An Iconic Snider Plaza Spot Shutters, The Village Gets Margarita-Fueled Pickleball, and More Dallas Restaurant News

The Dallas dining scene is forever evolving. To help you stay in the know, we’ve gathered the buzziest openings, the unfortunate closures, and any other food news we might find fitting. The Dallas Dish is your weekly helping of need-to-know North Texas restaurant news — and will hopefully point you in the direction of your next great reservation.

The Latest North Texas Restaurant News to Know

An iconic University Park restaurant shutters after 36 years.

Opened in 1987, Cisco Grill has long served burgers, salads, and wraps in Snider Plaza. According to the Dallas Morning News, the iconic spot has closed after 36 years in business. Owner Erik Dean tells the DMN that the reason behind the closure was “lower-than-usual summertime sales coupled with rising rent and not enough catering orders” He says that “parking can be tough in Snider Plaza, too, and he’s lost some of his core customers.” Cisco Grill was originally opened by couple Marc and Susan Hall who sold the space to Dean in 2012.

Snider Plaza has been seeing some surprising turnover recently with longstanding spots like Peggy Sue’s BBQ now closed and already bulldozed.

The Village Dallas adds a pickleball/sand volleyball concept with food to its portfolio.

The Sandy Pickle is now open at The Village Dallas — a massive residential community with restaurants, nightlife, and now pickleball (and volleyball). There are six sand volleyball and pickleball courts available to book, as well as a full food and drink menu from a retro-inspired food truck. You’ll find burgers, hot dogs, fried pickles, and more snacks on the food menu. The cocktail menu offers two frozen drinks — a frozen Moscow mule and a margarita. There are also six “nostalgic” sips, pickle juice-based shots, buckets of seltzers, beer, and wine.

A new brewery debuts in Allen with an HGTV touch.

Opened by husband and wife Mike and Jenn Todryk (star of HGTV’s No Demo Reno), Armor Brewing Co. is a new brewery in Allen. The space formerly housed 9 Bands Brewing, which closed because its founder was sentenced to life in prison. But you wouldn’t recognize it anymore because Jenn featured the project in season three of No Demo Reno (airing this November), completely revamping the space. There’s a dart room and beer garden to enjoy brews and play games.

The beer menu features 24 brews on tap including a hoppy golden ale, Belgian-style witbier, Vermont-style IPA, New Zealand IPA, smoked porter, and so much more. A lunch and dinner menu includes sandwiches, wagyu burgers, chicken, pork chops, fish and chips, and desserts. There are also cocktails for non-beer drinkers, an entire whiskey/bourbon selection, and wine. If you come in for brunch, you’ll find chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, pastrami hash, etc. The couple also owns nearby Armor Coffee and they use their own beans in a Boozy Coffee brunch cocktail.

A Japanese ramen restaurant debuts its second Dallas outpost this month.

One of our favorite ramen restaurants in Dallas, Jinya Ramen Bar, is opening a second location in Preston Hollow on October 30. The California import debuted its first Dallas spot in Victory Park in 2019, bringing its delicious, 20-hour simmered dishes to the city. Favorites on the menu include chicken ramen, spicy chicken, spicy creamy vegan, and tonkotsu black. On opening day, starting at 11 am, the first 50 diners will receive a free bowl of ramen.