In January, we dieted, and now in February comes the reward: dessert. Whether you're seeking a place for a Valentine's Day rendezvous or you just like sweet things, this list has what you need.
For the February edition of our monthly column on Where to Eat, here are eight places with must-try desserts:
Bella Gente
Gourmet Italian sandwich shop in Sundance Square is winning over foodies with its pizzas, focaccia, sandwiches, and pastas made with upscale ingredients and fantastic breads and doughs made in-house. Desserts include a cool "pizza" topped with fruit and chocolate, but the killer pick is the pistachio cake, with sponge cake layered between pistachio and ricotta cream, decorated with crushed pistachio pieces and dusted with powdered sugar.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse
Long-running steakhouse in the Fort Worth Stockyards got a revamp following its acquisition by Landman creator Taylor Sheridan that includes a menu update by chef Theodore Tom. Along with black Angus and prime steaks, there are now Wagyu meatballs, short ribs with butternut squash, and lunch specials like a steak sandwich. Desserts include carrot cake; cobbler (made with Parker County peaches when they're in season); and a deluxe banana pudding with diced bananas, vanilla wafers, and a cap of torched meringue.
The pistachio cake at Bella Gente.Photo courtesy of Bella Gente.
Con Azucar Cafe
Coffee shop and cafe recently opened just north of downtown at 1216 N. Main St. It's the first location of a national chain founded in California, brought here by local owners the Sanchez family, led by Samantha Sanchez and her son Demian. The shop has a lively spirit and an inventive menu that takes traditional coffee shop fare and gives it a whimsical or Mexican spin — horchata lattes, for example. Their signature is the massive oversized concha, a Mexican sweet bread that's almost a foot across. The Instagram "move" is to try to dunk it into your coffee.
El Cielito Lindo
Restaurant in Fort Worth's Forest Hill neighborhood is a hidden gem for Mexican food that's both authentic and homestyle, but also with a slight upscale flair seen in dishes such as Tikin Xic, a traditional Mayan dish with red snapper marinated with achiote, bitter orange juice, wrapped in a banana leaf, then cooked over the grill. They offer an impressive five desserts, including tres leches cake and a very pretty chocolate flan, a two-layer confection with devil's food cake topped with a creamy layer of custard.
The Mont
Swanky spot on the west side of Fort Worth recently opened in the Montserrat neighborhood where it's serving as a destination spot for special occasions. With entrees averaging $50, it's a bit pricey — so skip the entree and go straight from appetizers to dessert. The aptly named "The Chocolate One" is chocolatey for sure, with a profoundly deep chocolate black forest cherry mousse, topped with seasonal garnishes — currently, pomegranate seeds and pomegranate sorbet.
Sicilian Baker
Sweet offshoot of Sicilian Butcher, the modern Italian restaurant from celebrity chef and concept king Joey Maggiore, opened at Alliance Town Center in 2024. The chain is headquartered in Arizona, but they have a distinctly Northeast-style approach to Italian desserts, with cannolis in large or mini sizes; "lobster tails," aka puff pastries filled with vanilla cream; and Sicilian-style cookies. That includes rich, colorful Italian flag cookies, a layered bite-size cube with almond-soaked cake; apricot glaze; and chocolate marzipan, tinted in red, yellow, and green.
Spurs Gelato
This independently owned shop is the one that everyone wants in their neighborhood, with doting husband-and-wife owners in Jim and Terry Garrigan who are churning out incredibly authentic desserts. Gelato can be ordered in a cone, cookie sandwich, even a cake, in flavors such as pistachio, banana nut, and lemon cream, and they frequently introduce creative new items like a waffle sundae. Pair it with their housemade cannoli, including one filled with luscious chocolate cream.
Sweet Stacks
Mostly to-go spot just opened at 1515 Magnolia Ave., in the former Vice Burgers vegan shop, as a one-stop destination for the best of Asian flavors, bringing together authentic Asian food, drinks, and desserts under one roof. The menu stars souffle-style Japanese pancakes — taller than regular pancakes and with a light, fluffy, jiggly texture, almost like a souffle. You can get them savory with bacon and eggs, but we're here for the sweet: topped with fresh fruit for $16.
