Duro Hospitality opens its eighth Dallas restaurant on Friday, and this one puts the group’s name on Preston Center for the first time.
Scilla opens for dinner July 17 at 8111 Douglas Avenue, on the ground floor of the newly finished office tower facing Preston Center, with lunch service to follow once dinner settles in. It’s a coastal Italian restaurant, the ninth concept from the team behind The Charles, Sister, Casa Duro, Café Duro, El Carlos Elegante, Mister Charles, The Chumley House in Fort Worth, and Norman’s Japanese Grill. Founding partner Chas Martin has said the project started with the location itself, built around the idea that the neighborhood had nowhere for a business lunch, an afternoon drink, and a real dinner to all happen under one roof.
The name comes from a fishing village on Italy’s Calabrian coast, perched over the Strait of Messina, the same strait tied to the Greek myth of Scylla and Charybdis. It’s also a family name: Scilla was what Martin’s father called his mother, Priscilla.
The menu opens with small plates, Gnocco Fritto, Lobster Arancini, and Boquerones on Toast, before moving into raw and cold dishes: Hamachi Crudo, Chutoro Crudo, and a seasonal Seafood Tower. From there it’s Paella di Mare, Duro’s house-made pastas, and a wood grill turning out Branzino, Whole Red Snapper, a Grass-Fed Wagyu Ribeye, and Za’atar Lamb Kabobs.
The wine list changes daily, built from Italian, French, and library Napa bottles. Cocktails run from spritzes to sours to a granita finished tableside.
Duro partners Corbin and Ross See designed the space as two connected dining rooms sharing one central bar, one side louder and more theatrical, the other quieter, tied together by upholstered walls and hand-painted murals. From outside, there’s little sign of what’s inside, which is apparently the point.
Scilla is at 8111 Douglas Avenue in Dallas, 75225. Dinner runs Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m., with dinner service beginning at 4:30 p.m. daily. Complimentary valet is available. Call 972-920-9472 or visit scilla-coastal.com.
