Pizza News

Marco's Pizza opens 2 new locations on east side of Dallas

Marco's Pizza

Marco's

A popular pizza chain is opening two new locations on the far east side of Dallas: Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, is opening a restaurant in Mesquite at 1336 N. Galloway Ave. #124A, in a former urgent care medical clinic, where it will debut in June.

They'll also open another location in southeast Dallas on 2445 S. Buckner Blvd. #110 in August.

Marco's Pizza was founded in 1978 in Ohio by Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco and according to AI has 1,233 locations as of February 2025, making them the 5th largest pizza chain in the U.S. Texas has more locations than any other state with 198 stores, including four other locations on the far east side: in Dallas' Casa View, Garland, Rowlett, and Heath.

Marco's has a decent reputation in Dallas, especially for its thin crust pizzas, although that may also be due to some spillover confusion with a local chain that was once called Pizza By Marco, until this Marco's Pizza forced Pizza By Marco to change its name to My Family's Pizza, which has since closed.

The two new locations will serve Italian-inspired menu items such as pizza, pizzoli, and CheezyBread, consisting of bread strips topped with three cheeses and garlic sauce, served with pizza sauce and ranch dipping sauce. Any menu item with a Z in the name has to be good.

In 2024, Marco's launched a new item, Magnifico Pizzas, finished with "romesan" seasoning and a garlic-flavored crust. Customers can also choose from limited-edition creations such as the new Pepperoni Bread, featuring shredded pepperoni layered beneath three cheeses, finished with garlic sauce and Romesan seasoning.

This opening marks the latest expansion from Hoogland Restaurant Group (HRG), Marco’s Pizza’s largest franchisee, which operates more than 120 locations nationwide, and nine stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, making Mesquite the 10th location.

"Mesquite residents have a lot to look forward to — from our delicious pizzas to our signature Pizzolis," says regional director of operations Mark Laxton in a statement. "The response to our nine other Dallas stores from the community has been fantastic, and this store in Mesquite will help share our experience with even more guests than before. We can’t wait to share the Marco’s difference with Mesquite."

pizza openings

Opening News

Dallas diner & music venue will open in former Ferris Wheeler space

Courtesy

Pancakes

A new restaurant has been unveiled that will take over the former Ferris Wheeler space near Dallas' Design District at 1950 Market Center Blvd.: Called AM/FM, it'll be an all-day diner and lounge with a big backyard and a stage for live music, and it's from Spune Productions, the music and event production company.

According to a release, it'll open in early January initially with evening hours, cocktails, and a few afternoon soccer matches. Music acts are already booked beginning January 8. More hours will be added down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, which was also a restaurant with a big backyard and a stage for live music, closed in November after eight years. Spune had already been involved since 2023 to help ramp up the live music side. Now they'll take it over with a fresh new personality and long hours.

They were famous for having a Ferris wheel on-site; an inquiry on its status went unanswered.

The diner will open daily at 7 am, serving "musicians coming off late nights, workers heading into morning shifts, and neighbors who want a place that remembers their name," says the release very poetically.

They've redecorated the interior with a new bar and banquettes that wrap the room. Alongside the renovations inside, the set-up outdoors will evolve over the coming weeks, with extra care given to the concert experience,

Menu
The food at AM/FM will be rooted in elevated Diner classics, with a menu overseen by chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Oh, Hi! Hospitality) that's influenced by Mexican-American kitchens and Nuevo Southern traditions.

Breakfast offerings include huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, breakfast empanadas, French toast, avocado toast, pork belly toast, and an intriguing twist on pancakes called masa pancakes, made using masa harina AKA corn flour.

Lunch includes a chicken Milanesa Caesar salad, Sonoran hot dog, fried catfish po'boy, kale salad, Cobb salad, and a Mexican twist on chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles.

Entree plates include pot roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a weekly pot pie.

The beverage program will aim for accessibility with coffee, cocktails, and craft beer, says Victor Rojas, Quinones-Pittman's partner at Oh, Hi! Hospitality.

openings