Another Dallas Dining Heartbreaker: Wayward Sons Is Closed

Wayward Sons, the critically acclaimed Greenville Avenue restaurant with a reputation for serving up rustic Texas fare made with carefully sourced ingredients, has closed, according to a press release: Owners Brandon Hays, Phil Schanbaum and executive chef/co-owner Graham Dodds announce Wayward Sons is officially closed. Hays says, "It is truly...

By Beth Rankin

February 15, 2017

Chef Graham Dodds earned a lot of praise for his food at Wayward Sons, but owners decided to shutter the restaurant after dinner service on Valentine's Day. Kathy Tran

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Wayward Sons, the critically acclaimed Greenville Avenue restaurant with a reputation for serving up rustic Texas fare made with carefully sourced ingredients, has closed, according to a press release:

Owners Brandon Hays, Phil Schanbaum and executive chef/co-owner Graham Dodds announce Wayward Sons is officially closed.

Hays says, "It is truly fitting that we closed Wayward Sons on a day that revolves around love. The amount of love that went into this project is unparalleled to anything I have ever done before, and I know my partners Phil and Graham feel the same way.”

Dodds says, “I am deeply saddened by the closing of Wayward Sons. I had hoped we would be a neighborhood staple for the long-term – a fun and vibrant place that melded Texas cuisine and family favorites while supporting local farmers and artisans. I will miss my staff the most - a very dedicated and diverse group of passionate and hardworking folks. However, I am looking forward to the future. And, I hope people will continue to seek out restaurants and businesses that align with these principles I hold so dear.”

Hays continues, “To our partners who put their faith in us, thank you. To our landlords who did everything they could to work with us, thank you. To our staff, who worked tirelessly and eloquently to tell the story of Graham’s food, thank you. And finally, to our guests who supported us, thank you."

The restaurant opened in December 2015 and made waves with its creative use of regional produce, particularly in Dodds' famed vegetarian charcuterie platter. There's no word yet on the status of the Wayward team's other projects in the works, including a massive restaurant complete with Ferris Wheel that was slated to open in the Design District sometime this year and a craft cocktail bar in Oak Cliff, but the one thing we do know is that this isn't likely the last we'll hear of this team.

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Beth Rankin is an Ohio native and Cicerone-certified beer server who specializes in social media, food and drink, travel and news reporting. Her belief system revolves around the significance of Topo Chico, the refusal to eat crawfish out of season and the importance of local and regional foodways.

Contact: Beth Rankin

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