Restaurant closure
Guy Fieri-loved Arlington restaurant A Taste of Europe to close for good

A longtime Arlington restaurant that appeared on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives is closing: A Taste of Europe, the beloved family-run, European-inspired restaurant at 1901 W. Pioneer Pkwy., will close its doors for good at the end of July.
The owners posted the announcement to Facebook on Wednesday, July 8. It reads: "To our valued customers and community, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the upcoming closure of our restaurant. Our final day of service will be at the end of July. We are incredibly grateful for the support, loyalty, and wonderful memories you've shared with us. It has been our pleasure serving you. Thank you for being a part of our journey."
Co-owner Alexandre Tsalko told CultureMap they are closing due to customer slowdown: "No business. Too slow," he messaged succinctly shortly after the announcement was posted.
If this seems like deja vu, it's because the restaurant announced a closure two years ago, in the summer of 2024. At the time, they said that while business was steady, it hadn’t been enough to keep the restaurant going.
“One of the main reasons we’ve decided to not continue is inflation and how expensive everything has become over the past few years,” chef and co-owner Daniel Tsalko said in 2024. “The economy is crazy right now. We’ve been steady but some days are better than others. It’s not as profitable as it once was.”
The family's commute from their home in Rowlett to Arlington was another factor for their closure then, they said.
After receiving an outpouring of support from local diners, the owners decided to keep the restaurant alive. It closed briefly so repairs could be made to the building, and reopened in November 2024.
Customers returned, and they even earned a nomination for Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.
Here in 2026, they're back to rough times.
The restaurant was opened more than 20 years ago by Alexandre Tsalko's father, Mikhail Frumkin, who emigrated from the Eastern European country of Belarus to the North Texas area.
After opening a European-inspired gift shop and bakery at the Galleria mall in Dallas, he expanded the concept, opening A Taste of Europe in 2002 in west Arlington, where he offered an expansive menu of authentic European cuisine. Dishes include beef stroganoff, chicken kiev, red beet soup, potato pancakes, cabbage rolls, pirogues, and sweet and savory crepes.
Mirroring Frumkin’s original concept, the restaurant also housed a gift shop and small grocery area with items imported from various regions of Europe.
A Taste of Europe got a major boost in popularity in 2012 when it was featured on a season 14 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
In the episode, Frumkin and his wife Irina showed host Guy Fieri how to make the restaurant’s signature dish, kolduny - thick, grilled pancakes stuffed with beef and chicken.
After Frumkin retired, he passed the restaurant onto his son Alexandre, who now runs it with his son Daniel.
When the 2024 closure was announced, the family teased that they were considering opening a new restaurant closer to their home in Rowlett.
Could it happen in now?
"No plans yet," Alexandre Tsalko said.
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Malcolm Mayhew contributed to this story.

J. Rae's showing Fort Worth the love once again.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's
J. Rae's new shop will look much like the original.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's
Audrey Dixon and Jana Howell of J. Rae's Bakery.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's