The Dallas restaurant scene rarely sits still. And if Preston Hollow and Park Cities diners have learned anything in recent years, it’s this: Don’t get too attached to a favorite table.
Few departures hit regulars harder than the closing of Sevy’s Grill on June 27. For nearly three decades, the staff at the Preston Road staple had sought to create a “home away from home” for guests. Sevy’s was a place where lunches stretched longer than planned, celebrations felt familiar, and servers knew the usual order.
Names of regulars featured on small plaques behind booths, and restaurant owner Jim “Sevy” Severson’s original business plan was displayed in the back of house.
Eight staff members worked at the restaurant for all of its 29 years, Severson said.
“To me, our secret sauce is being guest centric,” the restaurateur said as the closing date approached. “Our servers have been doing well because so much business has been coming in to support us and tell me their Sevy stories.”
In rising-rent retail corridors, expansion and turnover happen side by side, and local restaurants are being outbid. Empty space rarely stays vacant for long.
“What we’re facing is the rapid increase in rent, especially in this area,” Severson said. “I don’t want to jack our prices up or open seven days a week, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which you almost have to do — because I care about our staff.”
Another longtime community favorite, Cafe Brazil, is facing a move as SMU considers additional expansion east of U.S. 75 to allow for a new law school.
Cafe Brazil’s management says the eatery is “part of the SMU community.” The restaurant’s staff remains committed to serving patrons and it has no immediate plans to move.
Casa Brasa, which replaced Nick & Sam’s at its former Preston Commons location, has become the new neighborhood watering hole, while a few miles away, Joseph Palladino, who helped build Nick & Sam’s into a Dallas fixture, recently opened his signature spot at Preston Road and Royal Lane.
Palladino’s is designed around community as much as it is food, said the restaurateur.
“This city understands hospitality at the highest level, and we’re excited to introduce a menu, ambiance, and experience that reflects that,” he said.
Vandelay Hospitality Group closed its Preston/Royal Anchor Bar location, while the Knox Street spot remains a vibrant neighborhood favorite — a reminder that a restaurant concept that thrives in one market can falter in another.
Campisi remains one of the city’s most recognizable names, with a legacy that stretches back to its namesake restaurant’s original West Mockingbird Lane location. The beloved Italian and pizza spot’s Lovers Lane location temporarily closed following a fire. Regulars are waiting to see whether it will reopen.
Campisi’s newest opening is slated to land at the southwest corner of Preston and Royal. Rezoning for a development project is being debated for the site.
Down the road, additions including Sueño Coctelería Mexicana have brought fresh energy to Snider Plaza, while Knox-Henderson remains one of Dallas’ most active dining corridors.
Locals keep tables booked at neighborhood favorites that include Toulouse, Mister Charles, and Le Bilboquet.
And there’s more on the way.
Fans of Il Bracco and Bobbie’s Airway Grill anticipate the 2027 opening of Main House by Western Addition Restaurant Group, the brainchild of People Newspapers’ 20 Under 40 alumni, Robert Quick.
“More than ever,” Quick said, “restaurants are spaces where people come together.”
Jake Wilkinson contributed reporting to this article.
Author
