This week in gluttony

These are the 8 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Will crawl for margs and tacos.

Photo courtesy of Bar Crawl Nation

Events are wide-ranging this week, from a movie-themed, family-friend dinner pop-up to a taco and margarita crawl. A national gas station chain will celebrate its famed frozen beverage in a creative way this weekend. Also don’t miss a Sunday brunch pop-up from a caterer that sells out its pasta-making classes.

Wednesday, August 24

Season’s Peak Wine Dinner at Carraba’s
The Houston-based Italian chain will share summer flavors at their peak during this four-course wine dinner. Menu highlights include fontina and prosciutto-stuffed chicken with basil lemon butter sauce and berries and butter cake with vanilla ice cream. Dinner is $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm, at participating locations. Reservations required.

Friday, August 26

Princess & The Frog Gumbo & Beignets Pop-Up at Dusty Biscuit Beignets
The acclaimed South Main Street beignet shop (winner of the 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Best New Restaurant) will host a movie-themed pop-up with a tasty menu. Bring the whole family for chicken and sausage gumbo and frog and crown beignets themed after the animated movie The Princess and The Frog, which was set in New Orleans. Visit from 6-8 pm.

Smoke & Bone Beer Dinner at Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
Rahr has teamed up with the folks at Smoke & Bone for a four-course beer dinner. The menu includes shrimp and avocado ceviche; barbecue pork tostada; salmon cakes with stacked gold potatoes; and brisket & IPA fondue — all paired with different Rahr beers. Tickets are $55, and the event starts at 7 pm.

Saturday, August 27

Bring Your Own Cup Day at 7-Eleven
If it fits in a cup, fill ‘er up. The convenience store chain is reprising Bring Your Own Cup Day by encouraging its rewards members to bring in any vessel to fill with their favorite Slurpee flavor for $1.99. From fishbowls to cookie jars, all creative containers are welcome. "We want customers to build the Slurpee drink of their dreams while having fun with their vessel of choice – and we can't wait to see some of the creative cups they come up with,” Dennis Phelps, 7-Eleven proprietary beverages senior product director, said in a statement. The special is valid at participating locations.

Fat Straws 20th Anniversary
The Dallas-based boba tea and mochi doughnut shop will celebrate 20 years in business with an all-day special at all five area locations. Visit any Fat Straws outlet for 20 percent all doughnuts and drinks from 11 am-9 pm and enter for a chance to win a $200 gift card. Menu offerings include milk teas, smoothies, milkshakes, coffee, and Fat Straws’ signature mochi doughnuts — chewy pastries fried with mochi powder. Fat Straws has locations in Arlington, as well as Dallas, Plano, and Richardson.

Fort Worth Tacos & Margs Crawl
This West Seventh district bar crawl will start at El Chingon, where there’ll be live entertainment, photo ops, and lots of tacos and margaritas. Participants can then move onto Maestro’s Tacos, Kung Fu Saloon, The Local, Varsity Tavern, and more for margarita tastings and tacos. Note that VIP tickets — $54.99 — include a margarita sample at each venue, tacos at four venues, and an early start at 12 pm. General admission is $19.99 and only allows for access to taco and margarita specials starting at 2 pm.

Salad and Go Arlington Grand Opening
Visit the newest location of the salad-centric fast-food chain for a freebie. Starting at 3 pm, the first 200 guests to visit Salad and Go’s Arlington location at 938 N. Cooper St. will get a free salad. Note that the giveaway is for drive-thru orders only and is not valid with online or app orders. Limit one free salad or wrap per person.

Sunday, August 28

Gnocchi-Dokie Pop-Up Brunch at Rancho Loma
The pasta-making classes hosted by Fort Worth-based Gnocchi-Dokie catering always sell out at Rancho Loma Vineyards wine bar in the Near Southside. So, snag reservations quick for this pop-up brunch by the same folks. A la carte dishes will include Italian tea sandwiches, sausage and polenta fritti, a “naked” cake stack, and more. Make reservations between 12-3 pm.

news-you-can-eat cocktails wine

Coffee with a cowboy

Yellowstone's Cole Hauser rides into Fort Worth for sunrise fan event

Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

Cole Hauser meets Yellowstone fans at a northeast Fort Worth Walmart.

Yellowstone star Cole Hauser blazed a trail through a Walmart parking lot at dawn on September 17 for a meet-and-greet with hundreds of devoted Fort Worth fans.

The official occasion: To launch the sale of his Free Rein Coffee Company in Walmart stores nationwide. But to star-struck fans who got in line before the sun came up, it was the rare chance to meet one of their favorite actors from Paramount's hit Western drama.

In front of an Old West-style covered wagon, Hauser shook hands, took selfies, and signed bags of Free Rein coffee for the first 50 folks in line. All at 7 am.

Throughout the morning, customers at the Walmart Supercenter at 3851 Airport Frwy. got to sample his Texas-made Free Rein coffee, a partnership among Hauser and three friends.

Free Rein will now be sold in more than 1,700 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com nationwide, according to a release. Three varieties - American Dirt (dark roast), Homestead (medium roast), and Prospect (light roast) - are available in grounds and single-serve pods starting at $12.97.

“Through this partnership with Walmart, we’re going to get our great coffee into the hands of the hard working folks who make our country go,” Hauser says in a release. “This has always been my mission: to serve and uplift those who serve their country and communities in any way I can.”

Cole Hauser, Yellowstone, Free Rein, Walmart Hauser enjoys a cup of his Free Rein coffee inside Walmart.Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

A portion of Free Rein's sales go to the nonprofit Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which empowers families of fallen and severely wounded Special Operations warriors. Hauser is a longtime patron and board member.

"With its launch into Walmart, Free Rein is committing to a ‘Buy a Bag, Give a Cup’ promise, meaning we’ll give a cup to someone who serves their country or community for every bag of Free Rein Coffee bought at Walmart this year," the release says.

Since Free Rein's launch in October 2023, the release says, several notable names have joined the company as ambassadors and investors, including movie star Mark Wahlberg and Hauser's Yellowstone co-star Forrie J. Smith, "who share a long-time passion for and commitment to supporting veterans."

Free Rein coffee is served at HTeaO shops and is the official coffee of Billy Bob’s Texas.

Hauser also has a bourbon called Lazy K Bar Whiskey, which started selling in retailers around Texas in July.

Hauser has portrayed heartthrob Rip Wheeler (aka Beth Dutton's hubby) on Yellowstone since 2018.

No stranger to Fort Worth, Hauser’s son attends TCU.

Yellowstonereturns for the final episodes of the series finale at 8 pm Sunday, November 10. Paramount Network's hit show, co-created by Fort Worth's Taylor Sheridan, has been on hiatus since January 2023.

Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

Cole Hauser meets Yellowstone fans at a northeast Fort Worth Walmart.

free rein walmart yellowstone hauser coffee celebrities