Cafeteria News

Dallas restaurant makes treasured Food & Wine list of best cafeterias

Turkey dinner deluxe at Dallas' treasured cafeteria.

Photo courtesy of HPC

Texas tops a new list from Food & Wine covering the humble realm of cafeterias. Just in time for the holidays, the magazine issued a "10 Best Cafeterias in America" list that highlights three Texas institutions, with a Houston restaurant coming in at No. 1, and a Dallas cafeteria making the list of honorable mentions.

Houston's famed Cleburne Cafeteria earns the top slot on the list, touted for its fighting spirit, egalitarian milieu, and great turkey. Two other Texas classics are included in a "best of the rest" list of 14 cafeterias that were good, but not good enough to make the top 10:

Highland Park Cafeteria in East Dallas
the Luby's chain

Written by David Landsel, the article traces the cafeteria's origin to the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where entrepreneur John Kruger operated a restaurant inspired by the smörgåsbords of Sweden.

Landsel calls the cafeteria concept "hopelessly dated," while acknowledging that cafeterias are not only surviving but thriving in places like North Carolina, Texas, and "even future-minded Northern California." North Carolina and Texas, apparently stuck in the dismal past.

Houston's Cleburne Cafeteria, which he notes has overcome incredible odds including a major move and two devastating fires, seems to have provided the inspiration for the listicle. Landsel ate there for Thanksgiving in 2018, and was awestruck by the meal he shared with thousands of people he'd never even met. And yet they ate together!

"We came as strangers, united in our appreciation of one of the city's great dining institutions, the Cleburne Cafeteria, a family-owned establishment that has been feeding Houstonians from all walks of life for generations," he says. "Some of us were here for the nostalgia, too, because they just don't make cafeterias like this anymore, others because it was easier than cooking our own turkeys. And really, why compete—the turkey here is just that good."

"Today, the city's oldest cafeteria is better than ever," he says, "serving up quality home cooking at reasonable prices to anybody and everybody wise enough to understand just how lucky we are that this place still exists."

Other places on the list stretch from Alabama to Sacramento, California, and include restaurants such as Valois in Chicago, Sokolowski's University Inn in Cleveland, Arnold's Country Kitchen in Nashville, and famous Philippe's in Los Angeles (although that place is really better known as home to the original French dip sandwich rather than being a cafeteria).

His blurb about Highland Park Cafeteria, whose Casa Linda Plaza location is the final survivor in what used to be a chain, applauds its longevity.

"After nearly a century of serving chicken—chicken fried steak, chicken and dumplings, fried chicken, you name it—to Dallasites with big appetites, what was once referred to as 'America's Cafeteria' has downsized greatly, to just the one location, but the legend (thankfully) lives on," he says.

As for Luby's, he notes its ubiquity: "Driving around the Lone Star State, you can’t help but feel as if reports of the cafeteria’s death have been greatly exaggerated—Luby’s seems to be everywhere, mostly because it is—dozens of these cavernous mess halls continue to dot the landscape."

"One of the house specialties—the square fish, translated as neatly-portioned filets of fried, wild-caught cod—is popular enough that it’s now sold (along with the other house classic, macaroni and cheese) at H-E-B, the state’s best-loved grocery store," he says.

In addition to Luby's, he includes three other chains: Piccadilly, K&W Cafeterias in the Carolinas, and the Midwest treasure MCL Restaurant & Bakery. What, no love for Cracker Barrel?

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News You Can Eat

New brunches and fall dishes put some yum in this Dallas restaurant news

Perry's

Vegan chopped steak at Perry's Steakhouse

Fall weather may not be here yet but Dallas restaurants are happily paying no mind, gifting us with ramen, pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin souffles, and beer cheese fondues. It'll be cold soon enough. There are also some restaurant openings here, some new brunches, and a meal deal for seniors.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news.

Fish City Grill has opened a location in Prosper at 1150 S. Preston Rd., just north of U.S. Highway 380 in The Gates of Prosper. It features seafood and cocktails, with specials on the restaurant’s trademark Chalkboard which are unique to each location and change twice each day. (Visit fishcitygrill.com/locations to view the Chalkboard cameras.) This is the chain's 23rd location.

White Rhino Coffee has opened a location in Frisco at 8075 FM 423 #100. This is the 10th location for the chain first founded in 2007 by Chris Parvin in Cedar Hill.

Captain D’s has opened a new location at 522 E. Belt Line Rd. in Cedar Hill, owned and operated by Golden Chick franchisee Joseph Omobogie. It's the 21st Captain D’s in Texas and a momentous step for Omobogie, who has 14 Golden Chick locations, as he ventures into new culinary territory. Captain D's serves fried catfish, fried shrimp, and chicken tenders.

True Food Kitchen has unveiled what a release calls "its biggest menu innovation of 15 years" with a reimagined brunch and cocktail program in addition to new seasonal dishes. Brunch highlights include Cinnamon Toastini, Berry Cerealtini, huevos rancheros, Hawaiian Fried Rice, and a tasting tower. New cocktails include Dazzling Eyes with Don Q rum, coconut, carrot juice, and Thai basil; and True Story with gin, chareau aloe, cucumber, snap pea, pineapple, and lemon.

Stirr recently launched a new autumn menu, with brunch, lunch, main and cocktail offerings including Pumpkin Spice pancakes, Chicken & Waffles, Wagyu Italian Beef Sandwich, Fried Chicken Cobb, Baby Back Ribs, Chicken Parm, Cajun Chicken Frites, Steakhouse Salad, Blackened Redfish, Lobster Ravioli, Beer Cheese Fondue, and a Count of Monte Cristo sandwich, which is so trendy right now.

McRae’s American Bistro is introducing a new weekend brunch on Sunday October 1, with deviled eggs, jalapeno pimento cheese, frittata muffaletta, chicken & waffles, chipotle eggs benedict, Lakewood latke, croque madame, corned beef hash & eggs, and more. More being cocktails, including a bloody Mary bar, espresso martini, sangria, wines, and beer. It'll run Saturday-Sunday from 11 am-3 pm.

BarNone has launched a new Whiskey Club. Members get a monthly e-newsletter, access to distillery and brewery tours, access to BarNone's master distiller meet & greets, entry into year-end Pappy Van Winkle 10 year and BTAC (George Stagg, William Larue Weller, Sazerac 18, Thomas Handy and Eagle Rare 17 year) giveaway, free whiskey rating forms, access to allocated whiskeys, ryes, scotches, and world whiskeys, and BarNone Whiskey Club private barrels. BarNone has also expanded its whiskey offerings to 173 varieties with selections from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, UK, Japan, and Ireland. Entry is free, sign up online.

Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar has a new Miso-Chili Tonkotsu Ramen with charred bok choy, scallions, sun noodle, sesame, ajitama egg, and choice of brisket or prawns, for $18, served Tuesday-Wednesday starting at 4 pm.

Monarch has a new dessert for the fall: Pumpkin Spice Latte Souffle featuring pumpkin spice, coffee crème anglaise, and sweet cream ice cream, available through the end of October.

Tiff’s Treats has new filled cookies including PB&J (peanut butter cookie with raspberry jam) and decadent Double Chocolate Salted Caramel (Double Chocolate cookie filled with dulce de leche and sprinkled with sea salt). They're available in a combo package where you get a dozen filled and a dozen classic for $43.

Melting Pot, the fondue restaurant, has launched an Oktober FondueFest limited-time 3-course menu with Bavarian Beer Cheese Fondue paired with dippers like bratwurst, braised short rib, and pretzels, with choice of salad and decadent Black Forest Chocolate Fondue. German-inspired sips include the new Black Forest Fashioned and St-Germain Spritz cocktail along with seasonal Sam Adams Octoberfest. Served Monday-Thursday through October 26.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has a 3-course senior menu for 65+ before 6 pm, available daily for $39. First course offers choices from wedge, Caesar, field green, pear & candied pecan salad, French onion soup, or lobster bisque. Second course offers choices from pork chop, filet mignon, salmon, chicken oscar, vegan skillet chopped steak, or fried shrimp. Third course is side dish or dessert from a choice of cheesecake, chocolate crunch tower, crème brûlée, whipped potatoes, creamed spinach, or chargrilled vegetables.

Pappasito's celebrates its 40th anniversary through October at all four DFW locations including two at DFW Airport, plus locations in Arlington and Fort Worth with a $40 special on beef fajitas or beef & chicken fajita platters, with guacamole, rice, frijoles a la charra, and tortillas serving 2-3 people, available on Wednesdays starting at 4 pm.

Taco Bell has brought back its cult-favorite Nacho Fries, but with a new twist: a Vegan Nacho Sauce. Nacho Fries - fries with a spicy seasoning, which are "accidentally" vegan - were first introduced in January 2018, and have been retired and brought back several times. They ordinarily come with queso. The Vegan Nacho Sauce previously appeared in a Vegan Crunchwrap the chain tested in June 2023. The sauce got high marks, so Taco Bell decided to offer it on a national scale with their beloved Nacho Fries. The Nacho Fries on their. own are available now in two sizes: regular for $2.19 and a new large size for $2.99; Vegan Nacho Sauce will be available starting October 12.

McDonald’s of North Texas is adding two new limited-edition sauces to the menu starting October 9: McDonald’s Sweet & Spicy Jam, a jammy red pepper dipping sauce with apple cider vinegar, Szechuan peppercorn, and cayenne pepper; Mambo Sauce, a tomato-based sweet, spicy, and vinegary sauce inspired by the regional Washington, D.C. area sauce staple.

Lucky s the Oak Lawn diner is celebrating the State Fair of Texas with two limited-edition menu items: two corn dogs with fries, for $11, and Cotton Candy Pilsner from Texas Ale Project for $5.50, served through October 22.

Target has a new free Drive Up service for Starbucks menu items where customers can place an order and have it delivered straight to their car. The service has been popular in other markets and now it's in Dallas. The three top-selling items for Drive Up with Starbucks are Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Birthday Cake Pop, and Iced Caramel Macchiato. You place your order, park in the Drive Up area, and tap “I’m here” in the Target app. A Target staffer delivers the Starbucks order, along with whatever else in your Drive Up purchase. By October, all 1,700-plus Target stores that have a Starbucks Café and offer Drive Up will have the Drive Up with Starbucks service.

Dunkin’ has launched the Texas Dunkin’ Community Cruiser, a mobile coffee truck that delivers free samples of hot and iced coffee directly to local community events. The Texas Dunkin’ Community Cruiser follows in the footsteps of several successful Cruiser programs built throughout the country over the last 10 years.

Norma's Cafe will provide six meals to the North Texas Food Bank for every holiday dinner purchased from now until November 18. The original Oak Cliff location at 1123 W. Davis St. will be open on Thanksgiving Day, November 23 from 11 am-1 pm to feed the homeless.

Salata, the salad chain, has launched of bottled salad dressings in its five most popular flavors: Buttermilk Ranch, Chipotle Ranch, Herb Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Ginger Lime Vinaigrette. They come in 12.5-oz bottles and are available at select H-E-B locations for $6.48.

The ADD SOY Act has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Cory Booker, (D-N.J.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), to give kids a plant-based milk option to cow’s milk in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and allows for the USDA to reimburse schools for those purchases, just as it does for cow’s milk. The new Senate bill number is S. 2943, and is a companion to the U.S. House of Representatives bill H.R. 1619, introduced by Reps. Troy Carter (D-LA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC).

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