Thirteen years after the City Council adopted a comprehensive plan to modernize six of its neighborhoods, Richardson is a blend of old and new, with Main Street institutions that date back to the 1950s commingling with the buzzy Lockwood District. Which leaves plenty of room for exploration throughout Richardson’s borders and its eras.
5 Things to Do in Richardson
Lockwood Distilling Co.
Opened by Sally and Evan Batt in 2019, Lockwood sells 10 different types of liquor and fashions everything from craft cocktails to frozen slushies with them. Come hungry, too: the pastrami sandwich, which piles on thinly sliced layers of peppery goodness, is one of the best in town.
506 Lockwood Dr., Ste. A
469-399-1599
BigDash
You can stop by this Syrian bakery for standards like crêpes, pastries, and cakes. But you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t try the stretchy Arabic ice cream or open-fire-baked kinafa.
888 S. Greenville Ave., Ste. 140
972-979-4098
Del’s Charcoal Burgers
This institution, open since 1957, is one of North Texas’ enduring burger joints. It’s also one of the last to still brew its own root beer, which is still served in a frosted mug.
110 S. McKinney St.
972-235-9191
Free Play Arcade
Pay $12 to get in the door, and then play as many times as you’d like on more than 95 retro arcade and pinball machines. That’s fun for the whole family, except after 9 pm, when the arcade becomes 21-and-over only.
1730 E. Belt Line Rd.
214-301-0477
Guitars & Growlers
Self-taught luthier Robert Baker combined his two great loves to create a space where you can buy locally crafted guitars and drink locally crafted beer. (Including brews from Richardson’s Happy Hippie Brewery, which has no taproom.)
581 W. Campbell Rd., Ste. 101
469-904-5165
Prairie Creek Park
The walking trails, the wooden pedestrian bridges, and the waterfall—yes, the waterfall—make this natural gem feel far more removed from North Central Expressway than a quick four-minute drive.
2400 W. Prairie Creek Dr.
972-744-4300
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