Cuban burger shop Frita Batidos started in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, then expanded to Detroit and New York City before announcing it will open near Dallas’ Knox Street on Aug, 17, 2026
It’s likely to be well received in burger-loving Dallas, as Frita Batida’s chorizo burger was named one of the best in New York City by The New York Times last month
Chef-founder Eve Aronoff Fernandez said The Timesaccolade was “really meaningful” as they grow the restaurant
Article continues below this ad
“We wanted to be exceptional,” Fernandez said, “and the newspaper my dad read from the front page to the back page my whole life thought we were.”
Frita Batidos’ expansion into Texas is the latest in a string of growing restaurant brands picking Dallas as their entrance into the Lone Star State.Salt and Straw ice cream, PopUp Bagels and Prince Street Pizza are three recent examples.
Fernandez made the leap to Texas on suggestion of Dallas restaurateur Joseph Palladino, who partnered with the company
“He was very passionate and enthusiastic about Dallas,” Fernandez said. “It was such a natural fit for us. I started spending time here, having a lot of delicious meals here, seeing the hospitality.”
Fernandez launched Frita Batidos a mile from the University of Michigan in 2010, with intentions of following the “slow food movement,” an anti-fast-food idea to buy seasonal produce from small farms
Article continues below this ad
At its core, the restaurant is a burger and milkshake shop
Fritas are Cuban hamburgers, and this restaurant offers a wide variety, from a beef or chirozo patty with sweet chile mayo to black bean, fish and chicken burgers. Customers customize their proteins with toppers like Muenster cheese, cilantro-lime salsa, coleslaw, avocado spread and a sunny-side-up egg
Batidos are tropical milkshakes that come in flavors like coconut cream, hibiscus, passion fruit and more. For $2.50 extra, any batido can come with a “splash of dark rum,” according to the restaurant’s website
Sides include crispy plantains, garlic-cilantro fries, black beans and something called the “the best snack ever,” or layers of coconut-ginger rice, black beans, melted cheese and cilantro-lime salsa
The restaurant also has a full bar with mojitos, margaritas and sangrias
Article continues below this ad
Existing Fritas in Michigan host happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, with shaken daiquiris for $5, a mini “best snack ever” for $4 and shoestring fries or garlic-cilantro fries for $3.50.
The restaurant in Dallas is on McKinney Avenue, just north of Knox Street, in place of La Duni Latin Cafe, which served brunch in Dallas for over 20 years
Frita Batidos is at 4620 McKinney Ave. (near Knox Street), Dallas. It’s expected to debut Aug. 17, 2026 and will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner
