Front Burner Restaurants is the growing Texas-based group behind popular concepts like Mexican Sugar, Sixty Vines, Whiskey Cake, Haywire, and Ida Claire.
On September 22, the company brought Mexican Sugar to dining-heavy Addison. This is the restaurant’s fifth location following three others in the Dallas area — Uptown, Plano, and Las Colinas — and one in Houston. Two more are in development for Austin and Frisco.
“This location brings all the energy and flavor people love about Mexican Sugar, plus a few additions that make it unlike any we’ve opened before,” said Christine Magrann, president and chief operating officer of Mexican Sugar.
Skirt steak is served with cilantro-lime rice, seasonal vegetables, and salsa verde. | Kayla Enright
Guests enter the nearly 9,000-square-foot restaurant through a lush courtyard that leads into a two-sided tequila display. Inside, the hacienda-style atmosphere features warm leathers, handcrafted tiles, Latin artwork, and a 360-degree bar.
The Addison kitchen has Mexican Sugar’s first custom wood-fired oven, which the team enlists for exclusive menu items like hearth-roasted “coliflor” (Spanish for cauliflower) with chimichurri, adobo crema, and Cotija cheese, a tlayuda-style crispy Mexican flatbread, and queso flameado (cheese flambée) that’s torched with mezcal and served with hibiscus tortillas.
Appetizers include arepas, redfish ceviche, marinated shrimp, and salads. The menu also has sections for mesquite-grilled fajitas, enchiladas, and tacos like al pastor, barbacoa, and carne asada. Additional plates include a bone-in pork chop, Angus skirt steak, and pan-roasted striped bass.
Margaritas are available solo or as part of a flight. | Kayla Enright
Drinks get a lot of attention at the new venue. The bar stocks an extensive tequila collection and serves agave-spirit flights along with Margaritas and tweaked classics like a Mezcal Mule and tequila-based Añejo Old Fashioned. There are several non-alcoholic options, including aguas frescas, fresh lemonade, and horchata. Happy hour is Monday through Friday and starts early, running from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Texas is a competitive market, with countless Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, but Mexican Sugar has found a formula that works.
“We draw inspiration from all over Latin America, priding ourselves on crafting everything from scratch, using freshly juiced ingredients for our cocktails, and lighter, fresher components in our dishes,” Magrann said. She also credits the restaurant’s success to its massive tequila menu and the carefully designed atmosphere that prioritizes good vibes.
The restaurant has a hacienda-style atmosphere, with leather, handcrafted tile, and Latin artwork. | Mexican Sugar
“This level of care is what truly sets us apart, allowing guests to experience the difference as soon as they walk in,” Magrann said.
Front Burner is known to expand its brands outside of Texas. Sixty Vines, for example, has restaurants in North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and just this week opened a new spot in Gaithersburg, Md. But for now, Magrann said Mexican Sugar’s focus will be to open more locations within multiple Texas regions.
“Outside of the upcoming Austin and Frisco locations, we see more locations in Texas for sure — we love the Texas guests,” Magrann said. “There is a real appetite for approachable Latin-inspired food that goes beyond traditional Tex-Mex and offers fresh options at a great value.”
