St. Martin’s Wine Bistro opened in Dallas in 1980. It sat on Greenville Avenue for 46 years. When the lease ran out in 2023, it went dark — no drama, no announcement, just gone. A lot of people who loved that room assumed it was over for good.
It wasn’t. St. Martin’s reopened March 11 at 4223 Bryan Street in Old East Dallas, in what used to be the L&B Antiques building. The piano came with it. So did the chandeliers, the white tablecloths, the dark wood, and the room’s instinct that dinner is an occasion rather than a transaction.
The family story matters. Founder Mohsen Heidari ran the original for decades before handing things over to his sons Pasha and Sina — who also own Bowen House, Las Palmas Tex-Mex, Mike’s Gemini Twin Lounge, and Urbano Cafe under their Black Marble Hospitality group — and their uncle Omid Haftlang, who runs St. Martin’s day to day. The new space was built out from scratch to their specifications. People who’ve been in since March say it feels like the original was picked up off Greenville and set back down on Bryan Street without losing anything in transit.
The menu is the one that’s been earning regulars since Reagan was president, with the same anchors in place. Start with the Escargots Bourguignon ($18) — maître d’ butter, roasted shallot, the classic preparation done right. The Mussels Frites Thai Style ($22) come in a tomato and chile broth with ginger and pommes frites on the side, which sounds like a detour from the French bistro script but has been one of the table’s best decisions for years. The Steak Tartare ($25) is Dijon-dressed with cornichon, quail egg, and brioche — clean and precise. The Lobster Terrine ($24) with sauce Champagne, dill, and smoked trout roe is newer and worth ordering.
Then there is the Champagne-Brie Soup ($16), which is the house signature and the dish that made people drive to Greenville Avenue for four decades. The recipe is a closely held blend of brie, sparkling wine, chicken stock, and cream. Nobody outside this kitchen has gotten it right. It is still on the menu, still $16, and still the thing you order first.
On the entrée side, the Rack of Lamb ($55) arrives with jus vinaigrette and asparagus and has been a St. Martin’s fixture long enough that ordering it feels like the correct answer to a question the kitchen is asking. The Rohan Duck à l’Orange ($42) comes with a pavé of sunchoke — a more refined presentation than the duck you’d find at most bistros running this dish. The Sea Scallops and Pork Belly ($58) with morels, artichoke, and peas is the most contemporary plate on the menu and one of the better arguments for going off-script from the classics. The Salmon with Crispy Leeks ($32) with orange-scented gold potatoes is the right move if you want something lighter without apologizing for it. Steaks run $65 for the filet and $85 for the ribeye, both served with sauce à la carte and pommes frites. Dover sole meunière is market price and worth asking about.
The room is dark the way it should be. Live piano starts at 5 p.m. every night. Valet parking is complimentary. The new address puts St. Martin’s on a stretch of Bryan Street that already has Bangkok City, Vietnam Restaurant, Ciao! By Civello’s, and Bryan Street Tavern. It’s a good block for a restaurant that knows what it is.
Reservations are available through Resy or by calling (214) 826-0940. Hours are Sunday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m.
