Welcome to DiningOut’s Plate Full of News, your weekly serving of Dallas’ restaurant, bar, and culinary happenings. From buzzy openings and chef moves to can’t-miss events, menu debuts, and industry news, here’s everything you need to know about the city’s dining scene this week.
Uchiko Plano debuts weekend lunch service on Friday, November 6, marking the first time an Uchi concept in the Dallas area to serve lunch. The menu will feature a $25 prix-fixe option with starter, main course, and seasonal sorbet, as well as a $45 sushi omakase experience. A la carte items, including a chicken sando and steak frites, will also be available.
Puerto Cocina, the Baja-inspired coastal Mexican restaurant in the Dallas Design District, has launched weekend brunch, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekday happy hour, Tuesday through Friday, 5 to 7 p.m. The brunch menu features a Mexican-inspired steak and eggs dish; classic chilaquiles with chicken, shrimp, or filet; and banana bread French toast. Available in-lounge only, happy hour offerings include four $16 cocktail-and-bite pairings: fried oyster and negroni; mussel aguachile and spritz; crab cake and margarita; and butter-braised scallop and milk punch.
A new Italian-American restaurant, Barsella, will debut at 5600 SMU Blvd. this winter, with the exact date to be announced. The New York-style pizzeria will offer slices until 2 a.m. at a seven-seat pizza bar and walk-up window, perfect for late-night crowds leaving nearby SMU hangouts. It will also cater to the non-party crowd with full-service Italian dinners with rigatoni alla vodka, lasanga, and ravioli among the options alongside full pies, cocktails, spritzes, and wine.
Cinnaholic, the popular plant-based bakery chain, opened its first Waxahachie location on October 23 at 1995 N. Hwy. 77. Locally owned by the Waxahachie-based O’Donnell family, the bakery has become beloved for its vegan and dairy-free dessert options, from signature gourmet cinnamon rolls available with a variety of decadent toppings to cookies and brownies.
On Sunday, November 1, Sundown at Granada will host its final brunch, lunch, dinner, and Geeks Who Drink trivia night. Interested parties can venture in for one last Greenville Grilled Cheese of Hammered Goat flatbread. This marks the first of a two-part closure, with the historic, 1940s-era Granada Theater next door closing on Saturday, April 17, 2027.
Each year, Partners Card offers shoppers discounts at stores across North Texas with proceeds benefiting the Family Place. This year, several restaurants have joined the lineup of businesses, offering cardholders a 10% discount on their order. Joe Leo, Eataly, Pizzana, the Rustic, Asian Mint, JOEY Dallas, Texas de Brazil, and Shake Shack are among the eateries taking part.
Little Ruby’s and Élephante at 23 Springs have joined forces to bring an Outdoor Cinema Club experience from Tuesday, October 27 through Friday, October 30. In addition to traditional popcorn and candy, guests may order full meal service from either restaurant while watching Hocus Pocus (Tuesday, October 27), Practical Magic (Wednesday, October 28), The Nightmare Before Christmas (Thursday, October 29) and Beetlejuice (Friday, October 30). Reserve your $10 ticket via OpenTable.
The Mexican in the Dallas Design District commemorates Día de los Muertos from Friday, October 30 through Monday, November 2. The celebration features fresh marigolds, live mariachi bands each evening at 6:30 p.m., Catrina figures, and a special menu created to honor Mexican traditions and flavors. Reserve a table and choose from a multi-course, prix-fixe menu or a la carte options.
Catbird Nights of Horror creeps onto the restaurant’s rooftop at The Thompson Dallas for two nights of Halloween-themed mayhem, Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. The space will be decked out in spooky decor with themed cocktails, a roster of local DJs, and costumed guests.
Evelyn invites you to experience Haunted Hollywood in Room Seven on Saturday, October 31 from 9 p.m. to midnight. The $77 ticket gets you access to Evelyn Bites & Bewitching Sips throughout the party. You’ll also be able to partake in tarot readings, close-up magic shows, lip readings, live performances all night. Wear a costume for the chance to win a pair of Christian Louboutin heels (1st place) or a $200 Evelyn gift card to the runner-up. Upgrade to VIP for a minimum $100 per person spend and you’ll get a reserved table.
Brunch gets the horror treatment at Electric Shuffle on Saturday, October 31. The special one-day-only Spooky Brunch features $5 martinis all day, plus costume contests with prizes, multiple giveaways, a live DJ, and limited-time pumpkin-flavored pancakes and donuts. The brunch is $50 per person and includes 90 minutes of game play, a family-style brunch spread, and one bottle of prosecco for each person.
Avra Dallas has added happy hour options to its menu. The “Ava Hour” takes place Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the bar and lounge with $15 cocktails, $12 wines by the glass, $6 beers, and $12 bites, including Greek salad, salmon tartare, ceviche and mini lamb and beef skewers. A special $28 Avra Platter makes the perfect sharing platter with a variety of Mediterranean nibbles.
Assembly Ice House in Plano has added a collection of scary cocktails to its menu for the rest of October. Drinks include Witches Brew, Black Death, Leaky Cauldron Butterbeer, Vampire’s Kiss, and the Gourd Father, a seasonal twist on an Old Fashioned with pumpkin spice flavors.
Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar‘s two DFW locations have kicked off Loro Late Nights Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m. to close. Enjoy $10 Loro Boilermakers, $5 espresso martinis, $5 ginger old fashioneds and $8 late-night bites, including grilled pork skewers or loaded crispy potatoes with pulled pork.
The recently opened Docent Steak in the Harwood District has updated its offering to include a lineup of special happy hour bites in the Gallery Bar from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Features include $3 East Coast oysters, a $10 Curator Burger made with HWD Texas Wagyu, $5 parmesan fries, $8 spicy tuna rice, and $8 Wagyu potstickers alongside $8 frozen margaritas and spritzes.
From Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8, Panda Fest takes over Carpenter Park in Downtown Dallas. More than 150 Asian street food vendors will be selling their culinary creations, including giant grilled squid, Japanese soufflé pancakes, and sushi push pops. Every vendor will have an under-$10 option, making it easy to do a dine-around between countries for about the same price as a regular dinner out.
