Opening News

Artsy Meow Wolf will open with 15 food purveyors from Dallas-Fort Worth

Fort Worth's Melt Ice Creams will be served at the new venue.

Melt

The popular immersive arts venture Meow Wolf, slated to open a new "portal" in Grapevine this summer, will be joined by an accompanying slate of food and beverage vendors, ranging from empanadas to nitrogen ice cream to craft beer to pies.

Meow Wolf is the Santa Fe-based art collective turned national psychedelic sensation, which has multiple portals (locations is too boring a word) open to the public in Denver, Las Vegas, and Santa Fe, with two new portals coming to Texas: Grapevine in 2023, and Houston in 2024.

These vendors were selected for their creativity, impact on their communities, and their ability to not just feed visitors, but contribute to the kaleidoscopic experience for which Meow Wolf is known.

“Our cafe is an extension of the immersive art world that is Meow Wolf Grapevine,” says Meow Wolf Director of Operations Mandy Cooper in a statment. "As a certified B-Corporation, our goal is to provide economic opportunity that supports local, women, and minority-owned small businesses."

The other benefit, she notes, is that "if you taste something you like, you can visit and support these businesses right here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area."

They've partnered with more than 15 local food and beverage artists, as follows, in alphabetical order:

All Y'alls Food. Plant-based jerkies and bits
Blended Family Foods. Salsas and sauces
Buzzed Bull Creamery. Liquid nitrogen ice cream
Celestial Beerworks. Dallas craft beer brewery
Celzo Co. Agua fresca, lightly carbonated vitamin-infused refreshment with exotic flavors
Del Campo Empanadas. Handmade baked empanadas and artisanal Argentinian pastries
GNS Foods. Family-run woman-owned nut business in Arlington
Hive Bakery. One-of-a-kind pastries, with an authentic voice
HTeaO Grapevine. Texas tea
Judy Pie. Sweet and savory pies just like Grandma used to make
JuiceLand. Juices and smoothies, with locations in Austin, Houston, and Dallas
Mac and Cream. Modern French macaron bakery, inspired by French and Asian cultures
Melt Ice Cream. Ice creams made with high percentage of butterfat
Nikki's Popcorn Company. Unique and interesting popcorn flavors
Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters. High-quality sustainability coffee company in Dallas' Expo Park
Peaberry Coffee. Oak Cliff craft coffee shop with the first and only canned iced coffee
Purpose Tea. Healthy brewed tea made from the purple tea leaf

food-trucks openings ice-cream

Food Truck News

Ghost Food Park brings food truck fare and culture to Arlington

Instagram

Food spread at Ghost Food Truck Park

A food truck park is gaining traction in Arlington: Called Ghost Food Park, it's a venture owned by two brothers, located at 2601 W. Arkansas Ln., in the Dalworthington Gardens area.

The outdoor concept was founded in 2023 by Juan and Chris Labra, who are hosting it on the property of their print shop, New Gen Print and Designs. Juan handles the social media and marketing for the park; Chris handles the contracts for the trucks.

They feature six food truck vendors — the maximum number allowed by the City of Arlington — that operate on different schedules every day of the week.

“A popular BBQ truck called 225 BBQ first put us on the map," Juan says.

Dishes span several cuisines: from hibachi to Venezuelan to BBQ fusion. The main attractions include:

King Hibachi with steak and noodle plates and loaded fries
Autana Food & Catering with Venezuelan arepas and cheese-stuffed bread rolls
Karibou Coffees

Ghost Food ParkGhost Food Park

There’s also a local celebrity chef most weekends: Marc Fadel of Habibi Barbecue.

Fadel and his truck were featured on HBO MAX’s BBQ High, a show about several groups of high school culinary teams competing for a state BBQ championship. He whips up dishes that include brisket, pork ribs, and Lebanese sides like tabbouleh (a parsley salad) and batata kizbara (fried cubed potatoes).

“He’s this college kid, and as much as he would want to open more time, he’s focusing on school now, but he does open on weekends,” Juan says.

Prices range from $10 for a pulled pork sandwich at Habibi Barbecue to $30 for a hibachi combo plate at King Hibachi. Truck hours are daily, with Thursdays-Sundays from 11 am-9 pm the most active.

They’ve recently expanded out to hosting weekend markets as well — often with a theme such as Halloween, when they did a cute "truck or treat" theme. They open the park to other non-foodtruck vendors, crafters, and jewelry makers. There’s outdoor seating, with umbrella-shaded tables, and yard games with space to play pickleball.

It's still in test mode. “We’ve got a good sized waiting list since it’s been getting some good traction recently," Juan says.

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