Holiday News

Where to eat: Best Fort Worth restaurants for Easter 2023 dining

Easter Sunday comes with a fringe benefit: brunch.

Photo courtesy of Las Ramblas

Brunch has become a big trend, but it has always been a thing on Easter Sunday, when it's a tradition to hit up a brunch as a reward for attending Mass. It's such a thing that some restaurants in Fort Worth that are usually closed on Sundays open for special hours on this one holy day.

Here's than where to get brunch (and dinner) on Easter Sunday in Fort Worth:

Blue Mesa Grill. Brunch award-winner will add extra items for Easter including ginger chipotle glazed ham, on top of signatures like street tacos, omelets, Belgian waffles, churros, biscuits & gravy, blue corn cheese enchiladas, potato chile tarts, Chimayo corn, Adobe Pie, and dessert bar with chocolate-dipped strawberries, banana pudding, fruit cobbler, raspberry-cajeta bread pudding, cookies, and bars. $35, includes Mimosas, or $10 for 11 and under. 8 am-4 pm. 817-332-6372.

Bonefish Grill. Opening one hour earlier for brunch with entrées such as Grand Marnier French toast sticks, and frittatas with bacon & cheddar, Caprese with tomatoes and mozzarella, and crab & Fontina cheese, all served with bacon and breakfast potatoes. Shareable pitchers include blackberry red sangria, sparkling mango white sangria, or margarita with OJ and Grand Marnier, plus bloody Marys, espresso martinis, and mimosas. 10 am-3 pm. Southlake 817-421-3263.

Bonnell's. Chef Jon Bonnell has a dozen to-go options for Easter, including rack of lamb, beef tenderloin, prime rib, turkey breast, and sides for 4 or 8 people, plus cake, cheesecake, and pies. $35 to $300. Order online by March 31 at 12 noon for pickup on April 8 from 11 am-6 pm. 817-738-5489.

Cafe Modern. Brunch buffet at museum restaurant features pancakes, omelet station, benedicts, and pastries, plus regular menu. 10 am-2 pm. $62. 817-840-2186.

Capital Grille. Opening early with full dinner menu, as well as four special brunch features: lobster frittata with asparagus, NY strip steak & eggs, filet mignon with white cheddar hash browns, and smoked salmon and caviar. 10 am-2 pm. 817-348-9200.

Clay Pigeon. Special four-course brunch features choices from tomato-piquillo pepper soup, Bibb salad, brisket hash, shrimp & grits, CP burger, and cookies for dessertz. $50, plus $12 brunch cocktails including mimosas and bloody Mary. 10:30 am-2:45 pm. 817-882-8065.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse. Regular menu plus special feature: 12-oz Prime Delmonico steak with maitake mushroom and shaved black truffle for $87. Special hours 12-9 pm. Fort Worth 817-877-3999.

Eddie V's. 3-course brunch includes cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, choice of salad, lobster bisque, smoked salmon, steak & eggs with red-eye gravy, lobster quiche Florentine with Fuji apple salad, avocado and crab on brioche toast, seasonal berries, or bananas Foster cake. Kids menu includes fruit, scrambled eggs, chicken fingers, Mac & cheese, sorbet, or ice cream. Full menu also available. $52, or $16 for 12 and under. 10 am-2 pm. 817-336-8000.

El Chingon. Easter brunch will feature Peeps eating competitions, Bad Bunny soundtrack, and menu items such as the burrito clásico with ham, bacon, scrambled eggs, sour cream, and Chingón cheese blend; huevos rancheros, and chilaquiles chingones, all served with choice of rice and beans, breakfast potatoes, or fruit. Buzzed Bunny with Red Bull Red Edition Watermelon and Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka is $12. Peeps eating contests occur at 1 pm and 4 pm. 11 am-3 pm. 817-870-9973.

Fort Brewery and Pizza. Regular brunch menu with signatures like their "Panther Bones" extra-large extra-garlicky breadsticks, avocado toast, biscuits & gravy, the hangover burger, pizzas, cinnamon roll, waffle on a stick, do we need to go on. 10 am-10 pm. 817-923-8000.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop. Easter to-go for parties of 10 or more with Build Your Own Taco bar ($120), Fajita bar ($140), and Nacho bar ($100). Order online by April 7.

Golden Corral. Buffet restaurant with nine DFW locations features 100-plus items has all-you-can-eat Easter favorites and popular core menu items, including cut corn and cherry cobbler. An Easter to-go package offers choice of half-sized glazed pit ham ($90) or fried chicken ($50), feeds 6 to 8, with mashed potatoes, gravy, a dozen yeast rolls, two sides, and choice of apple pie, lemon meringue pie, carrot cake, or coconut meringue pie. Order online.

Hotel Vin Autograph Collection. Brunch in the Bordeaux and Tuscany ballrooms with chef Juan Pablo Silva's bountiful menu includes flambee crepe and Belgian waffle station, seafood station, raw bar, prime rib carving station, omelet station, and kids buffet. Reservations include entry into an Easter egg hunt plus Easter bunny photo op. 11 am-3 pm. $90, or $45 for 12 and under. 817-796-9696.

Malai Kitchen. Brunch includes banh mi French toast, Thai eggs benedict, fried rice “over easy”, spicy bloody Marys, and mimosas. Price varies. 11 am-3 pm. Southlake 682-707-3959.

97 West. Holiday brunch at Hotel Drover eatery will feature breakfast pastries, followed by choices from beignets, deviled eggs, spinach & blueberry salad, smoked salmon & cucumber tea sandwiches, white bean soup, shrimp cocktail, lobster omelet, steak & eggs, fried chicken & biscuit, crab benedict, salmon, pork belly brunch burger and desserts for the table, which include petit four and mini cheesecake. $59. Special menu for 12 and under includes chocolate chip pancakes, chicken bites, and cheeseburger, $25. 8 am-2 pm. 682-255-6497.

Omni Fort Worth. Brunch includes charcuterie, deviled eggs, ceviche, cheese & herb soft scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles, spice-rubbed chicken, bourbon-honey smoked brisket, honey-baked ham, cakes, tarts, cookies, cupcakes, rocky road bread pudding, dark chocolate pot de creme, green matcha tiramisu, profiteroles, and an Easter Boulangerie with poblano corn loaf, beer bread, Parmesan lavash, hot cross buns, lemon meringue muffins, bagels, pumpernickel, focaccia, and cinnamon-raisin toast. Plus egg hunt and Easter bunny. $76 or $40 for 12 and under. 11 am-3 pm. Seatings every 45 minutes. 817-535-6664.

Perry's Steakhouse. Holiday specials include choice og glazed ham ($49) or prime rib ($69) accompanied by whipped potatoes and green beans almondine, with choice of starter from salad or carrot-ginger soup. Regular menu is also available. 11 am-9 pm. 214-855-5151.

Pinstripes. Brunch buffet includes waffle station, carving station, sweets table, bottomless mimosas, and Aperol spritzes. The Easter Bunny will hand out treats and take pictures with the kids. $32, or $15 for 12 and under. 10 am-3 pm. Reserve online or call 682-352-0905.

Reata. Brunch with pecan biscuits & elk sausage gravy, fried quail & waffles, hues rancheros, stuffed French toast, chicken chilaquiles, shrimp & grits, crab eggs Benedict, and scrambled eggs with ham or chicken-fried steak. $13-$17.11 am-2 pm. 817-336-1009.

Silver Fox. Full menu plus an Easter special: Roasted Beef Tenderloin Benedict, with poached egg, hollandaise, asparagus, and fingerling potatoes, for $60. Drink specials include a Bloody Mary with Tito’s Handmade Vodka for $18, and a Mimosa for $12. 11 am-4 pm. 817-332-9060.

61 Osteria. Brunch includes scrambled egg bruschetta, granola, semolina Dutch baby, and mozzarella in carrozza. Prices a la carte. 10 am-2 pm. 817-953-3271.

SusieCakes. SusieChick luscious lemon cake, Easter cupcakes (with carrots, bunnies, and Happy Easter decorations), Peeps sugar cookies, cookie decorating kits, and cakes with bunny and cross decorations. 817-813-2253.

Tannahill's Tavern. Gospel brunch buffet features smoked ham, leg of lamb, eggs in purgatory, yogurt with granola, French toast bread pudding, smoked cheddar grits, pastries, and desserts. $58.50. 12-4 pm. Tickets online or 817-900-9300.

Taste Project. Special pay-what-you-can brunch prepared by chef Jeff and team of volunteers. 9 am-2 pm. Reservations required, online only. 817-759-9045.

Toro Toro. Signature brunch at Worthington Renaissance Hotel with unlimited shrimp cocktail, grilled corn, arepas, steak & eggs, Belgian waffle, plus bloody Mary bar and a la carte options. $49. 11 am-3 pm. 817-975-9895.

Truluck's. Easter special favorites including miso-glazed sea bass with crab fried rice, tuna, King crab, lobster tail, and a spring fling cocktail with vodka, ramazotti rosato, and cava. 11 am-8 pm. Southlake, 817-912-0500.

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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.

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