Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
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The PILF Restaurant Group has a cult following for fine, circular foods around Dallas. The group is the mothership for Cane Rosso, Zoli’s and Thunderbird Pies, but this fall, they’re expanding into something new.
In September 2026, PILF will open The Imperial Room, an intimate, adults-only cocktail lounge (do we even need to say that?), at The Star in Frisco. It’s taking over the former Cow Tipping Creamery space at 3685 The Star Blvd., next to the group’s own Cane Rosso.
The Imperial Room aims to be a posh neighborhood destination for perfectly chilled martinis and small plates, catering to pre-event cocktails, date nights, celebrations, and after-dinner drinks.
PILF Group’s founder, Jay Jerrier, looked at the dining and entertainment options at The Star and saw the opportunity for something a little more upscale to balance out the roster.
So when Cow Tipping Creamery’s 10-year lease expired, Jerrier said to hell with ice cream and leaned into a swanky lounge.
The Star via Manhattan
The idea for The Imperial Room took shape during one of the PILF Restaurant Group’s annual research and development trips to New York City. Juniper Bar in Midtown Manhattan left a lasting impression on the team, inspiring the 600-square-foot, 30-seat cocktail lounge.
Inside, the lounge will have rich olive and navy tones, cozy booths, warm lighting and a classic lounge atmosphere. But more important than that, acclaimed Dallas bartender Gabe Sanchez is shaping the beverage program.
The menu has classics and creative house cocktails tailored to the Frisco community. A peek at the Imperial Lounge website alludes to a few potential names: Terrible Love and Echo.
Mat Urban, PILF’s corporate executive chef, is developing an elevated menu of shareables, including housemade focaccia, a cheesy Caesar salad, n’duja toast and entrees like cacio e pepe, a roast beef sandwich and lemon olive oil cake for dessert.
Frisco will eat that up.
Cow Tipping Creamery officially closed on Tuesday, July 14. The Imperial Room is under construction as we speak and is expected to open in early September. Renovation progress, menu sneak peeks, drink development and opening announcements can all be found on Instagram.
