Delicious Dining News

Pizza and new cocktails fizz up this roundup of Dallas restaurant news

Pizza Leila does square Sicilian-style pies.

Kathy Tran

This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas features new openings, cocktails with tropical twists, a chef announcement, and more.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Pizza Leila, the downtown pizzeria from NL Group, the hospitality group from Tim McEneny, has opened an outlet at NorthPark Center, on the second level at #2382, in between Chick-Fil-A and Wich! (formerly known as Which Wich!).

Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, the Texas fast-casual burger chain, is opening a new location in Frisco, at 2215 W. University Dr. #100 on July 18. This will be the 14th location in the DFW area but it's their first drive-thru, which they claim in a release "prioritizes convenience and efficiency."

Raising Cane’s opened a location in Oak Cliff at 4400 S. Hampton Rd. on July 9. It's the second location in Oak Cliff (the other is at 701 W. Illinois Ave.), the 68th location in Dallas, and the 197th in Texas.

McDonald's has opened a location at 3201 E Cartwright Rd. in Mesquite.

MasterChef: Generations, the Fox TV cooking show with judges Gordon Ramsay, Lidia Bastianich, and Aaron Sanchez, features a Dallas contestant: Anna Johnson, a tax director. The series premiered its 14th season on May 29, and airs on Wednesdays at 7 pm.

Monarch, the Italian restaurant in downtown Dallas from Chicago chef Danny Grant, appointed William Salisbury as executive chef. Salisbury was previously at Carbone and Bullion, and was nominated as a Rising Star Chef in the 2024 Tastemaker Awards, which he won.

Dive Coastal Cuisine has new specials for July: coconut ceviche — a veggie twist with cucumber, cilantro, coconut milk, jalapeño, red onion, avocado, and corn; a summer salad with greens from DiveDWN, watermelon, Heirloom tomato, and fennel; and fish tacos with tomatillo citrus slaw.

Shipley Do-Nuts has new egg & cheese kolaches for the summer, in three varieties: egg & cheese for $2.99, egg, cheese, & sausage for 3.49, and egg, cheese, sausage, & jalapeño for $3.49. Available through September 30.

Dairy Queen has brought back the Salted Caramel Truffle DQ Blizzard for the July Blizzard of the Month, featuring vanilla soft serve, caramel truffles, and sea salt.

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard Italian ice chain has a new offerings in partnership with Nerds candy: a Nerds grape flavored ice, and Baby Nerds dessert topping. Also a Nerds grape-flavored Gelati Blender, a drink featuring Italian ice blended with custard and topped with Baby Nerds.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse has new menu items for summer including onion rings, chili crunch pot stickers, and parmesan-crusted shrimp. There are two new cocktails: The Lucky Ducky, served in a cute bathtub vessel, which you can take home for $10, and Triple Patrón Guava Rita.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza has two new pizzas for summer: All-American Cheeseburger Pizza with beef, bacon, onions, cheddar, mozzarella, tomato, and dill pickles on Thousand Island dressing; and Apple of My Pie Dessert Pizza with apple pie filling, brown sugar & cinnamon, mozzarella cheese, and powdered sugar. Available through August at all locations including Lewisville, Fort Worth, and Grand Prairie.

Restaurant Beatrice in Oak Cliff has appointed Colin Younce as new chef de cuisine. Younce has worked at Homewood and Petra and the Beast, and specializes in cured and smoked meats, whole animal butchery, low-waste operations, and farm-to-table menus. Restaurant Beatrice is also expanding wine offerings to include more artisan wines at a wider range of price points and launching Boucherie Beatrice, a retail sausage program in August, selling Cajun/Creole smoked and cured meats.

Truluck’s is offering Spottswoode Estate’s classically styled Sauvignon Blanc at $58 a bottle, dine in only. Crafted with grapes from Spottswoode Estate, as well as those from other family-owned vineyards, this wine is fermented in a combination of French oak, small stainless-steel barrels, a clay amphora, and ceramic, and concrete cuves. This wine is available at the Dallas location at 2401 McKinney Ave.

Mi Dia From Scratch presents the Summer Peach Margarita as the Margarita of the Month for July, featuring Milagro Tequila and St. Germain, peach, hibiscus, and lemon, shaken and poured into a short glass, then topped with a hibiscus foam. At three locations: Plano, Grapevine, and Flower Mound.

Cantina Laredo is introducing a new limited-time-only menu of specialty cocktails through October 7. They're calling them limonada libations but limonada is lemonade, and these seem to be margaritas in three flavors: strawberry, passion fruit limonada, and coconut lemonade, priced at $13. Available at Cantina Laredo locations in Addison and Frisco.

El Chico has two new cocktails which offer a rum-based twist to their traditional margarita: Dreamsicle with Don Q Naranja Rum, Coco Reàl Cream of Coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice; and Tropical Parrot-dise with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Coco Reàl Cream of Coconut, pineapple juice, and Myers’s Original Dark Rum. The cocktails are $7.50, available through October 7, at locations in Rockwall, Pantego, and Richland Hills.

Fogo de Chão recently launched Sonhadores Wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon wine in partnership with Cline Family Cellars based in Sonoma, to add to its Tribute Wine Collection. The new offering is available by the glass, bottle, or take-home option at all Fogo locations, including Uptown Dallas, Irving, Addison, and Plano.

wine chefs openings lists

Cool new hang

Rollin Joe's coffee shop to open in old New York Sub space by SMU Dallas

Rendering courtesy of Rollin Joes

Rollin Joe's is going into the old New York Sub space across from SMU.

The iconic former New York Sub space across from Southern Methodist University is being amped up as a cool new off-campus hang: Rollin Joe's, an all-day, music-driven, coffee and beverage shop, will open at 3411 Asbury St., Dallas.

It will debut in late summer or early fall 2026, says a release, in time to serve espresso drinks, matcha, smoothies, and teas to a new crop of undergrads who need caffeine.

Rollin Joe's comes from SMU alumnus (and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' nephew) Jerry W. Mooty, Jr. and hospitality veteran Kirk Thompson, who are transforming the longtime campus-area location into an all-day destination "pairing quality beverages with curated music, comfortable spaces and a community-focused atmosphere," the release says.

The location is notable for generations of SMU students and Park Cities residents who loved New York Sub, which had occupied the space since 1974, before closing earlier this year.

According to the release, Rollin Joe's will encompass 1,373 square feet with seating for 45 to 50. Features will include a covered patio, walk-up ordering, and a "Quick Sip" window for customers on the go.

The menu will focus on beverages, including coffee and espresso drinks, matcha beverages, specialty teas, smoothies, protein drinks, refreshers, energy beverages, grab-and-go sandwiches and snacks.

Notably, it will not sell alcohol. This is not a bar, frat boys.

Rollin Joe's will be an all-day coffee spot.Rendering courtesy of Rollin Joe's

Rollin Joe's will operate from morning through late evening, transitioning from coffee runs and study sessions to afternoon meetups and evening gatherings.

Music will also be a priority. According to the release, house music will be part of the daily soundtrack, with live DJs performing several nights per week and occasional guest DJs to help set the vibe.

For Mooty, the location was a key part of the project.

"The former New York Sub location holds a special place in the hearts of generations of SMU students and Park Cities residents," Mooty said in a statement. "When the opportunity arose to bring new life to the space, we saw a chance to honor that legacy while creating a new gathering place built around great drinks, music, community and meaningful connections."

Mooty is CEO and principal of Christie's International Real Estate @properties Lone Star. He says the idea for Rollin Joe's dates back more than a decade.

To clarify, the namesake "Joe" is not necessarily a person, but a concept, and what he's "rollin'" is, well, left to the imagination. As the release explains, "At the center of the brand is 'Joe' - a laid-back, music-loving personality who embodies the culture and spirit of Rollin Joe's. More than a host, Joe represents the welcoming, upbeat experience the founders hope to create for every guest who walks through the door."

Mooty explains, "The Rollin Joe's concept - and Joe's distinctive look and personality - has been a passion project of mine since I left the legal profession in 2012. I always believed in Joe as the focus of a beverage concept, but I knew bringing him to life would require operational expertise I didn't yet have."

Thompson joined the project after moving to Texas in 2024. His background includes owning and operating Panera Bread franchises in Kentucky and Florida, as well as Jimmy John's locations in Austin.

"When Jerry showed me what he had created, I immediately saw the potential," Thompson says. "The beverage category is evolving rapidly, and there was an opportunity to build something different - something that combines exceptional drinks, hospitality, music, and community."

The space was designed by Alexander Quintanilla of Q-ARC. According to the release, the design draws inspiration from music culture, vinyl listening lounges, and modern cafés, with comfortable seating, greenery, and lighting intended to complement the music-focused atmosphere.

coffee shop smu openings coffee