Italian Restaurant News
Italian restaurant The Saint makes debut in Dallas Design District
The Saint
A swanky restaurant is relocating from one hip Dallas neighborhood to another: The Saint, the Italian steakhouse from Hooper Hospitality Concepts which originally opened near Deep Ellum in 2023, is moving to a new address in the Dallas Design District.
The restaurant will open at 1000 N. Riverfront Blvd., and it's happening soon: According to a release, it'll open on Saturday, January 3.
Hooper Hospitality Concepts CEO Andy Hooper says in a statement that "the Design District offers the ideal setting for the experience we’ve created. It gives us greater visibility, a setting that matches the sophistication of our menu, and a chance to welcome even more guests into the world of The Saint."
It's going into same building that will be home to Night Rooster, The Saint's sibling Asian concept which will open sometime in 2026.
Decor
The 1,800-square-foot dining room seats 85. Highlights include a golden-tiled stairway leading to the restaurant’s second-story landing, crowned by an 18th-century gilt chandelier, counterbalanced by a graffitied antique oil portrait hand-tagged by Design District artist Kelly O’Neal.
It's a whole opposites theme, creating a space where both “saints and sinners” feel at home. The wallpaper features a vivid interpretation of saints-and-sinners iconography, blending flora, fauna, snakes, doves, and talismanic motifs into a damask pattern.
Scalloped upholstered booths soften the room with elegant curves under the pink glow of an antique 1920s Parisian glass-domed chandelier. Nearly every seat captures a view of the downtown Dallas skyline.
New chef
The kitchen is now led by executive chef Sergio Esquivel, a Dallas-born chef whose culinary roots trace back to early days cooking beside his grandmothers. He attended The Culinary Institute of America and has worked at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Georgie by Curtis Stone, Harper’s, Nuri Steakhouse, and as personal chef for the Jones family at AT&T Stadium.
His style blends steakhouse tradition with Italian technique, Peruvian brightness, American comfort, and Korean depth, with a commitment to crafting everything in-house.
His menu will include dry-aged cuts from Texas ranchers, Wagyu selections, housemade pastas, seafood, and vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Standout menu items include
- Texas Wagyu Tartare with truffle carpaccio and balsamic cured egg yolk
- Shellfish Platter with Maine lobster, king crab, oysters, and prawns with cocktail sauce
- Wild Mushroom & Black Truffle Tagliatelle
- 32-oz Bistecca Alla Fiorentina
The bar program will continue to offer inventive cocktails and a notable wine selection, now enhanced by a lineup of new signature drinks such as the In Good Faith with Ford’s Gin, Ramazotti Apertivo, hibiscus syrup, lemon and sparkling wine; plus new smoked whiskey decanter drinks, offering a mesquite-smoked Manhattan and Old Fashioned in regular and top shelf selections.
