Food Halls Are Still Hot

Fort Worth food hall warms up biscuits and waffles on menu of vendors

Chef Grady Spears' biscuits are a crowd-pleaser.

Photo by Malcolm Mayhew

The much anticipated Food Hall opening at Crockett Row in Fort Worth has signed on four new vendors, including a biscuit-centric stand from chef Grady Spears.

Other new players added include the team behind Tokyo Café, plus Press Waffle Co. and Not Just Q. They'll join previously announced vendors Knife Burger by John Tesar and The Dapper Doughnut.

Spears will debut a new concept called Graze, focused on chicken and biscuits and other comfort foods. Biscuits with butter and jam have been a popular appetizer at Horseshoe Hill, his restaurant in the Stockyards.

Tokyo Café owners Jarry and Mary Ho and chef Kevin Martinez will open a sushi concept with some of the most popular rolls from the restaurant, as well as new menu items that will be exclusive to the food hall. To address the needs of nearby office workers and residents, the concept will offer both counter service and grab-and-go options.

Press Waffle Co., owned by brothers Bryan and Caleb Lewis, will feature Belgian waffles and coffee. The waffles are "Liege-style," which are sweeter than regular Belgian waffles and can therefore be served for dessert as well as breakfast. Varieties include Nutella and chicken and waffles, along with a build-your-own option where you choose toppings such as peanut butter, fruit, and nuts. Press Waffle Co. has a location at Legacy Food Hall in Plano.

Not Just Q is a barbecue spot from former TCU football star David Hawthorne and a spinoff of the popular Dallas food truck featuing chef Eric Hansen's menu of barbecue, sides, and dishes such as brisket nachos. The menu at the food hall will include Fort Worth-only exclusives and a monthly rotating feature chosen by customers.

The food hall will also feature a full bar with seating for 115 in a central area, and seating for 70 outside on the patios and in the covered paseo between buildings. It'll be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

More vendors and an opening date for the food hall will be announced in the coming months.

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Food Truck News

Ghost Food Park brings food truck fare and culture to Arlington

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Food spread at Ghost Food Truck Park

A food truck park is gaining traction in Arlington: Called Ghost Food Park, it's a venture owned by two brothers, located at 2601 W. Arkansas Ln., in the Dalworthington Gardens area.

The outdoor concept was founded in 2023 by Juan and Chris Labra, who are hosting it on the property of their print shop, New Gen Print and Designs. Juan handles the social media and marketing for the park; Chris handles the contracts for the trucks.

They feature six food truck vendors — the maximum number allowed by the City of Arlington — that operate on different schedules every day of the week.

“A popular BBQ truck called 225 BBQ first put us on the map," Juan says.

Dishes span several cuisines: from hibachi to Venezuelan to BBQ fusion. The main attractions include:

King Hibachi with steak and noodle plates and loaded fries
Autana Food & Catering with Venezuelan arepas and cheese-stuffed bread rolls
Karibou Coffees

Ghost Food ParkGhost Food Park

There’s also a local celebrity chef most weekends: Marc Fadel of Habibi Barbecue.

Fadel and his truck were featured on HBO MAX’s BBQ High, a show about several groups of high school culinary teams competing for a state BBQ championship. He whips up dishes that include brisket, pork ribs, and Lebanese sides like tabbouleh (a parsley salad) and batata kizbara (fried cubed potatoes).

“He’s this college kid, and as much as he would want to open more time, he’s focusing on school now, but he does open on weekends,” Juan says.

Prices range from $10 for a pulled pork sandwich at Habibi Barbecue to $30 for a hibachi combo plate at King Hibachi. Truck hours are daily, with Thursdays-Sundays from 11 am-9 pm the most active.

They’ve recently expanded out to hosting weekend markets as well — often with a theme such as Halloween, when they did a cute "truck or treat" theme. They open the park to other non-foodtruck vendors, crafters, and jewelry makers. There’s outdoor seating, with umbrella-shaded tables, and yard games with space to play pickleball.

It's still in test mode. “We’ve got a good sized waiting list since it’s been getting some good traction recently," Juan says.

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