The Texas Pancakes That Keep Pulling Me Back to Fort Worth

An email bragging about a Texas diner serving pancakes since 1980 nearly had me grabbing my car keys. My favorite, Ol’ South Pancake House in Fort Worth, has been at it since 1962, and I’ve loved it since childhood.

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I enjoy emails from Texas Monthly, Reader’s Digest, The Texas Observer, and Only In Your State’s Texas coverage. But that last publication’s pancake story got a playful response from me.

“Since 1980? Big whoop-de-doo. Let me tell y’all about Aunt Viola.”

My First Texas Brunch Came With Pancakes

After Dad’s overseas assignment, our family returned from Europe and visited my Aunt Viola in Fort Worth. I was about 12 or 13 when she announced we were going to brunch.

Brunch? What In The World Is brunch?

As long as pancakes or French toast were involved, I was interested. Aunt Viola took us to Ol’ South, saying they made the best pancakes in the world.

More than five decades later, I still think she was onto something.

David Benson and his sister Bette founded the restaurant in 1962. It remains family-owned, giving it an 18-year head start on the diner in that email.

A Breakfast Worth Leaving Abilene For

When Donna and I have the time and money, we’ll drive to Fort Worth for those German pancakes and French toast. As I got older, another favorite joined my breakfast lineup: Eggs Benedict.

Their Southern Eggs Benedict is still on the menu, along with those signature German pancakes. Choosing breakfast might be the hardest part of the trip.

Then I started scrolling through my phone and found photos from our March 2026 visit, when we were in town for the Texas Regional Radio Music Awards. There I was, looking at those breakfast pictures and getting hungry all over again. Some folks bring home souvenirs. I bring home photos of breakfast, and cravings that last for months.

The best part? Ol’ South’s Fort Worth location at 1509 South University Drive is open 24/7. Breakfast cravings at midnight? They’ve got you covered. We like following our morning meal with a stroll around the Fort Worth Zoo. Sometimes we stay overnight, and Donna gets her favorite Cajun seafood for dinner. That story can wait.

To my friends at Only In Your State, I’m raising a fork for a friendly pancake challenge.

What Texas restaurant would YOU take a road trip for?

Excuse me. Donna, start packing. These breakfast cravings just became a weekend getaway.

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