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Flora Street Cafe is about to debut a revamped menu and a new ritzy tasting room following the addition of Chef Tim Byres to Stephan Pyles’ longstanding Arts District eatery.
Byres joined the restaurant last December after selling off his award-winning Smoke to the Belmont Hotel (which owns Smoke’s building). He pledged to help Pyles revamp Flora Street Cafe from a “special occasion” eatery into a more casual and approachable restaurant featuring a dog-friendly patio and brunch service for the first time — something for which Smoke was well known.
In addition to a recently debuted brunch menu, there will be new “experiential dining offerings” for lunch and dinner, along with a forthcoming ultra-luxe tasting room that boasts its own chef who will whip up 10 to 12-course meals in the intimate 16-seat space. The yet-to-be-named “restaurant within a restaurant” will debut in late April with plush interiors that include draperies, a dramatic chandelier, colorful paintings by Dutch artist Arie Van Selm, and silk artwork by internationally renowned fiber artist Tim Harding. According to a press release, interviews are still ongoing for the “young, vibrant chef from outside of Texas” who will helm the tasting room.
The less-formal Flora Street Cafe will roll out new lunch and dinner menus next week on April 1 and 8, respectively. New offerings make use of Byres’ and Pyles’ collective experience from both of their eateries and will include dishes like TX Akaushi ribeye with crispy potato pave and bone marrow custard; cured steelhead trout with beet textures; and fire-roasted Gulf oysters served with wild boar chorizo. The recently launched Sunday brunch features Smoke’s famous “Heavy-Handed” blueberry pancakes with vanilla poached apricots, pulled pork BBQ eggs benedict, as well as Pyles’ signature tamale tart with roast garlic custard and Gulf Coast crabmeat. Boozy brunch cocktails are on offer including a handful of mimosas and bloody marys. And the dog-friendly patio boasts a champagne and oyster cart.
“I never thought after 35 years of owning restaurants I would be this excited about a new direction,” Chef Pyles said in a statement. “We will be able to offer two separate and very different dining experiences,” between the dressed-down main dining area and the elegant tasting room.
Flora Street Café is located in the Dallas Arts District at 2330 Flora Street, Suite 150. Operating hours include Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch. Dinner is served Monday through Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday brunch is available from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
