16 OctOber 2 - 8, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents with splurges like lobster climbing into the 30+ range. Pro tip: decide what you want to eat first, check the prices, and work backwards instead of loading up like a blind slot machine. Discounts are plentiful if your schedule is flexible. Midweek is cheaper than weekends, with Tuesdays and Thursdays being the real steals: $12 admission online, reduced rides on Tuesdays, and discounted food on Thrifty Thursdays. Cheap Eats’ stand along the Funway promises all food for under 10 coupons. Admission is $7 on Wednesdays with a five-can food donation and $10 on opening day with two jars of peanut butter. Everyone pays the kids’ price daily after 5 p.m. Military, first responders, and coupons from local McDonald’s provide additional savings. Food Mapping 101 Not all the eats are clustered in one area, so finding that Instagram-famous bite can feel like a scavenger hunt between the indoor Tower Food Court and the outdoor fairway. Fletcher’s Corny Dog is a rite of passage, and they have multiple booths throughout, so don’t feel like you have to wait in the line by Big Tex (rookie mistake). Download the visitor’s guide for Big Tex Award winners, along with detailed food maps for Thrifty Thursdays and new food spots; some of these have coupon prices. Some of the 2025 savory and sweet standouts include the crab and mozzarella arancini from Texapolitan Pizza, which won the best savory Big Tex award. The brisket and brew-stuffed pretzels from Hans Mueller, wagyu bacon cheeseburger deviled egg sliders from So Eggciting Deviled Eggs (winner of most creative), the giant cinnamon rolls from Shug’s, and the Dubai chocolate cheesecake from Drizzle. Cheapest Beer The cheapest beer can be found at the Beer Barn in Cotton Bowl Plaza, not the Midway. The Magnolia Beer Garden and Texas Beer & Wine Garden both provide shaded escapes, while Dickel’s Smokehouse smells as good as it tastes. Trio on the Green is a clever hack for the indecisive, serving flights of both food and drinks in threes. Get the Most Bang for Your Buck Your entrance ticket includes a surprising amount of entertainment. This year’s musical lineup features headliners like TLC on September 27, Brian McKnight on Oct. 3, Houston’s Paul Wall on Oct. 11 and Hoobastank on Oct. 18. Friday nights bring the free “Deep Fried Comedy” series, and every evening closes with a parade and fireworks. Add in stunt dog shows, dinosaurs, cooking demos, auto shows, and farm and rodeo fun, and there’s more than enough to keep your schedule full between stuffing your face and avoiding the pricey rides and games. Quirky highlights are what give the fair its charm, so keep an eye out for things like the butter sculpture, pig races, the livestock birthing barn, arts and crafts and cooking contests, Mundo Latino’s “Día de los Muertos” exhibit, Mighty Mike the strongman, the World of Magic show and even the USA Breakdancers. And while food is central to the fair, outside snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed as long as they fit in a soft-sided cooler and are within the bag policy. A refillable water bottle is strongly encouraged, as drink prices can add up fast. Know Before You Go Spanning the equivalent of 200 football fields, the fairgrounds is massive. You can’t possibly see everything in your first visit, but you can cover a lot of ground with a mapped-out route and a game plan. Starting at 5 p.m. daily, minors 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult (21+) with a cap of six kids per chaperone. Like most large events, there’s a clear or small bag policy, so leave the bulky totes and backpacks at home. Cowboy boots are cute, but unless you want to pay 14 coupons for a one-way ride across the park on the Skyway gondola, you probably want something more comfortable. And don’t forget the survival kit: hand sanitizer, sunscreen, hats, and patience. Fall in Texas is only “fall” in name. A/C breaks and hydration are as essential as fried foods. ▼ OPENINGS CREPE EXPECTATIONS THE NEW CAFE IS A SWEET HAVEN, STUFFED WITH BROKEN FOOD DIARY ENTRIES. BUT WORTH IT. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS S weet Paris Creperie and Cafe in Snider Plaza has been peddling thin French-style pancakes stuffed with flavors since July, despite major parking lot construction just outside its front door. Give the people a compelling enough reason, and they will find a way. And compelling this spot is. The restaurant near the SMU campus is a lovely space with a large patio filled with French-style bistro tables and wicker chairs that are far more comfortable than metal ones. This spot is the third North Texas location (McKinney and Southlake) with another planned in Prestonwood Plaza along Belt Line Road. There are about two dozen stores around the country. Inside this bright Snider Plaza spot you’ll find a lovely space that gives a French version of Joanna Gaines: classic and chic. Pastel blue walls accent light wooden floors. French jazz plays overhead as do gaudy chandeliers. There’s a small Eiffel table atop each table. Tables are big and booths are plush. And they have crepes — so many crepes you won’t know what to do with yourself. The restaurant is counter-service style with a big open kitchen, allowing diners to watch crepes being made. There are huge vats of Nutella, chopped fruit and Champagne; it’s a lot. For first-timers, it could be a lot to stand in line and explore the menu. Have a seat and take a minute here. There are three varieties of crepes on the menu: sweet, breakfast and savory with about a dozen options from each. But do we really need borders here? We don’t think so. Order freely. What to Order In the savory section, each option is about $14. A guy in front of me ordered the chicken enchilada crepe like he was on a mission. There’s a chicken Florentine, California, vegan and ham and Gruyère among other options. A Croque Madame from the breakfast section (served until 3 p.m.) has scrambled eggs, gruyere, smoked ham and a Bechamel sauce. Breakfast crepes range from about $13 to $15. We started with a Dubai chocolate crepe, which was the monthly special. This Battle of the Bulge-inspired dessert has pistachio cream and milk chocolate inside and outside. If you play your cards right, maybe you too can get a piece of the green pistachio butter stuck in your teeth and a slightly horrified (but nice) server gently tell you. Try it! It’s fun! We also got a Nutella and strawberry crepe to go. Being honest, it’s hard to mess up that combination. Wrapped in a crepe? Yeah, it’s amazing. The toppings are generous here, and the amount of food is substantial. You won’t leave hungry, maybe a little overindulged, but why else are you traversing that parking lot? On the day we were there, the restau- rant wasn’t busy, except for a table of la- dies across from us who each had savory crepes, stuffed with chicken and served with big salads. From a distance, their bowls had a lot of green roughage, like someone was intent on making crepes for lunch not a totally overindulgent choice. Well played. Champagne is also abundant here. You can order it by the glass, bottle or bucket, in a mimosa or even frozen. Beer and wine are also available, plus a full coffee bar with a Nutella latte. We’re excited about this little creperie, with its large patio that will be lovely when the weather behaves. Dig in. City of Ate from p15 Kathy Tran The State Fair of Texas runs Sept. 26 - Oct. 19. Lauren Drewes Daniels A Dubai chocolate crepe from Sweet Paris Creperie
