Small-town magic is alive and well in Graham, Texas. Of course, it hasn’t always been this way. Positioned between the Cross Timbers, the Blackland Prairies and the Rolling Plains Ecological Region, Graham’s landscape is as eclectic as its history. It is a place all too familiar with downturns and upswings.
The town, positioned as the Young County seat, is home to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the annual Food Truck Championship of Texas and the largest downtown square in America — the last of which is outfitted with a century-old theater showing first-run films and a hotel made out of shipping containers.
Its current class of locals is driven by hometown pride and willing to take big risks on small-business ventures to see the square thrive. Today, Graham is in a golden era.
THE DRIVE THERE
Getting to Graham is half the fun. However, the drive, just over two hours from Dallas, is short enough that it can be done without any stops at all. Fill up your tank, put on your sunnies, blast a playlist, listen to a podcast and you’re there.
Or head west, making some strategic stops along the way. Weatherford and Mineral Wells, both located about halfway to Graham, are packed with antique stores and dotted with cafes. They’re great options to stretch your legs, do some shopping and grab lunch.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Head to Tumbleweed Vintage Boots in Weatherford to find that perfect pair of boots you’ve been looking for your whole life, and then stop at Second Bar + Kitchen in Mineral Wells for a delicious meal made from locally sourced ingredients.
Tumbleweed Vintage Boots
16 N. Main St.
Weatherford, TX 76086
817.594.1515
tumbleweedvintageboots.com
Second Bar + Kitchen at The Crazy Water Hotel
401 N. Oak Ave.
Mineral Wells, TX 76067
940.464.9989
secondbarkitchen.com
WHERE TO STAY
There’s a handful of chain accommodations on the periphery of town, but there’s no better place to experience the heart of Graham than at The Middleton Hotel — a sixteen-room boutique hotel that opened on the square in 2023.
The Middleton Hotel is more than just a place for visitors to stay; it’s a mainstay for locals to gather — complete with a thoughtful food-and-beverage program and an art gallery where renowned works hang, complete with scannable QR codes to tell their stories. Part of the hotel takes up space in a historical building, its courtyard positioned where a building destroyed by fire once stood, and the rooms are uniquely fitted from locally sourced shipping containers. The Middleton Hotel is unexpected, yet welcoming, and quirky in all the best ways.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Do not miss a chance to see live music in the courtyard or to nosh and imbibe at Middle Sister, the hotel’s coffee shop, restaurant and bar. Check the calendar of events and hours of operation before your stay.
The Middleton Hotel
509 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
817.705.7403
hotelmiddleton.com
If you’d prefer to submerge yourself in unspoiled wilderness, Wildcatter Ranch is for you. In these rustic, yet elegant accommodations, you can cast a line for bass, hike among the wildflowers, swim at sunset overlooking a canyon in the infinity pool, ponder life under the stars and eat a mesquite-grilled rib-eye at their award-winning steakhouse.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Do not forget to pack the bug spray and sunscreen!
Wildcatter Ranch & Steakhouse
6062 Highway 16 S.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.3500
wildcatterranch.com
WHERE TO EAT/DRINK
Graham was an entirely dry city until 2016, when a local election narrowly passed a ballot measure that legalized beer and wine sales. However, it was the proposition passed in 2022, making all alcoholic drink sales legal, that had the most substantial impact on Graham’s now-burgeoning food and drink scene, satisfying locals and visitors alike. Cheers to that!
COFFEE
The best place to grab a cup of coffee in Graham is the Coffee Pod at Middle Sister, located in the courtyard of The Middleton Hotel. Built from a shipping container and aptly named, the Coffee Pod serves Avoca Coffee beans roasted on the south side of Fort Worth.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
The Coffee Pod has a daily selection of pastries that shouldn’t be missed (including gluten-free options). Order an iced latte and catch some rays at a picnic table outside or get cozy on a couch inside.
The Coffee Pod at Middle Sister
511 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.594.3281
middlesistertx.com
BREAKFAST
Locals have been lining up to eat breakfast (and lunch) at Marlene’s since 1999, and for good reason. Step back in time for a classic greasy spoon meal, complete with flat-top omelets, abundant coffee refills, desserts baked daily, a vintage Dr Pepper machine and walls painted a shade of green that can only be described as nostalgia in a can.
Marlene’s at The Big Chill
518 Oak St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.4772
visitgrahamtexas.com/business/marlenes-the-big-chill
LUNCH
If you’re on the square and looking for something fresh, head to Middle Sister for flavor-packed salads and satisfying sandwiches. For award-winning barbecue that locals love and are willing to wait in line for, head to Daddy Bob’s Smokewagon. And if you’re up north at Lake Graham, On the Fly Cafe & Bait House has a burger and fries with your name on it.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Daddy Bob’s Smokewagon currently comes to Graham on Mondays and Wednesdays in the Anytime Fitness parking lot — be sure to check the website for potential changes to the schedule and location.
Middle Sister
511 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.594.3281
middlesistertx.com
On the Fly Cafe and Bait House
557 Farm to Market Road 3003
Graham, TX 76450
940.842.8265
facebook.com/OTFCafeBaitHouse
Daddy Bob’s Smokewagon
Anytime Fitness Lot
1104 Highway 16 S.
Graham, TX 76450
940.550.8455
daddybobs.com
DINNER
Neri Gonzalez, the chef and owner of Neri’s on the Square, has been serving customers with gratitude for more than fifteen years. Business on the square is on the upswing now, but she remembers a time not too long ago when it wasn’t that way. “If my neighbor is doing great, then I’m doing great,” Gonzalez tells us. And that mindset carries over into the hospitality at Neri’s on the Square. Eating a meal there makes you feel like you’re part of the family.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
The menu at Neri’s on the Square is extensive. If you feel overwhelmed, get the chicken salad — Gonzalez saved this recipe from the space’s former establishment and a local favorite, Magnolia Tea Room, and serves it as it was originally served.
Neri’s on the Square
523 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.8000
nerisgraham.com
COCKTAILS
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Whatever the time of day, you will see people hanging at the Cocktail Lounge at Middle Sister — all thanks to its chill vibe and its bar manager, Gabriel Briseño, who has designed a sophisticated yet totally approachable drink menu. Whether you’re looking for something stiff and sippable or something nonalcoholic and refreshing, they’ve got you covered.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Don’t drink on an empty stomach. The Cocktail Lounge serves light bites like shareable flatbreads and charcuterie boards.
Cocktail Lounge at Middle Sister
511 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.594.3281
middlesistertx.com
WHAT TO SEE/DO
Graham has the ideal number of things to see and do in a weekend, never leaving you feeling over- or underwhelmed. Tailor your itinerary to fit your needs while moving around at your own speed or, if you’re more the spontaneous type, explore as you go.
SHOP THE SQUARE
Among the bespoke boutiques, the carefully curated wine shop and the antique stores that seemingly have it all, you can find exactly what you’re looking for and then some while shopping the largest downtown square in America.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Head to Here & Now to shop a women-owned business in what used to be a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Then, step into Hilltop Home to pick up an Oprah-approved candle by local maker Meaghan Paris of Design Undone Candles.
The Vintage Market
504 Oak St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.521.2430
Graham Wines
508 Oak St.
Graham, TX 76450
469.699.4639
grahamwines.com
Here & Now
507 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.208.1403
shophereandnow.com
Hilltop Home
601 Elm St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.456.9162
hilltophomeshop.com
BROWSE THE BOOKS
If you’re a sucker for midcentury-style libraries — the way the sunlight hits their shelves and the smell of bound pages floating through them — the Library of Graham is a gem you must admire. Make time to stop and smell the flowers at the library’s Pollinator and Prairie Garden led by Library of Graham Director DeAnna Bullock.
Bullock, a local who grew up on a ranch with a deep appreciation of the Texas landscape, uses the garden to showcase native plants and introduce people of all ages to the concepts of ecology, water conservation and the interconnectedness of the environment in a balanced ecosystem.
Library of Graham
910 Cherry St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.0600
libraryofgrahamtx.org
Pratt’s Books has been selling pre-loved, out-of-print, scarce and eclectic books for more than 40 years, specializing in Americana and Texas history — an incredible accomplishment for a brick-and-mortar bookstore. “What brings people far and wide to our store is our Western Americana section. And great inventory is the key to a successful retail business,” owner Gayle Pratt tells us. But it’s also Pratt’s infectious enthusiasm for books and the stories they tell that upholds the success of Pratt’s Books.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
Take a moment between pages to admire the bookstore’s original interior design elements, like exposed masonry, salvaged ironwork and rebuilt wooden floors.
Pratt’s Books
502 Oak St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.5341
prattsbooks.com
SUPPORT THE ARTS
Downtown Graham is anchored by its long-term arts establishments. The Graham of today wouldn’t be what it is if its residents, both past and present, hadn’t been interested in preserving it and taken the time to do so.
Start by taking a self-guided mural tour (by car or on foot), and then check out a traveling exhibit at the Old Post Office Museum. Next, watch a movie at the historic National Theatre, with buttery concession-stand popcorn, or under the stars at the oldest drive-in in Texas. And if timing is on your side, there will be a play to see at The Perry, put on by the Graham Regional Theatre, or a performance by the Fort Worth Symphony at the Graham Memorial Auditorium.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
The National Theatre, owned and operated by the same folks who are behind Middle Sister, is open 364 days a year. So, chances are, it’ll be open when you’re in town. They proudly show both new releases and classic films.
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Self-Guided Mural Tour
visitgrahamtexas.com/things-to-do/arts-performances
Old Post Office Museum & Art Center
510 Third St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.1470
opomac.net
National Theatre
522 Oak St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.2077
nationaltheatreofgraham.com
Graham Drive In
1519 Fourth St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.532.6225
grahamdriveintheatre.com
Graham Regional Theatre at The Perry
521 Elm Street
Graham, TX 76450
grahamregionaltheatre.com
Graham Memorial Auditorium
628 Third St.
Graham, TX 76450
940.549.3266
cityofgrahamtexas.com/auditorium
EXPLORE PARKS + REC
There is an abundance of natural beauty surrounding Graham, and you don’t have to go far to enjoy it. Pack a picnic and hit up a city park, take a short drive north to the lakes or head south to one of the best state parks Texas has to offer for a day of boating, birding, camping, fishing, hiking, swimming and more.
LOCAL PROFILE TIP
On your way in or out of town, drive to the Brazos River Authority observation area for an accessible and stunning scenic view of Possum Kingdom Lake, Morris Sheppard Dam and the Brazos River vista. Please be advised that the area closes daily at 5 p.m. sharp.
Firemen’s Park
200 State Highway 67
Graham, TX 76450
cityofgrahamtexas.com/parks
Shawnee Park
904 Cherry St.
Graham, TX 76450
cityofgrahamtexas.com/parks
Lake Graham
Graham South Public Boat Ramp
Graham, TX 76450
Lake Eddleman
Lake Eddleman Public Boat Ramp
Graham, TX 76450
Possum Kingdom State Park
3901 State Park Road 33
Caddo, TX 76429
940.549.1803
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/possum-kingdom
Brazos River Authority
301 Observation Point Road
Graford, TX 76449
This article was originally published in Local Profile's May/June issue. Read more here.
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