Feasting for all
Fort Worth's first food hall starts sizzling for December debut
The dinner bell is finally ringing for the highly anticipated Food Hall at Crockett Row in Fort Worth. A grand opening is scheduled for December 7-8, just in time for holiday feasting and merriment.
With the announcement of the opening date comes word of several new vendors, including a deli from chef Joshua Harmon and pizza-sausage concept from chef Victor Villarreal. They'll join previously announced vendors Knife Burger by John Tesar, Press Waffle Co., and Not Just Q.
Here is a handy list of new vendors with tasty descriptions provided by the food hall itself:
Butler’s Cabinet, from chef, Joshua Harmon, is a deli and marketplace inspired by a love of discovering treats in his mother’s pantry as a child. The menu will include sandwiches such as the Deviled Belly Melt with homemade American cheese and maple-miso smoked onions, as well as the County Ham with sour cherry, fresh cheese, housemade koji butter, and greens. Harmon will source produce locally and make many ingredients in house. Handcrafted beverages will include The Fig Lebowski, a cold brew with fig-espresso syrup, and the Black Fog London made with Earl Grey tea, vanilla syrup, and charcoal milk.
Abe Froman’s of Fort Worth comes from chef Victor Villarreal, who once worked for fellow Food Hall chef John Tesar. A pizza and sausage concept, its namesake signature pizza will feature a sausage meatball-stuffed crust with ricotta and pear relish topped with more sausage. Other menu items include a variety of calzones and the Woodstock pizza with ricotta, goat cheese, honey, caramelized onion, and blueberries.
Rollin’ n Bowlin’, Fort Worth’s first açaí bowl-focused establishment, will transition from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar spot. Started in 2016 by Sophia Karbowski and Austin Patry, then two entrepreneurial management students at TCU, Rollin’ n Bowlin’ has built a local following. Unique menu items will include fresh açaí and pitaya bowls with fun names like Coco Loco and Guac My World.
EB2, a Mexican street food-inspired concept from Dallas chef Justin Box, will feature an elotes bar with inventive toppings and a rotating menu of fruite con chile. EB2 will source ingredients from Mexico, as well as local farms for staple menu items such as trolelotes, a popular wintertime snack. Box will make tajin and other chili powder blends in-house. Uniquely, EB2 will feature a walk-up window for to-go bites.
The Dock, a Dallas food truck, will bring its mouthwatering coastal seafood fare to Fort Worth for the first time. The chef-driven menu from Brett Curtis will include Terrapin crab cake sliders served with pesto and smoked bacon, New England-style lobster rolls, and dynamite shrimp, a sweet and spicy dish served with an Asian slaw.
Shawarma Bar, a Mediterranean street food concept from owner Yasar Khalaf, will offer a menu of roasted meats and customizable shawarma bowls with fresh toppings. A number of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will also be available.
Aina Poke Co. will serve traditional Hawaiian poke, marinating the fish to give it more flavor. Owner Kevin Nguyen Ho will source high quality, sushi-grade fish and fresh vegetables to create poke bowls with toppings such as pickled cucumber made in house.
Gigi’s Cupcakes will offer freshly baked goods, including cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and more. Gluten-friendly cupcakes, as well as unique flavors and local favorites will also be available.
Knife Bar will be centrally located in the food hall, encouraging diners to enjoy craft cocktails, select cocktails on tap, wines by the bottle and on tap, as well as a rotating selection of frozen cocktails, such as a French 75 or Moscow mule. Beers will be available on draft and in cans or bottles with a emphasis on local and regional offerings.
Absent from the list and erased from memory is celebrity chef Grady Spears' Graze, which was to have been focused on chicken and biscuits and other comfort foods. The Food Hall quickly scrapped the concept after Spears was arrested in July on a charge of assault against his wife, the Fort Worth Star-Telegramreported.
The 16,000-square-foot food hall is located at 3000 Crockett St. in Fort Worth. It will be open 11 am-9 pm Sundays through Wednesdays, 11 am-midnight Thursdays, and 11 am-2 am Fridays and Saturdays.
The grand opening weekend on December 7-8 promises to include live music, giveaways, and family-friendly fun.