Words by Alyssa Stevenson / Photos by Will Milne
I remember when I was a junior in college at UNT, and a friend took me to Greenhouse for jazz and snacks at the bar. The lights were low, and there was still smoking allowed at the bar. The food was great, and the jazz was even better. I remember thinking to myself, "How have I lived here this long and never been here before?" The Greenhouse is a Denton institution and is attempting a new revitalization through a new menu. Read on to find out more about their menu revamp and one of our favorite new sandwiches in town.
The new Ann Sheridan burger featuring brie and bacon.
In many ways, The Greenhouse is still sort of a mystery to many people who have lived in town for forever and a day. To others, it has become the place where you took that date, or met your parents for lunch, or celebrated a friend’s birthday. Now, it remains to us all of those things and more - a casual spot to dine when we don’t want crazy lines, or to try and find parking on the square, all the while knowing that there are some hidden gems on the menu that await our tastebuds. We'll be honest. We almost always head to the bar or to the patio when we're dining there.
Recently, the good people at Greenhouse let us know that they "overhauled" their menu. Lucky for us, overhaul pretty much meant that a few of our tried and true favorites were still on the menu, while a few new additions made their way onto our plates.
Let’s start with the thing they’re the best at though: the cocktails. The bartenders at Greenhouse showcase their most original and delicious drinks regularly, and the favorites and top picks make the rotating seasonal menu of creative cocktails. Their house infusions are fantastic, and are the backbone to some of their most enticing concoctions. If you’re looking for something refreshing to sip away an afternoon - look no further than the Locust St. Spritzer. Ginger ale tops a perfect combination of cucumber, mint and house infused lemon pepper vodka for a drink that you can sip all day.
Another favorite is the Nameless Wonder; a beautiful strawberry basil lemonade martini with a house infused basil vodka. Our favorite though is likely the One O’Clock Lab Band. The drink is aptly named for the jazz ensemble from UNT, but is the best version of a margarita we’ve tried in a long time. Fresh squeezed orange and lime get a kick from 512 Silver Tequila and a dash of Tabasco sauce keeps it funky.
The Nameless Wonder.
The chicken fried steak and the veggie chicken fried steak.
Since the drinks are plenty strong, you’ll want to chase that cocktail with something hearty. We highly recommend the brisket tacos, which are filled to the brim with smoked brisket from Juicy Pig and topped with a bright tomatillo salsa and a sprinkling of cotija cheese. While the spinach and artichoke dip and bruschetta will always hold a place in our hearts, pairing a few orders of those brisket tacos with the One O’Clock Lab Band margarita is sure shot to satiation.
Other new additions of note are the Ann Sheridan burger and the Bella sandwich. The Ann Sheridan features generous slices of brie, a pile of crispy shallots, a few slices of thick bacon and a date aioli that brings it all together. The Bella sandwich though - that stole our hearts. Even the mushroom haters amongst our group loved this sandwich. Probably because the perfectly seasoned portobello was piled high with oozing smoked pimento cheese. Let’s face it - a great pimento cheese can really bring down the house. We all thought that we’d maybe prefer a meat-centric burger or sandwich, but the Bella sandwich was entirely gratifying.
Street tacos.
The smoked pimento cheese and portobello mushroom sandwich.
A few vegetarian treats we adored were the stuffed bell pepper, which was bursting with quinoa, veggies and black beans. Oh, and the black bean tamales topped with tomatillo sauce, sour cream, and mango pico de gallo will help make The Greenhouse a great place for non-carnivores.
We loved seeing a few of our staples on the menu still. The Chilean blue mussels and the stuffed chicken are always family favorites. And lucky for us all - their amazing, silky smooth creme brulee (our favorite in town) is still anchoring the dessert menu.
So head over to The Greenhouse to check out their new menu ASAP. The Greenhouse is located at 600 N Locust St. in downtown Denton, TX. You can check out their full new menu on their website.