This week in gluttony

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

Wicked Butcher is one of many Fort Worth restaurants participating in DFW Restaurant Week.

Photo courtesy of Wicked Butcher

The '90s are new again this week as a local hotel will embrace hot summer nights with an outdoor '90s country party paired with themed cocktails. (Toast with a “Neon Moon” made with a Fort Worth-backed tequila.) This week also brings a monthly pasta-making class, a vegan food tour, a prosecco brunch party, and the official start of DFW Restaurant Week, when diners can eat out for a good cause.

Monday, August 7

DFW Restaurant Week
The 2023 edition of the annual dine-out fundraiser is underway, with the official “week” running through August 13. Patrons can indulge in a pre-set, multicourse dinner for $49 – a bargain for some of Fort Worth’s priciest establishments like B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Del Frisco's, Waters, and Wicked Butcher. A two-course lunch option is available for $24. There are nearly three dozen restaurants in Tarrant County participating in the 26th annual event, which benefits Lena Pope and the North Texas Food Bank. Note that some restaurants are extending their specials through September 3; be sure to check availability and make reservations.

Thursday, August 10

Pasta Making Class at il Modo
The second Thursday of the month means it’s time for another pasta-making class at il Modo at the Kimpton Harper Hotel downtown. Participants will get to mix, knead, and cut their own pasta, then let the chef do the cooking while they sit back with a glass of wine or a cocktail. The $70 price includes light bites. Beverages will be available for purchase. Class begins at 7 pm. Also note that il Modo has just debuted a new seasonal menu, featuring new dishes like asparagus soup with crispy prosciutto and crème fraiche, pappardelle with wild boar, and salmon with garlic spinach and squash ribbons.

Friday, August 11

'90s Country Night at Hotel Drover
Throw back to the 1990s with classic country hits paired with themed cocktails during Hotel Drover’s acoustic summer series, The Backyard Unplugged. The Pour Horse bar trailer will serve two drink specials made with new Fort Worth-backed tequila, La Pulga. The Fancy will feature lemonade, raspberry syrup, and La Pulga Blanco, and the Neon Moon will have reposado, cucumber, agave, and margarita mix. The event is open hotel guests and locals alike and will run from 7-10 pm.

Saturday, August 12

TX Whiskey Sippin’ Saturday Featuring Black Coffee
TX Whiskey’s Sippin’ Saturday celebration this week features Fort Worth's Black Coffee. Chill out with the coffee shop’s popular cold brew with cold foam, even better spiked with TX Whiskey. The $10 entry fee includes the whiskey-coffee combo or your choice of cocktail from the TX Tavern Bar. The event will run from 12-5 pm.

The Fort Worth Vegan Tour
Hop aboard a motorcoach for a guided tour of vegan spots around Fort Worth. Led by a former editor of VegWorld magazine, the tour will begin at 100% Vegan - Planted Bakery at 5400 Woodway Dr. Remaining stops will be a surprise. Tickets are $69 plus tax and a small fee and will run from 12:30-4:30 pm.

Sunday, August 13

National Prosecco Day at Bacchus Kitchen + Bar
Visit lively restaurant inside Hotel Vin in downtown Grapevine for a bubbly brunch experience. All guests will receive a complimentary glass of prosecco from the La Marca Prosecco cart from 11 am-2 pm. Stay for brunch dishes like jumbo lump crabcake eggs benedict, lobster biscuits and gravy, or ricotta buttermilk citrus pancakes. Reservations are not required but are recommended, here.

DFW Restaurant Week Fort Worth Vegan Tour TX Whiskey Sippin'news-you-can-eat

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.

closings