Where to Eat

Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 8 hottest new restaurants

Fish and chips were made to go together.

Photo courtesy of Tricky Fish

Fort Worth's restaurant scene is sizzling hot, with new openings that keep on coming. This August version of Where to Eat is particularly varied: from a soda shop to BBQ to coffee, it's a rich and robust group of newbies.

Here's where to eat in Fort Worth right now:

Boulevard Scoops
Old-timey soda shop recently moved from a tiny space in River Oaks to a roomier building at 5426 Jacksboro Hwy., in the spot last occupied by Maverick BBQ. Run by husband-and-wife duo Jay and Tina Winnett, the sweet treat shop specializes in cobblers, funnel cakes, banana splits, and unusual items such as ice cream nachos, made with pieces of waffle cones and three scoops of your choice of ice cream. With a bigger space comes a bigger menu: New items include a half-dozen varieties of burgers, along with cheese curds, hot dogs, and other soda shop staples.

Doc B's Fresh Kitchen
The posh Fort Worth location of this Chicago-based we-do-it-all chain opened on August 15 in The Shops at Clearfork. The smallish menu touches on all the major food groups. There are gourmet-inspired burgers with toppings such as giardiniera slaw and habanero honey; pastas like a rigatoni punctuated with a larger-than-life meatball; barbecue ribs; a veggie plate with kale slaw and grilled artichoke; and several seafood and salad options.

Dough Boy Donuts
The latest gourmet doughnut shop to rise in Fort Worth is the brick-and-mortar version of Melvin Roberson's popular food truck, located on the west side at 4910 Camp Bowie Blvd., in the space last occupied by Leah's Sweet Treats. Doughnuts are made throughout the day, in rotating flavors such as pistachio lime, cookies and cream, cinnamon crunch, and sriracha-maple bacon. Right now, the shop is offering yeast doughnuts, with plans to eventually add cake doughnuts, as well.

Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar
Opened in July in the West Seventh area, this small, quaint spot is the first sushi bar in Fort Worth to specialize in hand rolls, or temaki — cylindrical-shaped sushi rolls enclosing rice, fish, and vegetables. Rolls are made on the spot, while you watch, and are handed to you by the sushi chef who made them. You can order as many or as few as you want. Fillings include salmon, tuna, scallops, yellowtail, crab, eel, toro, and lobster. There’s also edamame, sake, miso soup, and sashimi.

Jube's Smokehouse
At this new east side barbecue joint, pitmaster Patrick "Jube" Joubert specializes in 'cue essentials like brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. But he keeps things interesting by rotating in other items, including dirty rice and jambalaya. Jube's is one of the few restaurants in Fort Worth to use social media smartly: Joubert announces the day's menu via entertaining Facebook Live videos and posts again when he sells out. The tiny space has historical significance for local 'cue aficionados: It dates back to 1944, when it opened as Floyd's BBQ.

Tipsy Oak
New Arlington gastropub comes from couple Kevin and Julia Cary von Ehrenfried, onetime owners of Near Southside spot Pouring Glory, best known for burgers and beer. Tipsy Oak doesn't fall too far from the Pouring Glory tree; there are dozens of craft beers and several burgers, including one made with Pouring Glory's beloved fried bacon. Elsewhere on the menu, there are pork belly quesadillas, beer-infused fish and chips, and a grilled cheese sandwich made with smoked brisket, roasted jalapeños, and American and gouda cheese. The restaurant, built from the ground up in the style of a Craftsman home, features a wraparound porch dotted with picnic tables, and there's live music on the weekends.

Tricky Fish
The younger sibling of Razoo's has opened its first Fort Worth store at the Waterside development across from Whole Foods (the original opened in Richardson in 2016). The menu is split between Gulf- and Cajun-inspired seafood staples, from Gulf oysters to blackened salmon to crawfish étouffée to muffaletta. Specialty dishes include a basic fish and chips, lemon pepper shrimp tacos, banana pudding with marscapone and rum, and a fried oyster BLT. Brunch features a build-your-own-mimosa bar. There are also seasonal craft cocktails and an impressive selection of craft beers.

Vaquero Coffee Company
Housed inside the historic Joe Daiches building at 109 Houston St., Vaquero Coffee Company is the latest coffeehouse to open downtown, following the arrival of Sons of Liberty Coffee earlier this year. Owners Jonathan Heath and Christopher Rushing have made the most of a tiny space, wiping away time and dirt to expose the building's original tin ceiling and tile floor. Beans are sourced from Buon Giorno (which also has a downtown location) and Craftwork Coffee Co., and kolaches come from Pearl Snap Kolaches. There's a worthy off-the-menu special, a mesquite-smoked espresso drink named after the nearby Sid Richardson Museum.

where-to-eat

where to eat

Where to eat in Fort Worth: 9 restaurants to take your holiday guests

Manny Rodriguez

Chumley House

The holidays draw near and for many of us, that means one thing: family’s coming to town. Cook your heart out for them, yes, but take advantage of Fort Worth’s thriving restaurant scene and show off some of our city’s finest places to eat.

For our annual December edition of our monthly Where to Eat feature, we offer suggestions for where to take the family, with a list that accommodates every type of eater — from the Tex Mex lover to vegans to big splurges.

Here's Where to eat in Fort Worth right now:

Best barbecue: Goldee’s Barbecue
Lauded by The New York Times, recently high-fived by Michelin, and ranked No. 1 on Texas Monthly’s best barbecue list, Goldee’s remains the top ‘cue choice for many in Texas and beyond. Part of the experience of eating here is the wait. Chances are, you’ll stand in line (or sit; you can bring chairs) for a good two or three hours, but with the wait comes a sense of community - and isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Maybe? You can’t go wrong with the expertly smoked brisket, huge beef ribs, or housemade Lao sausage. Be sure to get a couple slices of bread; it’s made in-house.

Best Tex Mex:Fiesta Restaurant
Fort Worth of course is well known for its Mexican cuisine, and zeroing in on one spot for all to try can be difficult. Open for more than four decades, this charming, uncomplicated restaurant on the south side is a good choice: Its menu is more expansive than others, offering dozens of varieties of enchiladas, nachos, chimichangas, and other Tex Mex staples. It’s one of the few restaurants in the area to offer parrillada, sizzling platters of chicken thighs, steak, pork, and veggies that are perfect for sharing. On weekends, there’s an all-day breakfast menu with items such as menudo, chilaquiles, migas, and breakfast tacos.

Best Hot New Spot: The Chumley House
This exquisite new European-inspired steakhouse in the museum district is definitely one of the toughest tables to get right now. A spinoff of the original location in Dallas, The Chumley House offers a variety of European-inspired dishes, chef-inspired takes on American classics, and homages to global cuisine, in a handsomely designed space. Dishes include butter chicken pie with coriander-glazed roots and ginger yorgurt, herb popovers with salted butter, the signature Beef Wellington, a center-cut tenderloin and spinach crepe hidden in a puff pastry, and a halibut “porterhouse” with chimichurri. Steaks include a NY strip and bone-in ribeye. For dessert, there’s salted caramel Biscoff trifle with sweet mascarpone and icebox pie with blackberry cobbler crumble.

Best Outdoor Space: La Cabrona
Patios may definitely be an option for Christmastime dining - remember, this is Texas and typically it’s nice this time of year. This new high-end Mexican restaurant in the W. 7th area has a real beauty for a patio - it’s festively decorated and overlooks all the W. 7th activity. The Monterrey-inspired menu includes dishes such as mole chicken enchiladas, pan-roasted cactus tacos, and carne asada, as well as lighter options such as shrimp cocktail, ceviche, and aguachile, a dish comprised of shrimp cured in a lime and serrano pepper marinade. Great selection of margaritas, cocktails, and beers, too.

Best for a Large Group:Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
With a spacious dining area that spans three rooms and a bar area, Tim Love’s restaurant/music venue combo in the Stockyards is a good option for large groups. As if it were made for indecisive diners, the menu is incredibly varied, with an emphasis on classic American cuisine. Appetizers include grilled fish tacos, raw oysters, smoked crab and green chili dip, and tuna tostadas. Main dishes feature a dry-aged beef double cheeseburger, smoked baby back pork ribs, brisket enchiladas, beef stroganoff, and smoked chicken. A kids menu includes a cheese quesadillas and chicken tenders with fries. The restaurant and music venue are in separate areas, so there’s an additional cost to see the concerts.

Best Late Night:Pho 95
Late-night dining is becoming a thing of the past in Fort Worth - thankfully, Ol’ South is still around. But in Arlington, after-hours grub is still easy to find. Pho 95’s east Arlington location, at 2525 E. Arkansas Ln., is a good option for night owls craving Vietnamese classics, like bowls of piping hot pho, beef stew and other hearty soups. It’s a fun, no-frills atmosphere in which the tables and chairs are pushed so closely together, you’re bound to make a friend or two.

Best splurge:Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine
With some dishes hovering in the $60-$70 range, Fort Worth chef Jon Bonnell’s namesake restaurant is definitely on the upper end of the splurge scale. But this southwest Fort Worth restaurant is a truly unique experience, in that your guests may never eat food quite like this again. Among the entrees: pepper-crusted buffalo with whiskey cream, ancho chile-rubbed elk backstrap, made from a premium cut of meat that runs along the spine, and a larger-than-life tomahawk pork chop, rubbed with a special barbecue seasoning, with mascarpone whipped sweet potatoes. Appetizers include crispy quail legs and elk tacos - only in Texas.

Best on a budget: Sunny’s Cafe
Opened earlier this year in the space once occupied by Bavarian Bakery & Cafe, this second location of the Sycamore School Road staple offers breakfast and lunch essentials, made to order and priced inexpensively. For breakfast, try the excellent pancakes - pillow-y on the inside, with nicely browned edges on the outside. Home fries - cubed fried potatoes cooked with onions and peppers - are a must. Rotating lunch specials include chicken-fried steak, pork chops, Shepherd’s pie, and chopped steak, and come with your choice of two sides, usually for less than $12.

Best quintessential Texas: Dayne’s Craft BBQ
Though just a year old, Dayne’s Craft Barbecue has all the hallmarks of a quintessential Texas restaurant: It’s located in a small town (Aledo, about 20 minutes west of Fort Worth), it’s housed in a historic building that’s nearly a century old, and the dining room looks out onto railroad tracks. You can enjoy your terrific brisket sandwich or excellent smashburger while watching the trains chug by; that’s about as Texas as you can get.

bests holidays where to eat