Best Pumpkin Treats In DFW
If the weather isn't telling you it's fall yet, the sea of orange blanketing the metroplex surely will. For those who go crazy for everything pumpkin, get your taste buds ready because these DFW places are whipping up some delicious pumpkin treats that simply can't be beat.
The Bomb Fried Pies
(214) 394-1981
www.facebook.com/TheBombFriedPies
There are fried pies and then there are The Bomb Fired Pies. These flaky, buttery pockets of perfection are the creation of Brenda Barnhart, who along with her husband Pat, drive around DFW peddling their awesome pies out of a 1965 pink Shasta food trailer. Barnhart's pies are made from scratch and cooked to order. The pies come in a variety of flavors including apple, cherry, peach, apricot and even guacamole. During the fall season, Barnhart makes her special pumpkin fried pies using a homemade baked pumpkin filling. The pies come topped with cinnamon sugar and she'll add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you request it. Barnhart's melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin pies are only available from the end of September until the end of December. The Bomb Fried Pies is always cruising around town. You can follow it on Facebook to see where it will be next.
Chadra Mezza and Grill
1622 Park Place Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76110
(817) 924-2372
www.chadramezza.com
This charming neighborhood treasure features a wonderful selection of Lebanese-inspired Mediterranean dishes that range from kibbehs and shawarmas to pizzas and pastas. Many of the menu items reflect the mixed cultures shared by owners Nehme and Christina Ebitar, including their seasonal pumpkin hummus dessert. Christina explains that her Lebanese-born husband learned to love pumpkin after several Thanksgivings with her family and started blending it in some of his favorite Lebanese dishes for fun. For the hummus, Ebitar uses freshly cooked pumpkin in place of the chickpeas and blends it with tahini to give it a rich, nutty flavor that's not overly sweet. It's served with a drizzling of honey, along with homemade cinnamon sugar pita crisps, for a perfect finish to a Mediterranean meal.
Related: Best Pumpkin Dishes In DFW
Boopa's Bagel Deli
6513 N. Beach St.
Fort Worth, TX 76137
(817) 232-4771
www.boopasbageldeli.com
It might be Fort Worth, but you'll think you're in New York when you taste Boopa's New York-style bagels that are dense and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Boopa's bagel groupies rave about the shop's array of bagel flavors and gourmet cream cheeses, especially the pumpkin bagels, served beginning in September through the end of December. Boopa's pumpkin bagels are made with fresh pumpkin and Pendery's pumpkin spices before being boiled and then baked to achieve that delectable crunchy crust. Slather some of Boopa's fresh pumpkin cream cheese on it for a full fall flavor explosion in every bite.
Joyce & Gigi's Kitchen
1623 N. Hall St.
Dallas, TX 75204
(469) 334-0799
www.joyceandgigis.com
This mother-daughter duo puts a modern spin on their native South American cuisine resulting in some amazing creations including empanadas with locoto aioli and duck confit red risotto with plantains. The ladies make exceptional desserts as well, including their picarones with sweet potato and pumpkin. These delightfully light and airy Peruvian fritters are subtlety spiced with cinnamon, cloves and allspice and served in a warn cinnamon honey. The best part about these incredibly addicting balls of flavor is that you don't have to wait for fall to feed your craving—it's a house specialty that's offered on the menu year round.
Salum Restaurant
4152 Cole Ave., Suite 103
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 252-9604
www.salumrestaurant.com
This uptown bistro wins diners over with charm, ambiance and creatively inspired food by one of Dallas' most beloved chefs, Abraham Salum. The seasonal menu features contemporary American cuisine with enticing selections such as pan-seared foie gras, stuffed squash blossoms and chili-molasses muscovy duck. In November, Salum likes to incorporate fresh pumpkin in several menu items, including a cleverly crafted ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese. He serves it topped with a nutmeg Parmesan cream and grilled spiced shrimp which, once all together, provides an explosion of flavor. If you want to opt for something more sinful, try the pumpkin creme brulee— a luscious concoction of fresh pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg cream.
