Syra Castillo

Dallas News • 7th March 2025

9 festivales de comida que no se puede perder en Dallas-Fort Worth este 2025

Syra Castillo is an intern with The Dallas Morning News' Arts & Entertainment team and is a student at Southern Methodist University. Her coverage areas with the newspaper include food, entertainment, events and more.

Syra Castillo is an intern with The Dallas Morning News' Arts & Entertainment team and is a student at Southern Methodist University. Her coverage areas with the newspaper include food, entertainment, events and more.

Dallas News • 6th March 2025

9 food festivals not to miss in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2025

From whiskey tastings to barbecue throwdowns, North Texas is packed with food and drink festivals in 2025. Here are nine events for foodie and fun-seekers across Dallas-Fort Worth.

America’s largest traveling whiskey festival will be returning on Saturday, March 15 at Fair Park from 4 to 7 p.m.

Perfect for whiskey lovers and the whiskey curious, Whiskey Riot will bring a wide variety of whiskey brands such as Milam & Greene, J.T. Meleck American Rice Whiskey, Von Payne Whiskey, and more.

Gene...

Dallas News • 25th February 2025

How the ‘Keith Lee Effect’ impacted D-FW restaurants, 1 year after food critic’s visit

It’s been a year since TikTok food critic Keith Lee visited nine restaurants and food businesses across Dallas-Forth Worth, delivering his standard one- to three-minute reviews that instantly sent the local establishments into the spotlight.

With 17 million TikTok followers, Lee’s opinion and reach has the power to influence the perception and reputation of a business, leading to a phenomenon dubbed the “Keith Lee Effect.”

Lee typically only visits a restaurant once and orders takeout under a...

13th February 2025

Cookie Society story featured on DMN Business

Dallas News • 12th February 2025

Frisco-founded cookie company continues to grow

“Can we turn this into a cookie?”

It’s a simple question that husband and wife Jeff and Marissa Allen ask themselves anytime they visit a restaurant or try a new food.

The Allens have loyal fans across Dallas-Fort Worth for the unique flavor combinations they infuse into the sweets they make at their bakery Cookie Society.

The couple opened their first brick-and-mortar Cookie Society location during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 in Frisco. The brand has since grown to include three more store...

Dallas News • 7th February 2025

This Dallas soul food cook-off is back in 2025

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center will host its third annual “Taste of Soul,” a soul food cook-off on Saturday, Feb. 22.

This event, which is free to attend and supported by the City of Dallas’ Office of Arts and Culture, features an array of food samples, live entertainment and raffles, among other activities, for attendees to enjoy in celebration of Black History Month.

One of the competition’s stars is Emanuel Cortez, a 16-year-old high school student at Lancaster High School Ear...

The Daily Campus • 20th November 2024

SMU alumnus Dr. Jesus F. Martinez reshapes Sunset High School’s legacy with heart

For nearly a century, Sunset High School has lived powerfully through numerous historical events, from the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and school desegregation in the 70s. With such a storied past, it is no surprise that Dallas ISD chose a principal that could stand on par with the legacy of Sunset.
Known for always wearing suits with extravagant cowboy boots, Dr. Jesus F. Martinez has served Sunset High School for the past four years as its lead principal.
An alum...

Instagram • 25th October 2024

smutvofficial on Instagram - Al Punto hosted by Syra Castillo (10/25)