Dallasites101

11/17/2025

11/17/2025

OLD SCHOOL DALLAS SPOTS THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

In a city where new restaurants open every week, there’s something special about the classics that have been serving Dallas for decades. From iconic steakhouses and family-run diners to seafood institutions and drive-ins, these local favorites have become part of Dallas’ culinary story and they’re still going strong today!

Let us know your favorite spot or if we missed any in the comments!


TJs Seafood Market & Grill is where Dallas diners have enjoyed some of the city’s freshest seafood since 1989! Fall always brings seasonal favorites like caviar, Florida stone crabs, New Zealand ora king salmon, Maine lobster and more. Make sure to swing by for Lobster Night every Monday, half price wine bottles on Tuesdays and $2.50 Oysters every Sunday!

MORE DALLAS STAPLES

1911:

1918:

1939:

1950: Keller’s Drive-In

1950: Goff’s Burgers

1950:

1955:

1956:

1957:

1961:

1966:

1971:

1976:

1977:

1980:

1981:

1984:

1985:

1985:

1987:

1987: Louie’s

1988:

1989:

1993:

11/16/2025

DFW Restaurants and Food Banks Offering Free Meals Right Now

Now more than ever, we want to ensure that no one in DFW goes without food. Thankfully, our generous city is home to a wide network of food pantries and mobile distribution sites, offering a variety of locations and services to help neighbors access nutritious groceries and support. Several local restaurants have also stepped up to offer free meals to those in need! Explore the list below.

FOOD PANTRIES
Our friends at the helped us in sourcing this list!

/ Oak Cliff
/ Collin County
/ West Dallas
/ multiple locations
/ Collin County
/ Southwest Dallas
/ South Dallas
/ East Dallas
/ Collin County
/ NW Dallas
/ South Dallas
/ Oak Cliff
/ Richardson
/ multiple locations
/ multiple locations
/ Plano
/ Central Dallas
/ North Dallas
/ East Dallas

FREE & DISCOUNTED FOOD
: show SNAP card for a free ¼ lb bag of coffee every Saturday / Cedars
: free cheese quesadilla for anyone under 18 / McKinney
: free kids meal with purchase of adult entree every Tuesday / Lewisville
: free meals for kids until SNAP benefits are restored / Richardson and Flower Mound
: free kids’ meals every Tuesday / multiple locations, varies
: all kids get a free meal / Denton
: free meals for kids until SNAP benefits are restored / Richardson


HOW YOU CAN HELP

Know of a local spot providing support? Comment below so we can add them to the list! If you are a restaurant offering free or discounted meals and want to be added to our website article, please reach out to [email protected] with details.

Comment 💙for the full list of DFW resources!

11/14/2025

10 SPOTS TO ENJOY HOLIDAY TEA AROUND DALLAS THIS YEAR! 🫖

One of our favorite ways to celebrate the season is with holiday tea… either a long morning or afternoon sipping tea and enjoying light bites! We’ve rounded up 10 of the best spots in Dallas to do just that!

P.S. Spots fill up fast, so make your reservations now!

ALEXANDER TEA ROOM / East Dallas
Cozy living room style tea room with elegant decorations, sweet & savory bites, and bubbles.

/ Oak Lawn
A traditional Afternoon Tea experience with sweet and savory bites, served with white linen & china.

/ White Rock
Three-course experience with soup, sandwiches, and sweet treats, plus admission to the gardens.

FORESTWOOD GARDEN TEA ROOM / Preston Hollow
Sip on tea and shop for antique treasures with a unique menu of burgers, sandwiches, and salads to go with your tea experience.

/ Uptown
Enjoy a sophisticated afternoon tea in the Great Hall & Conservatory, with the option to add endless champagne to your meal for 1.5 hours!

/ Frisco & Prosper
Enjoy their Holiday Tea service, with specialty coffee and cocktails, plus Breakfast with Santa events on specific weekends from Nov 21 to Dec 31!

/ Uptown
Enjoy a chic and elevated afternoon High Tea, with delicate teas, delectable finger sandwiches, and decadent pastries!

/ Bishop Arts
Offering colorful tea blends, locally roasted coffees, homemade breads, internationally inspired pastries, and of course Mrs. Cris’ delectable cakes!

/ Frisco
Afternoon Tea Experience with authentic French pastries and holiday-themed treats with Winter Wonderland Decor!

/ Preston Village
Take a quick trip to the French countryside with a variety of imported teas for a Parisian experience!

11/14/2025

A BEAUTIFUL 40-ACRE VINEYARD 45 MINUTES FROM DALLAS, NOW IN HOLIDAY MODE!

This easy going family owned vineyard is nestled in the burbs north of Dallas, and feels like a little getaway! We love going there on a date night or family outing, and had to share the upcoming concerts and events they have going on this season!

THE VINEYARD
Located in Anna about 40 minutes from Dallas, Barnhill Vineyards is a hidden gem that sits on a beautiful 40-acre lot. Meet horses and donkeys, listen to live music, enjoy Texas wine and food trucks, and take in the beautiful views. The vineyard’s owners are committed to having weekly concerts with great cover/tribute bands, food trucks, wine, and more!

SATURDAY WINE TASTINGS
Every Saturday at 12pm, there are guided wine tastings with live acoustic music from rotating local artists! The only exception is 11/29 when they will be having a Christmas Sip n Shop instead, with a holiday vendor market, live music, and wine!

FALL AND HOLIDAY LINEUP
11/21: Foreigner tribute by Double Vision HTX
11/28: The Best of Disco Hits by Disco Inferno Band
11/29: Country Christmas Concert
12/9: Christmas Jazz Night
12/13: A Merry Barnhill Christmas with Jingle (family friendly)
12/31: NYE Bash with hay bale drop at 10pm and 80s cover band, Last Stand Rock

GOOD TO KNOW
Purchase your tickets ahead of time and bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, stocked-up coolers, snacks, and nonalcoholic bevs! Upon arrival, you’ll also receive a super cute wine glass to sip from for the night!

Comment 🍷for ticket link!

11/13/2025

YOUR GUIDE TO THE CHRISTMAS CAPITAL OF TEXAS! 🎅🏼✨

From millions of twinkling lights to festive parades and more than 1,400 events over 40 days, the holiday season in Grapevine is what Christmas dreams are made of! Explore all of the magic the Christmas Capital of Texas has to offer below!

37TH ANNUAL CAROL OF LIGHTS
A street lighting event to kick off the Christmas Capital of Texas on 11/24! Enjoy a walking light tour, performances, activities, and more!

WINTER WONDERLAND BUBBLES
Hotel Vin’s WineYard lawn transforms into a Winter Wonderland with bubbles decked out with après ski-lodge décor. Cozy up inside and sip on festive holiday cocktails, wine, and cheese or chocolate fondue, starting 12/3!

PEACE PLAZA ICE RINK
Outdoor ice rink in the heart of all the holiday festivities open 11/22-1/6.

LONE STAR CHRISTMAS AT THE
Stroll through the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer themed ice sculptures made from 2 million lbs of colored ice! Plus, enjoy snow tubing, ice skating, photos with Santa, gingerbread decorating, Build-A-Bear workshop, and so much more! Opens 11/14!

SANTA’S NORTH POLE EXPRESS
All aboard a magical 45-minute train ride on the North Pole Express with visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus + their favorite Christmas treats.

HOLLY JOLLY BAR AT
The bar inside Hotel Vin’s Harvest Hall transforms into a Christmas pop-up bar serving festive drinks and decked-out decor. Opens 11/22!

46TH ANNUAL PARADE OF LIGHTS
Watch as more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands make their way down Historic Main Street on 12/4!

MERRY & BRIGHT DRONE SHOWS
On 12/1 and 12/8 at 7pm, 400 drones will light up the sky over Main Street for a festive Christmas Show!

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS & MOVIES
Head to the Palace Theatre for Christmas concerts and classic Christmas movies in the historic theater!

SNOWLAND AT
An immersive winter wonderland with festivities, games, crafts, and more! Plus, their indoor waterpark stays at 84 degrees so you can still enjoy it during the holidays! Opens 11/24!


For more information on all the events and happenings, head to grapevinetexasusa.com.