With quaint boutiques, cozy restaurants and more coffee shops than you can visit in one trip, downtown McKinney offers something fresh yet relatable to visitors. The historic district has a hometown charm while still offering plenty of dynamic dining and entertainment options. And with garland-wrapped columns and twinkling lights lining the streets, the holidays are a great time to get in on the magic of downtown McKinney.
J.Shertzer
Cadillac Pizza Pub
If you love Taverna Rossa’s New York-inspired pizzas, then you will fall head over heels for Cadillac Pizza Pub. The neighborhood’s pizzeria is the catalyst concept behind the Southlake pizza joint and has the same friendly ownership running the show. Start out your night at happy hour, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and all day Sunday.
While you are sipping on a cold one, share a cheese board or plate of Cadillac’s beef-veal-pork blended meatballs. The eatery also caters to music lovers with live performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to sit back and stay a while. CadillacPizzaPub.com
Rye
A quick stroll up Kentucky Street will lead you to Rye, a seasonal, small plates eatery focused on serving locally sourced products. The refined restaurant encourages guests to get out of their comfort zone and share a few different things with their dinner dates. After selecting a craft cocktail, like the Giggle Water made with Sobieski Vodka, Chareau, Luxardo, lemon, grapefruit and mint, build out your courses. There’s an array of flavors just waiting to be explored with options like Pig Wings, fried confit pig wings served with soga glaze, fried garlic and shallots, and Duroc Pork Belly Lollipops, served with German spices, beer, Brussels-kraut and Rye whiskey mustard.
Those looking for a heartier entree should order the braised pork cheek, served with tomatillo and tequila jus, watermelon radish, crème fraiche, cilantro and charred scallion. While each of these dishes provides new flavors and textures, one thing stays consistent: precise presentation. RyeMcKinney.com
Emporium Pies
Two quick right turns from Rye will take you down to Emporium Pies, known for its charming interior and freshly baked desserts. While their flavors may change with the season, every pie is crafted with fresh ingredients and made without artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, dyes or corn syrup. So guests can dive into a slice of the buttermilk pie, Buttercream Gang, or The Nutty Honey (a peanut butter cream pie served with crunchy honey bits and housemade whipped cream) without any guilt.
Upgrade your dessert by having it a la mode. Emporium Pies offers handmade vanilla ice cream that adds just a little bit of sweetness and creaminess. Splitting a slice while looking out on the rest of downtown McKinney’s happenings is a great way to round out a date night. EmporiumPies.com