Bring on the chilaquiles

Lake Highlands breakfast spot JJ's Cafe expands to Dallas Medical District

JJ’s Cafe's signature chilaquiles, topped with fried eggs, fajita steak, crema, cotija cheese.

Photo courtesy of JJ's Cafe

JJ's Cafe, a popular breakfast-and-lunch restaurant that debuted in Lake Highlands in 2011, has opened a new location in Dallas' Medical District, at 4711 Maple Ave.

Founded by José Ramirez, who moved from Guanajuato, Mexico, to California in 1997 before relocating to Dallas, the restaurant expanded to Garland in 2025 and has now opened its third location on Maple.

The menu combines American breakfast favorites with traditional Mexican dishes, all served throughout the day. Options range from pancakes, crepes, and waffles to burgers, quesadillas, sandwiches, tacos, omelets, huevos rancheros, and migas.

“Families get together to have a family breakfast, and they can choose from both American and Mexican items,” Ramirez says.

JJ's Cafe is best known for its chilaquiles, which are available with seven sauces: rojos, verdes, chipotle, poblanos, rancheros, habanero, and blancos. Diners can add proteins including brisket birria, pork carnitas, smoked brisket, fajita steak, chicken, short ribs, or beans and cheese.

The dish is such a signature that JJ's Cafe hosts a weekly Chilaquiles Challenge: Finish a plate of extra-spicy chilaquiles in under four minutes and win $500. The waitlist is currently booked three months out, according to Ramirez. So far, only two contestants — both professional spicy food tasters, one from Mexico and one from California — have completed the challenge.

The menu includes desserts like these strawberry and Nutella crepes.Photo courtesy of JJ's Cafe

Beyond the chilaquiles, customer favorites include Tres Leches Pancakes, Crispy Birria Tacos, Nutella Crepes, Huevos Rancheros, and weekend-only menudo.

The restaurant also serves specialty coffees, milkshakes, and fresh aguas frescas.

The new location is inside Food Nation Cinco Cocinas Food Hall, which opened in 2022 and was formerly known as Maple Street Food Hall. Entrepreneur Ray Quintanilla partnered with veteran restaurateur Mico Rodriguez (Mi Cocina, Mesero, Doce Mesas) on the concept last year, and the food hall is now home to JJ's Cafe, Wing City, Picazo Sushi and Poke, Sal's Pizza, and Bar Mico.

Ramirez says both the Medical District location and the opportunity to work alongside Rodriguez made the food hall a natural fit.

“Mico Rodriguez invited me to be part of this, and I have always admired him,” Ramirez says. “Together, we can deliver something that is both delicious and quick for the people who work around here.”

To serve nearby hospital employees and office workers, JJ's Cafe offers a $10 lunch special with choices including burgers, tacos, quesadillas, chicken fingers, chicken-fried steak, or a soup-and-sandwich combination.

Throughout his growth, Ramirez remains deeply connected to his customer base. When the pandemic forced temporary closures, loyal clients sent checks to help the restaurant keep its footing. Today, Ramirez repays that loyalty every holiday season by providing full Thanksgiving dinners to roughly 70 families in need — feeding around 500 people total. Recipients are nominated directly by customers, bringing holiday meals to local teachers, students, and church members.

JJ's Cafe is open daily from 8 am-9 pm, with extended hours until 10 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

lake highlands medical district openings breakfast

Coffee buzz

Suburban fave Lemma Coffee brews first Dallas cafe in high-profile spot

Photo courtesy of Lemma Coffee Co.

Lemma Coffee Co. is opening in Mockingbird Station.

After building a following in the Dallas 'burbs, Lemma Coffee Co. is finally opening inside the city limits: The specialty coffee chain will debut its first Dallas location at Mockingbird Station in mid-September.

Lemma will take over the former Starbucks space at 5331 Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 150, bringing its high-quality coffee to the area's busy mix of residents, office workers, shoppers, and nearby university students. Owner Daniel Baum revealed the new shop's location in an Instagram reel on Saturday, August 1.

Baum, a former photographer, founded Lemma Coffee Co. in 2017, initially serving coffee at the Denton County Farmers Market. After opening its first brick-and-mortar shop in Carrollton, the company added locations in Frisco in 2020 and downtown Plano in 2022.

“For us, it is exciting to have a shop within Dallas and show the work we have put in over the past nine years,” says Baum, who grew up in Dallas.

The Denim Danger is one of Lemma's popular specialty drinks.Photo courtesy of Lemma Coffee Co.

Lemma focuses on premium coffee, with a menu featuring classic espresso drinks alongside specialty beverages made with house-made syrups. Highlights include:

Citrusgoth Latte: Charcoal, chocolate, and citrus.
Denim Danger: Blueberry syrup, maple, and brown sugar.
The Great Bambino: Cold brew s’mores (inspired by the movie The Sandlot).
The Bees’ Knees: Latte with vanilla, honey, and lavender.
Seasonal Coffee Tonic: Espresso, lychee puree, fresh orange and lime, and citrus bitters.

The company has also expanded its matcha offerings to include drinks such as the Matcha Tropic with coconut cream and banana syrup, Strawberry Matcha, and Ube Matcha.

For food, Lemma partners with local Montecito Bakery. The menu typically includes butter and chocolate croissants, almond loaves, dulce de leche cruffins, avocado toast, sandwiches, and hoagies.

While the beverage menu remains consistent across its locations, Lemma designs each shop to fit its neighborhood. The 1,300-square-foot Mockingbird Station location will feature several single-person tables, plenty of natural light, and limited bar seating for guests who want to watch the baristas while working or studying.

“People will be able to grab what they need and get back to the hustle, and if they want to stay, we will accommodate them in our space,” Baum says.

In addition to its cafés, Lemma operates a roasting facility in Coppell that supplies its own shops and wholesale customers across North Texas, including DFW Common Good, Oak Cliff Bread, Brewed, Seventh Day, and Local Good.

The company prides itself on responsible sourcing, direct-impact relationships with farmers, and a meticulous roasting process. To highlight traceability, every bag of retail coffee sold in-store features the name of the farm, allowing customers to pinpoint the origin of their beans.

“We have a quiet but loyal customer base — our core customers come in, buy our coffee, and take bags home to brew,” Baum says. “It is a dream for us to bring our shop into the city and continue to grow.”

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