Meet the Tastemakers

Fort Worth's 16 best new restaurants compete for top Tastemakers title

The Mont is in the running for Fort Worth's Best New Restaurant.

Samantha Marie Photography

Fort Worth’s food scene is unstoppable, as witnessed by the heap of new hot spots that have opened over the past year. And, now, readers get to choose which new restaurant will win a coveted title in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

It's time for our annual Best New Restaurant tournament, where 16 Fort Worth newcomers go head-to-head in a bracket-style competition, and your votes make all the difference. Things will get heated, as the nominees advance through four rounds of competition, until one winner emerges.

Vote for your favorites daily through April 28, then join us at our big awards party on April 30 at Social Space, where all of our winners will be crowned.

You'll enjoy a full evening of bites and beverages from many of our nominees before a short-and-sweet awards ceremony. Tastemakers tickets are hot, so get yours here before they sell out.

And now, meet the 16 contenders for Fort Worth's Best New Restaurant of 2026:

Beren Mediterranean
Indie Mediterranean spot noted for its homey take on Turkish and Middle Eastern food first debuted in Funky Town Food Hall before graduating to a high-profile new address in the former Maiden space in early April (with a new name, Beren Meze & Grill House). Fans flock for kebabs of all kinds, from seasoned ground lamb to steak, salmon, and shrimp, along with eggplant dishes, egg scrambles, and pistachio baklava.

Brooklyn's
Drawing influences from Brooklyn’s food scene, this American fusion concept comes from local hospitality veteran and first-time restaurateur Brandi Bohn (Quince, Abilene Country Club). The two-story restaurant and bar sits in the former Tre Mogli space, boasting Italian and Asian flavors with dishes like bulgogi fried rice wrap, meatball hoagies, and shrimp scampi.

Cocodrie's Bayou Kitchen
Cajun food destination from former Louisiana shrimper Jesse Gibson, who previously sold crawfish, gumbo, oysters, and king cakes under his brand, The Wild Cajun. Named for a small fishing community near Gibson’s hometown, Cocodrie’s is where hundreds lined up to devour 1,300 pounds of crawfish and two gators grilled over an open fire on Fat Tuesday in February.

Cork & Pig Tavern - Willow Park
Since opening last fall in The District at Willow Park, this Felipe Armenta concept (which has locations in Southlake and Las Colinas, among others) has provided Parker County a much-needed top-tier dining destination great for date nights and weekend brunch. Customers are loving the ahi tuna salad, black truffle pizza, and crab dip.

Dos Mares
The coastal Mexican seafood sibling to Don Artemio (located right next door) wows with its colorful ceviches, Baja-style tacos on house-made tortillas, and intricate presentations with dishes like grilled lobster with avocado mousse and black bean ancho puree. The concept is from chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas and his son Rodrigo Cárdenas, both of Don Artemio.

Shrimp tacos with avocado mousse and handmade blue corn tortillas at Dos Mares. Dos Mares Fort Worth/Facebook

Duchess at The Nobleman
Hotel restaurant serves an American and Texas-inspired menu executed by Marcus Kopplin, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef with tenure at Clay Pigeon, Piattello, and Winslow’s Wine Café. Standout dinner items include potato-crusted Alaskan halibut, rabbit ragu with carrot puree, truffle-stuffed airline chicken, and duck confit with mole on blue corn tortillas.

Ichiro Izakaya Diner and Bar
This Near Southside Japanese pub-style restaurant is perfect for socializing over unique shared plates – like crispy lotus roots or piping hot octopus puffs – and cocktails such as the Umami Martini, Lychee Pop, or one of several highballs. Yakitori — charcoal-grilled chicken skewers – are big here, with options including chicken meatballs, chicken hearts, and chicken tenderloin with wasabi oil.

Ko Thai
Shaking up West Magnolia’s Thai scene is this flashy, two-story destination for authentic Thai favorites, like curry dishes, lo mein, pad Thai, stir fry, tom kha soup, and mango sticky rice. The concept comes from veteran restaurateur Nick Thana Porn-In, who also owns the popular Koracha Thai Restaurant in Bedford.

Mister 01
Miami-based chain is popular for its star-shaped pizzas made with super light crusts and high-quality ingredients. Favorites include the Star Luca, made with ricotta cheese, spicy salami calabrese, mozzarella, Italian tomato sauce, and basil. Also popular is the burrata bar, with luxe additions like balsamic glaze and white truffle oil, and the Nutella banana calzone.

NADC Burger
Professional skateboarder Neen Williams started this smashburger chain with Michelin-starred chef Phillip Frankland Lee. Standing for "Not a Damn Chance," NADC Fort Worth is tucked inside a downtown comedy club. The menu is centered entirely on a Texas Wagyu smashburger with two patties, American cheese, secret sauce, onions, pickles, and “slightly tamed” jalapeños.

Nikuya
Rooftop sushi bar from the owners of Wicked Butcher opened last fall atop The Sinclair, serving omakase-style sushi led by expert sushi chef Alvin Chik (Uchiko, Kusakabe). Seats at the 16-person enclosed sushi bar are hard to come by, but the open-air tables outside provide the same menu along with breathtaking views of the downtown Fort Worth skyline.

Oishii Sushi & Pan Asian
Longtime Dallas-based sushi joint opened its first Fort Worth location last year near University Park Village, providing a convenient stop for not only sushi rolls but Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese staples like kung pao chicken, egg rolls, shrimp pad Thai, fried rice, and pho.

Polanco Fine Cuisine
Polished Mexican restaurant downtown located on the second floor of The Tower, where dishes and cocktails are artfully presented and club-like vibes call for dressier attire. Chilled seafood shareables, steaks, scallops, colorful salads, and an array of interesting tacos round out the extensive menu.

Seafood shines at Polanco Fine Cuisine.Courtesy photo

The Mont
The Montserrat neighborhood gem, with its 1950s glamour and moody touches, made a splashy entrance to Fort Worth’s dining scene last summer. The concept comes from the folks behind Cousin’s BBQ, who brought in Johnson & Wales grad Michael Arlt to design the New American menu. Black garlic-glazed duck, fried chicken with sorghum molasses, and crab hushpuppies are popular.

Truva Mediterranean Bar & Grill
Owned by Turkish chef Can Karatas and his uncle Cengiz Yumrutas (who also own Flying Carpet Turkish Café and Istanbul Cuisine in Flower Mound and Southlake), this spacious Colleyville spot for kebabs, falafel, lamb shank, and gyros also boasts fine dining options like filet mignon, whole branzino, and lamb chops. An expansive interior with large private space attracts big events.

Yoichi Omakase & Handroll
One- to two-bite courses – like intricately cut sashimi and plump, cone-shaped handrolls – are presented directly to customers by the chefs at this sushi bar, where bar seating is the only option. The 12-course omakase experience is popular, as are the Japanese whiskeys, beers, and sake.

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The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Fort Worth by Maker's Mark, Lone Star Beer, H-E-B, Saratoga Water, NXT LVL Event, and more to be announced. A portion of the proceeds benefit our nonprofit partner, the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation.

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Supermarket news

Asian grocery giant H Mart reveals new timeline for Haltom City store

Photo courtesy of H Mart

H Mart will be the anchor for the massive H Mart Plaza in Haltom City.

An Asian grocery giant is opening its first location in the Fort Worth area, but it'll arrive almost a year later than expected: H Mart, the largest Asian-owned grocery chain in the U.S., will open a store at 820 N. Beach St., at NE Loop 820, in Haltom City.

The planned-for debut date was December 2025. Now it will be at least fall 2026, the company says.

According to a release from the City of Haltom City, H Mart "expects substantial construction completion by mid-to-late September 2026. Following the completion of construction, the team will require additional time to stock and fully equip the store before opening day."

H Mart cites global supply chain issues and the overseas sourcing of store fixtures and equipment as causes of the delays.

In a statement, H Mart officials say:

"We truly appreciate the continued support from the community. Our experience with Haltom City has been excellent, and we are grateful for the partnership. We are just as excited as the community to complete our build-out. Our team is working tirelessly to secure the necessary fixtures and equipment, many of which are being sourced from overseas. We are coordinating these logistics in parallel with construction to ensure we reach our opening date as quickly as possible. To clarify, any delays encountered have been related to these internal coordination and global supply chain factors; the City of Haltom City has been incredibly accommodating and is not responsible for the current timeline."

H Mart will be a 42,500-square-foot store, which will will anchor a 50-acre mixed-use development first announced in 2023, so it’s been years in the making. It's also been one of the most-anticipated openings in Tarrant County in the past year.

H Mart is the grocery chain known for its selection of Asian products with three stores in North Texas, including Carrollton, Plano, and the newest, on Royal Lane in Dallas. Haltom City will be the company's first foray into Tarrant County.

As H Mart aficionados know, it’s more than just a grocery store. It's half supermarket with produce, meat, and seafood including items from Asia that are not available anywhere else. But it's also a food hall, with kiosks serving Asian cuisine from different countries, including Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean food — turning an ordinary shopping trip into an expedition.

The Haltom City store will feature more than 50 restaurant and retail spaces. Getting a kiosk at an H Mart is a coup.

Japanese lifestyle and fashion store Teso Life is one of the many buzzy stores joining the larger H Mart Plaza. They collaborate with well-known Japanese suppliers and developers to provide diverse low-cost products in fashion and leisure, including beauty supplies, home goods, arts & crafts, and exotic foods.

"The City of Haltom City remains a strong partner in the development and looks forward to welcoming H Mart and the broader H Mart Plaza development to the community," the city's press release says. "Updates will be shared as the project progresses."

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

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