Legacy restaurants

Dallas' storied Old Mill Inn returns to Fair Park with World Cup preview

The 90-year-old Old Mill Inn at Fair Park is getting a revival in 2026.

Photo by Gangway Advertising for Rousso's Concessions

Dallas' second-oldest restaurant is getting a revival, and diners can sneak a peek this summer during World Cup. The Old Mill Inn at Fair Park, the landmark restaurant on the grounds of Fair Park, is being reopened by State Fair of Texas concessionaire Isaac Rousso.

According to a release, Rousso and his company, Rousso's Concessions, are transforming the nearly century-old building with the iconic exterior paddlewheel into a full-service restaurant and bar.

"The Old Mill Inn is one of the most magical, irreplaceable buildings in all of Dallas," Rousso says in the release. "When I walked through those doors, I saw everything it could be - the history, the architecture, the soul of it."

It's expected to debut with much fanfare ahead of the State Fair of Texas later this summer.

But first (because who can think of State Fair yet with World Cup in town?), visitors can get a preview during the FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park, running June 11-July 19. Located at 3611 Grand Ave., the restaurant is operating daily from 11 am-3 pm, with a closing time that could vary slightly based on foot traffic.

Old Mill Inn at Fair Park Rousso's Wine Garden at the Old Mill has seating for 300, shade umbrellas, and a big screen for sports watching.Photo by Gangway Advertising for Rousso's Concessions

The new-and-improved Mill includes a 300-seat outdoor patio called Rousso's Wine Garden at the Old Mill, featuring shade umbrellas, a full bar and - good news for World Cup fans - a large-screen TV for match viewing.

Rousso is one of the State Fair's best-known concessionaires, operating concepts including Magnolia Beer Gardens, Shiner Beer Garden, Cajun Cowboy, Rousso's Fat Bacon, Holy Biscuit, and Who Dat Daiquiris. Since launching his first stand at the fair in 2005, he has earned four Big Tex Choice Awards, including a 2024 win for Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick.

Diners at The Mill will find a menu featuring Rousso favorites, including his Cuban pulled-pork sandwich, select award-winning Fair foods, burgers, wraps, salads, flatbreads, and charcuterie and cheese boards. Full-bar service will be offered with more than 20 different wines alongside a tequila and bourbon bar.

The Old Mill Inn at Fair Park, Dallas, c. 1936.Facebook/Dallas Historical Society

Built in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Exposition, the Old Mill building was modeled after the Burrus Flour Mill in McKinney and constructed with timbers from the original mill, some dating to the era of the Texas Republic.

Over the decades, the building housed the Borden Dairy exhibit, where generations of visitors met Elsie the Cow and her calf Beauregard, as well as Youngblood's Fried Chicken and later an El Chico restaurant. According to the release, only El Fenix surpasses it as Dallas' oldest restaurant.

The Old Mill Inn has sat largely dormant since the pandemic.

The new restaurant will display historic photos and memorabilia on loan from the State Fair of Texas, including items from previous Big Tex outfits and other artifacts tied to Fair Park's history.

Old Mill Inn at Fair Park The interior will feature a large wood-burning fireplace.Photo by Gangway Advertising for Rousso's Concessions

The interior will seat 120 and will feature a bar-lounge area and a large wood-burning fireplace.

"Rousso has envisioned an atmosphere that channels rough-hewn elegance with whiskey barrels, warm wood tones, Mexican tile floors, and the soul of the Texas frontier, while delivering a modern dining and entertainment experience," the release says.

The exterior water-powered paddlewheel is also being lovingly restored. "Its slow, rhythmic turning will evoke the timeless charm that has made this building a Dallas touchstone for nearly nine decades," the release says.

The restaurant is located across from Big Tex Circle and can be accessed most directly through Gate 5 at Fair Park. For more information about FIFA Fan Festival tickets, go here.

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Cocktail buzz

New Art Deco-inspired cocktail lounge Marlowe shakes into Uptown Dallas

Rendering courtesy of Duncan Design Group

Rendering of the Marlowe cocktail lounge coming to 2912 McKinney Ave. in the fall.

A cocktail lounge coming to Uptown Dallas this fall will give night owls a new place to hang. Called Marlowe, it will open in September at 2912 McKinney Ave., in a space that most recently housed Theory Nightclub Uptown (which closed in June 2025), and before that, Avenu Lounge and Aura Lounge / Club Babalu.

A release calls Marlowe an "a richly layered hospitality experience where design, food, cocktails, music and service have been conceived to work together as one."

It will be open just Wednesday through Saturday, from 5 pm-2 am.

The project is led by Dallas hospitality entrepreneur Alon Abramov, who has more than a decade of experience developing and operating hospitality concepts, the release says. Thomas Menaitreau is operating partner and general manager, while Kyle Buckelew serves as beverage director and Garrett Swain, also known as DJ Zillamatic, is music programming director.

Marlowe is designed as a place where guests can drop in for drinks and a bite, stay for dinner, or swing by after dinner for a late-night drink, the owners say.

While few menu details are available yet, the food will be prepared without seed oils, they say. Early menu items include charred Matagorda Pearl oysters with garlic-lemon butter and parsley, along with beef skewers served with sumac tahini yogurt.

Buckelew, who led the bar team at just-opened Delilah Dallas, is overseeing the cocktail program. One of the early offerings revealed is an espresso martini made with salted caramel vodka, dulce de leche, espresso, and Demerara syrup.

The interior is designed by Duncan Design Group and takes cues from Art Deco and cinematic design, they say. The space will feature wood-vaulted ceilings, curved architectural elements, tiered seating, antique-mirror and marble bars, brass details, velvet seating, and a central stage. There's also an enclosed glass-and-brass patio with a birdcage-inspired structure. Music will be another major component, with Swain overseeing the programming.

Abramov says the idea for Marlowe started with the guest experience.

“Marlowe started with one question I’ve carried throughout my career: how should a guest feel the moment they walk through the door?” says Abramov in the release. “We’ve approached every decision through that lens. The lighting, music, design, cocktails, service and energy of the room all have to work together. We’re not interested in creating the biggest room — we want to create one of the most memorable, and a place people feel connected to enough to return to again and again.”

Menaitreau, who was born and raised in Strasbourg, France, has worked at Michelin-recognized restaurants including Fiola and Bresca in Washington, D.C., and Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas.

“At Marlowe, every element should contribute to how a guest remembers the evening — not individually, but collectively,” Menaitreau says. “Our vision is to pair refinement with warmth and create an atmosphere where excellence feels natural, personal and never overly formal. Ultimately, we want every guest to leave feeling better than when they arrived.”

What is the significance of the name "Marlowe?" The release does not explain the name, and CultureMap has asked. Considering the logo is a penguin, it could possibly be a "Marlowe penguin," referring to the Penguin Classics editions of works by Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe. Stand by for an update on the intriguing name.

The exact opening date, full menu, cocktail list, reservations and entertainment programming will be announced in the coming weeks, the owners say say.

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