Mediterranean and Mexican food are having a huge moment in Dallas right now. Out of 12 upcoming openings, four are inspired by various regions of Mexico and another four follow the Mediteranean cost.
Peppered in is a new sushi place that is a hit in Austin, a new neighborhood wine bar and specialty sandwich counter and a separate non-denominational deli to get excited about in the Cedars neighborhood.
The best news of all, most of these opening are from locals or native Texan chefs. That’s a huge win following 2025’s slew of imports. Loosen those waistbands and get excited for what’s coming to Dallas this spring.
Olōyō
4422 Gaston Ave., East Dallas
Olōyō will be one of the biggest openings in Dallas this year. Owners Olivia Lopex and Jonathan Percival have been working for years to fine tune their skills and source all the best ingredients for what will be a modern Mexican restaurant in the old Cry Wolf space. Her contemporary Mexican cuisine has been spotted at pop-up dinners around Dallas for years, and lines form every weekend for her taco pop-ups at Wayward Coffee, but now her talents have their first brick-and-mortar to fully shine. Dallas, get excited.
Palladino’s Steak and Seafood
5959 Royal Lane, North Dallas
Write it on the wall: Palladino’s Steak & Seafood will be one of Dallas’ biggest openings this year. It’s from the same restauranteur, Joseph Palladino, who cofounded Nick & Sam’s back in the day. This will be the second restaurant; the original overlooks the main concourse of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. The latest news on this modern steakhouse is that the team just appointed Henry Johnson as chef de Cuisine. Johnson is a native Texan and Hell’s Kitchen competitor who was recognized for technical skill and composure under pressure. He has a long history in Dallas kitchens, with the most recent being in newly opened EVELYN. Stay tuned for a longer story about this exciting opening from the Observer.
Walker’s
3016 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
Do you care for salt? That’s the teaser motto of a new bar and market coming to Lower Greenville this spring called Walker’s. It will be a specialty sandwich counter, curated market and wine shop by day, and will feature European-American cooking, cocktails and digestifs by night. Owners Rosemary Greene and Russell Walker are the siblings and founders of the new spot. Greene is bringing her advanced sommelier knowledge to the wine program, and they’re both bringing intentional hospitality for this new neighborhood gathering place.
Maroma
1333 Oak Lawn Ave., Design District
Maroma, a coastal Mexican restaurant, has been slated to open in the Design District for a while now, but we’re still awaiting the grand opening announcement. This is the latest concept from celebrated chef Omar Flores, who is also behind Whistle Britches, Muchacho and Even Coast. Inspiration from Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Sinaloa, which make up parts of Mexico’s western edge, will make up the menu. Expect ceviche, agua chiles, specialty seafood dishes and mesquite grilled meats meant to be enjoyed communally.
Sueño Coctelería Mexicana
6600 Snider Plaza, Park Cities
Sueño was originally founded in 2021 by Julio Pineda and Cristian Lujano. Its success in Richardson has led the duo to open a second location at 6600 Snider Plaza this year. They’re partnering with the Bellomy Hospitality Group, a local family-owned group that owns S&D Oyster Co., Rex’s Seafood and Caché. The new location will have a live-fire kitchen that will be a visual centerpiece and the focal point of the menu. Ingredient-driven plates inspired by Mexico City will explore flavors and techniques intertwined throughout the rest of the menu.
Seegar’s Deli
1910 S Harwood St., The Cedars
Seegar’s Deli is going to be a legit sandwich shop in the Cedars neighborhood. The opening has been pushed back so many times that the owner Olivia Genthe (behind Fount Board & Table) opened Little Blue Bistro first. When it opens sometime soon, it will be a a nondenominational deli serving a kingdom of sandwiches on freshly baked bread in an all-day cafe setting. Yum. Don’t let this one down.
Brazamar
3606 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
“Brasa”, meaning grilling, and “mar” meaning sea, in Spanish, is the theme behind Brazamar, a new Mexican restaurant coming to the Greenville area this year. The former Foxtrot space will now host solid Mexican food plates and good cocktails at a reasonable price. Owner Jon Garay will allegedly also be opening Tacos Richy, a street taco spot similar to Chilangos next door (which he founded), but no official announcements have been made.
Corsaire
3525 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
The old Pizzeria Testa space was scooped up expeditiously from the owners of smash hit Goodwin’s. Mediterranean Corsaire will take influence from North Africa, Spain, France, Turkey, Morocco and any place that travelers found themselves during the spice trade. The sprawling restaurant space wants to host families, large groups and diners coming in for drinks and bar bites. Do we sense another hit neighborhood restaurant for Lower Greenville?
Élephante
2323 Cedar Springs Road, Uptown
Élephante planted the spirit and cuisine of coastal Southern Italy in Santa Monica. The space will be thoughtfully designed. Custom furniture and artisanal details are based on the owners of their travels to Pantelleria and the Aeolian Islands. Based on the Santa Monica menu, we’re seeing a robust dinner menu with pasta, salads, dips and pizza. It could serve all five variations of its espresso martini, an Italian-inspired brunch and an interesting express lunch that offers three courses for $40.
Ospi
1621 Oak Lawn Ave., Uptown
Top Chef contestant Jackson Kalb is opening his California-born Italian restaurant in the old Meddlesome Moth space this year. Ospi will serve as an all-day Italian spot with Roman-style pizzas, red sauce classics and more Southern Italian cuisine. It’s been a hit in Venice, California, and this location will be its first outside of the state. Ospi is short for ospitante, which means host in Italian. Per the website, we can expect it to be Kalb’s version of “a casual lunch trattoria, familial dinner restaurant and recovery brunch spot on the weekends.”
Alára
1628 Oak Lawn Ave., Uptown
Alára will be a modern Mediteranean restaurant that is chef-driven and rooted in hospitality. Chef and owner Onur Akan grew up in Samsun, on Turkey’s Black Sea coast, where his mother and grandmother cooked everything from scrathc. Akan aims to bring those experiences, and the flavors, to Dallas. The restaurant’s website buzzes with hopes for Alára: ingredient-first cooking, leaving lighter than when you arrived, service that feels like intuition and purity over clutter.
Neighborhood Sushi
4216 Oak Lawn Ave.
Classic and unassuming, Neighborhood Sushi is opening in the former Tulum space this year. The concept is from Austin-based restaurant group MML Hospitality, which is opening a few other concepts in Dallas later this year. Neighborhood Sushi is a hot spot in Austin, with a very classic sushi menu and trendy branding. It’ll fit right in at the Shops at Highland Park.
Dining and Cooking