The Big Texas Beer Fest (Courtesy photo)

Tasty Notes is a roundup of food and restaurant news including specials, local food news, dining events and more around the area.

Get hoppy – one big time beer festival returns this month

Beer lovers can rejoice as the annual Big Texas Beer Fest will return to the Fair Park automobile building on March. 26. This year’s 10th anniversary festival will feature more than 450 beers, ciders, seltzers, hard kombuchas (what?) and more beverage from more than 100 breweries. The event will also feature local food trucks, vendors, live music and a vintage arcade.

“Big Texas Beer Fest has become a tradition among friends and brewers alike. We love making our festival’s mantra of ‘Connecting people through beer’ a reality,” festival organizer Chad Montgomery said in a press release.

Founded in 2012, the event has also served as a fundraiser for the North Texas Food Bank. Proceeds from the festival have totaled close to $60,000 for the organization since the festival’s beginning.

Attendance to the Beer Fest is expected to exceed 5,000.

“Keeping up with the breweries throughout the year comes naturally when you’re friends with them. We plan all year for this huge party where we can show the attendees what our friends have been working on day in and day out,” event co-founder Nellie Montgomery said in the release.

The one-day festival will run from 3-7 p.m. with VIP doors opening at 2 p.m. Paid parking is available but due to the nature of the event, the organizers recommend the nearby DART Green Line or ride service like Lyft or Uber. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

This new spring-inspired margarita makes for a bueno Dia

The Butterfly Effect margarita by Mi Dia. (Courtesy photo)

March kicked off springtime on day one and Mi Dia From Scratch isn’t missing a beat. The restaurant announced a new margarita to go with patio-drinking and sunny days. This margarita-of-the-month gets rid of the winter doldrums and put springtime in your mouth.

The Butterfly Effect features elderflower liquor, house-made strawberry infused agave, fresh pineapple puree, rhubarb bitters, mint, Casamigos Blanco, and a floater of butterfly pea tea over an orchid filled ice sphere. Yes, please.

The drink will be available at all three locations (Plano, Grapevine and Flower Mound) through March 31.

Spring Break deals

Somehow Spring Break is already happening in area schools. Families can catch a break at El Chico or Cantina Laredo Frisco where the Kids Eat Free promotion runs March 7-11. Those aged 12 and younger will receive a free meal from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult entrée.

March Madness deals

OnDeck Concepts locations are getting ready to make your hoop dreams happy ones with this year’s March Madness. BoomerJack’s Grill and Bar locations, Bedford Ice House and Sidecar Social will all offer deals on beers and shots. From March 13-April 4, each will featured $15 domestic buckets and $20 specialty buckets, $3 Coors Light drafts and Hornitos shots for $4.

National Food Days Calendar

Did you know that National Meatball Day is March 9? Sfereco does. The restaurant will offer its traditional meatballs for $1 a pop all day. To wash them down, its specialty cocktails will be available for $5. Balls will be avaialbe at its three locations: Lewisville, Flower Mound, downtown.

– Rich Lopez