The holiday crowd comes to Arlington for bargain steaks, Tex-Mex, pizzas and more
Rodeo cowboys want steak.
And unless they’re on a National Finals Rodeo champion’s budget, they’ll be dining somewhere like Candlelite Inn, 1202 E. Division St.
The local roadside-Americana legend is celebrating its 64th Christmas. It’s decorated for families, and not as busy as some other restaurants.
Here’s all you need to know about the Candlelite Inn:
▪ Lunch and dinner costs about $10-$15, sometimes less.
▪ It has absolutely everything — pizzas, fajitas, enchiladas, pastas, burgers, charcoal-cooked steaks.
Want steak-and-shrimp? But your significant other wants tacos? And the kids want pizza and spaghetti?
It’s all at Candlelite.
▪ Everything comes with chips and a sensational green chopped-jalapeno sauce that is the stuff of Arlington legend.
▪ It’s one of Tarrant County’s oldest and most iconic restaurants, yet manages to stay young.
It was open before Six Flags Over Texas, before Interstate 30 and before any stadiums on Division Street.
When it opened, western travelers stopped on their way to Las Vegas or California.
Next month, Candlelite will even add some menu items.
“We’re rolling out new dishes, but we’re not dropping any. We promise everybody can still get things just the same way they ever have since 1957,” said Darrell Wood, managing the Candlelite as a city keepsake for owner Alan Petsche.
Candlelite enjoyed something of a rebirth this year, when families grasped for comfort food during the coronavirus pandemic.
“A lof of people came because they’ve been coming here their whole lives,” Wood said.
The restaurant added curbside service and wound up selling countless cheese enchilada or beef taco platters to go, Wood said.
“Every month business comes back a little more — I think people are tired of being cooped up,” he said.
The No. 1 seller is still a classic charbroiled chopped steak.
(Order it rolled in black pepper.)
New items will include shrimp scampi, spicy chicken Alfredo, upgraded custom burgers and Buffalo chicken pizzas, Wood said.
The expanded menu rolls out next month, but Arlington comes now for the Christmas lights and decorations.
Candlelite puts up two huge trees, ornaments, lights and ceramic caricatures.
The best time to beat the crowd is at lunch or on a weeknight, but Candlelite is never as crowded as Arlington’s other Christmas attraction, Campo Verde in Dalworthington Gardens.
(Candlelite is closed between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily, but on weekends, try for a late lunch or early dinner.)
It’s already been a championship year for Arlington.
Los Angeles Dodgers fans discovered Candlelite during the World Series at Globe Life Field, Wood said.
“They asked at the hotels where to find a unique, family-owned restaurant that’s been around a long time, something uniquely Arlington,” he said.
“That’s us.”
Candlelite is open for lunch and dinner daily except on Dallas Cowboys game days; 817-275-9613, candleliteinnarlington.com.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
