Burrito Bellas just opened on McKinney Avenue, and it’s doing something Uptown hasn’t quite seen before: putting Mexican and Italian food in the same burrito instead of picking a lane.
Shawn Horne is behind it, a longtime figure in Dallas dining with a resume that runs through Star Canyon, Aquaknox, and the Green Room. The idea is straightforward once you hear it. Take the comfort of a burrito and build it around the flavors of a classic Italian dish instead of the usual fillings. That gets you a chicken parmesan burrito, a sausage and pepper burrito, and a spaghetti and meatball version wrapped in a tortilla instead of served on a plate, alongside more traditional burritos and quesadillas for anyone who wants to keep it simple.
“There’s something fun about taking dishes people already know and looking at them from a different angle,” Horne said. “Burrito Bellas was created to bring together flavors that feel familiar while giving guests something they haven’t seen before.”
The space takes its design cues from a Calabrian piazza, with an open-air layout and outdoor seating meant to function as a real neighborhood gathering spot rather than just a place to grab lunch. That’s the bigger idea here. Burrito Bellas is just the first piece of what’s being called the Calabrian Piazza, a shared outdoor space that will eventually house Goomba’s Hoagie Hole, Punk Rock Pizza and Pierogies, and Bella’s Loft, a separate area built for watch parties, private events, and tastings. Sports will run across the whole piazza on shared screens, tying the different food concepts together under one roof of activity.
The bar leans into the same mashup spirit as the food. Cocktails are largely served on tap rather than poured bottle by bottle, including a margarita, a sangria, and a piña colada-style pour called the coco loco. Bella’s Wine Club will eventually spotlight a curated mix of Calabrian and French wines alongside recognizable American labels like Silver Oak Napa Valley, Caymus Cellars, and Austin Hope, though membership details haven’t been announced yet.
Burrito Bellas is open now at 2523 McKinney Avenue in Uptown Dallas.
