This edition of restaurant news around Fort Worth includes quite a few openings, a sad closing, and then your usual variety of new dishes, seasonal menus and the like.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Hemphill Restaurant, a staple in the Southside community serving Tex-Mex and chicken-fried steak for more than 35 years, is closing. The restaurant expressed thanks for support "through these tough times," and said they'll close on Thanksgiving Eve, November 22. They'll be open weekdays for lunch and weekend brunch until closing day.

Smoothie Factory + Kitchen has opened its location in North Richland Hills at 8517 Davis Blvd., between The Sanctuary and Highland Oaks neighborhoods, where it's serving a revamped and innovative menu, highlighted by an array of healthy and delicious food items that go beyond smoothies including salads, grilled folds, toast options, a coffee program, and boba tea, in addition to its signature juices, smoothie bowls, and smoothies made with real fruits and vegetables.

Longhorn Steakhouse is opening two new locations: Burleson, at 12549 South Fwy. next to a Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, on December 4; and Denton off I-35E in front of Buc-ee’s, opening in spring 2024.

Blue Mound Cafe, a locally-owned breakfast & brunch chain with two locations on Belknap-Fort Worth and Saginaw, is opening a third in North Richland Hills, on 820 & Rufe Snow at 6455 Hilltop Drive #101.

Black Bear Diner, a homestyle chain with an outdoor lodge theme from California, is opening in Burleson, at 12613 South Fwy. They currently have two locations in DFW, in Fort Worth/Alliance and in Mesquite. They're noted for big portions, and for serving breakfast all day.

Melting Pot has a new over-the-top "Ultimate 5-Course experience" that ends with some wow. It starts with a Green Goddess and bacon-stuffed Tomato; then cheese fondue paired with new "Double Dippers" – first dip in the cheese fondue, then dip in one of six crunchy dippers: scallions, bacon, everything bagel seasoning, crispy pickle chips, beet sticks, and parmesan. Then salad, then entree from choice of filet mignon, teriyaki steak, chicken, shrimp, or lobster tail; then a smoking mountain of chocolate fondue with bundt cake, cotton candy, fireworks, and choice of Raspberry Dark Chocolate Fondue topped with Red Velvet Cake or Birthday Cake White Chocolate Fondue topped with Confetti Cake, served with sweet treats and fresh fruit, $93 for the whole shebang.

Fish City Grill and Half Shells are offering two chalkboard specials throughout November: blackened barramundi with blue cheese butter, caramelized onion, mashed potatoes, and red chili asparagus for $24; and Chipotle BBQ Salmon Tacos, with apple cider slaw, shredded romaine, cilantro, Cuban black beans, and rice for $16.

Maple Street Biscuit Company has a limited time winter menu featuring French Toast biscuit with vanilla cream and maple syrup; BBQ pork, sausage, bacon, cheddar, egg, and potato; a peppermint mocha latte, a peppermint hot chocolate, and a mimosa with prosecco and cranberry juice. Keller, Richardson, and Frisco.

Blaze Pizza has a special pizza for November: the Naked Chicken Parm Pizza, made with a classic Italian flavor profile, including grilled chicken, sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, banana peppers, and basil. It's $9. Blaze has 11 locations around DFW including Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, Richardson, Mesquite, Rowlett, Irving, and Frisco.

Lazy Dog has a new menu featuring Bacon Cheddar Biscuits, Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Schnitzel with apple cider slaw & bacon potato salad, Pumpkin Cheesecake with chocolate sauce & toasted pumpkin seeds, S'more Brownie Sundae, Mountain Berry Pancakes with berry medley compote, Cuban sandwich with ham, pork, & Swiss cheese, Kid’s Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich on milk bread, and Shrimp Yakisoba Noodles Bowl. Beverages include a Blood Orange Margarita, Spiced Apple Smash with Rum, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, and Apple Cider, and a Mocha Martini.

Panda Express has teamed up with Hot Ones to introduce a new limited time dish: Blazing Bourbon Chicken, an exclusive spin on the classic Southern bourbon chicken, featuring chicken bites and fresh veggies wok-tossed in a spicy-sweet bourbon sauce alongside the Hot Ones Last Dab Apollo hot sauce. Available at 50 select Panda locations nationwide, including six locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, Grand Prairie, and Denton), through January 2.

Denny’s has expanded its permanent menu with decadent new dishes including Brioche French Toast, Strawberry Stuffed French Toast, Sweet Cream Cold Brew, Hershey’s Chocolate Pancakes with cream cheese icing, Chicken Cobb Salad, Prime Rib Cobb Salad, Mama's Fried Chicken House Salad, Salmon Salad, and fried Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich with white cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing on grilled artisan bread.

Braum’s is all in with pimento cheese on two new menu items: Spicy Pimento Bacon Cheeseburger and Chicken Sandwiches, topped with Braum’s Pimento Cheese. You can also just order a side of the pimento cheese. They'll be available through the end of the year.

Yogurtland has brought back a favorite holiday flavor: White Chocolate Peppermint Froyo, made with real white chocolate and peppermint. They also have a limited-edition Churro Cookie Bites topping, which they recommend you combine together.

DQ restaurants in Texas have a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pie Blizzard flavor for November, featuring soft-serve with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and graham.

Wendy's has a new frosty flavor: Peppermint Frosty, a replacement of its most recent seasonal flavor which was the pumpkin spice. The peppermint, which joins the chocolate Frosty, was first released in 2022, the first-ever holiday-flavored Frosty the chain introduced. It's just peppermint, not chocolate-peppermint; one review notes that it has a vanilla-peppermint vibe. There's a new companion item that debuted this year: Peppermint Frosty Cream Cold Brew featuring peppermint syrup swirled in smooth cold-brewed coffee with classic Frosty creamer over ice.

Gong Cha, the Taiwanese tea chain, has a new limited-edition Gingerbread Milk Tea featuring gingerbread spices, milk foam, and pearls. Available through December 31, it can be ordered hot, iced and in three collectible bingerbread person-shaped bottles, available at participating locations, while supplies last.

Loews Hotels in Arlington has appointed a new chef: Mouhssine “Moose” Benhamacht, previously executive chef at Live! By Loews – Arlington, to be chef at the new Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center which is slated to open in February 2024. Robert Carr will assume the role of Executive Chef at Live! By Loews – Arlington.