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Oak Cliff restaurant Hattie’s is permanently closed

The shuttering marks the third long-time restaurant that closed in or near the Bishop Arts District in the past three months.

Southern restaurant Hattie’s is closed in Oak Cliff, after more than 17 years.

A sign on the door suggested the closure is temporary “due to maintenance issues,” but the restaurant has cut its OpenTable reservations and is not answering the phones during business hours. CultureMap reported the closure on Feb. 19.

[Update in late February 2020: A letter to Hattie’s patrons confirms the permanent closure. Owner Anthony Alvarez and landlord Jim Lake Companies wrote, in part: “Jim Lake Companies and Hattie’s have mutually agreed to end the lease at 418 N. Bishop Avenue but will work together in the future to honor Hattie’s in some way. ... It’s been a privilege to call you all family and share a few meals over the years. We can’t help but think we sparked something special here on the corner of Bishop and 7th back in 2002 and with that in mind we wish nothing but the best for the future of the Bishop Arts District.”]

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It’s been a newsworthy few months for long-time restaurants in or near the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. First, Tillman’s closed in December 2019 after 27 years; then came Bolsa’s shuttering in January, after a 12-year run. Now we’re in February, and it’s Hattie’s.

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The restaurant opened in November 2002.

Back in 2003, when 'The Dallas Morning News' reviewed Hattie's, we photographed its fried...
Back in 2003, when 'The Dallas Morning News' reviewed Hattie's, we photographed its fried chicken salad and pecan crusted catfish with lemon butter sauce.(MILTON HINNANT / 181982)

The Southern restaurant was known for brunch. The low-country menu included dishes like a fried green tomato sandwich with smoked pimento cheese and bacon; cornmeal griddlecakes; and shrimp and cheddar grits. The tidy interior felt like you were dining at your rich aunt’s home. It doubled as a sweet little date spot, with its black and white tile floors and fresh flowers on each table.

The Dallas Morning News’ restaurant critic said in 2003, a year after it opened, that “Hattie’s in Oak Cliff gives diners north of the tricklin’ Trinity a reason to cross over.” Of course, since it opened in the early 2000s, the Bishop Arts District has boomed, with restaurants and bars dominating the neighborhood. But back when Hattie’s was brand-new, our then-critic Dotty Griffith noted that “the area is one of the few under-restauranted districts in Dallas." It’s interesting to see how neighborhoods can change.

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Hattie’s was named after owner Alvarez’s business partner’s mother.

For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter at @sblaskovich.