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Dallas News •

All-you-can-eat mainstay Cicis Pizza has Plano native at the top

Jeff Hetsel never imagined he would lead Cicis Pizza, the brand that pioneered the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, as president. Growing up, his dream was to have his own spot.

“I absolutely thought I was going to have more of a four-star dining restaurant that I owned, and that was going to be my path,” he said. “It certainly wasn’t in pizza or franchising.”

Today, Hetsel helps steer the nationally known brand, based in Coppell, as it strives to stay relevant and affordable in a crowded and com...
Dallas News •

Texas Pie Fest returns for 7th year in Dallas-Fort Worth

The 7th annual Texas Pie Fest will be back in North Texas on April 26, 2025, at Tate Farms.

Texas Pie Fest celebrates all-things pie, featuring pie vendors from all over Texas and pie-themed activities for all ages.

Pie enthusiasts can expect the return of the pie-baking contest which will include a lineup of celebrity judges. Patrons can also taste the pies and vote for the people’s choice award.

Bakers interested in registering for the pie-baking contest must preregister. Winners will be an...
Dallas News •

Pickle lovers rejoice: Brine-filled festival heading to D-FW

Perfect for pickle lovers, The Big Dill is making its Texas debut in Arlington on Nov. 8, 2025.

As part of The Big Dill’s “In My Pickle Era” Tour, the event, hosted at Globe Life Field and Texas Live!, will include vendors such as Best Maid Pickles and Fort Worth’s Martin House Brewing Company, alongside over 75 pickle vendors. The Pickle Priest, a famous TikToker known for blessing pickles, will be in attendance, too.

The festival will have competitions such as the Brine Chug Challenge.

For...
Dallas News •

Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Spring at the Silos is back with concerts, Easter egg hunts

For eight weekends, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Spring at the Silos will bring together a mix of live music, artisan pop-ups, and interactive activities.

Spring at the Silos in Waco will take place from Thursday through Saturday through April 26.

The event offers free events, such as artisan popups, live music and trivia. There are also ticketed rooftop experiences where guests can enjoy drinks and get the perfect photo-op, available from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Here’s a list of musical performanc...
Dallas News •

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 •

Organization behind grilled-cheese-for-good food truck opens brick-and-mortar restaurant

A restaurant with a purpose has opened in South Dallas near St. Philip’s School and Community Center.

Ruthie’s Cafe, part of nonprofit The Good Foundation, opened the week of Feb. 10 on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, about 1.5 miles from downtown Dallas.

The concept started as a food truck in 2011 serving grilled cheese sandwiches. Ruthie’s is part of a social impact initiative of The Good Foundation, founded by Ashlee and Chris Kleinert, geared toward providing food and employment opportuni...
Dallas News •

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...
Dallas News •

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 •

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...
Dallas News •

Broadway musical Anastasia to open in Dallas

The Family Music Theatre is bringing the musical Anastasia to North Texas in February. Anastasia will transport its audience to Imperial Russia and Paris of the 1920s as it explores the idea of self-discovery.

Based on the 1997 film starring Meg Ryan, this beloved musical tells the legend of Anastasia, a Russian princess who was believed to have escaped the execution of the czar’s family in the early 1900s.

Directed by Sam Germany, Anastasia stars Sara Joe McMeans as Anya/Anastasia and Dauri P...
Dallas News •

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.
The Daily Campus •

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...
The Daily Campus •

Pumpkin pandemonium hits the SMU campus at ‘It’s The Great Crumpkin, Y’all’ event

Pumpkins, live music, coffee, barbecue, black-and-white films, and chilly wind returned to campus this past Thursday, Oct. 17, for “It’s the Great Crumpkin, Y’all” hosted by Crum Commons.
This year, the annual event’s theme was carefully picked by the Crum Commons council. Their choice? A black-and-white Western.
The theme fit perfectly with the black-and-white films and the Western wear that every Crum council member wore.
Sana Shahid, president of Crum Commons, spoke on the diligent preparatio...
The Daily Campus •

The Floor is Lava at the Meadow Museum’s Annual ArtafterDARK

Standing in a line wrapped around the Meadows Museum entrance, SMU students anxiously waited over an hour for the museum’s doors to open for ARTafterDARK this past Thursday, Sept. 19.
The event, hosted annually, celebrates the beginning of the academic year for SMU students. The museum invited students to interact with art, activities, and food inspired by the theme of the event after the museum’s regular hours.
The theme, “The Floor is Lava!” went with the opening of the museum’s newest fall ex...