Simply Delicious

Loosen your belt for these 6 can't-miss Dallas fall food festivals

John Tesar, Michael Miller, Justin Brunson

Expect food, drinks, and incredible chefs at Chefs for Farmers.

Photo by Kevin Marple

Newsflash, Dallas: not all food festivals are created equal. There are some that are thrown together in a matter of days and others that take a full year to make happen. Here are the six events of fall that go above and beyond the everyday foodie festival. From barbecue to veggies and everything in between, you will not go hungry.

Harvest, September 15
This event at The Shed at the Dallas Farmers Market is now in its fourth year. It brings out the best local chefs, resulting in delicious food along with specialty cocktails, entertainment by DJ Steffi Burns, and silent and live auctions. All proceeds benefit the senior and child programs of the North Texas Food Bank. Tickets are $200, and the event starts at 7 pm.

Smoked Dallas, September 23
Pitmasters from all over the state — including Taylor's Louie Mueller Barbecue and Amarillo's Tyler's Barbecue — come together at Main Street Garden Park downtown to show off their barbecue skills. There is also a stellar lineup of live music, with performances by Vandoliers and Charley Crockett. Tickets start at $50, and general admission starts at 3 pm.

Park & Palate, October 13-14
In its third year, this two-day party at Klyde Warren Park just seems to get better and better. It kicks off with the Down to the Roots event, where chefs from every major city in Texas highlight the biggest and best of the state's cuisine. But the main attraction is the grand tasting on Saturday, with 60 chefs and 30 wineries offering tastings, cooking demos, and book signings. All proceeds go directly back to Klyde Warren Park. Tickets start at $75 for the grand tasting, which lasts from 2-6 pm.

Texas Veggie Fair, October 21
This free, dog-friendly event is wildly popular in Dallas, and you should expect a packed park full of veggie enthusiasts. Taking place at Reverchon Park, it’s the largest veggie festival in Texas and features speakers, chef demos, live music, and vendors galore. Speakers include author and chef Eddie Garza and Grey "The Vegan Rapper." Plus, there will be a vegan beer garden by Trinity Irish Pub. The festival lasts from 11 am-6 pm.

Chefs for Farmers, November 2-5
If you can only attend one food festival this fall, we'd pick this one. How can you resist supporting both chefs and the farmers that help us feast on the best food in Dallas? The Main Event on November 5 features more than 120 food vendors from all over the country who set up shop alongside DJs and other live entertainment at Lee Park. Tickets are $100, and the event starts at 2 pm. Can't make the Main Event? Other fun Chefs for Farmers events are happening throughout the week.

Meat Fight, November 12
This wildly popular event benefits the National MS Society. Tams of Dallas’ top chefs compete for smoked meat bragging rights, as determined by barbecue authorities like Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn. Tickets go on sale on October 3 and sell out almost instantly, so set a reminder on your phone. Location TBD.

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Opening News

Dallas diner & music venue will open in former Ferris Wheeler space

Courtesy

Pancakes

A new restaurant has been unveiled that will take over the former Ferris Wheeler space near Dallas' Design District at 1950 Market Center Blvd.: Called AM/FM, it'll be an all-day diner and lounge with a big backyard and a stage for live music, and it's from Spune Productions, the music and event production company.

According to a release, it'll open in early January initially with evening hours, cocktails, and a few afternoon soccer matches. Music acts are already booked beginning January 8. More hours will be added down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, which was also a restaurant with a big backyard and a stage for live music, closed in November after eight years. Spune had already been involved since 2023 to help ramp up the live music side. Now they'll take it over with a fresh new personality and long hours.

They were famous for having a Ferris wheel on-site; an inquiry on its status went unanswered.

The diner will open daily at 7 am, serving "musicians coming off late nights, workers heading into morning shifts, and neighbors who want a place that remembers their name," says the release very poetically.

They've redecorated the interior with a new bar and banquettes that wrap the room. Alongside the renovations inside, the set-up outdoors will evolve over the coming weeks, with extra care given to the concert experience,

Menu
The food at AM/FM will be rooted in elevated Diner classics, with a menu overseen by chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Oh, Hi! Hospitality) that's influenced by Mexican-American kitchens and Nuevo Southern traditions.

Breakfast offerings include huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, breakfast empanadas, French toast, avocado toast, pork belly toast, and an intriguing twist on pancakes called masa pancakes, made using masa harina AKA corn flour.

Lunch includes a chicken Milanesa Caesar salad, Sonoran hot dog, fried catfish po'boy, kale salad, Cobb salad, and a Mexican twist on chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles.

Entree plates include pot roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a weekly pot pie.

The beverage program will aim for accessibility with coffee, cocktails, and craft beer, says Victor Rojas, Quinones-Pittman's partner at Oh, Hi! Hospitality.

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