Movie Theater Foods Revamped

Go for the grub; stay for the show

We'll always hold a special place in our hearts for Red Vines at the movies, but sometimes we crave a more substantial snack. And we're not alone: Three new spots are reinventing cinema fare, swapping Skittles for full meals and R-rated cocktails.

Dallas At Tre Wilcox's new scene stealer, Marquee Grill and Bar, diners can sip specialty cocktails on the upstairs balcony, which doubles as the marquee for Highland Park Village Theater. Dishes such as spice-rubbed chicken thighs and shrimp and grits will sate you before you slip through the restaurant's private theater entrance to catch a show.

Round Rock, Texas Recruit the lauded brew master Justin Rizza to run your microbrewery, and you're guaranteed to have a drink-worthy destination. But the brewhouse Flix also adds movies to the mix. Choose among 42 craft beers, including plenty of domestic stalwarts, before pushing a button on your personal gliding table to signal a server that you're ready to order.

New York We've heard of cheese pairings, chocolate pairings and even sushi pairings, but the just-opened Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn pairs its plates to what's on the screen. Chef Saul Bolton (of Saul and the Vanderbilt) matches cleverly: to wit, Midnight in Paris and country pâté or Tabloid with a "chloroform" cocktail. Even traditional snacks such as popcorn are reconsidered: We scored the recipe for Bolton's addictive cotija-and-lime-flecked kernels (click here to see the recipe), ideal for movie marathons at home.