Celebrity Chef News

Celeb chef Graham Elliot to open new tavern on Fort Worth's Magnolia Ave

Chefs Charlie Rushton (left) and Graham Elliot.

Courtesy photo

Fort Worth celebrity chef Graham Elliot has a new tavern in the works: Called Commodore Tavern & Terrace, it'll be a neighborhood restaurant opening at 1101 W. Magnolia Ave., in the former Magnolia Wine Bar, which closed in April.

According to a post by Elliot, it'll open in fall 2026.

Elliot is partnered with Charlie Rushton, former corporate chef at Far Out Hospitality, where Elliot has been a partner with chef and founder Felipe Armenta since 2022.

"Commodore Tavern & Terrace will be our take on the neighborhood restaurant, serving warm American classics with warm hospitality in the heart of Fort Worth," Elliot says.

Elliot is the colorful chef and restaurateur who gained fame as a contestant on Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters, and as a judge on American MasterChef and Top Chef. He relocated from Chicago to Fort Worth to join Armenta's Far Out Hospitality Group, home to restaurants such as The Tavern, Pacific Table, Press Cafe, Towne Grill, and Maria's Mexican Kitchen.

Since relocating, Elliot helped launch Cowboy Prime, a high-end steakhouse with locations in Midland and the Fort Worth Stockyards; and the acclaimed Le Margot, a splashy French fine dining destination which opened in the Trinity Commons shopping center in 2023.

Rushton, who joined Far Out in 2023, was previously chef at the Crescent Court Hotel, and has 30 years of hospitality experience in kitchen operations, re-positionings, renovations, and management of multi units in hotels, casinos, independent restaurant groups, and commercial real estate.

As for the location, prior to the Magnolia Wine Bar, it was home to Kent & Co. Wines, an upscale wine bar, specialty retail shop, and automotive drop-off service center which opened in 2014. The bar was subsequently sold to Marty and Marilyn Englander in 2019 and rebranded as The Magnolia.

Rushton said in an email that it was still too early to share details on the concept, but he and Elliot are using it as a springboard to launch a new hospitality company together.

It also represents an affirmation for Elliot to what is now his hometown.

"After calling Fort Worth home for the past four years, I’m excited to continue putting down roots here and team up with my buddy Charlie Rushton to start our own hospitality group," Elliot says.

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ON THE ROAD

6 must-try restaurants for your next Texas Hill Country getaway

Salt Lick BBQ/ Facebook

Barbecue and wine — the perfect Hill Country pairing.

While wine gets the majority of the attention in the Texas Hill Country, something has to soak it all up, and the region is also home to some of the state's best eats.

From legendary barbecue and famous desserts to elegant bistros serving elevated fare, these six Texas Hill Country restaurants are among our favorite detours. Add them to your next weekend getaway itinerary.

The Dodging Duck Brewhaus, Boerne
Named for Cibolo Creek's most famous waddlers, this Boerne gastropub has an international menu that ranges from blistered shishito peppers to fish and chips. But flowing beer calls for a sturdy foundation. Get your ducks in a row with a beer sampler paired with hearty German fare like huge Bavarian-style pretzels or a spicy bratwurst.

Old City Hall Restaurant & Bar, New Braunfels
Housed in a, well, old city hall, this graceful New Braunfels newcomer is now more of a hub of languorous date nights than municipal intrigue. Still, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t inspire a few debates. Should the appetizer be the lighter smoked crab dip with farm-fresh crudité or the indulgent truffle fries paired with a frosty gin martini?

Old City Hall in New Braunfels has our vote. Old City Hall/ Facebook

Salt Lick BBQ, Driftwood
Sure, some Texans obsess about post oak versus mesquite, but this Driftwood barbecue joint is not for barbecue cultists. While the famous circular smoker is mostly just for show, the all-you-can-eat family meal is still a rite of passage. For $33.95, guests can munch on beef brisket, sausage, pork ribs, and all the Texas fixings.

The Blue Bonnet Cafe, Marble Falls
This Marble Falls charmer, open since 1929, is famed for sky-high meringues that tower as high as five inches. Pie, however, is just the start. Almost all of the fare is a little oversized, from a Dagwood club to a hefty Wednesday meatloaf special. The stripped-down interior isn’t much to look at, but that doesn’t mean your eyes won’t be popping.

Vaudeville Fredericksburg At Vaudeville, come for the shopping; stay for the bistro cuisine.Vaudeville/ Facebook

Vaudeville Bistro, Fredericksburg
It’s a boutique. It’s a wine bar. It’s a stylish brasserie. Much like its namesake, Fredericksburg's Main Street stunner likes to lay on the variety. Start with Spanish-style grilled octopus, then head to the showstopping rack of lamb. The curtain call is a chocolate chunk pecan cookie almost richer than the dark chocolate pot de creme.

Calivence, Fredericksburg
This Fredericksburg winery's biggest surprise isn’t the bright Cab Franc. The property also hosts a charming bistro serving French-Californian fare. Housed in an 1869 Sunday house, the quaint spot serves pairing-friendly dishes like crostini, oysters, and a Thai steak salad with a minty chutney. And, of course, there's an absolutely killer crème brûlée for dessert.

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