Dallas’ Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings of 2026

This year was the precursor to a fruitful next year for dining in Dallas. We feel like we’re up to our necks in restaurants we still have not taken a bite out of, but nevertheless, the chefs and hospitality groups persist. 

Things are getting exciting. Last year felt like we were plopped on every other major city’s radar, but now our local talent is coming out to play. 

These are the most anticipated restaurant openings in Dallas for 2026. 

Winter Openings

AM/FM
1950 Market Center Blvd., Design District
Ferris Wheeler’s Backyard and BBQ is being turned into AM/FM, a new late-night and early morning concept, as we speak. It’s designed to serve both musicians coming off late nights and workers heading into early morning shifts. Chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman is leading the culinary direction, and we see the vision: the 3 a.m. stack of masa pancakes or the 2 p.m. pot roast recovery. Opening date: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

Cafe Lucca
4445 Travis St., Knox-Henderson
Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is partnering with Julian Barsotti, who is behind Michelin-recognized Nonna and other lcoal concepts. The restaurant is named after former NFL quarterback Babe Laufenberg’s late son, Luke, who passed away from lymphoma in 2019. It will serve a menu with Mediterranean, Moroccan, Greek and Italian influences, and will open right across the street from Cafe Madrid. Expected opening: January 2026

Seegar’s Deli
1910 S Harwood St., Harwood District
Seegar’s Deli has been anticipated for more than two years. Progress has been so slow that owner Olivia Genthe (behind Fount Board & Table) opened Little Blue Bistro first. When it opens next month, it will be a nondenominational deli serving a kingdom of sandwiches on freshly baked bread in an all-day cafe setting. You should be stoked about this one. We all are. Expected opening: January 2026

Shyboy
1313 Main St., Downtown
State-of-the-art listening sessions are about to appear in downtown Dallas early next year. Shyboy is a new hi-fi bar that’s being built inside an old bank vault beneath the Drakestone Apartments. It’s inspired by Japanese kissas, listening cafes that post-war Japan flocked to to hear expensive and curated records. They’re usually owned by one person and feature their private collection of records. Shyboy will imbibe that by focusing on the music, but will also balance a tasteful nightlife culture into it. Expected opening: mid-January 2026

Toca Madera
2203 Commerce St., Downtown, East Quarter
Toca Madera is a modern Mexican steakhouse set to open in Dallas’ East Quarter in 2026. The concept is from global hospitality group Noble 33, which is known for its award-winning and high-energy restaurant concepts like Meduza Mediterrania, Sparrow Italia and Casa Madera. Toca Madera already has three other locations in Vegas, Scottsdale and Houston, and the new Dallas location will span over 13,000 square feet and feature indoor and outdoor seating, two full-service bars, a lounge, a private members’ speakeasy and a private dining room. Expected opening: early 2026

Molino Olōyō 
4422 Gaston Ave., East Dallas
It’s quite the year for local Chef Olivia López and her partner Jonathan Percival. For years, they’ve been testing, tweaking and connecting to fine-tune what will be the new Molino Olōyō tasting room next year. They started as a ghost kitchen selling tamales, tortillas, salsas and other items. After that, they began hosting casual pop-ups at Wayward Coffee Co., where they sold breakfast tacos recognized by Texas Monthly, and other pop-ups featured tasting menu experiences with contemporary takes on Mexican cuisine. It’s an exciting year for them, and for Dallas, to taste the duo’s fullest expression of Mexico. Expected opening: February 2026

Docent Steak
2801 N. Harwood St., Harwood District
Harwood Hospitality has been teasing this new Japanese steakhouse and lounge for over a year now. It was anticipated to open in the fall of 2024, but we’re still waiting. When it opens, Docent Steak will celebrate the rich heritage of the samurai, featuring armor and other motifs to be enjoyed alongside Japan’s finest cuts of steak and pours of whisky. Expected opening: not specified

Serritella Prime Italian
1904 Skillman St., East Dallas
After many hurdles, as reported by The Dallas Morning News, Serritella will be opening in the first quarter of 2026 in East Dallas, in the same area as Mot Hai Ba, Lakewood Landing and The Wine Therapist. It will be a massive, 16,000 square foot space with a 250-seat dining room, Italian market and a hidden bar in the back called Cosa. Expected opening: early 2026.

Night Rooster
1000 N Riverfront Blvd., Design District
Night Rooster’s opening has been delayed by over a year, but a grand opening is near. On the restaurant’s Instagram page, they announced on Monday, Nov. 24, that training for the team had begun. When it opens in Jan. 2026, it will be an upscale Asian fusion restaurant and lounge. Expected opening: January 2026

Delilah
1616 Hi Line Drive, Design District
Delilah is at the top of everyone’s new-restaurant radars. This supper club or “clubstaurant” is famous at all its other outposts in L.A., Vegas and Miami for spotting A-listers, but not without its no-photo policy. Every location has a slightly different menu, but there’s no doubt Delilah Dallas will sport a classic steakhouse menu with staples we’re all familiar with. All locations have a vegan truffle risotto crowning the entrees section, which is where everyone’s curiosity peaks when glancing at the menu. In addition to dinner service, Delilah will also do bottle service, and if we’re lucky, jazz nights. Expected opening: early 2026

Spring Openings

Maroma
1333 Oak Lawn Ave., Design District
Coastal Mexican cuisine is making a splash in the Design District next year with the opening of Maroma. Celebrated chef Omar Flores (Whistle Britches, Muchacho and Even Coast) is behind the concept that takes culinary inspiration from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Sinaloa, which make up a bit of the country’s western edge. It seems like details are still being finalized, but we do know that the menu is meant to be enjoyed communally, and will feature dishes like ceviche, aqua chiles and specialty seafood dishes. Expected opening: spring 2026

Punk Noir
139 Turtle Creek Blvd., Design District
Punk Noir is an avant-garde new restaurant coming to the Design District next year. It will serve a 20+ course tasting menu in an immersive space with a multi-room design. Its kitchen is backed by James Beard Award-winning chef RJ Cooper and general manager and Level II Sommelier John D’Alexander. Expected opening: Spring 2026.

Corsaire
3525 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
The Dallas Morning News first reported on the opening of Corsaire, the latest behind the owners of Goodwins. It’s taking up the old Pizzeria Testa spot, and will take influence from North Africa, Spain, France, Turkey, Morocco and any place that travelers found themselves during the spice trade. When completed, it aims to be a little oasis along Lower Greenville that can accommodate any party size in its sprawling space. Expected opening: Spring

Neighborhood Sushi
4216 Oak Lawn Ave., Uptown
The former Tulum space at The Shops at Highland Park will be a new casual Japanese restaurant, Neighborhood Sushi, by the turn of the season next year. It’s from Austin-based restaurant group MML Hospitality, the same group opening Clark’s Oyster Bar along the Katy Trail and a concept called Swedish Hill soon in Dallas, but not confirmed for the new year. The focus of Neighborhood Sushi will be classic and unassuming menu items with quick service. Expected opening: spring 2026

Kilmac’s
814 W Davis St., Oak Cliff
The same folks behind Spider Murphy’s, Skellig and The Old Monk, are opening Kilmac’s in Oak Cliff next year. It will follow the same theme as its predecessors, but with more of a focus on cocktails than food. We haven’t heard any recent developments on the opening, but on Dec. 3, Live Local Oak Cliff posted an update on the construction. It appears to be a patio area in the works, but we’ll know more closer to. Owner Feargal McKinney and partner Charles Reis also just opened the second Old Monk location in Oak Cliff, the neighbor of soon-to-be Kilmac’s. Expected opening: early to mid-2026 

Sant Ambroeus
33190 Knox St., Knox-Henderson
You know how Knox Street is being transformed, save for Cafe Madrid? Well, a major part of this is an Auberge Resort Collection hotel with residences, office space and retail. One of the restaurants inside will be the lauded Milanese cafe and restaurant, Sant Ambroeus, which was founded in Milan, Italy, in 1936. A New York location opened along Madison Avenue in 1982. Other locations include Aspen, Palm Beach and Paris. Next up? Big D. The Dallas location will offer all-day dining with an outdoor patio overlooking the Katy Trail. Expected opening: not sure so we plopped it here in the middle.

Summer Openings

Little Ruby’s
2305 Cedar Springs Road, Uptown
Little Ruby’s is an all-day Australian cafe opening in Uptown next year. The concept started in New York City in 2002, and will have six total locations when Dallas opens. It serves breakfast every day until 4 p.m., and an all-day menu that has bowls, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and a robust drink selection to round everything off. Expected opening: summer 2026.

Élephante
2323 Cedar Springs Road, Uptown
The spirit and cuisine of coastal southern Italy is what Élephante is all about. It started with its rooftop location in Santa Monica and has only one other location in Scottsdale. Dallas will be its third opening, and it will feature custom furniture and artisanal details that align with the brand but also pay homage to Dallas. Expect a robust alcohol selection, fresh seafood and classic Italian dishes. Expected opening: summer 2026.

Brazamar
3606 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
What was formerly a Foxtrot coffee shop will be a new Mexican restaurant called Brazamar, according to The Dallas Morning News. Owner Jon Garay wanted to open a space where one could get a solid plate of Mexican food and good cocktails at a reasonable price. Garay will also be opening a Tacos Richy, a street taco spot similar to Chilangos Tacos, next door, but there is no slated opening for the quick-format concept. Expected opening: summer 2026