Restaurants in Grapevine

More than 325 bottles of international wine fill Zambrano Wine Cellar’s shelves and its climate-controlled wine cellar, arranged by chef, wine enthusiast, and owner Cef Zambrano. When not hobnobbing with celebrities such as Harrison Ford, Nolan Ryan, and Katie Couric, Zambrano coordinates a menu of bistro fare to harmonize with his library of wine selections, which received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2009. Zambrano presents updated takes on Mediterranean favorites, crafting small plates of escargot broiled in garlic butter and shallots, as well as four types of bruschetta topped with tomato, chicken, duck, or fillet tips. Diners can dive into shared nibbles with custom plates of international meats and cheeses or pizzas topped margherita-style or with signature spanish ham.

Zambrano’s prized glass wine cellar sits behind a smooth stone bar, inlaid with variegated amethyst that glows as it catches the light better than an outfielder with a magnifying glass. While perched at its high-backed leather banquettes, diners can sip from the 50-plus list of wines by the glass while gazing at a flat-screen TV in the corner or admiring the custom art on the dining room’s exposed-brick walls. In the front of the dining room, gauzy orange curtains frame sheets of sunlight that illuminate simple wooden tables, each adorned with a single flower that provides color and an amuse-bouche for hungrier guests. A sidewalk patio offers al fresco dining and bustling sights of Sundance Square.

The culinary masters at Dick’s Bodacious Bar-B-Q spend up to 12 hours smoking succulent meats such as sausage, beef, and turkey over hickory to infuse them with the flavor that gives Texas-style barbecue its inimitable style. They then prepare the meat in front of their diners as if to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the freshness of the cuts and allow the blend of spices to show off their new dance moves. In addition to succulent barbecue, the laidback eatery serves up St. Louis-style cut pork ribs, crisp salads, and hearty sides such as macaroni 'n' cheese, smokehouse-baked beans, and potato salad.

Every Menchie's location around the world looks much the same: pink, yellow, and lime-green decor framing the eponymous mascot, a smiley twist of yogurt with a cone for a body. It's an identical template that allows for nearly infinite variations at each outpost's row of 14 or 16 rotating yogurt pumps, where guests can self-serve swirls of flavors such as pistachio, peanut butter cup, cake batter, and fruity raspberry pomegranate tart. Then, they can ladle scoops of nearly 40 toppings—including sprinkles, cookies 'n' cream, hot fudge, and locally grown fruits—onto their creations. Nonfat and no-sugar-added varieties join gluten- and lactose-free options for those who have food sensitivities or just hate the taste of gluten.

Veranda Greek Cafe’s chef has presided over the kitchen for more than two decades, examining the vegetables to ensure freshness, checking on the pita bread baking in the oven, and slicing up fresh herbs for sauces. The skilled cook extends his culinary expertise toward a variety of authentic Mediterranean specialties, using fresh seafood, lamb, and hormone-free beef from a local butcher. Come lunchtime, the chef whips up an array of traditional soups, entrees, and desserts for the weekday buffet.

Beyond the kitchen, guests clink glasses of wine and cocktails as they recline on the cushy red booths of the elegant dining room. Here, colorful paintings and Mediterranean artwork speckle the walls. The restaurant sometimes even hosts belly-dancers, who dance in dazzling shows, lead guests in lively belly-dance lessons, and explain the math of a belly’s undulations by talking about sine waves.