Late 2023 in Dallas-Fort Worth is a great time for large restaurants. A surprising number of new eateries have opened across North Texas this year, but some of the biggest holiday crowds are nationally and internationally known chain restaurants.
Nando's Peri-Peri, Wagamama, Jollibee, Voodoo Donut and Portillo's will each open new restaurants in Dallas and its suburbs within 30 days. Expect long lines of both cars and people at each of these high-profile openings. — as Texans celebrate their arrival.
List restaurants by opening date.
Nando's Peri Peri in Addison
South African chain Nando's Peri Peri will start selling flame-grilled chicken in Addison on December 18, 2023. [Update: The date has been pushed back from the original plan of Dec. 11, 2023.] Nando's executives got a taste of how excited Dallasites are about the restaurant when the company hosted a pop-up party in Dallas' Design District on November 8, 2023. Hundreds of people lined up and stayed for hours. People at the event said people in Dallas were more excited about Nando's than in other cities.
Nando's was founded in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987. It arrived in the United States in 2008 and arrived in Texas in August 2023, first in Houston. For those who can't wait for Nando's to arrive, Whole Foods, HEB and Amazon sell the company's sauces all year round. We love seasoning! My favorites are Nando's medium sauce, which has just the right amount of heat, and Perinaise mayonnaise, which is tangy and spicy.
Nando's Peri-Peri's first D-FW restaurant is scheduled to open on December 18, 2023 at 5100 Beltline Road in Dallas.
Selfish at Victory Park in Dallas
London noodle shop Wagamama is finally making its way to Texas, with its first restaurant opening in Dallas' Victory Park on December 8, 2023. The popular Asian restaurant has more than 225 locations around the world, but its U.S. expansion is currently limited to New York, Boston, Tampa, Atlanta, and Dallas.
Wagamama's tagline is “From the bowl to the soul.” Casual lunches and dinners here include duck ramen, Korean barbecue beef, ginger chicken udon, bang bang cauliflower, chicken cutlet curry, and more. What I'm looking at is spicy beef brisket on sticky white rice, a dish you'd expect to find in a Dallas home. Wagamama will be open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, making it the perfect time for late night dining.
Wagamama is scheduled to open on December 8, 2023 at 2425 Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas.
Jollibee in East Dallas
Jollibee, the Filipino restaurant chain that is one of the fastest growing chains in the world, is opening its next fast food restaurant on Greenville Avenue in Dallas. This store will have a drive-thru. This is worth noting. When the first Jollibee opened in North Texas, customers waited two to three hours in Plano, and lines of cars snaked down highways and over highways.
If you go to this new Jollibee near the opening date, please have some patience. It might be faster to walk indoors.
Jollibee's signature products are Chickenjoy buckets or plates, or bone-in fried chicken. Sides include fries, mashed potatoes, and rice. Peach mango pie made with mangoes from the Philippines is also a popular sweet. You can also order spaghetti, a Filipino noodle dish called palabok, burgers, and chicken tenders.
Jollibee currently has a presence in 34 countries, but the east Dallas store is only its second in D-FW and sixth in Texas.
Jollibee is scheduled to open on December 1, 2023 at 4703 Greenville Avenue in Dallas.
Voodoo Donuts in East Dallas
Fans of Voodoo donuts come from all over the world for the brightly colored pastries housed in bubblegum pink boxes. The company was born in Portland and has become an “international tourist attraction” for more than 20 years. Los Angeles Times Said. Opening on November 20, 2023 on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, The Voodoo is Texas' newest restaurant. Roasting his Greenville block, lines are already snaking for his hungry donut fans looking for something sweet. So what's the big deal? Voodoo is one of the godfathers of donut shops that focus on flavor and calories.
Fun fact: Of the 50 donuts available, half are vegan.
Voodoo Donut is located at 1806 Greenville Ave., Suite 120, Dallas. Opened on November 20, 2023. Opening hours are 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
Portillo's in Arlington and beyond
Iconic Chicago company Portillo's has announced its next Dallas-Fort Worth restaurant will open in Mansfield. But that will have to wait. It is scheduled to open in 2024. In the meantime, the newest Portillo's is in Arlington, just opening on November 14, 2023. This year was a big year for hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches in the North. Texas. Portillo's previously opened in Allen in September 2023 and The Colony in January 2023. Additional stores are planned to open in Fort Worth and Denton. We have to wonder: When will Dallas get it?
The 60-year-old company's Texas debut in 2023 was exciting for Chicago expats, many of whom waited in line dutifully to get their favorite products. (I'm not from there, but I also spent time in line) Mike Ellis, Portillo's chief development officer, called the response to the D-FW opening “incredible.”
Portillo's in Arlington opens at 4200 S Cooper St. on November 14, 2023. Find other Portillo addresses in North Texas.
Story originally published on November 21, 2023 and updated on December 11, 2023
