This week in gluttony

Tequila parties top 8 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

It's tequila time in Dallas.

Tequila Social/Facebook

Tequila is on the menu this week with not one, but two tequila-centric shindigs - one involving an adult spelling bee. But first, be a judge in a competition between a master sommelier and a master of whiskey, partake a summer-inspired California wine dinner, then recoup with Pilates paired with healthy bites. For those not on the naughty list, Santa is trading snow for poolside sips with a cocktail for a good cause. And this week begins with the grand opening of a new H-E-B.

Wednesday, July 22

H-E-B Grand Opening in Murphy
H-E-B will open its long-awaited new store in Murphy, at FM 544 and McCreary Road. Per tradition, doors will open to customers at 6 am and grand opening events will feature company executives along with city officials, community leaders, and area nonprofits. Customers can expect deals and samples throughout the day.

Thursday, July 23

Somm Wars at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
A master sommelier and a master of whiskey will go head-to-head to show off their pairing skills during this four-course dinner in which attendees get to judge who’s best. Each "master" will choose a pairing for broiled oysters with andouille butter and barbecue hollandaise, roasted quail with peach honey glaze and Texas caviar, prime New York strip with potato pave and bourbon butter, and Texas pecan pie with Blue Bell pecan and praline ice cream. The dinner is $195 and will take place at Del Frisco’s in Plano on Thursday and again at Del Frisco’s in Uptown on Friday. Start time is 6:30 pm both nights.

Stag's Leap Cellars Wine Dinners at Princi Italia
The Plano location of Princi Italia invites guests for a three-course wine pairing dinner featuring Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap Cellars. Menu items will include Laura Chenel goat cheese-filled zucchini flowers paired with a Sauvignon Blanc spritz, summer ravioli primavera paired with Chardonnay, Alaskan king salmon paired with “Artemis” Cabernet Sauvignon, and grilled peach shortcake. Dinner is $85 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Friday, July 24

Tequila Social’s Third Birthday
The Harwood District tequila bar and restaurant will host an all-day fiesta to celebrate its third year in business, which happens to coincide with the day that's been deemed National Tequila Day. Guests can enjoy $9 margaritas made with Fort Worth-backed La Pulga tequila, including skinny, spicy, and classic varieties, from 11:30 am to 7 pm. Stay for live music from 7-10 pm.

Saturday, July 25

Café Olivia Grand Opening Weekend
Both locations of the health-centric Café Olivia (Addison and downtown Dallas) will celebrate the launch of weekend service with grand opening festivities. The first 50 guests will receive a free pastry starting at 9 am and can take part in a complimentary Pilates class, peruse wellness vendors, and a enjoy flower bouquet bloom bar. New weekend menu additions include The Daylight Bowl ($14) with sweet potatoes, farro, soft scrambled egg, charred tomato, avocado, garlic spinach, charred halloumi, pumpkin seeds, and lemon tahini, and a refreshed beverage menu includes the Peel, made with homemade banana milk, cinnamon, caramel, and sea salt. New weekend hours are Saturday and Sunday from 9 am-3 pm.

Christmas in July at JadeWaters
Santa will take a vacation from the North Pole to visit the Hilton Anatole’s JadeWaters resort pool for summer sweets and sips for a good cause. Visit for holiday-themed treats, photo ops, and Christmas wish list writing for the kids. Grownups can enjoy a special holiday cocktail from which a portion of sales will benefit Scottish Rite for Children. The Christmas in July party will run from 10 am-2 pm. JadeWaters access is included with Hilton Anatole overnight stays and day passes are available via Resort Pass.

Tequila & The Bee at Legacy Hall
Can you spell tequila? Plano’s Legacy Hall will host an adult spelling bee competition presented by Casamigos Tequila. Contestants can compete for Legacy Hall gift cards ($250 for first place and $50 for second) while enjoying special Casamigos tequila flights. Admission is $10 for spectators and $20 to compete. The bee will run from 1-4 pm.

Cedar Hill Night Market
Historic downtown Cedar Hill will host its first-ever night market set to include more than 70 vendors, food trucks, live music, and beer and wine sold by Cedar Hill’s Mudhook Bar & Grill and Lakewood’s Pour House. Admission is free and the event will run from 5-10 pm at 600 Cedar St.

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 fresh happy hour finds for July

Clifton Club/Instagram

Drinks mixed at Clifton Club

This edition of Where to Drink in Dallas, CultureMap's monthly roundup of the best bars for drinks and deals, has five fresh happy hours, ranging from hipster hangouts to neighborhood bars to an omnipresent chain with drink deals you cannot beat.

Here are five suggestions for Where to Drink in July 2026:

Applebee's
National chain with about two dozen locations across Dallas-Fort Worth has a daily discount drink special program that puts every happy hour to shame. The big news is that, for the rest of July, they've brought back their famed Dollarita, a classic margarita made with tequila, triple sec, and lime, available all day, every day, for $1. If you crave flavors, splurge on options that include lime, dragonfruit, strawberry, mango, watermelon, blue raspberry, and prickly pear, all for $1.50. (Note: There's a 3-drink limit if you do not order food.) More upscale sips include a margarita with Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Malibu Coconut Rum, & blue curaçao for $10. They offer food deals, too such as their late night half-price appetizers like wings and mozzarella sticks.

Bit of Grub
Bit of Grub is a new spot in Far North Dallas, almost to Plano, serving comfort food and Tex-Mex such as "inside out" chicken pot pie, CFS, steak fingers, burgers, nachos, burritos, and poutine. They're rolling out lots of deals which include a "double" happy hour: a regular HH Monday-Friday from 2:30-6:30 pm, followed by a second HH that starts at 8 pm — basically, before and after dinner. There are rotating drink specials as follows: Monday, $2 Margaritas. Tuesday, $3 Martinis. Wednesday, $2 Drafts. Thursday, $3 wells. Food specials include $4 nachos, $5 quesadillas, and $3 fries & tots, starting at 8 pm.

Charlie’s Tavern & Kitchen
New pub in the Northview Plaza shopping center in northeast Dallas is a spinoff of the original founded in Arlington, with the same down-to-earth vibe and menu of wings, chicken tenders, Cajun pasta, fried mushrooms, quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and tacos, with prices ranging from $12 to $20. The space has been a revolving door for similarly-styled concepts but maybe this is the one that'll stick. You surely can't beat the price with a happy hour that runs daily from 3 pm-7 pm, plus a reverse happy hour 11 pm-1 pm, featuring $4 beer and house wines, $4 off cocktails, and 20 percent off appetizers.

Clifton Club
Low-key, sultry bar in the Fitzhugh/Travis neighborhood along the Katy Trail is part of the Greg Katz portfolio (Beverley's, Green Point Seafood & Oyster Bar, Claremont Grill) and hosts a happy hour on Tuesday-Sunday from 4:30-6:30 pm. There are margaritas, French 75s, and Moscow mules for $10; espresso martinis for $12; and their house martini for $15. Accompanying bites include spicy tuna crispy rice, truffle parmesan French fries, and mini Wagyu smashburgers. The kitschy fun item is the “kid’s meal” served in a red McDonald's-inspired box containing a mini smashburger, fries, happy hour cocktail, and a cigarette.

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine
Longtime chain founded in 1986 by Gloria and Jose Fuentes, celebrating the traditions of El Salvador, offers happy hour Monday-Thursday all day, and Friday from 11 am-7 pm, with house margaritas for only $7, at all 23 DFW locations across Texas including their newest in Plano, at 8601 Preston Rd., on the southwest corner of SH-121. This is a newly constructed location, representing Gloria’s fourth stand-alone restaurant, and replaces their Frisco location on Gaylord Parkway. (According to a representative, moving to Plano gave the company a chance to own the space rather than being a tenant.) Along with $7 margaritas, the new restaurant is serving signature dishes such as black bean dip, pupusas, and fried plantains.

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