This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Chips, queso, and guac — the traditional 103rd birthday present.

It's that time of the year when Oktoberfest events start to pop up around town, and this week's event roundup includes two multi-day festivals. Also on the list: The return of Grapevine's Grapefest, along with an anniversary for a Dallas Tex-Mex chain. Plan ahead for National Punch Day next Monday, because there's an event for that, too.

Wednesday, September 15

El Fenix 103rd Anniversary
The Dallas-based Tex-Mex institution will celebrate its 103rd birthday at all 15 DFW locations with some giveaways. The first 103 customers at each outlet will receive a complimentary cup of queso with an entrée purchase and be entered to win free El Fenix for a year. At the downtown Dallas location, guests can enjoy live mariachi music and dancers, margarita and ranch water samplings, and special guest appearances by members of the Martinez family, who founded the Tex-Mex institution more than a century ago.

Thursday, September 16

35th Annual GrapeFest – A Texas Wine Experience
The largest wine festival in the Southwest is back, this year featuring non-stop live music on four different stages for four days. Headliners include 80s musical titans Berlin and Asia, along with AshenMoon featuring Garry Beers of INXS and Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom. As for the wine, Texas wineries will be well-represented along with this year’s featured guest wineries: Napa Valley and South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Admission is free on Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors (62-plus) and children 6-12.

Addison Oktoberfest
Raise a stein and make room for German sausage, sauerkraut, strudel, giant pretzels, and more at this four-day festival celebrating the traditions of Oktoberfest. There’ll be Bavarian folk dances, carnival rides and midway games, and a special Oktoberfest Paulaner Bier. Admission is free Thursday and Sunday, and $10 Friday and Saturday. For a longer list of Oktoberfests this fall, head over to this story.

Beer vs. Wine Dinner at Vector Brewing
Lake Highlands brewery hosts a four-course dinner accompanied by both a pour of Vector beer and a fine wine from David Mayfield. Courses include roasted bone marrow, cauliflower steak, New Zealand Cervena elk, and white sponge cake with white chocolate and Italian meringue. Speakers include co-owner Craig Bradley, brewer Tommy Gutierrez, sommelier Kelsey Keener, chef Brittany Bryant, and bartender Jorshy French. A reception begins at 7 pm. Tickets are $120, and seating is limited to 30 tickets.

Saturday, September 18

Dallas Farmers Market Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkins have arrived from Floydada, Texas, featuring more than 25 pumpkin varieties. The patch is open every day inside The Shed, from September 18-October 31, Monday-Friday 10 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 10 am-5 pm.

10th Annual FOE BBQ Cookoff
Amateur barbecue event takes place at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the nonprofit organization and East Dallas' favorite poolside hang. There's BBQ, drink specials, axe throwing, and more. This is a charity event with proceeds benefitting the Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention. This year it's presented by Deep Ellum Brewing Co. Tickets are $15, and get you in for BBQ samples from 20 different BBQ teams competing to win your vote for "People's Choice". The awards ceremony is at 5 pm. Parking is limited; ride-sharing, Lyft, or Uber are strongly recommended.

Cotton Candy Release & Concert at Texas Ale Project
Coinciding with the upcoming start of the State Fair of Texas, the Dallas brewery will release its Cotton Candy Pilsner with a party. Visit from 4–10 pm for pints of the sweet and creamy brew, along with live music and grub from Dallas Grilled Cheese food truck. Admission is free before 6:30 pm, and $5 thereafter.

Truck Yard Trucktoberfest
At this inaugural event at both Truck Yard Dallas and Truck Yard Colony, guests can don their lederhosen (if desired) and participate in a lively line-up of Oktoberfest-themed activities, from stein-holding contests to yodeling competitions. There’ll also be a tapping of a 200 year-old keg of Trucktoberfest brew. The event will run Saturday and Sunday starting at 4 pm at both locations and admission is free.

Monday, September 20

National Punch Day at Punch Bowl Social
It’s National Punch Day and it only makes sense that Punch Bowl Social is here for it. All day long, guests can partake in a $10 punch flight. The trio of punches include Watermelon Polo Punch, with reposado tequila and watermelon spearmint tea; Featured Punch, made with Cruzan rum, coconut rum, pomegranate green tea and orange syru; and I’m on a Whiskey Diet with bourbon, pear chamomile tea, blueberry syrup, honey and lemon juice. The Deep Ellum restaurant and entertainment venue is open from 4 pm to midnight on Monday.

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Crepe News

Sweet Paris crepe chain folds in another Dallas location in Addison

Photo by Julie Soefer

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Sweet crepes are coming to Addison via Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, the Houston-based crêpes chain, which is opening a location in Prestonwood Place, at 5290 Belt Line Rd. #110, with doors expected to open in early 2026.

Sweet Paris was founded in Houston in 2012 by Ivan and Allison Chavez with a mission to revive the art of eating crepes. There's a location in Southlake, which opened in 2024, and another in McKinney, which just opened in June. (There's also a location coming soon to Dallas' Snider Plaza.)

The menu offers 20 crepes in varieties savory and sweet including dulce de leche, lemon & sugar, s'mores, chicken enchilada, Philly cheesesteak, and a vegan option with portobello mushrooms, black bean purée, corn salsa, and chipotle sauce.

While crepes are the signature, they also serve waffles, egg breakfasts, panini, and salads. A "croque madame" crepe has scrambled eggs, gruyère, smoked ham, & béchamel sauce, while an Alaskan has smoked salmon, pickled red onions, capers, and scrambled eggs, topped with dill sour cream, & scallions. Everything is $20 or less.

They also serve beer and wine, mimosas, milkshakes, espresso drinks such as lattes, and hot chocolate.

This new location marks the third of four units to be developed by franchisee duo Ludo and Yi Le Gall.

“We fell in love with Sweet Paris the moment we discovered it,” Ludo says in a statement. “Bringing this unique experience to Texans has been a dream come true, and we’re thrilled to grow our presence throughout the state with a new location in Addison.”

Situated within Restaurant Row at Belt Line & Montford, Prestonwood Place includes hot hot restaurants like Mendocino Farms, Flower Child, Loro, Postino, Original Pancake House, and more. All it was missing was crepes. Now that niche has been filled by Sweet Paris, with crêpes, coffee, and charm.

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café has been growing and now has 21 stores in operation in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Texas, and Mexico.

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