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Kevin Gray

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  • 3 min

Social darts concept, Flight Club, is expanding to multiple U.S. markets

🎯 Flight Club, founded in London 2015, launched in Chicago 2018 and is now in several U.S. cities including Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Denver. The New York flagship is set to open late 2025 in a 10,700 sq ft space at the city landmark 31 Union Square. Prior to New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. venues will open late 2024, occupying 7,000 sq ft and 8,546 sq ft respectively. Flight Club will announce its 10th U.S. location soon, aiming for sustained growth, with Chicago venue experiencing record sales over six years post-opening.
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  • 3 min

Famed New York City Irish pub, The Dead Rabbit, opens in Austin with more locations to follow

🏦 The Dead Rabbit, awarded World’s Best Bar in 2016, launched its second venue in Austin, Texas, on July 4. Situated in Downtown Austin’s Sixth Street, the new 5,000-square-foot location seats 50 at the bar and counter, 100 at tables, and has room for more standing guests. The establishment will expand to Washington, D.C., and Boston in 2025. The menu includes exclusive Texas Caviar bowls, alongside Irish breakfasts, bangers and mash, and ribs. The adjacent Neighbourhood Café offers coffee and sandwiches from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the bar operates from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The Dead Rabbit aims to redefine Irish pub culture, avoiding the "McFake" stereotype and focusing on community engagement.
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  • 2 min

Throw Social unveils a pour-your-own tap wall at Delray Beach, Fla., location, will enlist same tech in new Miami store

🍻 Throw Social in Delray Beach, Fla., debuts a new self-serve tap wall with 20 taps including 7 cocktails, 7 beers, 5 wines, and 1 hard seltzer. Utilizing RFID technology by Pour My Beer, customers use a tap wall card linked to their credit card, charged by volume poured. Throw Social plans a Miami location in Q1 2025 and further expansions to Orlando and Nashville. The concept is part of a broader trend of self-serve technology in restaurants and entertainment venues.
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  • 2 min

Mexican restaurant Vidorra is growing, with more locations coming to Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond

🥞 Milkshake Concepts, founded in 2015 in Dallas, operates eight brands, with Serious Eats most recently opening Aug. 2 in Grand Prairie. Vidorra, launched in 2018, aims to open 10 locations by 2026, including a Nashville venue post-Grapevine launch. Currently, there are Vidorra locations in Dallas' Deep Ellum, Addison, and Grand Prairie, with Rockwall and Grapevine next. CEO Imran Sheikh cites a multisensory experience for Vidorra's success, planning a total of nine DFW locations by 2026, while also considering expansion into Houston, Austin, Denver, and Phoenix/Scottsdale.
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  • 3 min

All-day restaurant Ama opens in Washington, D.C. with fresh focaccia, pastas, and spritzes

🍴 Ama, an all-day restaurant in Washington, D.C., opened in early-June near Navy Yard and Capitol Hill. The establishment transitions from a morning coffee and pastry spot to a focaccia and sandwich hub during the day, and in the evening, it becomes an aperitivo bar and dinner venue. Led by Johanna Hellrigl and Micah Wilder, the restaurant aims to efficiently serve the community's daytime dining needs. Ama features a diverse, seasonal menu with Italian roots, including Ligurian seafood and Alto Adige comfort dishes. The beverage program, managed by Wilder, boasts housemade bitters, cordials, and a unique cocktail menu served with an exclusive seltz gun sourced from Milan. Ama emphasizes customer lifetime value and staff well-being, adding a 3.85% health and wellness charge to bills for employees' benefits and commits to sustainable practices.
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  • 4 min

How 5 restaurants are embracing the solo dining trend

🍴 Solo dining reservations increased by 4% year-over-year according to OpenTable. Emi Guerra of Breakwater Hospitality Group noticed a significant increase in solo diners since 2021. Breakwater's JohnMartin's pub in South Florida offers specialized menus for individuals. Penny, a seafood counter in New York's East Village, caters to solo diners with options like the Ice Box. Dallas-based Imperial Fizz reported a rise in solo dining. Sushi Bar experienced a 10% increase in solo bookings from 2023 to 2024. Malai Kitchen in Dallas-Fort Worth adapted to solo diners with individualized dishes and more one or two-person booths.
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  • 3 min

Brian Malarkey opens Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend, Ore.

🍴 Brian Malarkey, a "Top Chef" alumnus and California restaurateur, opened Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend, Oregon, in mid-June. Teaming with brother James and chef Tony Torres, the 11,000-square-foot venue reflects a "modern cowboy" style and offers steaks, seafood, and wood-fired dishes. They source food locally and raise their own chickens and beef. Additionally, Malarkey inaugurated Le Coq, a French-inspired steakhouse, on June 27 in San Diego with Tara Monson as the executive chef.
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  • 3 min

John Tesar opens Knife Italian at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas

🍴 Chef John Tesar's Knife Italian opened on March 19 at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas following a $55 million property renovation. The restaurant features diverse menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, combining traditional Italian flavors with modern touches. Steak options are sourced from 44 Farms and include dry-aged cuts ranging from 45 to 240 days. Tesar's fusion of steakhouse experience and Italian roots manifests in a vibrant, ingredient-driven culinary venture.
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