Dining In The ‘Burbs: 12 Essential Spots For Burgers, BBQ & More In Denton
Sara Button
From swanky to super-cheap, Denton has excellent eats. 940’s Kitchen + Cocktails
Even though the vast majority of the conversation surrounding Dallas’ restaurant scene focuses on establishments that operate within the city limits, there are an incredible amount options for folks who don’t necessarily want to drive to Dallas for a great meal.
As such, over the course of the next few months, Eater Dallas will explore some of the best restaurants in Dallas’ many suburbs. First up is Denton, a.k.a. Little D. Denton is most well-known for its killer music scene and the University of North Texas, but you shouldn’t sleep on this rapidly growing restaurant scene.
From chocolate milk on tap to killer tacos and burgers, Denton has plenty of excellent dining options. These are twelve of the best.
Don’t see your favorite Denton dining spot on the list? Drop it in the comments.
1 940’s Kitchen and Cocktails
940’s Kitchen & Cocktails is one of Denton’s newest downtown restaurants, with a varied menu and plenty of vegan-friendly options. Belly up to the bar for an Old Fashioned on tap, and order up a hearty cauliflower steak served with wild rice risotto, apple ragout, and chimichurri for a fancy and healthy feast. 940’s is open for dinner, and stays open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Barley & Board brought a much needed brewpub to active patrons of the Downtown Denton eating scene in August 2015. Since opening, the restaurant has gotten plenty of praise and has lived up to it’s expectations, too. Barley & Board is like the perfect pair of boots – you can dress it up, or dress it down. Come in for a burger & beer, or go all out with the brazen two-faced quail and a glass of 16-year-old Lagavullin. They also offer an excellent brunch menu full of frittatas, scrambles,and mimosas.
Bet The House masters the smoked meats in Denton. The eatery located just a few blocks off of the downtown square serves up traditional Texas BBQ offerings. During the bustling holiday time, you can order your own smoked turkey, ham, or brisket to pick up the day before Thanksgiving and get out of doing some of the family cooking yourself. BTH is known for selling out, and won’t let you down if you’re hankering for tasty Texas BBQ.
Located conveniently on the square downtown, Cartwright’s offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options and a seriously killer chicken fried steak. Ranch-style breakfast options, including a dizzying array of omelets and a variety of takes on steak and eggs, Cartwright’s is perfect for pretty much any meal.
Frost Drive N, also known at Mr. Frosty’s, is a Denton legend. This old school burger joint is a blast from the past. The food is fresh, they make a mean chocolate malt, and the staff is dressed in 50’s style diner attire. Their homemade root beer is perfect treat for a person of any age. Seating inside is limited, so be prepared to snag a table at one of the outdoor picnic tables.
A Denton staple since 1998, GreenHouse offers intimate indoor seating options and a comfortable covered patio dining experience. The open-fire mesquite grill serves up a robust selection of unique Denton-inspired burgers, including the Pops Carter that plops crispy sweet potato & ginger slaw, avocado and wasabi garlic aioli on top of a juicy half pound Kobe Beef burger. The shareable desserts are a nice accompaniment to an after-work drink, too.
As if fresh Gulf delectables weren’t enough in the heart of downtown, you can get a $1 Lonestar beer on tap all day, every day, too. The menu pricing is dictated by the season, and the shrimp and crawfish boils are super fresh and fulfilling. If sucking heads or peeling shrimp isn’t your scene, enjoy street tacos and an equally diverse assortment of freshly fried wonders. You can sit inside where the kitchen is on display as well as several TV’s, or you can sit at the recently updated outside area and people-watch.
Keiichi may be one of the best kept secrets in Denton. Such a secret, in fact, that if you’re not looking for it while you drive down Elm St, you may miss it. The menu changes daily, depending on what’s fresh from the market. The fish-averse can also find something to enjoy, like a nice cut of steak paired with truffle-scented potatoes. Innovative and rare, Keiichi may be one of the more pricey places in Denton, but always worth the splurge. You can make your reservations by calling the restaurants, but note that Keiichi is closed on Mondays.
Homemade salsas, tortillas, guacamole, and a plethora of authentic Mexican food options, Tortilleria La Sabrocita is a hole in the wall in Denton you won’t want to miss. The interior isn’t at all fancy and the serivce is casual, but the food more than makes up for that. Even sweeter, this spot is open 24 hours on the weekends, and you can order meats by the pound for to-go fajitas and tacos all week long.
Loco Cafe is a must if you’re in the mood for one of the best brunches in town. If you’re in the mood to go all-out, the Loco Moco should top your list. Stacked hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, gravy (or salsa), all smothered on top of a homemade biscuit? Heaven. You can even add a bacon or grilled avocado for a small upcharge. The cafe bakery case is stocked with freshly baked treats ranging from pies, cookies, and breads, too.
Hands down, this is the best Thai spot in Little D. Three words: crispy pad thai. Thai Ocha is a BYOB establishment that dishes up curry and traditional Thai cuisine. The atmosphere inside is welcoming and although a little dated, the collection of Thai decorations are eye-catching and you have the option of watching something on one of the television screens if dining alone.
Any place that serves chocolate milk on tap is essential. At West Oak Coffee Bar, you can enjoy beer or pie flights, a creative assortment of uber-trendy toasts (gluten-free options are available), and ten different Texas beers on tap. As far as the coffee is concerned, West Oak’s creative concoctions, like a cinnamon-sriracha mocha, are unrivaled.
