6 Buzzy New Dallas Restaurant Openings — Ruthie’s Debuts A Social Impact Brick-and-Mortar, Fresh Omakase Spots, and More

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. This Dallas Dish is your helping of need-to-know restaurant openings — and will hopefully point you in the direction of your next great reservation.

Ruthie’s Cafe

1632 MLK Boulevard

One of Dallas’ most beloved food trucks for almost a decade, local grilled cheese haven Ruthie’s Fueled By Good has expanded to its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in South Dallas. Under The Good Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), the new cafe is close to St. Philip’s School and Community Center and will give back to it with all the net profits.

“Ruthie’s has always been about more than just serving food,” Ashlee Kleinert, Founder of Ruthie’s Fueled by Good and The Good Foundation, says in a release. “Opening a social-impact brick-and-mortar restaurant is a natural extension of our mission. Collaborating with other organizations to address food insecurity in this particular portion of South Dallas is incredibly important to us.”

And the good doesn’t stop there. “The cafe will also employ individuals from underserved and overlooked communities in Dallas. As a fresh-start employer, Ruthie’s hires individuals affected by the justice system, providing them with valuable job and life skills through the Ruthie’s Fellows Program. This also includes local residents who may face barriers to traditional employment opportunities.”

Ruthie’s Cafe will feature the favorite from the food truck, such as the iconic grilled cheese sandwiches, but will introduce breakfast items like yogurt parfaits, fresh salads, and other healthy grab-n-go options. There will also be a walk-up window for coffee orders.

Ocean Ranch

2114 Greenville Avenue

Taking over the former Carte Blanche space in Lower Greenville later this month, Ocean Ranch is a new steak and seafood spot. According to the Dallas Morning News, the concept comes from Nando Silvestri, a restaurateur in California and Florida. His son goes to SMU, so he decided to expand to Dallas next. He’s brought on Enrico Glaudo, who grew up in Italy, to craft an Italian-inspired menu. Glaudo most recently had been cooking in California before the prospect of the new Dallas restaurant was presented. Besides the obvious steaks and seafood, the DMN notes that the menu will also include crab cakes, tuna tartare, and beef carpaccio. And lunch will feature pastas like linguine with clams.

Sushi Kozy

2000 Ross Avenue, Suite 150

Opening this winter, Sushi Kozy is a new downtown Dallas restaurant from Chef Paul Ko (formerly head sushi chef at Uchi). It will offer upscale Kaiseki-inspired omakase, where the prix fixe menu will highlight seasonal ingredients. According to the Dallas Observer, former Cry Wolf chef Ross Demers is on staff. It’ll be different from other omakase experiences in Dallas by having seatings available at all times during dinner and setting aside some seats for walk-ins.

CRAFT Restaurant & Beer Market

5974 W. Northwest Highway

Canadian restaurant company, CRAFT Restaurant & Beer Market, will make its U.S. debut at Dallas’ Preston Center in early 2026. Founded in 2011, the concept is coming to Dallas because of a partnership between founder PJ L’Heureux and Tom Gaglardi — owner of the Dallas Stars. Gaglardi also brought Moxies to Uptown Dallas in 2016 and has since expanded the brand to other North Texas outposts.

The flagship CRAFT will feature 10,500 square feet of space designed in collaboration with local firm ID Studio 4. A highlight of the space will be a 360-degree bar in the center, as well as a rooftop patio. There will be 100 beers on tap (including local picks), as well as cocktails, wine, and a globally-inspired food menu.

Flamant

5880 State Highway 121

If this new European-inspired bistro from owners of Rye and Apothecary is anything like their Dallas restaurants, Flamant will be the next hot spot to drive up to Plano for when it debuts this March. This isn’t the first suburban concept for co-owners Tanner Agar, Taylor Rause, and Nic Cai as the team originally debuted Rye in McKinney in 2018. This location sadly burned down in 2022. According to the Dallas Morning News, Flamant will serve dishes like croquettes and octopus, as well as an expertly crafted cocktail menu. Rye’s bar manager, Julian Shaffer, did just win the Exceptional Cocktails award from Michelin.

Dozo Omakase and Handroll

3011 Gulden Lane, Suite 109

Another new addition to Trinity Groves (Pesca Coastal Classics recently made its debut), this modern omakase spot brings several sushi experiences to West Dallas. Omakase options include handroll ($28), nigiri & handroll ($33), DOZO ($38), and premium ($120). The sleek new spot is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.