this week in gluttony

Sake dinner tops 8 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Sake and omakase pair up this week at Shinsei.

Photo courtesy of Shinsei

A seven-course sake pairing dinner takes place this week at a notable sushi destination. Prior pairing dinners will feature South Australian and Napa Valley wines, plus, prepare for not one but four fall festivals by the weekend, as well as a Sunday night costume party where one might scare up some Halloween cocktails.

Wednesday, October 21

Chappellet Wine Dinner at Monarch
Experience Napa Valley’s Chappellet wines during this six-course communal dining experience, where guests overlook downtown Dallas from Monarch's floor 49. The menu will feature Monarch’s signature Italian dishes by chef Jason Rohan. Reservations are $250 and the welcome reception begins at 6 pm.

Henschke Wine Dinner at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
Sixth-generation winemaker Johann Henschke of Henschke Wines in South Australia will share stories of the estate's renowned vineyards during this four-course pairing dinner. Menu items include duck breast with warm quinoa fall salad, Colorado lamb with creamy polenta and corn relish, Wagyu short ribs with Yukon gold potatoes and coriander arugula salad, and apricot crème brûlée. Dinner is $395 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Thursday, October 22

Omakase and Sake Pairing Dinner at Shinsei
Chef Roman Murphy of Shinsei will collaborate with restaurateur Lynae Fearing, owner of the Fearing Restaurant Group, and East West Sake founder Satoshi Tanaka on this seven-course omakase and sake pairing dinner. Menu highlights include Hawaiian sashimi with kampachi, Maui onions, and banana chips; miso cod with asparagus and mushrooms; soy-glazed beef tataki; and pumpkin bread pudding. Sake pairings are included with each course. The dinner is $165 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Friday, October 23

FoodeesFest
This three-day food festival at Firewheel Town Center in Garland will feature a diverse array of more than 40 food and beverage vendors along with craft and artisan vendors. Admission is free. Friday 1-9 pm, Saturday 11 am-9 pm, and Sunday 11 am-7 pm.

Saturday, October 24

Oktoberfest Dallas
The annual festival will welcome thousands to Flag Pole Hill just north of White Rock Lake for German fare and beer, local food vendors including Burger Schmurger, Cane Rosso, and Aw Shucks Oyster Bar, local bands, and family-friendly activities. Wristbands good for entry are $25 in advance ($30 day of), and $12.50 for kids 4-17 ($15 day of). This year’s headlining music act is Pat Green. He’ll take the main stage at 8:30 pm. The event will run from 10 am-10 pm.

McKinney Wine & Music Festival
The 10th annual event will take place at District 121 and features 15 different wine tasting stations. A tasting pass is $45 and includes a souvenir wine glass and 20 tasting tickets. Food is available for purchase and there’ll be live music all afternoon. The event will run from 2-6 pm.

Irving Taco Festival
To be held at Toyota Music Factory, this taco party includes margarita tents, live entertainment, market vendors, photo ops, yard games, and plenty of tacos for purchase. General admission is free, or pay for a $20 VIP ticket and get a commemorative glass, access to a private bar area, and two drinks. The event will run from 4-11 pm.

Sunday, October 25

Ida Claire Halloween Soirée
The annual costume party takes place at the Addison outlet of Ida Claire, which will feature contests, tarot readings, and Halloween cocktails. The lineup includes the gin-based Death Note, the Green Goblin made with vodka and basil, and the bourbon-based Blood Raven Sour. All are $12 each. The party will run from 6-9 pm.

costume party fall festivals sake pairing dinner ida claire halloween halloween events omasake monarch shinsei firewheel town center oktoberfest mckinney wine & music festival irving taco festival

Pick up pizza

New Italian restaurant with pizza-slice window to open near SMU Dallas

Courtesy rendering

Rendering of Barsella's lounge.

A new Italian-American restaurant, pizzeria, and late-night cocktail bar with a walk-up "slice window" is headed for the neighborhood near Southern Methodist University: Called Barsella, it will open this winter at 5600 SMU Blvd. Ste. 120, at the base of the Belclaire Apartments, close to Greenville Avenue.

The restaurant — from Dallas native and first-time restaurateur Oliver Steinberg — combines a full-service restaurant, pizzeria, and cocktail bar, with different options depending on the time of day. That might mean a quick stop at the window for a New York-style slice while out running errands; an intimate meal with wine by the bottle; or friends gathered for live music, light bites, and drinking on the patio until wee hours.

“Barsella was designed in hopes of becoming a neighborhood institution, elevated enough for a great dinner or date night, approachable enough to become your regular spot, and lively enough to be where you want to end the night," Steinberg says in the release.

Dishes and drinks were largely inspired by New York City restaurants and speakeasies the Barsella team visited while developing the menus, the owners say.

Barsella will serve familiar Italian recipes near SMU. Photo courtesy of Barsella

The menu will feature familiar Italian-American fare, such as rigatoni alla vodka, ravioli, lasagna, and other “dishes people know, love, and want to order, executed at a high level,” Steinberg says. Drinks will include an expert-curated wine list, craft cocktails, and a selection of spritzes.

Barsella will also tap into one of the biggest trends of 2026 in Dallas: pizza by the slice. The restaurant's most distinctive feature will be its walk-up "slice window," situated beneath a brightly lit Broadway-style marquee. Customers will be able to order individual New York-style slices from a mix of staple pies and rotating specials.

At a seven-seat pizza bar inside, guests can sit and enjoy slices and other small bites available at the takeaway window.

A main dining room will seat 80, and a private dining room will have 16 or so seats. A pergola- and lemon-vine-encased patio that's meant to feel like an Italian escape will have sliding windows that connect it to the indoor bar.

After dark, Barsella will transform into a true nightlife destination featuring live music Thursday-Saturday until 2 am.

The restaurant design (Wallace Johnson Studio) draws on Europe's aperitif tradition of socializing, sipping, and lightly snacking in anticipation of the meal ahead, as well as classic Italian-American and NYC cafe concepts, the release says. The 3,100-square-foot space is meant to feel bright and colorful, with hexagonical mosaic floors and red accents including dark cherry pleated booth seating.

Barsella is aiming for a winter opening. Additional details on the menu and opening date will be announced closer to opening, the owners say.