New Coal Vines, possibly Plano’s Best Pizza, opens Wednesday

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Samir Dhurandhar with his wife, Lori

Christina La Barba with Samir Dhurandhar

Samir Dhurandhar with his mmmmeatball pizza

Coal fires the oven

Co-owner Jim Hammonds

Coal Vines, the coal-fueled pizza bistro from restaurateurs Joe Palladino and Phil Romano, is opening a location in Plano’s Shops of Legacy Wednesday, April 27. The original Uptown restaurant and wine bar opened in 2006.

Vines over Texas, a company co-owned by Jim Hammond and Larry Klinghoffer, is the developer of the Plano Coal Vines and acquired the rights to open nine more in Texas, Palladino said during a private preview last weekend. Like the original pizza lounge in Uptown, the new Coal Vines shares the look of an industrial rehab: exposed brick walls, heavy red drapery, oversize mirrors, tall ceilings, dark woods, plenty of wine bottles and a buzzy patio. The restaurant serves New York style pizzas cooked in a coal and gas fueled oven, which produces pies with appealingly charred crusts.

Samir Dhuradhar, the Executive Chef of the original Coal Vines as well as Nick and Sam’s Steakhouse and Nick and Sam’s Grill, developed and oversees the menu of pizzas, pastas and proteins such as salmon. Coal Vines serves wine and beer but no mixed drinks.

With mild weather forecast for the next two weeks, look for Saturday and Sunday brunch to be exceptionally busy.

Coal Vines, 7300 Lone Star Drive (Legacy and the Tollway), Plano.

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