Critic-Adored Dallas Restaurant Hotspot to Shutter for Good: The Experiment’s Over — Heralded Chef Promises Something New

Renowned Dallas chef Matt McCallister is closing FT33, his beloved and experimental fine dining restaurant, this summer after a six-year run. The critically acclaimed Dallas restaurant will serve its final meal on June 23.

McCallister did not specify a reason for the closure, writing on Facebook, “I never planned on FT33 being around forever and most people who know me knew this day would eventually come.”

The restaurant has been a hit since opening in 2012, garnering national attention from Bon Appetit and Food & Wine, as well as earning McCallister three consecutive James Beard Award nominations for Best New Chef Southwest, and an elusive five-star review from powerhouse critic Leslie Brenner.

FT33 is especially praised for its super-local and super-seasonal ingredients. It started something of a trend in the Dallas culinary scene. In addition to McCallister, the kitchen was graced with the talents of local chefs like Misti Norris, Josh Sutcliffe and pastry chef Maggie Huff.

Don’t be too bummed about the restaurant’s closing – McCallister promises that there is something new and fun in the works, to be revealed soon. Meanwhile, the chef’s most recent endeavor, Malibu Poke, has plans to expand in both Dallas and Austin.

If you never had a chance to check out FT33, there are still seven weeks to enjoy the artful and forward-thinking cuisine before it shutters for good.

June 23 — FT33’s closing date — is already a significant date in McCallister’s life. “This is also the 2 year mark of my sobriety, which was not intentional but feels serendipitous,” the chef writes. See his full Facebook statement below.