3 new businesses to check out in Near East

3 new businesses to check out in Near EastMesero. | Photo: Jennifer K./Yelp
Hoodline
Published on November 14, 2018

Interested in sampling the newest restaurant and retail additions to Near East? From a Tex-Mex spot to a coffee shop, read on for a rundown of the newest destinations to arrive in this Dallas neighborhood.

Mesero

2375 Victory Park Lane, Suite 180

Photo: Bill M./Yelp

Mesero is a Tex-Mex restaurant with four other locations in the Metroplex. 

On the menu, you'll find dishes like the Chairman (braised pork with chile seco, cremini mushrooms, jalapeño ranch, roasted peppers and onions), the Mateo (slowed-roasted chicken in a green tomatillo sauce with red and green bell peppers, onion and arroz verde) and the Tejanos enchiladas (two cheese enchiladas topped with chili con carne and served with arroz rojo). Pair your meal with one of its cocktails or a glass of wine. It also serves a brunch menu.

With a 4.5-star rating out of 14 reviews on Yelp so far, it's getting some positive attention.

Jeanette M., who was the first to review the eatery on Oct. 10, wrote, "Wow! I was blown away by the amazing food and service. Great options and a variety of food items. I didn't know what everything was, but my server was ready to explain it to me. By far one of my favorite places to eat."

Katelyn K. noted, "Great guacamole and brisket tacos. I am allergic to a lot of foods and our waiter was super helpful with teaching us about the menu."

Welcome Mesero to the neighborhood: it's open from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Popbar

2420 Victory Park Lane

Photo: Popbar/Yelp

Another newcomer, Popbar is serving up handcrafted gelato on a stick. The international chain has several locations in Texas and other states, plus Canada, Panama and Singapore.

It specializes in pops made from either gelato, sorbet or yogurt. You pick your flavor, then customize it with various dips and toppings. Popular combinations include vanilla with waffle cone, chocolate-covered pistachio and chocolate and caramel-covered popcorn. Besides pops, you can get Popwiches, Gelatoshakes and other frozen treats.

So far, it has a 4.5-star rating out of six reviews on Yelp.

Sandy K., who was the first to review Popbar on Sept. 21, said, "Such a fun idea and absolutely delicious! We loved our gelato pops and being able to select your dip and toppings makes it even better. The owners are so sweet and were incredibly helpful!"

And Katy D. said, "This Popbar is so cute and you get to customize your pops any way you like it. So many different gelato and sorbets to choose from and the dipping and topping combinations are unique every time you want to customize it."

Popbar is open from 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sunday, and 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Brewed+Pressed

1775 Payne St.

Photo: Angelica S./Yelp

Then there's the new Brewed+Pressed, which recently debuted with coffee, juice and light fare. Its original location is in Uptown.

The spot serves organic cold-pressed juices, Stumptown Coffee, tonics, shakes, plant-based food and more. On the menu, look for juices like the Vivid Green (celery, dandelion, spinach, kale, parsley and lime), the Deep Roots (carrot, apple, beet, lemon, ginger and turmeric) or the Endless Summer (watermelon, watermelon rind, pineapple, cilantro and pink salt).

Hungry? Try bowls like the Sweet Potato Kale with sprouted brown rice, tahini and chickpea miso lime plum vinaigrette; and sweets such as the Coconut Almond Bars with cashew butter and maple syrup. (See the full menu here.) 

With a 4.5-star rating out of eight reviews on Yelp so far, the new shop has made a promising start.

Janie K., who reviewed it on Oct. 9, wrote, "They have a wide variety of drinks, from coffees, teas and juices, each with their own unique taste. I always appreciate great customer service and each time I have been there, the people are always friendly and are willing to give recommendations."

Courtney W. noted, "We stopped in real quick to grab a coffee and tea and we loved the space! Not only is it a clean aesthetic, the two people helping us were so nice. They made our experience great!"

Intrigued? Stop in to try it for yourself. Brewed+Pressed is open from 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Wednesday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday, and 8 a.m.–8:15 p.m. on Sunday.