Longtime Dallas restaurateur Shannon Wynne reflects on 15 years of Meddlesome Moth before its May closure.
Courtesy of Meddlesome Moth
It’s been a fruitful year of successful restaurant openings in Dallas, but doors must close in order for others to open. Unfortunately, many of Dallas’ longest-running restaurants shuttered this year. It seems we traded the next hottest openings for these beloved, locally owned eateries.
We’ve already talked about why all your favorite restaurants in Dallas are closing. Consider this a signal to support the little guys in a city where every big chain is coming for a slice of our hospitality pie.
(Yes, you all: Vegas, New York City and Miami.)
Meddlesome Moth
1621 Oak Lawn Ave.
The pioneer of craft beer in Dallas, Meddlsome Moth, closed after 15 strong years in the Design District. The dining room was among the first in the city to host multiple-course dinners paired with craft beers. They focused on hyperlocal and obscure beers, and never bought anything from major brands like Anheuser-Busch.
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The Porch
2912 N Henderson Ave.
From 2007 to 2025, The Porch was a Henderson Avenue favorite for its chef-driven plates in a casual, but fun, brasserie setting. Changes in the neighborhood have prompted many closures this year (like High Fives, which was just announced). When the new crowd wants the next buzziest opening, some closures are just inevitable.
Henry’s Majestic
2303 Pittman St.
This British-themed gastro pub had a long run at its original location in Uptown from 2004 to 2022, until the building was sold and the restaurant was forced to relocate. They reopened in a new space in West Dallas in 2023 and closed for good in August. The pub served hearty fare and solid drink specials in its two-acre space. What a bummer.
Hong Kong Restaurant
9055 Garland Road
Hong Kong Restaurant was Dallas’ longest-running Chinese restaurant before it permanently closed back in May. Chef Bill Pon opened the restaurant in 1962, and even after several changes in ownership, it remained a staple in the neighborhood for over 60 years. Royal China, which opened in 1974, is now the longest-operating Chinese restaurant. It has also been our Reader’s Choice for Best Chinese Restaurant every year since 2016, so they’ve already proved they can fill the shoes Hong Kong Restaurant left for them.
Adelmo’s Ristorante
5450 W. Lovers Lane
Adelmo’s has been a Dallas institution for Italian and Mediterranean food since 1987. It’s closing temporarily on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and will reopen as soon as owner Adelmo Banchetti finds a new location. With rents skyrocketing, we hope they can find a good place to continue the legacy.
Campo Verde
2918 W Pioneer Parkway, Pantego
Campo Verde, a Christmas-themed Tex-Mex restaurant in Arlington, has had a tumultuous year of closures and revivals. Since it opened in 1983, it’s been an outpost for some nuclear Tex-Mex that was outshined by millions of Christmas lights around the dining room. It will officially close on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, so there is still time to soak up its holiday spirit before the nostalgia kicks in.
Morton’s The Steakhouse
2222 McKinney Ave.
Morton’s The Steakhouse operated for nearly 40 years between two Dallas neighborhoods and was an icon for steak until it closed on Dec. 31, 2024. It originally opened in the West End Downtown in 1987, and moved to Uptown 24 years later. It closed due to an expired lease, and it was said that the owners were looking to find a new location for the icon, but the status on that has yet to be updated.
Swizzle
1802 Greenville Ave.
Swizzle was the only true tiki bar in Dallas. It began as a pop-up and opened its first brick-and-mortar along Lower Greenville in 2020. This summer, it closed for good and is reverting back to its roots as a pop-up and catering company. It signaled the start of many 5-year leases coming up to expiration in Dallas, and the owners reminded everyone to support their favorite small businesses, because they need us now more than ever.
Elaine’s Kitchen
2717 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
After 40 years of serving Jamaican food in South Dallas, Elaine’s Kitchen closed on Saturday, Oct. 18. Elaine Patricia Campbell founded the original restaurant in 1987, and relocated in 2008. When she passed in 2023, Elaine’s nephew took over the restaurant for two short years before it closed permanently. Campbell had stipulated in her will that the restaurant be closed, and rising food costs also contributed to the decision.
Be Home Soon
9540 Garland Road
Be Home Soon, a comfort restaurant in East Dallas, closed before it ever got its footing. It opened in November of 2024 and closed in October of this year. The team, co-owner and local musician Madison King, chef Joey Fink, Russ Kirk and Pablo Rivera have future plans to bring the beloved home cooking and community vibes back, but for now, they’re still recovering from being broke and bummed.
Bangkok at Greenville
4503 Greenville Ave.
Bangkok at Greenville was a longtime Thai restaurant that closed after a 32-year run. Owners Joe and Sunny Pumphaung closed the restaurant after operational costs increased, and also so they could spend more time with their aging parents.
Hypnotic Donuts
9007 Garland Road
Hypnotic Donuts was one of Dallas’ very first craft doughnut shops. Owners James and Amy St. Peter opened the first storefront in 2012 and it thrived for 12 years before closing this summer. The shop was best known for its chicken biscuits and creative doughnut flavors.
El Califia de León Pop-Up
6501 Hillcrest Ave
The owner pulling the plug on his own Michelin-starred taco pop-up was the closure of the year. El Califia de León is the first and only taqueria starred by Michelin. It had plans for a two-week pop-up in Dallas that would run for two weeks back in mid-October. But days after the pop-up got started, owner Mario Hernandez, shut it down after there were quality issues and discrepancies with the promised space. That’s okay, though, we have plenty of places for great tacos in Dallas.
High Fives
1804 McMillian Ave.
Just this week, High Fives announced they’ll be shutting down on January 1 or (OR!) at the end of the Texas Tech football season. The restaurant and bar became a staple hang-out along Knox-Henderson, but with a massive new mixed-use development going in next door, the landlords are eyeing other opportunities. The side-hustle Boogies is still open and going strong. Go Red Raiders.