It’s nearly impossible to find a more charming Texas city than Grapevine. From its namesake wineries and tasting rooms lining the town’s historic Main Street to multiple annual festivals that draw visitors from all over the world, it’s a place so unique from anywhere else in North Texas that it feels like you’re on a real vacation.
Close enough to any DFW city for a day trip, Grapevine can keep you entertained and well fed, even if you’re not staying overnight. (But staying is encouraged.) Whether you have a few hours or a full weekend to spare, Grapevine’s restaurant and bar scene has some excellent options. If you’ve got a hankering for spicy Tex-Mex, authentic French cuisine, a towering Chicago deli sandwich, or a big, juicy, cowboy-sized steak, you’ll find it in Grapevine.
Check out these top spots for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or simply a quick happy hour snack and a tall glass of Texas wine.
Oldwest Cafe
Since 1999, Oldwest Cafe has been serving up massive breakfasts (and lunches) to legions of loyal fans in towns across DFW, and the Grapevine location quickly became a hit when it debuted in 2010. That’s a whole lot of chicken fried steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and the café’s signature flapjacks with peach cobbler, chocolate chip, and cinnamon swirl among the nine varieties. For a little-taste-of-everything breakfast, get the Rustler and choose two flapjacks from the list, two eggs your way, two pieces of bacon or sausage, and a breakfast side. 600 W. Northwest Hwy., Grapevine, oldwestcafe.com
Winewood Grill
This elegant restaurant showcases high-quality steaks, fresh seafood, and a variety of internationally inspired creations, from tenderloin bruschetta and Szechuan-style calamari to New Zealand rack of lamb and jambalaya pasta. Weekend brunch is a wonderful time to visit when you can enjoy lobster and crab benedict, chicken and waffles, and a traditional French croque madame. And true to its name, the wine list has some terrific options, from Texas and beyond. 1265 S. Main St., Grapevine, thewinewood.com
Harvest Hall
If you’re visiting Grapevine with a group and everyone’s indecisive, a food hall might be the most logical stop. Located inside Hotel Vin, Harvest Hall features eight food concepts and two bars, plus daily events, including live music, trivia nights, and themed get-togethers. Grab a snack at Dynamite Eggrolls or Main Line Coffee Bar, or go for a full meal from Firebawks Hot Chicken and Pizza By Luigi. With multiple indoor and outdoor dining areas, you can claim a spot that fits your vibe. 815 S. Main St., Grapevine, harvesthall.com
Bacchus Kitchen & Bar Grapevine
Hotel Vin’s main restaurant celebrates the grape with a wine-driven menu featuring global flavors and ingredients to breathe new life into American favorites. Savor red crab cacio e pepe bucatini, Angus meatloaf au poivre, or a generous Iberico pork chop, each available perfectly paired with the wine of your choice. Pop in for budget-friendly happy hour every Sunday to Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. to enjoy $7 cocktails, $8 glasses of wine, and $9 smashburgers and other food options. 215 E. Dallas Rd., Grapevine, bacchustx.com
Weinberger’s Deli
If you’re seeking a sandwich that takes two hands to hold, look no further than this Chicago-style deli, which debuted in 1952 up north in actual Chicago. When owner Dan Weinberger moved the business to Grapevine in 2002, locals discovered the simple pleasures of an expertly made sandwich. The Reuben with hot corned beef and pastrami with melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on toasted marble rye is a top-seller for a reason. So is the whopping Dagwood made with ham, roast beef, turkey, American, muenster, and Swiss cheeses, red onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a garlic grilled onion roll. Get either with baked potato salad or jalapeño slaw for a primo pairing. 601 S. Main St., Grapevine, weinbergersdeli.com
Chez Fabien
Step into a classic French cafe without needing to show a boarding pass at Grapevine-based DFW International Airport. Escargot en croute, lobster bisque, French onion soup (with loads of melted Gruyère and flaky puff pastry), chicken paillard, mussels and frites, and succulent duck confit represent but a few of the most traditional dishes. 316 S. Main St., Grapevine, chezfabienbistro.com
Cafe Italia
Twirl your fork around a heaping portion of linguine and clams, spaghetti with marinara and meatballs, or creamy chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and you’ll soon have a huge smile on your face. Add on some stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread, and perhaps a big platter of chicken parm, and you’ll have an Italian feast that’ll give you plenty to share with friends and still have enough to take a few leftovers back home. Plus, that’ll leave room for a spoonful of old-school spumoni ice cream. 505 W. Northwest Hwy., Grapevine, cafeitalia-grapevine.com
Dino’s Steak and Claw House
Sometimes an occasion calls for an elegant, white-tablecloth, candlelit dinner. At Dino’s, a piano player sets the mood, while contemporary works displayed from local artists add to the allure. On the menu, surf-and-turf options abound, from starters of horseradish steamed crab claws and beef filet crostini to main course options of Prime steaks, rack of lamb, and potato-wrapped halibut. Pair with wine by the glass or bottle from a well-curated list, and you’ll have a meal to remember for a long time to come. 342 S. Main St. #200, Grapevine, dinossteakandclaw.net
Tolbert’s Restaurant & Chili Parlor
Start practicing your best, “Yee haw!”, because this saloon-style, downhome southern joint can bring out the country side of anyone’s personality. Of course, it’s right there in the restaurant name, but a traditional, no-bean Texas “bowl of red” should be at the top of your wish list. But you’d be crazy to miss the chicken fried steak, brisket tacos, or fried catfish, too. If you want your chili and main course together, kill two birds with one sandwich and try the Terlingua burger, topped with a generous portion of Texas red chili and two crispy onion rings. 423 S. Main St., Grapevine, tolbertsrestaurant.com
Mi Dia From Scratch
Chef Gabriel DeLeon’s fusion approach to Mexican food blends the flavors and techniques of recipes from Mexico City, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and good ol’ Tex-Mex from right here in the Lone Star State. The colorful dining room and patio offer an elevated experience with several must-try dishes. Start with the earthy, truffly huitlacoche quesadillas with jack cheese and roasted veggies. Try the Hatch chile tacos with skirt steak and New Mexico red chile, artisanal duck carnitas street tacos, or a create-your-own Tex-Mex combo to get a full taste of his culinary vision. 1295 S. Main St., Grapevine, midiafromscratch.com
PIAF
The upscale Mediterranean menu brings dishes together from countries all over the region, highlighting favorites from Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey, sometimes with a little Texas fusion for good measure. (Falafel tacos, anyone?) Try the seafood-packed, saffron-accented paella, 16-hour braised Halal lamb shank, or charred cauliflower with tahini yogurt sauce and marcona almonds for a global spread that will thrill your palate. 129 S. Main St. Ste. 130, Grapevine, piafkitchen.com
Mac’s On Main
Chef/owner Rena Frost brings a first-rate dining experience to Main Street with crowd-pleasing favorites—from slow-roasted prime rib and Greater Omaha Premium & Prime steaks to pan-grilled rainbow trout and crawfish étoufée. Start your meal with butter-sautéed blue crab fingers or grilled sea scallops with blue corn tortillas, then add on unlimited family-style salad with mixed greens, house dressing, and bleu cheese crumbles to create your own multi-course meal. 909 S. Main St. #110, macsteak.com
Esparza’s Restaurante Mexicano
The only way for Esparza’s to keep its title as the Margarita Capital of Texas is for you to order at least one. That’s right, based on the volume of margaritas sold inside a quaint late-1800s home, this Tex-Mex icon has become a legendary purveyor of good times. Start with a Big Daddy margarita-sangria swirl and a deep-fried avocado stuffed with cheese and chicken or brisket. That’ll slow the hunger pangs while you decide between their famous sizzling fajitas or a San Antonio-style puffed taco platter. 124 E. Worth St., Grapevine, esparzastexas.com
Wine Fusion Winery
Get a table on the patio at this casual wine-centric restaurant, and you’ll be right in the middle of the action along Main Street. Wine Fusion offers a menu of pub favorites, including spinach-artichoke dip, chips and queso, half-pound Angus burgers, and three different styles of fish and chips (the hot honey variation is a nice twist). To drink, try one of the 20 wines made by Wine Fusion, venture into the full list of more than 200 vinos, or opt for one of their famous frozen daiquiris. 603 S. Main St., Ste. 304, Grapevine, winefusionwinery.com
Pinch of Salt Pastries & Coffee
Listen to the little devil sitting on your shoulder and enjoy a little sugary indulgence at this delightful gluten-free bakery. Everything baked here can be enjoyed by people with wheat allergies or intolerances while getting a legit pastry experience. Fill your bag with cupcakes, donuts, brownies, cookies, muffins, and even savory quiches and brioche kolaches for walk-around snacks or to take back home for a small taste of Grapevine whenever you desire. 1900 Main St., Ste. 103, Grapevine, pinchofsaltpastries.com
Old Hickory Steakhouse
The Gaylord Texan offers resort guests and visitors numerous dining options, but if you only have time for one, make it Old Hickory. The restaurant launched in 1977 and joined the Gaylord lineup in 2004, giving it a near-50-year history in the community and an indisputable track record of excellence. Discover plenty of steakhouse classics done to perfection, including Oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, and Beef Wellington for two, plus sides like asparagus, lobster mac, and the over-the-top Billionaire’s Baked Potato, loaded with black truffle, bacon, caviar, crème fraiche, and edible gold leaf. 1501 Gaylord Tr., Grapevine, marriott.com
