Pastry News

Paris Baguette brings bread and croissants to new Arlington location

Array of treats from Paris Baguette.

Photo courtesy of Paris Baguette

International bakery-café Paris Baguette is bringing sweet things to Arlington, with the opening of a new location in the Arlington Highlands mega-shopping center at I-20 and Matlock Road.

The bakery will reside at 4000 Five Points Blvd. #101, in a former Sleep Experts place. According to a release, it will open later this year.

The Arlington location is from restaurant and franchise veterans Rahul and April Rai, who plan to open four Paris Baguette Bakery Cafés in the DFW area, including one in Mansfield in 2024.

The Arlington location will mark either the fourth or possibly fifth location in DFW, following Lewisville, which opened in 2019; Carrollton, which opened in 2021; and Grand Prairie, which opened in March 2023. There's also a location opening in Frisco at 6100 W. Plano Pkwy. #3200, but from a different ownership team.

Paris Baguette was founded in 1988 by Korean businessman Hur Young-in, who started out with locations in South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and China. They're owned by Paris Croissant, a division of SPC Group based in Seoul; their America headquarters are in Moonachie, N.J.

They're known for cakes, pastries, croissants, and breads, featuring classic French-style goods that sometimes incorporate Asian ingredients, such as buns stuffed with red-bean filling.

Many of their items are croissant-based, and some incorporate savory ingredients like sausage and crab croquettes. They also have doughnuts, cronuts, cream puffs, and cream-filled pastries of all kinds, plus coffee drinks.

As is the case with this style of bakery, most of the pastries are self-serve; you load them onto a tray and head for the cashier.

The first U.S. location opened in Los Angeles in 2005, one of many Asian-founded bakeries that specializes in French-style goods such as Mozart and Taiwanese bakery chain 85C.

They started franchising in the U.S. in 2015, and have since established 120 locations across the country, including 24 new cafes that opened in 2022 alone. That includes a location in Katy, their first in the Houston market which has been in the works for nearly two years, bringing the total number of locations in Texas to 20, either open or in development.

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Red letter opening

Dallas bar veterans open Italian speakeasy-restaurant in Denton

Photo courtesy of Red: Italian

Exposed stone walls and a backlit glowing bar anchor the subterranean space at Red: Italian.

A new speakeasy lounge serving high-end Italian food has arrived at a cool historic building in Denton. Called Red: Italian, the subterranean restaurant opened in the basement of Ruby Rodeo, a bar and live music venue located at 122 N. Locust St. on Denton Square.

The concept comes from Victor García and Mike Church. García spent years at Truth & Alibi — the popular speakeasy lounge disguised behind the faux storefront of the Deep Ellum Candy Company — before acquiring the same space for Scarlett Lounge and Kitchen in Deep Ellum in 2024. Church, a commercial pilot, trained at The Culinary School in Fort Worth and the Ritz-Carlton to refine his passion for cooking.

The business partners say they fell in love with the historic nature of the 1877 building in Denton, which housed Andy’s Bar for 30 years.

“We have always loved the building — it is the oldest building on the square. We saw the vision and loved the aesthetics for both our Ruby Rodeo and Red: Italian concepts,” Church says.

After opening Ruby Rodeo, the duo launched Red: Italian this month. Church notes that the "red" naming convention across their concepts — Scarlett, Ruby, and now Red — nods to his favorite color, a symbol of passion, and the red wines and tomato sauces central to Italian dining.

Church’s passion for Italian cuisine defined the menu, which he created alongside executive chef Denise Gabrielle, his former culinary school instructor. Gabrielle brings decades of hospitality experience from the Westin Hotels, The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and most recently, The Taste Project in Fort Worth and Arlington.

The 58-seat underground space — which includes 10 seats at the bar — serves elevated Italian classics. Entrees range from $25 to $40, with menu highlights including:

Spicy sausage lasagna with arrabbiata sauce
Cacio e pepe bucatini
Chicken piccata
Braised lamb leg
Mediterranean Sea bass
Shrimp diablo
Espresso-crusted filet mignon with Italian seasoning

Appetizers are priced under $15 and include house-made fried mozzarella, stuffed mushrooms, grilled artichokes, bruschetta, meatballs, and flatbreads. The kitchen also serves salads, featuring a classic Caesar and a house chopped salad with nine toppings.

Shrimp diablo served over pasta with toasted slices of bread at Red: Italian.Photo courtesy of Red: Italian

Desserts feature house-made panna cotta, ricotta-amaretto Italian cheesecake topped with drunken cherry sauce, and a table-side bananas Foster served with house-made amaretto gelato.

The bar program leans into Italian flavors with options like an Italian margarita made with house limoncello, tequila, amaretto, and simple syrup, alongside a peach Bellini and a smoky Godfather. The wine list spotlights Italian bottles and a selection of Napa Valley options.

“The place has the perfect intimate, upscale, fun Italian wine and food ambience,” Church says.

While entering Red doesn't require a password, it still has an off-the-beaten-path entry that is characteristic of speakeasies. Social media posts direct patrons to "look for the red awning" adjacent to Ruby Rodeo’s black awning. A set of red stairs leads guests downstairs to a door with a small sign reading "Red:".

To preserve the speakeasy atmosphere, cell phone use is discouraged. The space also features subtle Easter eggs for guests to discover, such as conversation starters tucked beneath the napkins.

Following a sold-out opening weekend, Red: Italian is now open, with an official ribbon cutting planned for September (exact date to be announced).

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 5-10 pm, with last seating at 9 pm to wrap up dinner service before Ruby Rodeo’s live music starts upstairs at 10:30 pm.

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