This week in gluttony

Hatch chiles arrive in this week's 6 top Fort Worth food & drink events

Hatch chile season has officially arrived at Blue Mesa Grill.

Blue Mesa Grill

August's arrival means the return of Hatch chile season. The New Mexican pepper is harvested during a very short time period and arrives by the truckload to grocers and restaurants around town. Chefs swear by their smoky notes and slightly sweet flavor. Enjoy them at one of the original restaurants to feature them starting this week.

Thursday, July 31

Grand Opening of Rodeo Goat Arlington
The newest location of the cult-favorite burger destination (333 E. Division St.) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 pm followed by dinner service benefiting Arlington Charities at 5:30 pm. The suggested donation of $30 ($50 for two) includes food and drinks. The event will run until 7:30 pm.

Friday, August 1

29th Annual Hatch Chile Festival launch at Blue Mesa Grill
It’s one of the longest-running Hatch chile festivals in existence, and it happens at Blue Mesa Grill every August. The Southwestern-inspired restaurant will serve a lengthy menu of specials using the piquant New Mexican pepper all month long. Highlights include fried Hatch chile strips, Hatch chile rellenos, Hatch brownies with cajeta swirl, and a pineapple Hatch margarita with grilled pineapple. Hatch chiles will also be featured at all weekend brunches throughout the month, or whenever the last crop arrives.

Celebrity Chef Dinner & Fundraiser: Chef Juan Rodriguez at Taste Project
The South Main Street nonprofit restaurant will host a guest chef dinner to support its mission of offering pay-what-you-can meals to the community. Chef Juan Rodriguez of Magdalena’s will prepare a multicourse meal for the evening. Tickets start at $160 for tables of two (including fees), the dinner is BYOB, and it runs from 6-8 pm.

Saturday, August 2

Watermelon Fest at Martin House Brewing Company
The riverfront brewery will host its first-ever watermelon party featuring three special watermelon beers on tap, a watermelon stand, live music, Oh Balls! food truck, and a foam machine for the kids. Wristbands are $20 for those who wish to drink and are good for four pours and a souvenir pint glass. The fest will run from 12-5 pm.

18th Annual Harvest Fiesta at Lost Oak Winery
The Burleson winery will host its annual grape stomp party with food trucks, live music, local vendors, and an I Love Lucy look-alike contest. The event is free to attend, but reservations are required for grape stomping. Time slots are available from 6-8 pm, but the fiesta will run all day from 12-10 pm. Proceeds will benefit the Center for ASD helping special needs families. Lost Oak Winery will also donate a portion of sales to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country on Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1.

Sunday, August 3

BrisketU at Hop & Sting Brewing Co.
This brisket-smoking class arrives just in time for the upcoming tailgating season. Novice and experienced pitmasters alike will learn how to smoke a brisket from start to finish, including choosing the right type, trimming techniques, wood selections, and slicing the final product. Class is $139 ($129 for additional participants) and will take place from 11 am-2 pm at Hop & String Brewing Co. in Grapevine.

hatch chile season chefs hatch chile festival wine beer events

Closing News

Beloved Fort Worth restaurant Beacon Cafe nudged out of location

Beacon Cafe

A popular Fort Worth restaurant is getting nudged out of its location: Beacon Cafe, the breakfast and lunch favorite located at 12721 US-287 in far northwest Fort Worth, has been given notice to move out — and fast.

According to a post from chef-owner Christie Murrell, the restaurant is losing its lease and must vacate he space in 45 days. The landlord was unavailable for comment.

Beacon Cafe is noted for its American breakfast and lunch, with the best burgers and omelets in town, plus classic home-cooking specials like chicken-fried steak, made with TLC by Murrell. The restaurant made CultureMap's list of top 10 restaurants for breakfast in the 2022 Tastemaker Awards.

Their weekend brunch starts early and boasts omelet and pancake stations featuring pineapple upside-down pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and French toast bread pudding, plus fun specials such as peanut-butter-and-jelly crepes, served at very affordable prices. They're also very customer-friendly; for example, in 2025, they stayed open for Labor Day.

"This is a really hard post to write, but we want to be honest with all of you who've become part of our family," Murrell says. "We just found out that we’re losing our lease and have to move out of our current location in just 45 days. I'm not sure why my property management has decided not to give us enough time to properly move our business and I am devastated."

Murrell says that, after surviving the pandemic and what has been a tough economy, the news hit especially hard.

"The truth is, we’ve been running on fumes just trying to hang on, pouring everything we have into keeping the doors open and our amazing team working," she says.

Murrell put out a plea to the community to help find a new location, and many responded with suggestions.

"We want to keep this place, our little corner of good food and good people, alive in a new location, but we’re not sure we’ll have the funds to make that happen without the support of our community," she says. "If you know of a potential space, have connections that could help, or just want to show your support by coming in to eat, spreading the word, or offering ideas, it would mean the world to us."

The location on 287 was a second location for the cafe, which originally opened at Hicks Airfield in 2011. They left that space in 2020 over security issues; the airport didn't want a security gate left open for customers.

Murrell says she will keep everyone posted about our last days here, before offering thanks "for sticking with us through every high and low."

breakfast closings