Fort Worth chef Tim Love has a new concept that combines dining with … croquet. Called Stewart’s Croquet & Cocktails, it's a cocktail bar and croquet club set to open in Fort Worth’s River District at 4424 White Settlement Rd.
Stewart’s will offer two distinct yet cohesive experiences:
- indoors, in an 1,100-square-foot space with 28 seats, a private dining room for up to eight
- outdoors, a 15,000-square-foot lawn designed for socializing, croquet, and special events
This concept will be among the first public croquet clubs Texas without a membership requirement and promises to be one of the most unique destinations in DFW. According to a release, it'll open in spring 2025.
Love's goal is to redefine leisure and entertainment by creating an environment that evokes an English country club without the exclusivity of private membership.
The menu will highlight sophisticated takes on country club classics, including Gulf shrimp cocktail, lobster roll, croque Monsieur, steak frites, blue crab cake, and a Croquet Club Sandwich, described as a towering sandwich with house-roasted and smoked meats, tomato, lettuce, house-made American cheese — really? — and mayo on triple-toasted crystal bread.
While the food is crafted with Love's "hallmark precision," Stewart's is designed as a destination for social play, cocktails, and sophisticated bites, and not a traditional dinner venue.
Cocktails will include interactive drink presentations, bespoke libations, and beverages that are as visually stunning as they are flavorful.
The concept is named after his father, Stewart Love, born in 1930, and evokes memories of family gatherings in Cookeville, Tennessee, where Love first played croquet on his father’s farm.
“I’m thrilled to honor my dad with this special spot. Stewart’s is more than a cocktail bar with good food—it’s a full experience,” Love says in a statement. “This is the place I want to be at 3 pm, having a cocktail and a light bite before dinner, unwinding from the day. It’s a country club for the people—a place where anyone can come together and enjoy life’s simple pleasures without the usual barriers. In a world where dining is always evolving, Stewart’s offers something more: an oasis where you can relax, have fun, and share gre times with friends in a setting that’s both sophisticated and laidback.”
Full service will be available on the lawn, where branded crystal tumblers will allow patrons to sip and play. A removable cover will provide shade, and in keeping with croquet tradition, crisp "Croquet Whites" jackets or sweaters are encouraged, though Stewart’s will happily offer these classic attire items to any guest w needs them, reinforcing its ethos as "a country club for the people."
An outdoor stage will eventually host live entertainment, ensuring the venue becomes a go-to destination for stylish social gatherings.
This new venture is situated next to two other concepts developed by Chef Love—Hotel Otto, Fort Worth’s first micro-resort hotel, and Gemelle, his Italian-inspired restaurant which also features a large green space with an entertainment stage and a pool, creating a trifecta of venues that together form a one-stop destination for dining, leisure, and entertainment along the Trinity River.