It’s been nearly 20 years since Roanoke was officially recognized as the Unique Dining Capital of Texas.
The moniker was officially approved by the Texas House of Representatives in 2009 after a proposal from Tan Parker, who represented Roanoke and parts of Fort Worth in District 63, when the city had 39 restaurants. Now the town has more than 60 dining options, most along US 377 or Oak Street, according to the city website.
While the city does not track tourism numbers, its website reports 60,000 people are in Roanoke during work-day hours. The city’s estimated 2025 population was 10,161, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Roanoke collects 8.25% sales tax on each food and drink purchase, with 2% staying with the city, according to the Texas Comptroller’s website.
“Roanoke has long been known as the Unique Dining Capital of Texas, and that recognition reflects the entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community that makes our city so special,” Mayor Carl E. “Scooter” Gierisch said.
Zooming in
There have been 17 new establishments for food or drinks that have opened along Oak Street since 2019, said Siale Langi, the city’s economic development manager. The Goat Tavern, Kimiya Japanese Restaurant and The Salven Kitchen are new dining spots that opened in Roanoke this year.
There are more coming to the Oak Street area, including Jab & Jacs, a French bistro concept with a speakeasy; Pirate Panda Brewing, which held a groundbreaking June 29; and a 430-space parking garage is under construction between Bowie and Main streets to accommodate visitors. The garage is slated to be finished in the fall of 2027.
Langi said more restaurants are coming, such as a two-story mixed-use building near Roanoke Live and the new Roanoke hotel that will have a full-service restaurant when it opens in June 2028.
“As restaurants close on Oak Street, we find the existing environment attractive for new opportunities,” Langi said. “Oak Street’s overall redevelopment, walkability and regular events make it an attractive area for prospective businesses.”
What happened
Gierisch said the city followed Grapevine’s restaurant tourism model. Grapevine’s economic development office states seven of the city’s top 10 destinations in 2025 were local restaurants.
Roanoke began changing Oak Street before the state’s designation. New roundabouts, landscaping, street lighting and street paving were part of the $8 million project, according to previous reporting.
By that point, The Classic of Roanoke and Babe’s Chicken Dinner House were two of the big draws to town.
Roanoke generated $29.9 million in sales tax last fiscal year, up 43.7% from FY 2020-21, Finance Director Kyle Lester said. The 2% sales tax revenue supports the general fund, the Crime Control and Prevention District, economic development, and quality-of-life initiatives, Langi said.
Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate said that 84% of every tax dollar comes from a visitor.
What they're saying
The dining focus on Oak Street started weeks apart in 1993. Babe’s Chicken Dinner House opened April 22, and The Classic Cafe at Roanoke followed May 5.
Gierisch remembers when Babe’s opened and people waited up to two hours for a table.
“It’s absolutely amazing to see [Oak Street] now,” said Chris Wells, who owns The Classic Cafe with his brother, Curtis. “What we thought would happen happened, but on more of a grander scale.”
Several restaurant owners in Roanoke expect further growth. Jack Layman, who owns Cajun restaurant Bayou Jack’s, Tex-Mex eatery Los Compadres Cantina and American establishment Jack & Grill, said Roanoke needs more retail options, but the restaurants drive tourism.
“I see a lot of people coming to check it out because of [state designation], and we keep getting more restaurants,” Layman said. “The difference is Grapevine has Hotel Vin; we don’t have that yet, but [the new hotel] coming will change everything.”
Cary Moon, a proprietor of several local restaurants, including Roanoke Tavern and Roanoke Live, said the city has a perfect mix of location, the walkability aspect of Oak Street and a government that supports local business owners and residents with economic incentives and quality of life improvements, like public parks.
“Walkability is crucial, not just for us at the Tavern,” Moon said. “Roanoke is one of those towns where it’s really easy walking around.”
The outlook
Langi said Roanoke still has open land zoned for retail and commercial use.
Near Cinemark Roanoke and XD, there are pad sites available. Near Oak Street, there is a pad spot next to American National Bank and Trust and on the north side of Oak Street, closest to Byron Nelson Boulevard, Langi said.
He said there is also land on Cleveland Gibbs Road, near the Roanoke Sports Complex. According to previous reporting, that eight-field complex developed by Play It Forward Sports will attract 2.2 million visitors.
Gierisch said Roanoke’s downtown growth is from thoughtful planning and strong partnerships, and provides room for future opportunities.
"We’re not simply adding destinations; we’re continuing to build a vibrant place where families gather, entrepreneurs thrive, and visitors experience the very best of Roanoke," he said.
