Supermarket News

Food & Wine names top 5 H-E-B items every Dallas foodie should try

H-E-B True Texas BBQ Spicy Pickles

H-E-B

No store does more than H-E-B to impress the editors of Food & Wine magazine. On July 28, the venerable publication sang the praises of the Texas supermarket chain, naming the five best pre-made foods every Texan should add to their grocery list.

The following H-E-B heavy-hitters made the cut:

True Texas BBQ spicy pickles
tarragon pecan chicken salad
fresh guacamole
pre-marinated taco and fajita meats
flour tortillas

To compose the list, food writer Derin Yilmaz, an H-E-B neophyte, polled a gaggle of the magazine's editors who either live or have lived in the Lone Star State.

"There was a time I didn't know what H-E-B was and had never even heard the name," Yilmaz said in her introduction." When I revealed this naiveté to my Texan best friend, she looked at me in shock..."

Although Yilmaz's admission might indeed be jaw-dropping, it wasn't surprising that Food & Wine would want to celebrate the homegrown institution. If readers are making one of the magazine's chef-driven recipes, chances are they are getting the ingredients at H-E-B. Many experts admitted to keeping the picks in their own pantries.

Southern Smoke founder Chris Shepherd, who serves as the magazine's "Editor in Chef," called the pickles a must-try item and the fajita meat a "delicious timesaver," but practically rhapsodized over the tortillas.

"H-E-B arguably has some of the most delicious flour tortillas commercially made, and yes, those are in our refrigerator at home almost every day of the year," said the Houston-based chef.

Food & Wine news editor Merlyn Miller, a native of Beaumont, raved about the convenient chicken salad, giving a secondary shout-out to the dill and mustard seed-seasoned pimento cheese.

"Almost every time I go home, my mom has one of H-E-B's prepared, mayo-based salads in her fridge, and this one is my favorite. It has crunchy pecans, sweet grapes, and isn't overly dressed," she told Yaniz of the chicken salad.

Chances are, if someone is making one of Food & Wine's elaborate recipes in Texas, they are using leeks, herbs, and olive oil picked up at one of H-E-B's hundreds of stores — or in Dallas' case, H-E-B sibling Central Market.

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seasonal sips

Top spots to sip holiday tea in Dallas this 2026 Christmas season

The Adolphus

Holiday tea service has arrived at The Adolphus.

Holiday tea has long been a Dallas tradition during the festive season, especially at the city's grand hotels and historic venues. In recent years, it has become a bigger seasonal draw, with restaurants and hotels putting their own wintertime spin on the classic afternoon ritual. Along with traditional finger sandwiches, sugary confections, and fresh-based scones, guests can add Champagne and caviar and enjoy live holiday music, a panoramic view, or even visit with Santa.

Here are the top Dallas-area spots serving holiday tea this holiday season. This year's offerings begin in November, with some continuing through the first days of 2027. The list may grow as more plans are unveiled. All require reservations.

Holiday Tea at the Adolphus' French Room: The holidays would be dim without one of Dallas' most enduring traditions, Holiday Tea in the French Room. Since 1912, the Adolphus Hotel has transforming its elegant interiors into a festive destination drenched in evergreen garlands, twinkling lights, and seasonal décor. The three-course holiday tea includes savory mini sandwiches, freshly baked scones with house-made preserves and English double cream, and an assortment of pastries. Teas are sourced from local purveyor Zakti, which creates special blends for the hotel. A welcome glass of Champagne or French sparkling cider is included, with an optional Petrossian caviar service also available. Weekend piano performances and daily harp music add to the atmosphere. November 4-January 10, daily, 10 am-4:30 pm (last seating). $85 and up.

Holiday Tea at Hotel Swexan's Léonie: Léonie at Hotel Swexan in Dallas' Harwood District provides an intimate setting for holiday teatime, with seasonal décor beneath the restaurant's skylight and signature greenery. The menu features freshly baked scones, savory bites, and dainty holiday pastries. November 27-December 27, Fridays-Sundays, with seatings from 12-2:30 pm. $85 per person and $35 for children 12 and under.

Holiday Tea at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas: Holiday tea at The Ritz-Carlton means an afternoon of seasonal treats in an elegant hotel-restaurant setting. Fearing's, which hosts the tea inside the restaurant, serves loose leaf teas, crustless finger sandwiches, and pastries inspired by the season. November 28-January 2, Saturday-Sundays, with reservations available from 11 am-2 pm. $45-$100 per person.

Holiday Tea with Santa at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas adds a Santa visit to its holiday tea service at Bar Juniper, which gets a seasonal makeover for the occasion. The menu features seasonal savory bites, sweets, and bubbles. Children can visit with Santa, write letters to him, listen to holiday stories, and take home a keepsake gift. December 5-20, Saturdays and Sundays, plus December 22-24, with seatings at 12 noon and 3 pm. $135 for adults, $55 for kids 12 and over, free for kids 5-12.

Holiday Princess Tea at the Hilton Anatole: Princesses of all ages can don their tiara for a royal holiday tea that pairs a traditional three-course tea service with princess performances in the hotel's majestic Wedgwood Ballroom. Young guests can enjoy confections and a decaffeinated tea selection with savory bites, freshly baked scones, delicate sweets. Champagne flows freely (but not free) for the adults. Saturday, November 14, 1-3 pm. $100.19 for adults, $42.42 for children.

Holiday Tea at the Reserve at The Highland: Traditional afternoon tea gets a distinctly Texas treatment. The three-course holiday menu includes pimento cheese and roasted jalapeño tea sandwiches, cucumber ranch-Boursin, and chicken salad with Texas pecans and dried cranberries. Scones arrive in citrus-poppy seed and jalapeño cheddar varieties, followed by seasonal sweets such as mini pecan pie tartlets, macarons, and petit fours. Guests can add a Champagne tea cocktail, including an Earl Grey French 75 or Blueberry Royale. November 19-January 3, Thursday-Sunday, with seatings at 1 and 1:30 pm. $75 per person; optional Champagne or cocktail upgrade, $20 per person.

Modern Holiday Tea at Mirador: Perched atop Forty Five Ten in downtown Dallas, Mirador puts a contemporary spin on the traditional holiday tea. It begins with a chai-spiced scone, followed by savory bites such as beets with strawberry goat cheese, a Wagyu sandwich, and a caviar tartlet. Seasonal sweets include a ginger molasses cookie, pear financier, and cranberry-orange pastry. Teas from The Cultured Cup and Mariage Frères accompany the courses, with optional caviar additions and beverage flights available. The restaurant's wraparound terrace overlooks downtown's Eye sculpture. November 7, 21, and 28, and December 19, 24, and 26, with seatings from 10:30 am-2 pm. $98 per person; children's menu for ages 10 and younger, $35.

Holiday Tea at Restaurant DeGolyer at Dallas Arboretum: The Dallas Arboretum's Restaurant DeGolyer offers a seasonal afternoon tea surrounded by the magnificent Christmas at the Arboretum decorations. The menu includes finger sandwiches sans crust, holiday-inspired soup, freshly baked scones, festive desserts, and specialty teas. It's a particularly appealing option for combining a holiday outing with a visit to the Arboretum's seasonal displays. November 16-January 8, with seatings at 11 am and 2 pm. $65 per person.

Christmas Tea at the Alexander Mansion: The historic C.H. Alexander Mansion on Ross Avenue is transformed into a holiday tearoom with elegant decor, sweets, treats, tea, and champagne. The menu includes cucumber tea sandwich, chicken salad on orange/cranberry bread, egg salad on marble bread, tomato-basil quiche, pimento sandwich, spinach and Gruyere cheese in puff pastry, cranberry and white chocolate scones, red velvet scones, and more. December 2-6 and 9-13, with one seating daily at 12 noon. $75 per person.

Nutcracker Holiday Tea at Hotel Crescent Court: A beloved holiday ballet sautés as the theme of the holiday afternoon tea. Nutcracker-inspired décor, seasonal treats, and live holiday set the stage for the hotel's annual celebration. Guests can also order unlimited Champagne. Saturdays and Sundays in December, with seatings at 11 am, 12 noon, and 1 pm. From $59.75.

Café 43 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center: Holiday Tea at Café 43 offers a festive afternoon in the presidential center's restaurant, with the option to explore the George W. Bush Presidential Museum before or after tea. December 16-17, with seatings at 2:15 and 3:30 pm. Sold out; guests can join the waitlist to request tickets.

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