Tag Archives: Texas

by | October 9, 2026 · 4:41 pm

Brunch at Mercat Bistro

Weekend brunch at Mercat Bistro feels a lot like a long Saturday in Paris, only with valet parking. It is a European-style bistro in the Harwood District, and Michelin recommended the place and brunch is one of the easiest ways to see why.

Before you order, know one thing that sets this kitchen apart. Mercat cooks only with beef tallow, rendered in-house from the Harwood District’s own premium beef program, and it uses no nut or seed oils at all. The restaurant calls it a whole-animal, zero-waste approach. It matters most with anything fried, so pay attention to the potato galette and the frites.

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by | October 8, 2026 · 6:24 pm

What Actually Happened in the 2026 Michelin Guide for Dallas and Fort Worth

Fort Worth finally has its Michelin star, and it went to a barbecue joint on Dick Price Road. Anyone who has stood in that line on a Saturday morning will tell you it was only a matter of time.

The 2026 Michelin Guide Texas arrived this morning with no ceremony and no red carpet, just a list posted online. North Texas came away with a modest but meaningful update. Here is what actually happened, straight from Michelin’s own selections, and what we make of it.

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by | October 8, 2026 · 2:12 pm

Attractions & Bargains at the State Fair of Texas

Most people do the State Fair of Texas the same way every year. Say hello to Big Tex, ride the Texas Star, find this year’s fried oddity, grab a corny dog, and head home full and sunburned. That is a perfectly good day. But Fair Park is 277 acres of Art Deco buildings, gardens and museums, and a lot of the best of it sits a few steps off the Midway, where the crowds never seem to look. With the Fair running through October 18, here is where to wander.

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by | October 7, 2026 · 12:45 pm

Dallas Iconic Dish: Dean’s Tortilla Soup at Fearing’s

The bowl comes to the table almost empty. A neat little pile of smoked chicken, shredded cabbage, radish, avocado, cheddar and tortilla strips sits in the bottom, and then a server pours the broth over all of it right in front of you. It is a small bit of theater for a soup that has been part of Dallas dining for more than four decades. Dean’s Tortilla Soup at Fearing’s is one of the most famous bowls of soup in Texas, and it took a long road to get here.

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by | October 7, 2026 · 11:12 am

Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day Is October 26. Here Is Where to Start

Monday, October 26, is Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day, and yes, it is official. In 2011 the Texas House of Representatives passed House Resolution 1419, sponsored by state Rep. Ralph Sheffield of Temple, recognizing the date. The push came from Dallas hospitality veteran Jeffrey Yarbrough and singer Jimmy Baldwin, who figured a state that has a holiday for nearly everything ought to have one for its signature plate. The resolution notes that restaurants were already celebrating the second annual observance that fall, so the tradition actually started in 2010.

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by | October 6, 2026 · 12:21 pm

What to Watch When Michelin Reveals Its 2026 Texas List Thursday

Come Thursday morning, a lot of chefs in Dallas and Fort Worth will be hitting refresh on their email.

The Michelin Guide will release its third Texas selection on Thursday, October 8. This time there’s no ceremony. The last two years, Michelin threw a big night in Houston and chefs found out in front of a room full of their peers. This year the stars, Bib Gourmands and Recommended picks show up in a press release.

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by | September 24, 2026 · 2:53 pm

Shady’s Burgers Turns 10 in Lake Highlands, and the Party Runs Through Sunday

Shady’s Burgers & Brewhaha started with five neighbors, a backyard fire pit and a few beers.

That was 2012, in the Canyon Creek neighborhood of Richardson. Greg Cooney, Don Bouvier, Anthony Bolner, Dave Swiney and Steve Gumbert were sitting around Bolner’s fire pit talking about what the neighborhood was missing. What they landed on was a place with good burgers, cold beer and a patio where families could hang out on a weeknight. None of them had ever run a restaurant.

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by | September 24, 2026 · 1:08 pm

Isaac Rousso Brings Fair Park’s Old Mill Inn Back to Life

The paddlewheel is turning again at Fair Park.

If you grew up going to the State Fair, you know the Old Mill Inn by sight. It’s the timber-and-stone building on Grand Avenue with the big water wheel out front. After the pandemic it went dark and stayed that way for years. This fair season it’s open again as a full-service restaurant and bar, and when the gates open on Friday, September 25, it will be feeding anyone who needs a break from the Midway.

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