Here’s where to beat the Easter crowds in Fort Worth for biscuits, pancakes and more
More than any other holiday, Easter is about breakfast or brunch.
Some families go to sunrise church services. More go at the regular time — in huge numbers.
They get to brunch or lunch at 10 or 10:30 a.m., looking for traditions like ham or lamb.
That’s why April 17, Easter Sunday, will be one of the biggest days of the year at restaurants such as Fixe Southern House, known for biscuits, or B&B Butchers & Restaurant, known for weekend brunch.
Here’s a look at some family brunch options, beginning with a few less expensive offers that won’t break the bank as easily as cracking an Easter egg:
Pass the (pancake) plate
The longest lines after sunrise services are always at 60-year Texas landmark Ol’ South Pancake House, 1509 S. University Drive.
The breakfast menu tops out at about $12 for chicken-tenders-and-waffles, or about $14-$16 for pork chops or rib-eye-and-eggs.
Ol’ South serves a choice of four pancake styles. The flavor to get is “homestyle,” which has a hint of vanilla.
The favorite order of all is the “Dutch baby” mini-German pancakes. But the new favorite is a Monte Cristo.
Dinners sell for about $12-$17.
The Fort Worth location is open 24 hours; 817-336-0311, olsouthpancakehouse.com.
A new Burleson location, 225 E. Renfro St., is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and also serves mimosas; 817-989-9090.
Both locations are still shorthanded, so please be patient.
For other old-time breakfast cafe options on Sundays, try Bluebonnet Cafe, 2223 Haltom Road; Day Break Cafe, 2720 White Settlement Road; the three Dixie House Cafes in Fort Worth and Hurst; River Oaks Cafe, 4837 River Oaks Blvd.; Vickery Cafe, 4129 W, Vickery Blvd.; or West Side Cafe, 7950 Camp Bowie West Blvd.
The Paris Coffee Shop, 704 W. Magnolia Ave., will reopen in late May or June with weekday and weekend hours.
A little bit of Heaven for $19.99
What better place is there to go Easter Sunday than Heaven’s Gate Restaurant north of the Stockyards?
It’s a traditional family buffet, serving ham, turkey, roast beef, brisket and ribs plus fajitas and menudo for $19.99, with lower prices for children and toddlers.
Lunch will start at 11 a.m. A breakfast buffet starts at 8 a .m.
Heaven’s Gate serves breakfast and lunch daily; 3820 N. Main St., 817-624-1262.
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More buffet brunches
Two other restaurants will serve reasonably priced brunches buffet-style.
▪ Beacon Cafe, 12721 Business U.S. 287 north of Saginaw, a Star-Telegram “readers’ choice” finalist, will serve its popular $15.99 Sunday buffet with a pancake and omelet bar; 817-439-1041, thebeaconcafe.com.
▪ Blue Mesa Grill, 612 Carroll St., will open at 9 a.m. and serve its traditional $30 buffet featuring red-chile ham and salmon, brisket, an omelet and huevos rancheros station and a wide choice of desserts; 817-332-6372. There’s also a $130 family ham dinner serving six for pickup before Easter; bluemesagrill.com.
(Pinstripes Bistro, 5001 Trailhead Bend Way, is serving a $27 brunch but it’s booked.)
More Easter morning options
The next step up is to the brunch cafes, including the recent winners of the Star-Telegram Readers’ Choice voting:
▪ Brewed, 801 W. Magnolia Ave., was the winner. But it’s beginning to book up.
▪ Try another brunch cafe like Ascension Coffee, 1751 River Run; Snooze, 2150 W. Seventh St.; or Yolk, 305 Main St.
▪ HG Sply Co., 1621 River Run, serves a popular brunch alongside the Trinity Trails.
▪ To save a few dollars, try Easter brunch at the chain cafes such as Corner Bakery, First Watch, La Madeleine or Panera Bread. Look for offers on their websites or email lists.
▪ Finally, chef Felipe Armenta’s restaurants all open early every Sunday.
Press Cafe, 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, opens at 7 a.m. Sundays. The Tavern Bar & Grill, 2755 S. Hulen St., follows at 9 a.m.
Pacific Table, 1600 S. University Drive, opens at 10 a.m. along with Towne Grill, 9365 Rain Lily Trail in Alliance Town Center.
Check downtown restaurants first
The regular holiday favorites are mostly booked. But call now for Mother’s Day.
Check the website or call now for an Easter table at B&B, Capital Grille, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Fixe Southern Cuisine in Clearfork or the two brunch favorites in Crockett Row, Mash’d and Social House.
Instead, try the restaurants in or near downtown. Parking is free on the street or in any of five garages.
Clay Pigeon, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle, Reata, Ruth’s Chris and Waters all had reservations available early this week on OpenTable.com or Resy.com.
One important note: Joe T. García’s is closed on Easter. The family’s Esperanza’s Restaurant next door is open.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
