Breakfast News

Fort Worth chicken and waffles restaurant snaps up TCU breakfast haunt

You lose a breakfast but gain a chicken & waffle.

Taste N See

UPDATE: Taste-N-See Chicken and Waffles has set an opening date of June 9 for its new TCU-area location. Per a Facebook post, the doors will open at 11 am at the restaurant, 2880 W. Berry St., Fort Worth.

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After seven years, the TCU area loses a major weekday breakfast with the closure of the only Cafe Brazil in Fort Worth.

But there's already a replacement in the wings: local mom-and-pop restaurant Taste-N-See Chicken and Waffles.

Taste-N-See will take over the space at 2880 W. Berry St., near Texas Christian University, with an opening targeted for June.

Cafe Brazil served its last customer on Sunday, according to an employee at the Deep Ellum location. "They're moving the furniture out right now," the employee said.

Cafe Brazil debuted in 1991, taking cues from night-owl coffeehouse/restaurant combos in Austin such as Kerbey Lane Cafe and Magnolia Cafe. There are currently seven locations in the Dallas area and one in Denton, which opened in 2014.

The chain is known for its affordable prices, bottomless coffee, and for being open long hours including 24 hours on weekends. Over the years, the Fort Worth restaurant cut back its hours, little by little, until it was open only for breakfast and lunch.

Taste-N-See Chicken and Waffles plans to move into the space in June, says DeMarcus Davis, who opened the original Taste-N-See two years ago in south Fort Worth with his mother Anita Wilcox.

That location will close at the end of this month.

"We want to completely focus on the new space," Davis says. "We're planning on closing May 31 or June 1 so we can pour all of our energies into the new place."

Taste-N-See's speciality dish is chicken and waffles. Thick, Belgian-style waffles are made in-house and topped with bone-in fried chicken wings or boneless tenders, then covered in various toppings, from blueberry syrup to chocolate chips.

They also serve chicken-fried chicken, shrimp and grits, chicken spaghetti, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, housemade cornbread, and biscuits. On weekends, the restaurant is open for breakfast.

Davis says most of the menu items at the original store will make the jump to the new location. He's also planning on adding new items, such as burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more pastas.

"I'm only adding a half-dozen dishes or so," he says. "I want to keep the menu small and simple and focus on what we do best."

The restaurant will open early for breakfast, at 7 am Monday-Saturday and 10 am Sunday, and offer breakfast all day, with items such as biscuits and gravy, pancakes, breakfast burritos, and various egg dishes.

Eventually, Davis says, a full bar will be added as well.

breakfast closings

Time For Some Tasty Tidbits

Lots of new dishes to check out in this Fort Worth restaurant news

Vickery Cafe

Shepherd's pie at Vickery Cafe

This roundup of restaurant news around Fort Worth has an exciting new opening, a sad closing, 2 high-profile relocations, and loads of new menus to check out.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Japan House, a unique all-you-can-eat concept with full-serve table service, has opened a location in the Lake Worth area of Fort Worth at 5912 Quebec St., off 820 — joining two other locations already open in North Richland Hills and Irving. They feature an expansive menu of more than 170 items: appetizers, sushi rolls, sashimi, ramen, poke bowls, hibachi. They scrapped their previous buffet model and instead bring AYCE dishes to the table.

Vickery Cafe, the longtime favorite diner, has re-opened in its new location in the former Max’s Wine Dive location at 2421 W. 7th St. Owner Curtis James moved because his lease was not extended. It's known for its Southern and Tex-Mex fare.

Craft & Vine, the Roanoke taproom and eatery, closed its doors after seven years. They served craft beers, shared plates, and 3rd-floor patio offering views.

Always Cooking Nola, a family-owned concept serving Cajun and New Orleans-style food, previously located in a Chevron in River Oaks, has softly opened in a new location at 6301 Randol Mill Rd. where it's serving po'boys, gumbo, wings, and more. Hours are 11 am-6 pm.

Dog Haus is celebrating Thanksgiving all month with a twist on the Turducken: a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage topped with garlic aioli, turkey gravy, onions, and scallions, served on King’s Hawaiian rolls; and the Turducken burrito, a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage, three sunny side up eggs, white American cheese, sweet potato fries, caramelized onions, and spicy mayo in a toasted flour tortilla.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill has new menu items including Arancini, a risotto bite with fennel sausage, mozzarella, parmesan, & Romano cheese; rigatoni al forno, with tomato cream sauce, Italian sausage, Romano, parmesan, mozzarella and goat cheese; and short rib marsala, bone-in short rib over garlic mashed potatoes with Lombardo Marsala wine sauce. Dessert includes a triple chocolate bread pudding. New festive cocktails feature the merry berry martini and wood-fired old fashioned. Available through January 13.

Laredo Taco Company, 7-Eleven's in-house restaurant, has two holiday specials: Quesabirria, featuring shredded beef and melted cheese, available as a taco or bowl, paired with consommé dipping sauce; and tamales in choice of pork or chicken, in packs of three, six, or 12 or a family size with two dozen tamales and two sides.

Main Event has new frozen hot chocolate shakes in three flavors: Classic, a frozen hot chocolate with chocolate candy frosted rim, and a Little Debby Christmas tree cake; s’mores with marshmallow rim and graham crackers; and peppermint with peppermint frosted rim and a candy cane. Bailey’s Irish Cream or Caffè Borghetti can be added to any flavor for $3. Prices start at $11. Available through January 7.

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt is collaborating with candy brand Hi-Chew for a limited-edition Key lime pie flavor, inspired by Hi-Chew Dessert Mix’s Key Lime Pie. The flavor is available through November 30 at Menchie’s locations in Euless' Glade Park and Colleyville.

Rita’s Frozen Custard has two limited-time frozen treats: Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati, which layers Rita’s Frozen Hot Cocoa Cream Ice with Vanilla Custard, blending the taste of hot cocoa with cool Italian Ice; and Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati Blender with a crushed peppermint topping.

Dunkin' is bringing back holiday favorites and new menu items. Drinks include the cookie butter cold brew, peppermint mocha latte, toasted white chocolate latte, and white hazelnut bark coffee. New items include the cookie butter donut, holiday cookie latte, almond croissant, and hash brown brisket scramble bowl.

Barrilitos, the Mexican soda, has returned to Texas shelves. Originally produced nearly 100 years ago, the drink is available in four flavors: Mandarina, Manzana, Piña, and Ponche de Frutas in both 12-ounce and 1.5-liter bottles. The aguas frescas were sold until 2020-2021, and the sodas were sold until 2017. Now they're available at El Rancho, La Michoacana, and Fiesta stores.

P.F. Chang’s has added Asian fried chicken to the menu for the first time. It comes in two options, Korean fried chicken and Taiwanese popcorn chicken, with a choice of sauces, including sweet soy glaze, dynamite, hot honey, and chili crisp. Available as bone-in three-piece or six-piece and boneless four-piece or five-piece, eight-piece or 10-piece for shareables.

Wendy's has a new salted caramel Frosty. It can also be paired with the limited-time mushroom bacon cheeseburger, which features roasted mushrooms, bacon, Muenster cheese, and garlic spread. The Frosty is $3 and the burger is $6.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has shut down two oyster harvest areas in the Gulf: the 14-acre Desperation Reef and the 529-acre Dollar Reef, both in Galveston Bay, to allow the oyster population to recover the reef is healthy enough that they can start harvesting oysters again. They'll reopen in November 2026.

Chipotle has launched a wacky new merchandise collection that includes a $10 cilantro soap, a nod to the small percentage of the population who are genetically wired to experience a soapy flavor when eating cilantro; the $28 “Water” Cup candle, a lemonade-scented candle; and $20 car napkin holder. The collection will be available for individual purchase, or as a bundle for $50.
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Raven Jordan contributed to this story.

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