Since Crown Block opened in Reunion Tower in April, amid a flurry of excitement so intense that 10,000 people made reservations before the restaurant uploaded a menu, we’ve had a quiet summer for new restaurants. If you feel like it’s been a few months since a really exciting new opening, I feel that way too. Recently it’s been nothing but steakhouses, chains, and chain steakhouses.
But things are about to get much more interesting. The next two to three months will bring a new wave of restaurant openings across Dallas. I drove around the city peering into windows to update you on their progress. Here is the latest intelligence we have on upcoming high-profile openings, in approximate order of opening time.
- Ladylove Lounge and Sound (opens July 7). This Bishop Arts bar, complete with a disco ball, will serve up vintage music, cocktails, and bar snacks. It’s a collaboration between Spinster Records, which will help recruit vinyl record DJs and live acts, and Taco y Vino owner Jimmy Contreras, who will design the menu. Co-owner David Grover told the Oak Cliff Advocate that it will be “like the Viper Room, without the heroin.” 310 W. 7th St.
- Mister Charles (likely opening within six weeks). First it was The Charles, then El Carlos Elegante. Next up in the Chuckification of Dallas is Mister Charles, Duro Hospitality’s new spot in the former Highland Park Soda Fountain on Knox Street. We don’t know what food Mister Charles will serve, but it is going to be deluxe. The floors are marble, and, like The Charles, there are great big sculptures everywhere. White linen tablecloths are already on the tables, but some construction still remains. I’d guess they’re a month away, maybe less. Duro opens its businesses quietly, without media fanfare, so that only those in the know visit during the first few weeks. Time to start working your social connections. 3229 Knox St.
- Via Triozzi (likely opening within two months). First-time restaurateur Leigh Hutchinson recruited Modesto Rodriguez, a former chef at Nonna, Carbone’s, and his own Venezuelan-American gem Modest Rogers, to lead the team for this Italian pasta place on Lower Greenville. The awnings are up, and although they did their best to paper over the windows, I’m thinking we should have some noodles in four to six weeks. 1806 Greenville Ave.
- Petra and the Beast (opening in mid to late summer). Only two weekends remain for this iconic restaurant’s equally iconic original location in a historic gas station—a location that was always meant to be temporary. Petra is moving to the former Lakewood Smokehouse, and things are looking good: the bar top is in, and so are loads of shelving units for chef-owner Misti Norris to store her pickles, preserves, vinegars, and eclectic decorations. Fingers crossed that one of the best restaurants of the last decade will only be closed for a few weeks. 1901 Abrams Rd.
- Green Point Seafood and Oyster Bar (opening in late summer). Beverley’s owner Greg Katz is going East Coast for this one on Knox, just down the block from Mister Charles. It’ll feature oysters, seafood towers, and cocktails. But it’s still very much under construction, and the floors are stacked with materials rather than tables and chairs. I’d suggest patience on this one. We might be grabbing our oysters after the peak of the summer heat. 3219 Knox St.
- Kaiyo (opening later this year). Shoyo chef-owner Jimmy Park’s more casual sushi bar will occupy the space that was for 20 years the historic sushi spot Teppo. Teppo was starting to fray a little by the end, but Kaiyo should reinject energy into the space. Right now, it’s a full-on construction site, full of pipes, boards, and other materials. While I obviously want to visit Kaiyo this summer, early autumn looks more likely. 2014 Greenville Ave.
- Royal Bastard (opening in 2024). If you missed our podcast with Nick Badovinus, take away this: his next project, the tiny but “unapologetically premium” Royal Bastard in the space formerly known as the King’s Cabaret, will be opening next year. (My boss, Tim Rogers, called King’s Cabaret a “terrible, terrible strip joint,” but of course he only knew of it by reputation.) Badovinus says it’s “very bar-focused,” “unabashedly premium,” and likely to open in early 2024. Also, they removed the stripper pole. 1602 Market Center Blvd.
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Brian Reinhart
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Brian Reinhart became D Magazine's dining critic in 2022 after six years of writing about restaurants for the Dallas Observer and the Dallas Morning News.
