If you've driven down Skillman past the old Matt's Rancho Martinez building any time in the last two years, you've seen the same thing every time. Plywood on some windows. A banner with a name on it. No lights on inside. The Tex-Mex restaurant that held that corner for nearly 35 years, Matt's Rancho Martinez, had already been closed for more than a year by the time its replacement was announced, and Serritella, the Italian steakhouse planned for the site, had not announced an opening date by May 2026.

Meanwhile, three other businesses opened in Lakewood. Here's a look at those openings and the latest known status of the Skillman project.

The Serritella Project at 1904 Skillman

According to The Dallas Morning News, Serritella was announced in September 2024 as a three-in-one project: a 250-seat Italian steakhouse called Serritella Prime, a grab-and-go market of the same name, and a hidden speakeasy called COSA tucked in the back. The plan called for a 16,000-square-foot buildout at 1904 Skillman St., with chef Ryan Ferguson, formerly of Nonna and Fachini, running the kitchen and co-owner Jason Gorsuch supplying Akaushi Wagyu beef from his own cattle company, Brigade Meat Co. It's genuinely one of the more ambitious food projects East Dallas has seen in years.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the original target was spring 2025 and had shifted to the first quarter of 2026 by October 2025. In May 2026, CraveDFW reported that Serritella was still described as "almost here," with no confirmed opening date. The Dallas Morning News also reported that the building needed more work than the team anticipated, including the roof, plumbing, and air conditioning.

The Dallas Morning News quoted Gorsuch in October 2025: "We're moving forward, absolutely. We've had some hurdles to clear."

Renovating a 35-year-old restaurant building for three separate concepts is a substantial project. Gorsuch has discussed the delays publicly. As of the May 2026 update, no opening date had been confirmed, so residents may want to check for updates before planning a visit.

Other Lakewood Businesses That Opened in 2026

Three other Lakewood businesses also opened in 2026.

Maman, the French-inspired café chain, opened its second Dallas location at Hillside Village on April 23, following its first debut in Park Cities. Co-founder Elisa Marshall said the choice came down to the neighborhood's sense of community rather than an untapped growth opportunity, and the café has leaned into that with local menu items like a brisket croissant roll made with Texas smoked brisket.

My Dream Latin Cuisine opened at 7260 Gaston Ave., in a space that most recently held Las Favela and, before that, Andrea's Italian for over a decade. The owner has spent three decades in Dallas kitchens, working his way from dishwasher up through roles at some of the city's better-known restaurants before opening this one under his own name.

Total Wine & More opened its Lakewood location on August 20 at the corner of Mockingbird and Abrams, moving into a building that had sat empty since the old Joann Fabrics store closed there in early 2025. At more than 15,000 square feet with thousands of wines and spirits on the shelves, it's a sizable retail bet on a corner that had been dark long enough that a lot of neighbors had stopped noticing it.

These openings add to Lakewood's dining and retail options alongside the planned Serritella concepts.

The Lake Runs on Its Own Calendar

Not everything new in Lakewood involves a storefront. The White Rock Boat Club, a volunteer-run sailing club that has operated at 340 E. Lawther Dr. since 1961, held a community open house this summer designed to welcome newcomers who've never sailed before. Visitors got to meet members, tour the docks, and hear about introductory sailing classes from the club's leadership.

It's a small event in the scheme of things, but it's a useful reminder that the lake doesn't wait on construction timelines the way the retail corridor does. White Rock has been drawing sailors, rowers, and casual walkers around its nine-mile loop trail for decades, regardless of what's happening on Skillman or Mockingbird in any given year.

Longstanding Lakewood Businesses

Every neighborhood has its churn, and every neighborhood has its fixed points. In Lakewood, those fixed points are easy to name. Alfonso's Italian Restaurant has operated out of Casa Linda Plaza in White Rock Center since 1982, when Michigan native Peter Colombo opened it at age 27. Ariana Cuisine has served traditional Afghan food to the same stretch of the neighborhood for years, with chef Sadia Pathan running a kitchen she learned from her mother. Lakewood Whole Foods has anchored its corner since 2009, long enough that longtime residents still remember its opening as an actual event worth talking about.

These places matter here for a specific reason. Staying open for decades is its own kind of success, and Lakewood has room for both longstanding businesses and new openings.

What This Actually Tells You About Lakewood

The easy version of this story is a roundup: here's what's new, go check it out. The more useful version is the one that separates what's been announced from what's actually operating. As of the May 2026 update, Serritella had no confirmed opening date.

If you live in the 75214 or 75206 zip codes and you've been planning a night out around Serritella, check for updates before planning a visit. My Dream Latin Cuisine, Maman, and the wine selection at Total Wine offer other dining and shopping options. And if you're new to the lake side of the neighborhood, the boat club's open house pattern suggests there will likely be another one next summer.

Lakewood isn't short on ambition. These openings add to the neighborhood's dining and retail options while Serritella remains in the works.

If you're curious what a Lakewood home is actually worth in a market where the neighborhood's commercial identity keeps shifting corner by corner, Real Estate Resources offers a free home valuation and financing review. No pressure, just current numbers for your specific block. You can also browse more of what's happening across Dallas neighborhoods or see current Dallas homes for sale if you're weighing a move within the city.