patch Cafe chain.)

Twisted Root is not the only restaurant to close in Deep Ellum: Zåtar Lebanese Tapas & Bar, a Mediterranean restaurant which has been open since 2016, just announced that it will close in late August. Like Twisted Root, Zatar is also located on Commerce Street, which is currently the victim of a multi-year conversion from one-way to two-way street, which has dragged on and on through multiple, unexplainable delays, with completion just getting pushed back again to 2027.

burgers deep-ellum closings