July is here, and Dallas restaurants are on board, rolling out summer menus, summer specials, and summery drinks — from independently owned restaurants to big chains, everyone has something special to offer right now.

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

El Rancho Supermercado, a Heritage Grocers concept, has reopened its newly updated store located at 1515 S. Buckner Blvd. There were interior and exterior renovations, including an expanded tortillería and updated cocina featuring in-store dining, improved lighting, updated signage, and an enhanced layout. The expanded product offerings feature a carnicería, a new sushi station with fresh sushi and hand rolls, and a produce department featuring house-made aguas frescas.

Applebee's closed in Cedar Hill at 649 Uptown Blvd. after 20 years. It first opened in 2005 and closed in May. The chain has closed approximately 300 locations in the past few years, but is also trying a new co-branded model with IHOP, with the concept having debuted in Seguin, Texas in February.

On the Border in Desoto at 1003 North I-35 E. closed in early June. According to a sign posted on the door, it's closed permanently and encouraged customers to find other locations. The Mexican grill & cantina chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March, and closed 40 non-performing stores.

Round Table Pizza, the chain known for its King Arthur theme, closed its location in McKinney at 7951 Collin McKinney Pkwy. #1600 in May. According to a spokesperson, the lease was up after five years and the owners chose not to renew. The location had been open since May 2020. There are over 450 locations, including two in Dallas on SMU Boulevard and Frisco.

Paris Baguette, the French-inspired bakery chain, is opening three new locations in Dallas-Fort Worth: One is about to open soon in The Colony Plaza at 5101 Main St., where it will serve pastries, cakes, breads, sandwiches, and coffee. Two more are "coming soon," in Plano at 1201 E. Parker Rd. #100, and the other at the H Mart in Dallas at 2534 Royal Ln. #130. There are currently locations in Allen, Carrollton, Coppell, Lewisville, Grand Prairie, Frisco, and Fort Worth.

Swig, a beverage chain from Utah, recently opened a location in Grand Prairie at 1120 Arkansas Ln. Drinks are customizable, allowing customers to choose a soda and add in creams, syrups, and other flavors.

The Family Table, a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Farmersville egg Benedicts, breakfast bowls, sandwiches, and sharable meals like chicken fried steak, closed on June 29 after two years. Owner-chef Cindy Clark called it a hard decision and thanked the community for its support.

Smoothie King has expanded its menu of Power Eats, which first launched in January, exclusively to 100 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth. The menu features egg clouds, habenero chicken skewers, 8-grain avocado toast, and an eggs & cheese protein box.

Mi Cocina has five new items on the menu including the Rico wrap (available only during weekday lunch), chipotle lime shrimp tacos, spinach shrimp salad, TX redfish ceviche, and Redfish a la Plancha.

JOA Grill, the Korean BBQ restaurant, has a new menu of cocktails and mocktails includuing a martini with Belvedere vodka, Pama pomegranate liqueur, grenadine, dry curacao, and lime; a Matcha-Rita; espresso martini; and The Garden of Delights with Pierre Ferrand 1840 original cognac, Kota Pandan liqueur, and créme de cacao.

Ginger's, the speakeasy bar in downtown Dallas, has added desserts: an apple tart, a vanilla crème Brulée, and Amalfi Lemon Ripieno with lemon sorbetto, coconut, and mint. New cocktails include That’s Just a Friend with Mezcal, aloe, licor 43, ancho reyes, beets, lime, and fuego; and the Banana Coquito with Mezcal, tequila, banana, coconut, lime, Montenegro amaro, and nutmeg. Desserts are $14 and new cocktails start at $20.

Dakota's Steakhouse, the downtown steakhouse, has a three-course dinner menu for $68 featuring chicken nuggets with caviar, watermelon tomato salad, prime zabuton steak or spicy lobster bucatini. 20 percent of proceeds go to three Dallas nonprofits as part of a new charitable program.

The Charles, the Italian restaurant in the Design District, has a new four-course summer tasting menu for $99 featuring panzanella salad with cured tomato and plum, crème fraiche, basil pesto, and rosemary focaccia croutons; linguine al limone with Meyer lemon butter sauce and kaluga caviar; Wagyu picanha with balsamic, brown butter, sticky shallots, and baby kale; and dessert.

La Madeleine has a new summer menu with three new salads: summer chicken, watermelon cucumber, and corn salad; a BLT on brioche for $10; and beverages such as strawberry hibiscus, mango dragon fruit, cucumber melon, pineapple strawberry.

Sugar & Sage Bakery has a new summer menu with tomato mozzarella Danish, brown sugar peach blackberry Danish, cherry cheesecake brioche, coconut macaroon, and vanilla soft-serve.

Hattie B's, the Nashville hot chicken restaurant, now serves a $12.50 Southern salad featuring chicken tender bites with spring mix, romaine, green leaf lettuce, ribbon-cut carrots, and red cabbage. Sweet corn succotash features corn, black-eyed peas, bell pepper, thyme, and cornbread croutons.

Cicis Pizza has brought back its "original chocolate dessert," after decades of demand, available on buffets nationwide and online for $8 through August 17. It's an ooey-gooey dessert made from deep-dish dough with creamy chocolate, sliced into thick, rectangular strips.

 Seasons 52 in Dallas has a new $14 "flatbread and sip" combo, pairing one of five flatbreads with a glass of wine, sangria, or a cocktail, available Monday-Friday from 3–6 pm at the Wine Bar. There are also $7 wine and cocktail sips, and new shareable dishes like the charcuterie board.

Truluck's has a new 3-course menu for summer, available for $59 at Dallas, Plano, and Southlake locations. First course includes little gem Caesar salad and shrimp cocktail; second course includes petit scallop & shrimp sauté, a 6-ounce filet mignon or pappardelle bolognese; and third course is dessert such as petit Key Lime pie or the seasonal peaches & cream bread pudding.

North Italia has a new drinks menu for summer that includes the Maneater with Cazadores blanco, Calabrian chili, Italicus Rosolio, blood orange, and lime, available exclusively at Dallas and Plano locations. Other new cocktails include Watermelon Sugar, Pink Pony Spritz, A Bar Drink (Tipsy) for $15 each; and zero-proof Strawberry Blush for $11. Available July 2-September 1.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse has a new summer menu that includes the Graham Cracker S’mores Pizookie and BJ’s Co-Hoperate Hazy Pils - a crisp-meets-hazy collab with Germany’s König Brewery. They’re also adding permanent menu items including BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Porter brewed with Ghirardelli chocolate, BJ’s Hard Root Beer, and a Smash Burger with two patties.

SĒR Steak + Spirits at the Hilton Anatole has a new menu featuring caviar churros, gochujang fried chicken, rabbit ragu with white Bolognese, and the “Rolls-Royce” — a tableside dish of wagyu bone marrow, crab, and flambéed béarnaise.

Kona Grill has a new summer menu that includes collaborations with Adam Levine's Calirosa like the $15 Sunset Spritz with Calirosa Tequila, and Brooklyn Beckhan's Cloud 23. Dishes include the Summer Heat Roll with habanero aioli, A5 Wagyu burrito, crab & Brie-stuffed salmon, and all-day chicken brunch.

 Shake Shack has debuted a Dubai chocolate pistachio shakeShake Shack

STK Steakhouse has new summer specials with Wagyu including Wagyu potstickers, A5 French dip, and Wagyu fried rice. Plus new drinks, in collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Dre's Still G.I.N., including the Tropic Like It’s Hot with Still G.I.N., and a Piña Colada Old Fashioned, for $23 each.

Mountain Mike's Pizza has a new summer menu with Zesty Aloha Pizza with mango, ham, chicken, bacon, red onion, and tomato; and Zesty Aloha Wings with Polynesian sweet chili peppers with garlic.

El Pollo Loco has partnered with NBA player Dalton Knecht to launch two new quesadillas: creamy chipotle quesadilla with citrus-marinated chicken and chipotle sauce in a flour tortilla; and salsa verde quesadilla with avocado salsa.

SusieCakes has new desserts: berry sponge cake with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; and Key Lime pie, available as 9-inch pie or by the slice available through Labor Day. Strawberry lemonade cupcake is available through July 27.

Kate Weiser Chocolate has new bonbon flavors for summer: raspberry lemonade, Cracker Jack, PB & J (peanut butter and strawberry pâte de fruit), and yuzu raspberry. They can be ordered in party trays with 48 bonbons, for $100.

Potbelly has a limited-time root beer float shake with vanilla ice cream and a shortbread cookie on the straw for $5.

Shake Shack has debuted a Dubai chocolate pistachio shake, inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate bar, which they introduced in three cities at the beginning of 2025 and have now made it available chain-wide. It feaatures pistachio frozen custard and toasted kataifi shredded phyllo, coated in a crackable dark chocolate shell, topped with chopped pistachios and crunchy kataifi, for $9.49.

Black Rock Coffee Bar has three limited-time drinks. Rocky Road Chiller, with chocolate, almond, hazelnut, and cold foam; French Roast Breve, an espresso-based drink with brown sugar cinnamon, white chocolate, and cold foam; and Tangerine & Passion Fuel Energy. Available through August 30.

Charleys Cheesesteaks has a new Nashville Hot sauce, which can be added to their chicken cheesesteak or served with their boneless wings.

Full City Rooster, the coffee roaster in the Cedars District, appeared on Good Morning America on June 20. They're collaborating with Four Corners Brewing Company on a beer called Coffee Pale Ale which has a six percent ABV, and is available in 16-ounce cans and kegs for area restaurants via Andrews Distributing.

FreeRange Concepts, the Dallas-based restaurant company founded by Kyle Noonan and Josh Sepkowitz, won EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Southwest Award. The company owns 11 dining concepts including Bowl & Barrel, The Rustic, and Mutts Canine Cantina. As the Southwest award winners, Noonan and Sepkowitz are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards.