Jason Garrett is trading his playbook for a menu. The former Dallas Cowboys head coach made a surprising career change, opening a new Italian restaurant yesterday in the heart of Dallas.

Yesterday, the former Cowboys’ head coach, Jason Garrett, opened Caffe Lucca (@CaffeLuccadallas) based out of the Knox district in Dallas.

For his passion project other than football, he teamed up with the genius Julian Barsotti, the mind behind the local favorites Nonna-Dallas @NonnaDallas and FACHINI Ristorante @FachiniDallas.

Jason Garrett left the NFL in November 2021 when his role as an offensive coordinator came to an end with the New York Giants.

After his retirement, he traveled to Italy quite a few times. With the agenda of bringing back the exact “long dinner” energy back home to Dallas, he pursued his idea through Caffe Lucca. 

While searching for his avenues to make his debut, he initially thought of starting a coffee shop. But a trip to Bologna, the "kitchen" of Italy, inspired him to pivot to the Sicilian concept.

Julian Barsotti himself is a successful chef and restaurateur and an admirer of diverse cultures that actually influenced the Sicilian style of cooking. This includes Greek, Roman, and North African roots.

To facilitate the guests, he also made a suggestion for the order. He recommends starting with the bread with the saffron butter. Next, try the “per la tavola” crudite platewith the olive-anchovy tapenade and poblano-muhammara.

And for the main course, give a shot to busiate pasta or the yogurt-marinated “Butter Chicken di Moro”.

For a smaller bite, the menu offers Sicilian American Arancini or sweet and spicy cauliflower.

They have started taking reservations. To enjoy your bite, you have to visit 4445 Travis St., right off the Katy Trail. They are open for seven days. For this week, they are only serving dinner, but a lot of other avenues are opening by next spring.

Former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Built a Respected Legacy on the Football Field

Jason Garrett began his coaching journey shortly after his playing days, stepping into the league in 2005 as the quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins. By 2007, Garrett was running the offense as the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

He was named interim head coach in 2010 before taking over the role full-time. Over nearly a decade from 2007 to 2019 in Dallas, Garrett led the team to an 85–67 regular-season record, a .559 win percentage, and multiple playoff appearances. 

His 2016 season stood out, guiding the Cowboys to a 13–3 record and earning NFL Coach of the Year honors.

Garrett built his teams around balance and discipline, leaning on strong offensive line play and efficient quarterback performance. 

After his time with the Cowboys ended following the 2019 season, Garrett moved to the New York Giants as offensive coordinator. The move came as Dallas looked for a fresh direction, while Garrett sought a new opportunity to stay connected to the game in a different role.

Now 60 years old, Garrett’s career reflects years of leadership, structure, and consistency in the NFL. That same approach, built over decades in the field, now carries into his next chapter beyond football in the name of Caffe Lucca.

You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote