These days, restaurants in Dallas are closing at an alarming rate while others are flourishing. We reported on 17 big-name openings this month.
Leases are expiring, food costs are rising, and the future of some of our favorite local businesses remains uncertain. The last few months have been brutal, with closures, but luckily, October gave us a slight reprieve.
An East Dallas staple known for a menu of rotating comfort food shuttered just months before its first year anniversary; a longtime tea room silently shuttered; and what was supposed to be an iconic two-week pop-up was a full-on embarrassment.
Be Home Soon
9540 Garland Road
Be Home Soon was open for just shy of a year before it closed on Oct. 25. The creative restaurant with an ever-evolving menu was known for serving comfort foods beyond just the Southern variety, as well as the eclectic space it brought to the Casa Linda neighborhood in East Dallas. Local musician Madison King, chef Joey Fink, Russ Kirk and Pablo Rivera were all backing the kitchen, and while they’re broke and bummed now, they’re not done bringing us home cookin’ and community just yet. But we’ll have to stay tuned for what’s next.
Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge
5757 W. Lovers Lane
Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge has closed, and on Friday, Nov. 14, it will reopen as The Devonshire Club, transitioning from Greek fine dining to a sophisticated yet welcoming neighborhood bar and lounge that serves American fare. The owners are switching gears to better support what the neighborhood wants, which chef Jacob Williamson says is a place where people can linger, socialize and enjoy great food. The details are still being worked out, but what we do know is that the new spot will offer happy hour six days a week from 3-7 p.m.
Elaine’s Kitchen
2717 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Elaine’s Kitchen closed on Saturday, Oct. 18, after nearly 40 years serving Jamaican food in South Dallas. Elaine Patricia Campbell founded the original restaurant in 1987, before it moved locations in 2008. After Elaine passed in 2023, her nephew Matthew Graham took over the restaurant for two years before it closed last month. He wanted to keep the restaurant open for the community, but ultimately, it was in Campbell’s will to close. Graham also attributed the rise in food costs to the closure.
Society Bakery and Tea Room
1926 Skillman St.
This month, the Oak Cliff Advocate reported that Society Bakery + Tea Room cleared out of its space on Skillman Street, and that there are for-lease signs on the shop’s windows. It had been on Greenville Avenue for 20 years, but after its lease expired, it relocated to Skillman to expand.
Origin Kitchen + Bar
4438 McKinney Ave.
Origin Kitchen + Bar, a longtime restaurant in Uptown known for its healthy cuisine, closed on Sunday, Oct. 26. Owners Jessica and Russell Aldredge decided not to renew their lease. The restaurant began as Origin Natural Food, a coffee shop offering grab-and-go meals. It rebranded in 2013 to Origin Kitchen + Bar and expanded to offer a sit-down dining experience with a broader menu. It was beloved for its plates of healthy options that catered to paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free and other health-conscious folk.
El Califia de León Pop-Up
The collaboration between the first and only Michelin-starred taqueria in the world and GrinGO LLC was a dumpster fire, and the pop-up ended almost before it ever began. El Califia de León was supposed to run a two-week pop-up experience for us to try its renowned tacos, but ended days into the experience due to issues related to the quality, space and raw materials.