Breakfast News

Fort Worth's iconic Paris Coffee Shop presses pause for renovations

They'll keep the counter seating which harkens back to a long-lost time.

Photo by Malcolm Mayhew

Fort Worth is facing a breakfast crisis, but it's only short-term: Paris Coffee Shop, one of the city's oldest restaurants, closes for renovation at the end of lunch service today.

According to a release, the breakfast-lunch icon at 704 W. Magnolia Ave. in the Near Southside will reopen at the same location in early 2022 but with a fresh face.

Chef-restaurateur Lou Lambert teamed up with Fort Worth developer Mark Harris and longtime colleague Chris Reale to purchase the coffee shop from owner Mike Smith in spring 2020. Smith's father bought the restaurant from founder Vic Paris in 1929; Mike assumed operations in 1965.

Renovation begins about October 1, and the new owners, who also own Roy Pope Grocery on the city’s west side, are making sure to retain Paris' charm.

"We've been studying early photographs and plans in order to reproduce the original look and feel of the place," Lambert says in a statement. "It will be the same Paris everyone loves, just spruced up."

Counter service, found along the east interior wall of the large space, will remain, as will the pie cases along that wall, and the popular booth seating, found along the front windows, west wall, and along a shoulder-high partition separating the counter area from the expansive space with tables.

Improvements center on rehabbing the kitchen and updating the dining room, restrooms, and storage areas. They'll also use space in the rear of the building to create a private dining room and meeting room.

Design Build Adventure, the firm owned by Fort Worth native Jack Sanders, will oversee the renovation; he was also the architectural designer responsible for refashioning Roy Pope Grocery.

Look for new wood detail on the Paris Coffee Shop exterior, as per original photos of the café, as part of the facelift. Signage and logo design by Fort Worth artist Sarah Ayala will evoke a 1930s-era style used in Paris' early years.

During renovation, the cafe's historic photographs will be cataloged and preserved. Selected images of the vintage café and surrounding neighborhood will be enlarged as part of the improved décor. Also returning: The staff — including servers who have become family to their customers.

Food
Paris' bacon-and-egg plates, waffles, biscuits & gravy, plate lunches, and famous homemade pies, will return, along with expanded morning offerings such as eggs Benedict (a Mexican version is rumored), brisket hash, and breakfast sandwiches.

“We’re keeping the favorites while also making the menu relevant to the way people eat today,” says owner-operator Reale. “Our background in food means we’re putting more of a culinary eye on some classic dishes.”

Lunch and dinner favorites like chicken-fried steak, chicken & dumplings, turkey & dressing, and burgers will be joined by more salad options, vegetarian entrees, grilled fish, and steak frites.

They'll also add booze including mimosas, French 75, and bloody marys with breakfast and brunch; and beer, wine, and cocktails during lunch and dinner.

"We embrace the coffee shop culture, and we’re committed to preserving the heritage of Paris Coffee Shop and everything that has made it a Fort Worth legend," Lambert says.

closings breakfast

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

closings