The Farmer Diaries

Texas farmer debunks idea of a fall garden

With summer winding down, the gardening talk often turns to the idea of a fall garden. To me, the idea of a fall garden is misleading and has confused me since childhood. I can remember getting it in my head to plant pumpkins; nothing seems more associated with an autumn harvest. But pumpkins actually need a long time to grow and must be planted at the beginning of summer in order to be ready by Halloween.

If you want to enjoy tomatoes in the fall, they need to be planted by the Fourth of July. It's no different for kale and Swiss chard. In order to get them ready for harvest this winter, I'll begin their seeds in starter trays at the peak of summer. So, really what is this fall garden idea?

The rest of the country may have four seasons with a real winter, but Texas has two, and that's why we can grow food year-round.

The reality is that anything can grow anywhere, at any time of the year, if it has the right conditions of nutrients, air, light and heat. Air is a given. Nutrients are supplied through a well-maintained soil. It's almost always sunny here. That leaves heat as the only condition that dictates when we can plant a crop.

That said, there are boundaries. Crops generally fall into two categories: hot season crops and cool season crops, and that correlates perfectly with Texas' two seasons. The rest of the country may have four seasons with a real winter, but Texas has two, and that's why we can grow food year-round.

Hot season crops include cantaloupe, tomatoes, watermelon, peppers, okra, squash and everything else that can bear the summer heat. Melons actually require summer heat to turn sweet. Cool season crops are mostly lettuce and other greens that wilt or become too bitter in the heat, along with broccoli and a few root crops.

As the August heat comes to an end, I'll prepare my raised bed garden for a few cool season crops:

Root vegetables such as beets, carrots, radishes and rutabagas; I sow carrots almost year-round.
Cabbage and sturdy greens such as kale, collards, turnip and mustard greens.
Lighter greens including spinach, Swiss chard and cilantro, all of which are relatively easy to grow; I've seen cilantro survive a rare arctic blast that has knocked out everything else.

I had success with lettuce last year for the first time. I've never had luck with broccoli or cauliflower, but I'll try again.

I'll start start sowing at the beginning of September. I'll double back with carrots and beets and sow more seeds every few weeks, all the way through November, because once these are harvested, they produce no more. One big benefit to gardening during the cool season is that most pests and weeds have become dormant. Cool season crops are about as trouble-free as gardening gets.

Successively sown carrots supply an endless harvest on Marshall Hinsley's garden.

Photo by Marshall Hinsley

Successively sown carrots supply an endless harvest on Marshall Hinsley's garden.

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Holiday dining

Master list of Dallas restaurants serving Easter brunch in 2026

Adolphus

Easter 2026 falls on April 5.

Before brunch was the staple it is today, there was Easter brunch. (Although maybe in olden times, they called it lunch.) Whatever it was called, the migration to munch following Easter Sunday services is a tradition that dates back decades.

In more recent years, brunch has evolved into a weekly celebration — but the Easter Sunday brunch will always remain a standout brunch and thus deserves its own list.

In 2026, Easter falls slightly on the early side: April 5. That's less than a month away. Never too soon to get those reservations in.

Here's our list of restaurants serving Easter brunch in Dallas for 2026. Bookmark it and check back. We'll add more as restaurants reveal their menus.

Adolphus. The downtown Dallas hotel will host Easter brunch in the Grand Ballroom with omelets, seafood, carving stations, pastry, and Easter-themed sweets, plus a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. $140, or $50 for children 12 and under. 214-742-8200.

Asador. Renaissance Hotel restaurant will host buffet featuring chilled seafood, omelet and carving stations, spring salads, charcuterie, and desserts. Stop for photos at the spring floral arch in the lobby. 10 am-3 pm, last seating at 2:30 pm. $95, or $40 for 12 and under.

Blue Mesa Grill. Southwestern chain will serve brunch with beef tenderloin chimichurri, glazed ham, red chile salmon, a build-your-own street taco bar, omelets, huevos rancheros, and waffles with fried chicken. Dessert will feature flan, sopapilla cheesecake, and fruit cobblers. Mimosas included. $45, or $15 for 11 and under. 8 am-4 pm. Addison 972-934-0165, Plano 214-387-4407, Fort Worth 817-332-6372.

Commons Club. Virgin Dallas hotel restaurant will host a four-course feast featuring shareables, off-menu entrees, dessert station, mimosas, and Bloody Marys. Seatings at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm. $65, or $35 for 12 and under. Note: The Easter menu is the only dining option available during brunch.

Dakota's Steakhouse. Chef-inspired three-course brunch featuring seasonal dishes including lobster omelet, steak & eggs, smashburger, carrot cupcakes, and stuffed French toast. $58, or $30 for 12 and under. 10:30 am-2 pm. At dinner, it's Prime Rib Sunday from 5-9 pm.

Dee Lincoln Prime. Frisco steakhouse will host a special Easter menu with crabcakes, Nutella stuffed French toast, eggs Benedict, and 14-oz Prime rib. Plus regular menu selections such as filet duo and lobster mac & cheese. 10:30 am-2:30 pm. Dinner 3-10 pm.

Dolce Riviera. Brunch buffet featuring Italian favorites and brunch classics including bruschetta bar, salads, omelets, carving station, pasta, dessert station, and brunch cocktails. From 12-2 pm, the Easter Bunny will be available for photos. 10 am-4 pm. $90, or $40 for 12 and under.

El Carlos Elegante. Three-course Easter brunch served family-style will include crab cake tostada & squash tetelita, plus choices from yellowfin ceviche with osetra caviar and aguachile, empanadas poblano with chicken, Torrejas tres leches with fruit, Prime beef carne asada with chilaquiles & eggs, halibut a la Veracruzana, or roasted shishitos with crème fraîche, plus guava cheesecake for dessert. 11 am-3 pm. $99.

Golden Corral. Grill-buffet chain has brought back its All-You-Can-Eat Butterfly Shrimp & Steak special in time for Easter, featuring sirloin and shrimp — adding a surf-and-turf experience for $19 to their regular buffet, which is $15 at lunch and $19 at dinner. Available through April 19, from 11 am-9 pm at all seven DFW locations in Arlington, Grapevine, Grand Prairie, Dallas, Fort Worth, Mesquite, and North Richland Hills.

Hôtel Swexan. Annual Easter Bunny Brunch in the Grand Ballroom will feature chef specialties, spring desserts, and full-service bar with cocktails, sparkling selections, and non-alcoholic options. Three seatings: 9:30 am, 12 pm, and 2:30 p.m. $105, or $50 for 12 and under.

Lombardi Cucina Italiana. Italian restaurant at the Star in Frisco will host Easter brunch or dinner with chef specials alongside regular menu of authentic Italian pastas and seafood. 11 am-3 pm, dinner until 10 pm.

Mercat Bistro. Three-course brunch with seasonal starters, entrees, dessert, and seasonal drinks, with seating in open-air gazebo or dining room. 10 am-4 pm. $85, or $35 for 12 and under.

Mister Charles. Luxurious three-course brunch will feature choices from oysters with French 75 granita, crabcake with kohlrabi salad, brioche French toast with bananas foster and chantilly, beef filet with sauce bordelaise, halibut with sauce vierge, peekeytoe crab eggs benedict with uni hollandaise, pistachio tiramisu, or chocolate gateau with caffe latte gelato. 11 am-3 pm. $125.

Night Rooster. Design District restaurant will host a special dim sum brunch. 10 am-3 pm. Dinner service at 5 pm.

Nuri Steakhouse. Award-winning steakhouse will host special Easter brunch — a rare daytime experience. 11 am-2 pm.

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas. Knife Steakhouse will host a lavish brunch with carving stations, raw bar, pastas swirled in a Parmesan wheel, wood-fired pizza, and a showstopping dessert display. Plus a family-friendly hands-on egg-decorating experience led by the pastry team.. $135, or $65 for 12 and under. 12-4 pm. 972-717-0700.

The Saint. Italian steakhouse in the Dallas Design District will host Italian-inspired brunch 10 am-3 pm, plus regular dinner service at 5 pm.

Saint Ann. Three-course brunch with refined interpretations of American brunch classics, and seasonal drink specials. The Easter Bunny will be available from 11 am-2 pm, and there'll be live music on the patio from 11 am-3 pm. 10 am-4 pm. $60, or $30 for 12 and under.

Sanjh. Upscale Indian restaurant will host Easter buffet with offerings that include kachumber & chickpea salad, deviled eggs, butter chicken, shahi paneer Makhana, and a chaat station with gol gappe and dahi bhalla papri. Plus desserts including mango cheesecake and gulab jamun. 11 am-3 pm. $65, or $32.50 for 12 and under.

SĒR Steak + Spirits. Brunch buffet with "egg hunt" station featuring lobster deviled eggs and egg dippers action station; carving spread with ham, pastrami pork belly porchetta, rotisserie chicken, and beef tomahawk; waffle & pancake station; pastries, macarons, panna cotta, flourless chocolate cake, and a chocolate fountain. 9 am-2 pm. $95, or $35 for 12 and under. Regular dinner menu also available.

Silver Fox Steakhouse. Richardson steakhouse will open early for a brunch with an Easter special: beef tenderloin benedict with asparagus and fingerling potatoes for $69. Brunch cocktails include bloody Mary with Tito’s Vodka, mimosa, and Southern Socialite with Garrison Brothers HoneyDew Bourbon, Aperol, Reàl Strawberry, bitters, and prosecco. 11 am-4 pm.

Sister. Greenville Avenue restaurant will host a three-course brunch with za’atar focaccia with chili olive tapenade, piquillo tahini dip with crudité & pita, smoked salmon carpaccio, cacio e pepe lumache, beef tenderloin with chimichurri, shakshuka in Vadouvan tomato sauce, bengali potatoes with currant & poblano chutney, and olive oil cake with raspberry ganache. 11 am-3 pm. $79. 214-888-8660.

III Forks. Steakhouse will open early for a special Sunday brunch featuring three Benedicts: beef tenderloin, crabcake, and lobster, served with asparagus and fingerling potatoes, $59 -$69. Brunch cocktails include bloody Mary with Tito’s Vodka, mimosa, and Southern Socialite with Garrison Brothers HoneyDew Bourbon, Aperol, Reàl Strawberry, bitters, and prosecco. 11 am-3 pm. Plus full menu 11 am-8 pm. Frisco 972-267-1776, Addison 945-299-1776.

Urban Italia. Brunch at Victory Park restaurant will feature Italian salumi & cheeses, Caprese and Caesar salad, crabcakes, shrimp cocktail, omelets, frittatas, penne vodka, meatballs, Atlantic salmon, Italian ricotta cheesecake, and tiramisu. April 5. 10 am-3 pm. $75 for adults, $38 for 12 and under.

Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse. West End restaurant will offer a three-course meal with lobster bisque, chicken-fried quail, buffalo filet oscar, and pecan crusted trout. $68. 11 am-4 pm.

brunch holidays easter brunch