Where to eat

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 5 brand new restaurants to try in June

Full spread from Saaya Lounge.

Saaya

The June edition of CultureMap's monthly Where to Eat gives thanks to the never-flagging restaurant scene in Dallas and its surroundings, where new openings provide column fodder just about every month.

This collection of newcomers includes a buzzy restaurant at the ritzy intersection of Preston-Royal; a swanky restaurant-lounge near Deep Ellum; a dumpling spot in Plano; a handroll bar in McKinney; and a Southern-themed restaurant in Las Colinas. Something for every neighborhood.

Here's where to eat in Dallas right now:

Bobbie's Airway Grill
Neighborhood restaurant-bar from the owners of Park Cities restaurant il Bracco opened in the old Dougherty's Airway Pharmacy with a Dallas greatest hits menu: burgers, oysters, ribeye, crab cakes, and salads such as a Niçoise with ahi tuna, new potatoes, green beans, Kalamata olives, and tomatoes. A brass rotisserie is on display through the kitchen window, spinning chicken used in a variety of dishes, and there's art on the walls. Signatures include a cheddar cheese dip served with Fritos, and homey desserts from family recipes including carrot cake, pineapple upside down cake, and a banana split.

Heian Handroll Bar
Handroll sushi bar in McKinney stars chef Jun Park (Nori, Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar in Fort Worth) with a menu that includes temaki (Japanese-style handrolls), sushi, and sashimi. They keep it simple to put the focus on the fish, listed on a menu along with the country from which it's sourced. There are also appetizers and cute skewers in options such as fried okra and fried shiitake mushrooms. Sushi aficionados are raving over Chef Jun's attention to detail, including proper preparation of not just the seafood but also the rice, both in flavor and consistency, and the handrolls are generously sized, always a crowd-pleaser.

Saaya Lounge
Mediterranean oasis from Milkshake Concepts (Vidorra, The Finch, Harper’s) is in the North Good Latimer District at 2511 Swiss Ave., where it aspires to provide a refuge from the urban realm. The menu features mezza-style shared plates including feta dip, kebabs, and Lebanese-style pizzas. They're having fun with dishes such as lamb sliders, a "Lebanese Caesar" featuring tahini Caesar dressing, and their spicy take on crispy cauliflower, with pine nuts, capers, and harissa. Exotic cocktails include the Ombra of Anubis with Sombra Mezcal, Ancho Reyes, and Ramazatti, but there's also traditional Turkish coffee, as well.

Steam Dumpling
Dumpling spot in Plano at 3131 Custer Rd. #182 is a noteworthy addition to the local dumpling scene, with five fillings - pork, beef & onion, chicken & corn, shrimp, and vegetable - which you can get steamed, boiled, or pan-fried. There are also soup dumplings (xiao long bao), the cult favorite beloved for their juiciness, plus Chinese staples like egg rolls, salt & pepper shrimp, kung pao chicken, dan dan noodles, chow mein, and scallion pancakes. Service and ambience get high marks as well.

Tupelo Honey Las Colinas
North Carolina-based chain serves Southern favorites including biscuits, pimento cheese dip, meat loaf, burgers, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp po'boys, plus a bunch of fried chicken, with waffles or without. A Tex-Mex dish or two plus salads and bowls break the streak. A full bar offers craft beer and an inventive lineup of cocktails such as a frozen drink with acai that's like a boozy acai bowl. Founded in Asheville, N.C. in 2000, they came to Texas in 2016 with a location in Frisco; this one in Irving is the second.

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Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

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