denton | september 2016
Yes. I realize that I made this trip last month, but technically, I'm only behind by a day.
As you already know, our darling little nephew turned one a few weeks ago. While we had a small day-of party for the family who lives here, my sister-in-law has a very large family in North Texas that wasn't able to come in during the week to celebrate. So the smaller family here toted ourselves up there (because who doesn't like a weekend road trip?!) for the big celebration with everyone. My brother's wife is a real gem and so is her entire family. We had a blast.
The Man Friend and I opted to stay in Denton, as it was closer to where her mother lives...and because the Man Friend had never been before. We LOVED it! If you aren't aware, Denton is a small(ish) college town north of Fort Worth. They have a great little square with lots of fun stuff to do and great places to eat.
where to stay denton
Izzie got to come along this trip (Tucker doesn't do as well on trips, unfortunately), so our big requirement was to find a dog-friendly establishment. Though there were plenty of chain hotels available, I was SO excited to have lucked upon the Locust Street Inn just north of Denton's square.
The place is a historical home that offers quirk, comfort, and breakfast, which is a big plus for the Man Friend. While it was a bit difficult to get back into our room (especially with a pup), the room was comfortable, cozy, and quiet. I felt really secure staying there, especially since we were in and out so much. Sebastian, the innkeeper, was friendly, helpful, and really sweet to Izzie during our stay.
where to eat and drink in denton
Though I didn't realize it when we were booking, the music festival Oaktopia was going on during our stay in Denton. I was bummed to have missed Norah Jones and Pete Yorn, though we happily sat outside and listened to the music...for free!
austin street truck stop and east side denton | 117 e. oak street
A beer garden coupled with a dozen food trucks while listening to live music? Sign. Me. Up. This is a great little parking lot-turned food truck heaven, right on the back porch of a draft house. I'm pretty sure the Man Friend thought he'd died and gone to heaven.
East Side offers over 90 beers on tap (many of them Texas brews). The beers were reasonably priced and pretty tasty. ASTS had a wide variety of food trucks, so we opted to split our food from two options:
- The Dumpling Brothers - While a little pricy ($15 with tip), the combo order of five beef dumplings and vegetable fried rice were outstanding. The Man Friend, who isn't a documented vegetable eater, even enjoyed the rice.
- Coochie's BBQ - Names are everything, right? It's particularly amusing when you hear, "Coochie sandwich, ORDER UP!" screamed in public. And, of course, that's what the Man Friend ordered. Though I didn't have much of it, the few bites I had of the sausage/brisket combo sandwich were spicy and sweet. And now things are just getting weird.
giuseppe's italian restaurant | 821 e. locust street
After a long day of one-year-old Sesame Street birthday goodness, we were ALL a little tired. All my mom and stepdad, who drove in for the party that day, wanted were food and bed. Giuseppe's was located right across the street from our little inn, so we were able to leave Izzie alone for a bit while we ate.
The restaurant wasn't very busy due to the music festival, so we were able to get right in. The waitress was really friendly and made lots of delicious recommendations. We all split the appetizer special, which was fried jalapeño ravioli with "rosa" dipping sauce...DELICIOUS! I ordered the special at the waitress's suggestion. The homemade chicken and kale ravioli with pesto was fantastic! Everyone loved their meals, but we probably could have skipped dessert.
loco cafe | 603 n. locust street
We stopped here for a quick bite on the way out of town, since we left too early to enjoy the inn's Sunday brunch. While I wasn't a huge fan of what I ordered (the Loco Moco breakfast stack), the cinnamon roll we got to go was a great road snack. The coffee and the chai latte were also quite tasty.
If you ever get a chance to head up to Denton, you might find yourself surprised. I kind of think of it as a mini-Austin, with its eclectic local bars and restaurants. It's definitely worth the stop.
