Dallas has restaurant openings and closings all the time, but this week has an unprecedented number all at the same time: From an award-winning Mexican restaurant to a new pizzeria to a dessert place opening on Greenville Avenue.
If it's your mission to eat at all the new places, then this is your list, and it's a good thing Memorial Day weekend is coming up, it'll give you time to cover them all.
Here's six restaurants that all happen to be opening on practically the very same day (plus a bonus spot if you want to road trip):
Chido Taco LoungeOpening May 24
Upscale taqueria that made its Dallas-area debut in 2021 will open a second location at Preston Hollow Village Shopping Center, in the former Cinco Taco Bar space at 7949 Walnut Hill Ln. #130. Like the Frisco original, it'll serve street tacos with chicken tinga, barbacoa, jerk chicken, and Korean barbecue; plus soups, salads, burritos, a burger, and birria ramen. The Dallas location is putting a special focus on agave spirits via an extensive selection of bottles and co*cktails including coveted additive-free tequilas, mezcals, and other Mexican spirits, while also offering private lockers where members can store their favorite bottles.
El Rincon Mexican Kitchen & Tequila BarOpening May 24
Award-winning family-owned taqueria is opening a location in McKinney, at 7951 Collin McKinney Pkwy #700. They made their debut in Garland in 2021 and became the talk of the Dallas food media world after being included on Bon Appetit’s list of America's 50 Best New Restaurants for 2022, then went on to win a CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Best Neighborhood Restaurant in 2023. Their menu includes classic fillings such as pork and beef, but also buzzy vegan Mexican options such as jackfruit, hibiscus, and coconut, served on a colorful variety of corn tortillas in flavors such as beet, orange guajillo, and green nopal. They also have a location in Denton.
Goodwin's Open May 21
Greenville Avenue restaurant from Austin Rodgers (Mayer's Garden) and chef Jeff Bekavac (Neighborhood Services, Zoli's) is now open in the former Blue Goose Cantina space with a menu of familiar though surely intriguing Houston's-Neighborhood Services-style foodstuffs: oysters, crudo, shrimp co*cktail, focaccia, chicken kofta meatballs, cheese beignets, whipped feta dip, Bibb, wedge, and Caesar salad, three steaks — filet, ribeye, and strip — pork chop, chicken, red snapper, rigatoni Genovase, mushroom & potato pierogi, steak frites, and a black Angus burger. Prices range from $18 for the burger to $62 for a ribeye steak. Plus $12 sides such as mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and fries.
Jars By Fabio VivianiOpen May 22
Dessert concept from celebrity chef Fabio Vivinai has opened on 3610 Greenville Ave., taking over the former Society Bakery, which relocated in December. Fabiani, who was a Top Chef contestant in 2008, founded Jars in 2021 as a gourmet quick-serve dessert concept serving an assortment of classic desserts from around the world in a single-serve jar. Selections include German Chocolate Cake with chocolate custard, and Tiramisu with espresso & cream custard, lady fingers, and Nilla Wafer. They also have soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, and milkshakes. This is the second of a planned 10 franchised stores in the DFW area. The first opened in Fort Worth in January 2024.
Nation'sOpen May 17
Diner-style restaurant with hot dogs, giant burgers, and pie, has opened a location in Frisco, at 3311 Preston Rd. Nation’s is a family-owned restaurant chain that started as a hot dog stand in 1952 but has become famous for its oversized burgers. They have breakfast all day, and 16 types of pies baked fresh daily. They don't complicate the menu too much. Burgers include a cheeseburger, veggie burger, and a chili burger. Sandwiches include a BLT, grilled cheese, chili hot dog, and a salmon sandwich on a wheat bun. Sides include fries, chili fries, and onion rings. They've also relocated their headquarters from California to Garland, so we can call them "local" now.
Oreste'sOpen May 22
New pizzeria at Trinity Groves is now open at 3011 Gulden Ln. #102, in a space that has been home to Temakeria, Sugar Skull Cafe, and vegan restaurant V-Eats. Oreste's a spinoff of Saint Rocco’s, so it's a Phil Romano restaurant, designed as a quick-lunch version of Saint Rocco’s, serving pizza, piadinas, Italian street food, chicken Parmesan, and lasagna. The menu is focused on breakfast and lunch service, but they're open for dinner, too. They've installed Bocce ball courts, a small pizza oven on the outer patio, and a full service bar, with coffee, tea, and espresso drinks as well. They have pizza by the slice, but the slices are $8. Don't think there is not anticipation: Dallasites101 say they are "so excited!!"
Bonus in Waco:
The Butcher’s CellarOpen May 17
It being Memorial Day weekend, maybe there's time to check out this sophisticated dining destination which just opened in the Waco metroplex in Woodway, with co*cktails, small plates, seafood, steaks, and nice décor. It stars Alejandro Najar and Alyssa Osinga, two alumni from Season 21 of Hell’s Kitchen whose menu includes milk buns, bone marrow, lobster tagliatelle, a lobster sushi taco, Wagyu hand roll, crudo, oysters, steaks including filet, ribeye, and strip (just like Goodwin's!), brick chicken, pork chop, and a Wagyu burger.
