January 19, 2021
CultureMap Dallas /
Downtown Dallas' Klyde Warren Park picks Mi Cocina for new restaurant
Filling what is surely the most visible location in all of Dallas, downtown Dallas' Klyde Warren Park has selected a new restaurant to reside inside the park: Mi Cocina.
The Dallas chain known for its Mambo Taxi frozen margarita and up$caled take on basic Tex-Mex will take over the space vacated by Savor, the restaurant that closed in August 2020 after operating there for seven years.
According to a release, Mi Cocina will open in early fall.
Klyde Warren Park president Kit Sawers says in a release that it represents a joining of "two iconic Dallas brands."
"After receiving feedback from Park patrons via online surveys and Zoom focus groups, it became obvious that Mi Cocina was the overwhelming choice for this special place," she says.
Sawers says the park needs a successful restaurant to stay afloat.
"Klyde Warren Park is free to everyone, but free is expensive," she says. "From keeping up the lawns and Children’s Park, to hosting weekly programming, to operating and securing the Park for more than one million annual visitors, the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation must raise funds annually to pay for these expenses."
Savor was an upscale gastropub that opened in 2013. When it closed, along with Relish, its companion burger stand, it was said to be due to the economic impact of COVID-19.
While the park has been a hit, restaurants have not. Lark on the Park, the first restaurant to open near the park, closed in 2018. Owner Shannon Wynne replaced it in 2019 with Miriam, a Mexican restaurant. Meaning, there will be two Mexican restaurants right across the street from each other. That should be interesting.
Mi Cocina owner M Crowd Restaurant Group plans to create unique spaces including:
- renovated patio and dining area
- separate bar experience
- outdoor walk-up service window providing picnic baskets
M Crowd will partner with Droese Raney on a redesign that retains the aesthetic of the building by Thomas Phifer while adding Mexican influences. Droese Raney recently redesigned the Highland Park Village Mi Cocina and its popular Monkey Bar outdoor space.
Mi Cocina will take the opportunity with the opening to celebrate its 30th anniversary, as well as a year-long celebration of Klyde Warren Park's 10th anniversary. A special event commemorating the combined celebration is planned for summer 2021.
"Mi Cocina has a rich history in Dallas, and we look forward to partnering with Klyde Warren Park and the surrounding area to showcase our city and all it has to offer," says M Crowd president and CEO Edgar Guevara.
Originally posted in CultureMap Dallas