A new restaurant from the team behind Chimy's is dropping anchor at Fort Worth's forthcoming Westside Village development: Called Levee Porch, it'll be a fast-casual restaurant and beer garden opening alongside a new Fort Worth outpost of Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co., according to a release. Both spots are expected to open in the first quarter of 2027.
The concepts are part of Westside Village, the $1.7 billion, 37-acre mixed-use development taking shape along the West Fork of the Trinity River west of downtown Fort Worth.
Levee Porch comes from Kyle Wright and Jason Finley, owner-operators of longtime Fort Worth favorite Chimy's. According to the release, the restaurant will feature burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, Cubans, beer, mojitos, and margaritas.
The restaurant and fly fishing shop are being designed to work together, the owners say. Tailwaters' 1,500-square-foot retail store will connect to Levee Porch's outdoor-focused layout, which includes a bar, covered porch, patio seating, and beer garden overlooking the river corridor.
"The Levee Porch will be a laid back, fast casual hideaway that will be a ton of fun for the family and a perfect place for a biker or kayaker to come down the trail and find an oasis on the West Fork of the Trinity," Wright says in the release. "Handheld bites will be paired by craft cocktails and ice cold beer.
"Wander into the LP bar, and you will find the nautical door that leads you to our buddies at Tailwaters Fly Fishing Shop. We hope to create a unique experience that is both community driven and tailored to the avid adventure seeker.”
Come for a beer, stay for some fly fishing.Rendering courtesy of RSDG
Tailwaters was founded in Dallas in 2007 and operates as a fly-fishing retailer, guide service, and travel outfitter. This will be the first Fort Worth location.
“We have often thought about opening a second store but could never find the right location, synergy, or deal that made sense," David Leake, co-owner of Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co., says in the release. "It is only fitting that we enter our 20th year in business with a new location in Fort Worth, on the West Fork of the Trinity, and in partnership with old friend and supporter, Kyle Wright.
"We are viewing a second door as an incredible opportunity to expand our overall shop offerings and make stronger ties with the traveling angler community in Fort Worth. What better spot to do it than in conjunction with what will surely be one of the most popular and fun restaurants and watering holes in the city.”
According to the release, the concepts also plan to host community events such as fly-fishing film screenings, casting competitions, and fun runs.
The projects draw inspiration from Old Florida and Mexican haciendas, "reinterpreted through a modern Texas lens," they say. Design elements will include hardwood floors, stucco walls, terracotta-toned metal roofs, exposed trusses, and hanging fish mounts. Guests will eventually be able to arrive by foot, bicycle, or kayak, with plans for a dedicated kayak launch connected to the Trinity River.
The concepts are among the latest tenants announced for Westside Village, a project that is expected to include office space, apartments, retail, restaurants, and a boutique hotel. At full build-out, the development will have about 238,000 square feet of retail space, 880,000 square feet of office space, and nearly 1,800 residential units.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tailwaters and Levee Porch to Westside Village," says Larkspur Capital vice president of development Schafer Smartt in the release. "These concepts align perfectly with our vision for the project, creating an authentic Fort Worth gathering place that leverages one of the city’s great civic assets, the West Fork of the Trinity River."
