This week in gluttony

Festivals lead the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Margaritas quench in this week's best food and drink events.

Photo courtesy of International Margarita Organization

A three-day festival will take place in Grapevine this week featuring local wine, Texas beers, and street food galore. But first, mahjong lovers (or the mahjong curious) can take part in a game night with bites and beverages from one of Fort Worth's most popular restaurateurs. There's also a wine bar anniversary, hands-on pasta class at a culinary school, and Fort Worth's biggest annual margarita party.

Wednesday, May 13

Mahjong Night at Piattello
Grab your girlfriends and take part in this upscale game night at Marcus Paslay’s Italian destination in Waterside, Piattello. Tickets are $80 for a beginner mahjong lesson, or $45 for open play for the pros. A cocktail and chef bites are included. The event will run from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Thursday, May 14

Cinnaholic Arlington Grand Reopening
Customers can enjoy Cinnaholic’s signature Old Skool Rolls for $3 each during this grand reopening celebration at the chain’s Arlington location (5001 S. Cooper St.). The deal will go on from 8 am-10 pm.

Friday, May 15

Main Street Fest
The 42nd annual craft brew and wine festival will take place in historic downtown Grapevine Friday through Sunday featuring multiple craft beer tasting experiences (tasting cards start at $18), a wine pavilion with Grapevine wines sold by the glass, festival food, live music (headliner is Jack Ingram on Saturday night) family-friendly activities, shopping, a kids zone, and much more. Adult tickets are $10, seniors (62+) and children (6-12) are $5, and a weekend pass is $20. The festival will run from 11 am -11 pm on Friday and Saturday (free admission on Friday until 5 pm) and 11 am-6 pm on Sunday.

Saturday, May 16

The Fort Worth Margarita Festival
Sample 10 different margaritas from bars and restaurants around Fort Worth then vote for your favorite during this annual marg party, this year taking place at Cullen Yards. Tickets start at $37 (including fees) for entry at 3 pm, with VIP tickets granting early entry at noon for $49. Tickets include one raffle entry to win a trip to Mexico. There’ll also be live DJ music, a beer garden, and street food vendors. The festival runs until 6 pm.

Saddlerock Anniversary Party
The charming downtown winery located in a historic mansion along the Trinity River turns two this month. Visit for a local artisan market, live music, raffle prizes, and plenty of crisp wine. (They’re known for their refreshing rose.) The party will run from 4-8 pm.

Tagliatelle al Pesto Class at The Culinary School of Fort Worth
Hosted by CocuSocial, this hands-on cooking class will take place in the spacious professional kitchen of The Culinary School of Fort Worth. Using authentic techniques (think mortar and pestle), participants will prepare hand-made egg pasta with basil pesto. The class is $59 and begins at 6 pm.

festivals food events

Ice Cream News

Premium ice cream chain Bruster's churns first store in Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of Bruster's

Bruster's Ice Cream

A Pittsburgh-based ice cream chain has scooped into Fort Worth: Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, founded in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, in 1989 by an actual guy named Bruce, has opened in the buzzy north Fort Worth-Keller area, at 4560 Heritage Trace Pkwy. Ste. 500.

The shop, which calls itself Bruster's of Alliance on social media, officially debuted May 5. (Note that it's on the part of Heritage Trace Parkway east of North Beach Street, about a mile-and-a-half away from the crazy-busy-traffic area of H-E-B and Alliance Town Center.)

It's the third shop in the DFW area, joining locations in Frisco and Richardson; a McKinney location has closed. There are also several locations in the Houston area and one in San Antonio.

According to a release, company founder Bruce Reed started the concept as a complement to his family's carhop restaurant Jerry’s Curb Service, and became the neighborhood’s favorite ice cream store. They started franchising in 1993. There are more than 200 independently owned locations in 25 states and Guyana.

Bruster's Ice Cream Where the ice cream magic happens inside Bruster's new Fort Worth shop.Fcebook/Bruster's

They offer at least 24 ever-changing flavors from a bank of 150 recipes of premium, handcrafted ice cream, yogurt, Italian ice, and sorbet, ranging from the classic van-choc-straw to innovative options such as Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Rainbow Sprinkle Cookie.

They make the ice cream daily, and flavors change from day to day and store to store, but Fort Worth's lineup includes treats such as:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye - creamy peanut butter and mini peanut butter cups swirl together in smooth butterfudge ice cream.
Coconut Cream Pie - coconut ice cream mixed with marshmallow swirls and NILLA Wafer Pieces.
Cotton Candy Explosion - cotton candy ice cream loaded with popping rock candy.
Gooey Butter Cake - vanilla cheesecake ice cream with buttery cake pieces rippled with butterscotch and caramel.
Graham Central Station - graham swirls and chocolate flakes in sweet, homemade graham ice cream.
Southern Banana Puddin - banana pudding ice cream and NILLA Wafer Pieces.

This might seem like a lot of description, but come on, look at those flavors, they're amazing.

In addition, they have vegan oat-milk flavors to cater to customers seeking premium dairy-free options. They also do sundaes, splits, cakes, pies, shakes, and "blasts," which another chain might call blizzards.

Bruster's in Fort Worth is open daily, 11 am-10 pm, and also has a drive-through and outdoor seating.

openings desserts ice cream