Local Public Eatery Opens With Boozy Splash

For months, Dallasites had been wondering what the construction on North Henderson Avenue was. The old Sushi Axiom and Henderson Tap House were out. What massive entity would replace those two?

On Sept. 25, we found out.

LOCAL Public Eatery opened on Sept. 26 at 3 p.m., but the night before, it held a VIP preview that set the tone for what to expect from Texas’ first LPE. The Observer made the list.

On opening night, LPE’s 7,144-square-foot space was filled to the brim a it made a run to be Dallas’ next go-to elevated sports bar.

Influencers, media and regular Dallasites packed the house as cocktails made the rounds, a DJ played an exquisite set list and platters of the LOCAL burger, LOCAL fried chicken and tempura shrimp kept buzzes at bay.

LPE comes to Dallas by way of JOEY Restaurant Group, a Canadian hospitality group known for upscale chains. JOEY entered the Dallas market earlier this year in the former Seasons 52 space at NorthPark. Where JOEY is champagne upon arrival, LPE is wine-filled party pitchers poured directly into mouths.

Opening night, the “Group Activities” cocktail menu was working overtime.

The Porron ($40), a spouted pitcher filled with wine, made for prime social media content. Cold tea ($24), LPE’s group version of a green tea shot, was served in a teapot with four cups. The signature cocktail menu held its weight with spicy guava margaritas ($12) being poured at what seemed like a recording-breaking pace.
That night, the LOCAL burger proved to be messy, hearty and gluttonous. We’ll order it again. The fully loaded crispy potatoes ($10) were truly crispy and covered in a generous bed of shaved grana padano. The sassy sangria crush ($9) is interesting. It’s made with red and white wine, cranberry, guava, lime, ginger beer, cucumber and bad-memory-inducing Fireball.

The Observer was invited to lunch on Oct. 2. This time we got the opportunity to see a calmer version of LPE and savor its offerings.

LPE’s drink menu is the size of its inclusive food menu. There are 15 draft beers, 10 nondraft beers and a wide variety of ways to get cocktails. The zero-proof menu is small but mighty.
Our lunch began with a Start Me Up ($13), a boozy iced coffee. It's an espresso martini’s sweeter sister. The Mango Bubble Tease ($7.75) is a tangy iced tea with vanilla, orgeat, lemon and popping boba. It's a citrusy iced tea with a fun texture.

Those with dietary parameters won't have an issue finding a starter or main to enjoy. For vegan eaters, there's a bountiful plate of nachos ($17), roasted beet hummus ($12) or portobello mushroom pizza ($18). Gluten-free diners can enjoy hot wings ($16), fish tacos ($14.50), the deluxe burger ($16) and much more. We started with the gluten-free smoked trout dip ($14.50) and beef chiquito tacos ($12). The creamy smoked trout onion dip is served with housemade kettle chips. It’s a lighter alternative to the typical game-day dip. The tacos’ protein is flavorful beef slow-cooked in mole sauce.
For mains, we went for a classic and a risk. Steak and fries ($22) is a 5-ounce certified Angus beef sirloin served with fries and topped with a lemony dijon peppercorn sauce. It fits right into Dallas’ meat and potato appetite.
The pulled pork baked pasta ($19) is an intriguing macaroni, alfredo, barbecue hybrid. Shredded pork, cavatappi noodles, tomato, barbecue-spiked alfredo and hearty chunks of mozzarella (which made for an exquisite cheese pull) come together to make your brain work. Is it pasta? Barbecue? Macaroni? We don’t know, but we couldn't stop eating it.
The Henderson Sour ($13) is LPE Dallas’ signature drink and our favorite: Jack Daniel's Old No. 7, passionfruit, orgeat, lemon and lime topped with a red wine float.

The dessert menu is small, but don’t discount it. The peanut butter and chocolate cup ($9) has proved to be a Dallas favorite. The warm apple cobbler ($9) is a perfect fall dessert.

Happy hour is Monday – Friday, 3–6 p.m., and there's a smaller “Happy Night” special from 9 p.m. to close. Weekend brunch is 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

If you’re looking for an elevated sports bar to party in, this is your spot. Just make sure you get there early. If you want a calmer family-friendly version of LPE, visit during lunch.

LOCAL Public Eatery, 2323 N. Henderson Ave., No. 100. Monday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Thursday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 2 a.m.