Grandscape changed what eating out means in The Colony. Before the 400-acre district filled in along Sam Rayburn Tollway, a night out usually meant driving to Plano or Frisco. Now there are more than 30 restaurants inside Grandscape alone, plus a separate cluster of independently owned spots along Main Street and Colony Boulevard that have nothing to do with the tourist traffic. Below is a cuisine-by-cuisine rundown of what’s actually worth a trip, checked against each restaurant’s own listing and current review activity as of July 2026.
Steakhouse and New American
Saltgrass Steak House, at 5899 SH-121, is the reliable choice for a straightforward steak dinner — Angus beef finished with the chain’s Saltgrass-7 spice and garlic butter, with breads, soups, and dressings made from scratch daily at the location.
Gas Monkey Icehouse, which opened at Grandscape in May 2025, is Richard Rawlings’ bar-and-grill concept (the same Rawlings behind Discovery’s Fast N’ Loud) at 4545 Destination Drive. It’s a bigger, louder, patio-heavy space built for a crowd rather than a quiet dinner, with a menu of American bar food and a full outdoor stage area tied into Grandscape’s concert lineup next door.
Italian and the Grandscape Anchors
Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar, at 5754 Grandscape Boulevard, Suite 200, serves Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza and scratch-made pasta alongside a wine list built to match. It’s one of the two original sit-down restaurants that opened when Grandscape’s dining wing did.
The other is Seven Doors Kitchen & Cocktails, at 5774 Grandscape Boulevard, Suite 205 — a modern American kitchen named for the collection of French colonial doors from the 1800s built into the space. The menu runs toward shared plates, and the happy hour (4:30–6:30) pulls a steady crowd for $6–$10 food and drink specials.
Tex-Mex and Mexican
Mi Cocina — The Colony, at 5400 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive, is the Dallas-born chain’s Grandscape outpost, best known for the Mambo Taxi margarita and a queso recipe that hasn’t changed since the original Highland Park location opened decades ago.
Off the tourist strip, Emelia’s Tex-Mex & Taqueria is a small, family-owned restaurant at 3751 Main Street, Suite 150A. The menu runs from street tacos and tortas to chimichangas and fajitas, with agave margaritas and a breakfast menu that starts at 7 a.m. on weekdays — the kind of neighborhood spot that doesn’t show up on tourist lists but keeps a loyal local following.
Asian Flavors
Manee Thai Cuisine & Bar, at 4940 State Highway 121, Suite 125, opened in early 2025 as the Frisco original’s expansion into The Colony. The menu covers both Thai and Lao dishes — pad thai and tom yum alongside nam khao (crispy rice salad) and papaya salad with brisket — with a spice range that goes further than most Thai menus in the area attempt.
The Rice Bar, at 5401 South Colony Boulevard, is a Korean restaurant run by sisters Angela and Helen Choi. The kitchen makes its own kimchi, ferments its own soy sauce, and turns out roughly 20 different banchan (side dishes) fresh each morning — a level of from-scratch prep that’s uncommon at this price point. The bulgogi rice bowl and braised short ribs are the dishes regulars order first.
Indian Brewery, Barbecue, and Pizza
Windmills Craftworks, at 5755 Grandscape Boulevard, is the first United States location of a microbrewery and restaurant founded in Bangalore, India in 2012 — the first Indian microbrewery to open in the country. Beyond the food and house-brewed beer, the space itself is a draw: a library-style bookshelf wall, a piano stage, and a second-level balcony built like a theater box overlooking the main floor.
Flatrock Smokehouse, at 4900 Main Street, is a veteran-owned barbecue operation that relocated from Euless to The Colony in 2021. The pulled pork sandwich is the standard order, backed up by sides like brisket mac and cheese and fried okra.
Heritage Pizza and Taproom, at 3750 Plano Parkway, Suite 600, specializes in Midwestern-style thin-crust pizza and a rotating craft beer list, and is locally known for its eight-foot pizza built for large groups and private parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular restaurant in The Colony, TX?
Quartino Ristorante and Seven Doors Kitchen & Cocktails, both original Grandscape tenants, consistently draw the largest crowds, with Mi Cocina close behind for weekend dinner traffic.
Are there good restaurants in The Colony outside of Grandscape?
Yes. Emelia’s Tex-Mex & Taqueria and Flatrock Smokehouse are both on Main Street, and The Rice Bar sits on South Colony Boulevard — none of them are inside the Grandscape district.
Is there a locally owned option among The Colony’s restaurants?
Several. The Rice Bar is run by sisters Angela and Helen Choi, Emelia’s Tex-Mex & Taqueria is family-owned, and Flatrock Smokehouse is a veteran-owned operation that moved to the city in 2021.
What makes Windmills Craftworks different from other restaurants in The Colony?
Windmills is the first United States location of an Indian microbrewery founded in Bangalore in 2012. Beyond the food and house-brewed beer, the venue includes a piano stage and a theater-style balcony, making it as much a live-music room as a restaurant.