A Guided Culinary Tour of Plano’s Boardwalk at Granite Park

The Boardwalk at Granite Park is situated around a small pond with a row of restaurants curving around it. The complex promises a wide variety of cuisines with a water feature as a backdrop. It sits at the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and the Sam Rayburn Tollway, essentially on the border of Plano and Frisco. Parking is free and easily accessible; every venue is within easy walking distance. When the weather is nice, there is no better place to spend an afternoon or evening in North Texas.

What follows is a carefully curated selection of highlights from the Boardwalk. The intent of this list is to help you take advantage of as many different establishments as possible while you are there, maximizing your time and experience without restricting you to just one restaurant.

Pre-Dinner Drinks

Craft Beer at Union Bear Brewing Co.

You want to start your night out on the right note, and there is no better way to do that than by stopping at Union Bear Brewing Co. and crushing a pint (or two or three; we won’t tell anyone). The brewhouse has become a North Texas staple, with other locations operating in McKinney and Denton, and they know their stuff when it comes to delivering a quality craft beer.

Keep in mind that this is where your evening begins, so we recommend keeping it light and partaking of a pilsner or kolsch. They also have a Grapefruit Radler available that will pair perfectly with a warm summer afternoon and should leave you with room enough for everything that comes after.

Appetizer

Crab Rangoon Dip at Seager & Sons

A newer addition to the Boardwalk, Seager & Sons’ vibe is inspired by classic rock and the 1970s. The result is a high-energy, carefree environment, but this spot has more than vibes to offer. There is a lot to enjoy on their menu, including their signature plate of fried chicken, but the real standout here is on the shareables menu: a crab Rangoon dip served with wonton crisps and a cup of sweet and sour sauce.

You read that right: the madmen at Seager & Sons have successfully transmuted the pleasures of a crab Rangoon into dip form, and it exceeds expectations. It perfectly balances the flavor and consistency of lump crab meat and cream cheese to create a light and enjoyable appetizer. It is perfect for our purposes and comes highly recommended, setting the stage for what comes after.

Main Entree

Suburban Yacht Club

It's summer. It's hot. You need substance, but not overindulgence that will add five pounds to the already heavy humidity. Head to Suburban Yacht Club for the whole fried red snapper, served complete with head on. We've been in a whole fried fish phase lately (the one at La Paisa Tiki is amazing). 

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The red snapper is swimming over a green curry sauce. The skin is crispy, and the tender white meat inside soft and fresh. Use your hands here and dig in, grabbing herbs, shallots and vegetables with each scoop.

Dessert

I Scream Gelato

Now, technically, dessert is optional. You could substitute it for after-dinner drinks or vice versa. But why limit yourself to one or the other when you can indulge in both, especially with the options available at the Boardwalk?

I Scream Gelato is nestled in the middle of the boardwalk and offers a wide variety of flavors, including vegan options. The real selling point is being able to walk in, order a scoop of gelato of your choosing, and then take it to the chairs along the Boardwalk to eat it at your leisure while looking out over the water and enjoying the evening air.

After-Dinner Drinks

Flamant

Flamant is a new addition to the Boardwalk from the same team behind Rye and Apothecary. Naturally, one of the highlights is the bar, as the drinks at Apothecary were recognized by Michelin last year.

Flamant’s cocktail menu is full of experimental energy. One of our favorites is the Octopus’ Garden, a squid ink mojito served with charred octopus. If you like something with a kick, we also wholeheartedly recommend the Salt & Pepperoncini margarita, served with tequila-infused pepperoncini.

But our preference would be to take advantage of Flamant's three excellent variations on the classic espresso martini. The Breakfast in Marseilles, a vodka-based espresso martini, is light and refreshing, with a hint of orange. When we visited to sample it, the bartender told us he recommends it as an aperitif; we agreed, but instead of chasing it with a meal, we chased ours with more espresso martinis.

The In Good Campania is a gin-based espresso martini made with red wine. While its ingredients are nontraditional, this one had the most traditional flavor and presentation of the martinis we tried. Three espresso beans to symbolize health, wealth and happiness, a light brown color, and a smooth taste make this the perfect option for someone looking for something elegant and restrained to cap off their evening.

Finally, the I Love You, Madeira, made with rhum, salted honey, malted molasses cream and served with a cocoa powder ‘F’ on top, is a rich and decadent cocktail. It is perfect as a stand-in for a dessert, one that will do your waistline no favors but make your spirits soar.

One of the great things about this approach is that, as you move from place to place, you not only sample food and drinks but also the vibes of each. You can figure out for yourself what your favorite spots are and where you would like to focus on your next night out; you may even come up with a Boardwalk tour of your own.