News You Can Eat
BBQ, toasty subs, and Italian top this Fort Worth restaurant news
This roundup of Fort Worth dining news has new openings, reopenings, and expansions. There's news about sub sandwiches, BBQ, and cool Halloween desserts, gathered from press releases and other sources across the internet, far and wide.
Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:
61 Osteria is the new high-end Italian restaurant in downtown Fort Worth at 500 West 7th St. #100, on the ground floor of the recently updated 21-story First on 7th complex. This is the third collaboration from Adam Jones and Chef Blaine Staniford (Grace, Little Red Wasp), featuring Italian food and showcasing expansive views of nearby Burnett Park, with open-air seating adjacent to sculptures. The name 61 Osteria is a nod to 1961, the year in which the First on 7th building (originally First National Bank) was completed. Osteria means tavern in Italian. They haven't divulged an opening date, but they're posting help wanted ads, so the day draws near.
Panther City BBQ hosted a grand opening on October 3 celebrating its new indoor dining space, located in the former Republic Street Bar building at 201 E. Hattie St, between South Main Street and I-35. "What started as a hobby in 2014 and grew into a small food truck in 2018 is now growing once again," they said. The new space features a mural by @smakaveli_bgsempire that the restaurant says "captured the heart and soul of who we are."
B&B Butchers & Restaurant has a special 2-course menu at lunch Monday-Friday 11 am-3 pm, which includes choices from Caesar salad, Cobb salad, beef barley soup, seared salmon, chicken shank, French dip prime rib sandwich, and filet medallions. It's $36.
Cheba Hut, the laid-back marijuana-themed sub shop known for its excellent "toasted subs," is opening a location in the perfect town for this concept: Denton, where it'll open on Monday, October 17 at 1611 West Eagle Dr. #109, less than a mile from UNT. The shop is from franchisee Bhavik Bhakta who knew Denton would be a great location for a new shop because it fits the expressive culture of Cheba Hut with artwork, music festivals, and more.
Loft 22 Cakes has a new limited-edition Candy Corn Cake that owner/pastry chef Tareka Lofton promises tastes exactly like the nostalgic candy, "minus the wax texture," she says. Lofton is appearing as a contestant on Dr Seuss Baking Challenge, a cooking show hosted by Tamera Mowry-Houseley that'll premier on December 13 on Amazon Prime and Amazon Freevee. "I'm super EXCITED to be a contestant on the show along with some of the most talented pastry chefs I've ever met!" Lofton says.
Drew's Place, the soul food restaurant, reopened its dining room at 5701 Curzon Ave. on October 5. They'd been closed since early August, due to ongoing staff shortages, although they remained open during that time for pick up.
Sweetgreen has brought back three seasonal favorites: Curry Cauliflower, featuring cauliflower with blackened chicken, cabbage, cilantro, raisins, quinoa, and arugula, topped with sweetgreen hot sauce and peppercorn tahina dressing; Chicken & Brussels salad with more blackened chicken, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, quinoa, Romaine, apples, almonds, and cranberry maple vinaigrette; and a Buffalo cauliflower side dish with curry roasted cauliflower, crispy rice, caesar dressing, and hot sauce. Available through January 11.
Thirsty Lion Gastropub has a new seasonal menu served through mid-February. Dishes include bacon-wrapped medjool dates stuffed with gorgonzola cream cheese, beer steamed shrimp, arugula & beet salad with chicken, Wagyu beef burger, shrimp pad Thai with tamarind coconut sauce, black cherry BBQ pork tenderloin, coffee-crusted braised beef, whiskey Bing cherry bread pudding, and cocktails including Maple Old Fashioned and Tito’s Winter White Cosmopolitan. At four locations in Euless, Irving, The Colony, and Dallas.
RaceTrac has brought back its Waffle Breakfast Sandwich, featuring sausage, egg, and cheese between two waffles. The sandwich became a customer favorite when it was initially introduced for a short period in November 2021. Priced at $3.69, the Waffle Breakfast Sandwich is at most RaceTrac stores between 6-10 am, available now through January 31, 2023, or while supplies last.
Fuzzy's Taco Shop has added a Saucy Brisket Poblano Taco to its menu, featuring shredded brisket drizzled with special Butt Burnin’ sauce blended with Dr Pepper, topped with poblano peppers, pickled red onions, avocado, garlic sauce, feta, and cilantro on a flour tortilla, available at participating locations through November 20.
Cotton Patch Cafe has new seasonal specials available until November 4 including meatloaf sliders with tomato glaze and pepper jack cheese with french fries; Southwest chicken salad with shredded cheese, mandarin oranges, spring mix greens, corn, pico de gallo, tortilla strips, and honey-lime dressing; and triple grilled cheese with cheddar, pepper jack, and American cheese on Texas toast with fries.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill has a new seasonal menu featuring spaghetti carbonara with chicken; pork chops stuffed with fontina & prosciutto, topped with mushrooms and Lombardo Marsala sauce, and served with two sides; Stuffed Mushrooms stuffed with sausage, spinach, ricotta, parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella, served over tomato cream sauce; New York-style cheesecake topped with caramel apples and toasted cinnamon pecans; and a Blood Orange Margarita.
Whataburger has a new Whataburger Chili Cheese Burger featuring two patties, two slices of American cheese, beef chili, corn chips, mustard, and onions on a toasted five-inch bun. It's available for a limited time, how long they do not say.
DQ has two cheesy limited-edition menu items available through the end of October: Cheesy Steak Fingers, infused with cream pepper jack cheese, available in a Cheesy Steak Finger Country Basket with fries, Texas toast, and ranch dressing or creamy gravy; and the Cheesy Dude sandwich, a chicken-fried steak sandwich topped with two slices of Pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and creamy salad dressing on a toasted bun.
SusieCakes has special Halloween desserts throughout October including ghost and pumpkin sugar cookies, Halloween cookie decorating kits, Boo cupcakes, Halloween-themed cupcakes, mini cupcakes, and cakes decorated with a black cat, Frankenstein, pumpkins, and ghosts. The special cupcake for October is a pumpkin spice cupcake with maple buttercream. At three locations: Preston Center, Hillside Village, and River Run in Fort Worth.
7-Eleven has a new Slurpee flavor for fall: Green Apple, a combination of tart and sweet that tastes like a freshly picked apple on a crisp autumn day. It's available for a limited time, how long they do not say.
Nutpods plant-based creamer has a variety pack of three flavors: Peppermint Mocha, Holiday Nog, and Pumpkin Spice for the holidays, providing a dairy-free and zero-sugar alternative to sugary drinks. The variety pack is available online, and also individually in 11.2 oz or 25.4 oz cartons in select stores and online. These are limited-time flavors, available until sold out.
Nature’s Fynd, a food company making meat and dairy alternatives, has Dairy-Free Cream Cheese now for sale in 8-ounce tubs at Sprouts Farmers Market. The cream cheese is vegan, nut-free, and soy-free, and has no artificial flavors or preservatives, and comes in two varieties: Original and Chive & Onion.
Apres Hours, a Dallas-based line of ready-to-drink canned espresso martinis that launched in August, are now available at Total Wine & More stores in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Après Hours is available in three dairy- and gluten-free flavors: Classic, Salted Caramel, and Vanilla.
Kroger is angling to buy Albertsons in a deal that would create a grocery giant with almost 5,000 stores. They say such a deal will give them better buying power, improve manufacturing and distribution, save on costs, and lower prices. Isn't that what they always say? The companies plan to offload as many as 375 stores through a spinoff, if they can’t find buyers. Kroger has 209 stores in TX; Albertson's has 43 stores in TX, all in DFW.
Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), an animal rights group, won a victory in court on October 8 when two members were found not guilty of stealing two sick piglets from Smithfield Foods' Circle Four Farms, a factory farm in Utah. Wayne Hsiung and Paul Picklesimer rescued the pigs, and became the target of an investigation by the FBI and the Utah attorney general’s office. The Intercept quoted defense attorney Mary Corporon, who said the trial raised questions about government agencies like the FBI performing in service to large corporations.
Texas Food & Wine Alliance (TFWA) is accepting applications for $111,500 in grants awarded to chefs, artisan producers, culinary nonprofits, and businesses. The deadline is October 23 via online submission. Winners will be announced January 21.