There are certain places in the Park Cities that settle effortlessly into daily life, feeling familiar from the first visit and becoming the backdrop to ordinary Tuesdays and celebratory milestones alike. Il Bracco, the beloved Italian-inspired eatery in Preston Center, is one of those rare places. Since opening, it has become a community fixture: warm, polished, and undeniably loved.
In 2025, that affection translated into a striking milestone: Il Bracco became Texas’ top buyer of Aperol on a per-square-foot basis, purchasing more than 140 cases 140 (1,250 liters) in a single year thanks to its cult-favorite frozen cocktail, The Bracco. For a neighborhood restaurant rooted in handmade pastas and hospitality, the numbers tell a simple story: Park Cities guests can’t get enough.
A Local Favorite
Ask Robert Quick, founder, CEO, and chief culinary officer of Western Addition Restaurant Group, why il Bracco inspires such loyalty, and he points to the restaurant’s guiding philosophy. “People come to il Bracco because it feels like home, but elevated—and you don’t have to do the dishes,” he says. “Ultimately it’s about creating a spot people make part of their routine, and that neighborhood trust shapes every decision we make.”
It’s an ethos Park Cities diners have embraced wholeheartedly. The restaurant has become a place where guests recognize one another, the service is graceful, and the food is consistently excellent. “The Park Cities guest wants quality without pretension, everyday luxury,” Quick adds. And il Bracco delivers.
Love at First Sip
Il Bracco’s most iconic contribution to that sense of everyday luxury is, of course, The Bracco—its vibrant, frosty take on a greyhound, made with Aperol and freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit. It was an immediate hit from the moment the team first tasted it. “We believed in it so much, we named it after the restaurant,” Quick says. “We’ve opened other concepts and tried other frozen cocktails, but nothing can beat a Bracco.”
The drink’s cult following crystallized during the early days of the pandemic, when to-go cocktails became legal and guests began picking them up for tailgates and barbecues. One guest joked they would “buy a gallon” if they could—so the team made it happen. Today, half-gallon Braccos are a summer tradition, and some guests refuse to host a party without one.
An Aperol Powerhouse
When you add it all up, the numbers are staggering: Il Bracco Dallas pours more than 100 liters of Aperol each month, serving up 2,700 Braccos at $17 apiece. Across the group’s other restaurants—Bobbie’s Airway Grill in Dallas, Il Bracco in Houston, and Balboa Surf Club—those figures double, making Western Addition one of the top Aperol buyers in the state.
But for Quick, the distinction is about more than volume. “It reflects how much the community has leaned into Il Bracco as a place to gather,” he says. “Guests aren’t just ordering a cocktail; they’re choosing an experience they trust and come back to.”
That commitment to quality is also why the team is now pursuing a trademark for The Bracco. From hand-juicing the finest Ruby Red grapefruits to batching the cocktail in small, always-fresh quantities, every detail is deliberate. “Everyone’s had an incredible, freshly squeezed margarita, and everyone’s the pre-mixed jug version—a Bracco should never fall into that second category,” Quick says. “Seeking a trademark is simply our way of safeguarding the standard.”
As the group expands—including a Scottsdale location opening later this year—the goal remains the same: to create places that feel both elevated and familiar, where hospitality is heartfelt and the details matter.
“We’re honored by how guests have embraced il Bracco,” Quick says. “Every new reservation is a chance to create a memory. We feel so grateful to be part of the daily lives of so many people in the neighborhood, and we look forward to being their ‘second kitchen’ for years to come.”
“Ultimately it’s about creating a spot people make part of their routine, and that neighborhood trust shapes every decision we make.”