Hip bar pop-up tops 8 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Jeffrey Morganthaler of Pacific Standard in Portland will pop-up at Midnight Rambler.

Pacific Standard PDX/Facebook

Start the week with a taste of the Pacific Northwest thanks to a bar takeover by a legendary Portland bartender. Then plan for a brewery birthday party, a Japanese-French fusion pop-up, and multi-course barbecue cookout at a downtown hotel. Save room for a fancy tinned fish and gin pairing come Monday.

Tuesday, August 12

Pacific Standard Takeover at Midnight Rambler
Author and legendary bartender of Portland’s Pacific Standard, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, will visit Midnight Rambler in Dallas for an evening of expertly curated cocktails. The event starts at 5 pm with a lecture, Q&A session, and book signing followed by a bar takeover with Pacific Standard cocktails from 7–10 pm.

Friday, August 15

Sazon Latin Food Market at Peticolas Brewing Company
Latin food vendors will serve up flavors from the Caribbean, Central, and South America during this brewery takeover at Peticolas. The family-friendly event will run from 6–11 pm.

Omakase Dinner at Potpourri Boulangerie
Culinary art meets teahouse elegance during this five-course pop-up dinner by Hiro’s Kitchen at Potpourri Boulangerie. The Japanese-French fusion menu will be paired with hot teas and a mimosa or house cocktail. The dinner is $130 and seating times are 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

Saturday, August 16

Lakewood Brewing Company 13th Anniversary Bash
Craft beer brewery celebrates its 13th anniversary with beer, music, and food. They'll bring back vintage releases and debut their 2025 limited release, Lion’s Share XIII. The event will include a Beer Poking and conversation with founder Wim Bens and brewer Ashton Guerrero, Martin’s Italian Ice truck, flash tattoos from Inked by Cherry, music by The Jacob Price Band and Dead Wax Records, and a pop-up from Sweet Dol-ings featuring baked goods made with Temptress and Temptress Blonde. Admission is free (you pay for food and drink) and the event runs from 12-7 pm.

The Brass Tap 10th Anniversary
The Brass Tap in Allen will mark 10 years with live music and giveaways featuring “loaded raffle baskets” filled with swag and plenty of prizes. The party will run from 4–9 pm.

Farm to Flame at Omni Dallas Hotel
This open-fire dining event in the middle of downtown Dallas will feature a multi-course barbecue feast highlighting Texas ingredients. The $125 ticket plus gratuity includes two cocktails, live acoustic music, and a custom spice rub to take home. The event begins at 6 pm.

Flecha Azul Tequila Dinner at Cantina Laredo
Addison outlet of the Tex-Mex chain will host a four-course tequila pairing dinner featuring specialty cocktails by Flecha Azul Tequila. Menu highlights include shrimp empanadas, mushroom, bacon, and poblano-stuffed pork tenderloin or redfish with shrimp and corn sauce, and berries and cream. The dinner is $80 and begins at 7 pm with a tequila flight.

Monday, August 18

Gins & Tins at Easy Slider
Snack fancy during this tasting paired with gin cocktails. The $35 ticket includes a tinned fish tasting plate by Jose Gourmet featuring sardines two ways, smoked salmon, and mackerel, plus a rosemary cocktail made with Greenhouse Texas gin. A la carte items include oysters naked and dresses, and caviar. The come-and-go, mix-and-mingle event will run from 6–10 pm.

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Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year

Ari's

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A buzzy grocery store in downtown Dallas has closed: Ari’s Pantry, the small local chain specializing in Italian groceries and to-go foods, has closed its location in the heart of the Central Business District at 1800 Main St.#124.

A statement from the owners called it "a difficult decision." The closure is effective July 15.

"We are truly grateful for the welcome Ari's Pantry received from the downtown Dallas community. You have supported our business and shared in our passion for Italian food and hospitality. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Downtown Dallas location effective today," their post said.

The closure comes a little over a year since they opened in May 2025.

Downtown was the third location for the small mom-and-pop market, which debuted in Winnetka Heights in December 2023 to fulfill owner Ari Lowenstein's passion for all things Italy, with pastas, gourmet goods, dried foods, produce, plus meals for dining in or to go.

They opened a second location in Trinity Groves in 2024, which is currently marked on their website as "closed for the summer," although it does not list a re-opening date. Lowenstein was unavailable for comment.

The downtown location was originally a joint venture between Lowenstein and Alan Kearney, a downtown enthusiast who owns businesses nearby such as The Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, as well as Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff. However, Kearney withdrew from the store after it opened.

To accommodate the needs of downtown workers and residents, Lowenstein added a coffee shop and gelato stand. It was open for coffee at 7 am and until 9 pm, with a dining area where customers could have wine and cheese.

The location at 1800 Main St. seems to be in a favorable spot, surrounded by residential buildings and hotels such as the AC Hotel and Statler Dallas. Who has not spent a night in a hotel and longed for a market nearby with snacks and wine? It's also across the street from Neiman Marcus, whose imminent closure in September has provoked some pearl-clutching about the prosperity of downtown. But the downtown population does not always support local businesses.

Ari's was not the first to find the location challenging: It was previously occupied by the well-mounted Berkley's Market, which closed in 2024 after six years in the space.

The owners stated that they would "continue focusing on our locations in Coppell and Bishop Arts as we look ahead to the next chapters of Ari's Pantry," before thanking "every customer who stopped in for coffee, lunch or gelato, picked up dinner, discovered a new favorite ingredient."

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