This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is on the drinky side, with lots of winter and holiday cocktails, because holidays are made for drinking. There are also new restaurant openings, new menus, limited-edition items, and a special bakery holiday pop-up.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news, with items collected from press releases, online posts, and special-delivery telegrams:

Jasper’s Gourmet Backyard Cuisine is opening a location at The Riverwalk development in Flower Mound, at 4400 Riverwalk Dr. in spring 2023, featuring Southern hospitality and backyard cuisine including prime rib, smoked chicken, grilled salmon and trout, baby back ribs, blue cheese chips, and an extensive wine list. The location will offer riverfront patio seating, a full service bar, private dining rooms, and off-premise catering.

360 Brunch House has opened at Mockingbird Station from 7 am-2:30 pm daily at 5331 E. Mockingbird Ln. #160. Their menu of breakfast and brunch dishes includes Morning After Tacos, Chicken N Waffles, Lamb Chops N Waffles, The Breakfast Burrito, Smoked Salmon Platter, Salmon Avocado Toast, Lobster Avocado Benedict, skillets, omelets, breakfast tacos, gluten-free options, breakfast “sammies,” five flavors of pancakes, and six varieties of French toast, 45 beverage offerings including coffee, juice, beer, and cocktails including Bloody Mary, Lords Brew, and the X.O-Tini.

Nitro Burger is a new burger joint at Trinity Groves, featuring burgers and liquid nitrogen milkshakes made tableside.

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill has opened in McKinney at 1801 Hardin Blvd. near US 380. This is the second Texas location of this small middle Eastern restaurant chain based in Chicago which made its debut in Frisco in June 2022. Entrées include stuffed pita sandwich or bowls with choices that include basmati rice, couscous, salad greens, hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, chicken shawarma, steak, chicken schnitzel, sumac onions, purple cabbage, pickles, and tomato cucumber salad.

Tango Room, a steakhouse in the Design District, has appointed a new Executive Chef: Corrin Ellis, who previously served as Tango Room's Chef de Cuisine.

Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen has added new entrees, sides, and cocktails, at both locations in downtown McKinney and Watters Creek in Allen: duck breast with carrots, whiskey butter, kale, and ginger-carrot puree; a revamped charcuterie board; hummus; crab cake with Brussels sprout salad; traditional wedge; and creamed corn. New cocktails include the Purple Haze with blueberry infused Kettle One vodka, and the Fools Gold with Basil Hayden bourbon.

Cheapsteaks in Deep Ellum has a new brunch menu on Sundays from 11 am-3 pm that includes waffles, eggs, bacon, Parmesan Truffle Fries, steak & fries, Peppermint Martini, Espresso Martini, and Hot Apple Toddy.

Darna Market, the Euro-Mediterranean Market at Legacy West, has launched a breakfast and brunch menu crafted by Chef Ameer and Chef Yaser Khalaf, served daily from 9-11 am weekdays and 9 am-3 pm weekends that includes Vegetable Omelet, Banana Bread French Toast with pistachio, coconut, berries & caramel sauce, Avocado Toast with poached egg, and Greek Cheese Feta Fondue and Spicy Lamb Ragu with Sunny Side Up Egg.

Thirsty Lion Gastropub has debuted a new holiday menu, available through December 31, featuring Filet Mignon & white cheddar mashed potatoes, Ribeye, Parmesan Panko Crusted Halibut on cilantro jasmine rice, Espresso Martini, High West Maple Old Fashioned, Salted Caramel Moroccan Coffee, and Tito’s Winter White Cosmopolitan, served at all four locations in Dallas, Irving, Euless, and The Colony.

Grimaldi’s has brought back its holiday-season Margherita, Margarita menu, featuring Italian Sausage Margherita Pizza, Fruit 'n Nut Spinach Salad, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, Black Cherry Cheesecake, Black Cherry Margarita, Blood Orange Margarita, and The Bridge Charcuterie Board, available through March 6, 2023.

La Française French Bakery is hosting a special curbside market event at 201 Gold St. in Garland for the Christmas holiday, featuring Christmas Stollen Bread, a dozen Holiday Pull-apart Rolls, Cornbread with whole corn and cheese, breads including Cranberry Pecan, Jalapeno Cheddar, Rosemary Parmesan, Rustic White Pullman, Whole Wheat Pullman, Sourdough Pullman, Croissants, cheese Danish, Cinnamon Rolls, and muffins: Banana Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Cream Cheese. Order by December 19 via orders@lafrancaisebakery.com or 972-485-4400.

The Salty Donut has festive limited-edition holiday specials from December 19-24 including eggnog cinnamon roll, Santa's Sugar Cookie (a 24-hour brioche ring with vanilla glaze sugar cookie batter, topped with sugar cookie chunks + vanilla crumble), and Strawberry Sufganiyot, a mini strawberry jam-filled doughnut tossed in powdered sugar.

Velvet Taco has a special edition WTF Weekly Taco Feature: Fa-La-La Brisket Feast with Angus brisket, cheesy hashbrown casserole, carrots, beef gravy, fried onions, and fried sage on a flour tortilla for $5.95, available December 21-27 at all locations excluding food halls.

Taco Cabana is launching its new Double Crunch Pizza (DCP) at all Texas Taco Cabana locations, following a six-month trial in several test markets. Two crispy tortillas are layered with ground beef, refried beans, chipotle ranch dressing, Monterey Jack & cheddar cheese, topped with pico de gallo, shredded cheese and drizzled with sour cream. “The idea of a ‘Tex-Mex or Mexican pizza’ has been floating around TC for some time now,” said Taco Cabana COO Ulyses Camacho. It'll be $4.99 and will debut on December 19.

Genghis Grill, the Dallas-based stir-fried bowl chain, has a new revamped menu that shifts the focus away from customization to more chef-prepared menu items, with 18 items that include 12 Chef Bowls; six quick bowls under $8; and four ready-to-order bowls featuring Fried Rice. But no worries, customers can also still create their own bowls.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream has new limited edition flavors. Available through December is Peppermint Stick with Peppermint ice cream and candy cane pieces. Four other flavors are available through March 2, 2023: Coconut Rum Coquito, Browned Butter Caramel Chai, Lemon Poppyseed Muffin, and Vegan Gingerbread cinnamon oat milk ice cream with gingerbread cookie pieces. There are locations in Dallas' West Village and in Fort Worth's West Bend, with a third opening in 2023 in Dallas' Inwood Village.

Omni Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a limited-edition artisanal hot chocolate with a spice blend and marshmallows. Called Stirring Up Nostalgia, it's a collaboration between famed spice master, Lior Lev Sercarz of New York City’s La Boîte and “Chopped: Sweets” winner and Omni Executive Pastry Chef Leen Nunn, and it's available at Omni Hotels & Resorts until January 31.

Bourbon & Banter, the speakeasy at The Statler Dallas, has 12 new cocktails include the PX Old Fashioned ($20; with George Dickel Bourbon 8-year, Lustau San Emilio PX Sherry, Angostura Bitters and Fee Brothers Orange Bitters) and a Barrel-Aged Manhattan ($20; with Balcones Pot Still Bourbon, Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth and Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters).

Electric Shuffle has two holiday sips, served through December 25: Gingerbread Espresso Martini with vanilla vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and gingerbread, garnished with gingerbread cookie crumble rim; and The Mistletoe Mule with cranberry vodka, lime, and ginger beer, topped with fresh cranberries and mint bouquet.

Muchacho Tex Mex has a new holiday cocktail, El Rey Mago, made with Tanteo Navidad Tequila, infused with cinnamon and cloves, maple syrup and bitters, available at both locations in Dallas and Southlake.

Luckys Cafe on Oak Lawn will serve a spiked egg nog from December 26-January 1, made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, egg yolks, Makers Mark, and rum.

Mi Dia From Scratch has brought back their signature holiday cocktail, the Mistletoe Martini, with Altos Plata Tequila, lemon juice, strawberry infused agave, egg white, and rosemary and cranberry garnish, available through December at all three locations in Plano, Grapevine, and Flower Mound.

Whistle Britches has holiday cocktails: Santa’s Tini, with Tito’s Vodka, white chocolate, and peppermint syrup; Lockwood Dream, with Lockwood bourbon, salted caramel Kahlua, and double espresso; and WB Moscato Punch, with Moscato, Bacardi, and homemade punch. Available at all three locations in Dallas, Plano, and Southlake.

Draft Sports Bar & Lounge at Sheraton Dallas has holiday cocktails: Bringin’ The Heat with jalapeno-infused Patron Blanco Tequila, Berry Buzzer Beater with Absolut Citron Vodka, strawberry lemonade, & sparkling water, and a non-alcoholic Monday Morning QB with Red Bull peach and Dallas' El Cantinero chimoy de barrio.

Tommy Bahama is bringing back a holiday tradition with four special limited-time cocktails. Available through December 31 are Happy Huladays, with rum, cranberry-ginger syrup, & prosecco, and the Coconut Eggnog Martini. Available through January 31 are Partridge & Pear, with gin, cinnamon syrup, & spiced pear liqueur, and the O’ Citrus Tree, a margarita with grapefruit, cinnamon, and agave.

Twin Peaks has new drink and dessert pairings: Apple Turnover with Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey; Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cheesecake with RumChata Cream Liqueur; and Twin Peaks Sundae with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey. They're also serving a 14-ounce New York strip with garlic parsley butter, garlic mashed potatoes, and sautéed broccoli.

PETA is asking Whole Foods to reevaluate its "humane" rating after finding evidence of abuse at 11 turkey and pig farms certified as "humane" by Whole Foods. "Abuse runs rampant at Whole Foods' purportedly 'humane' suppliers, where animals raised in filth endure crowded confinement, parts of birds' beaks are cut off to prevent stress-induced cannibalism, and bloody wounds are left to fester," says PETA Executive VP Tracy Reiman.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have approved a ban on the buying and selling of shark fins in the U.S. The bill is now headed to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The demand for shark fins has driven shark populations toward extinction, with 73 million sharks killed for their fins every year. Shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, but fins can still be bought and sold in the U.S. This bill will also help to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by giving the U.S. more tools to take action against countries that fail to address these practices.