Where to drink

Where to drink in Fort Worth: 6 bars with soft-serve margaritas & cocktails

As temperatures continue to soar 10 to 15 degrees above normal this month, a cooling concoction is in order stat. There's no better time to try the TikTok viral soft-serve margarita - a lighter, fluffier version of the frozen margarita that's less icy and slushy and more velvety and creamy.

The dessert-like drink requires a special soft-serve machine that typically comes with side-by-side spouts, meaning bars and restaurants can offer two unique flavors or a swirl of both. While tequila-based margaritas are most prevalent, some bars are experimenting with soft-serve versions of other cocktails with different spirits and flavors, like whiskey-infused salted caramel and espresso martini with vodka.

Bourbon Street Bar & Grill/Facebook

Bourbon Street Bar & Grill offers fruit toppings with their soft-serve margaritas.

Here are six spots to try the refreshing sensation in and around Fort Worth this month - all inside with plenty of air conditioning.

Bourbon Street Bar & Grill
An early player in the soft-serve margarita game is this lively Bedford destination for Big Easy vibes (1833 Airport Fwy.), which was touted as the first to bring the viral sensation to DFW last spring. Blended with tequila, agave, and citrus, the dairy-free cocktail ($10) currently comes in two base flavors – pineapple and strawberry-watermelon. Guests can then choose from various fruit toppings, as well as add a $3 floater like Grand Marnier or jalapeno and mango-infused tequila. Order with spicy boudin-stuffed jalapenos, especially during Bourbon Street's weekly Love Island watch parties for a tropics-themed trash TV binge fest.

Uncle Julio's
The 40-year-old Dallas-based Tex-Mex chain has always boasted a lengthy list of margaritas, so it’s no surprise a soft-serve option was added to the lineup this summer. Uncle Julio’s version ($16) comes in two flavors – mango and strawberry – with the option for a fluffy swirl of both. The refreshing libation pairs perfectly with a cup of queso or guacamole prepared tableside. Uncle Julio’s has locations in Fort Worth, Alliance, Arlington, and Grapevine, and all are serving soft-serve margaritas.

Old Texas Brewing Co.
Both locations of this Texas craft brew pub (6333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, and 112 W. Ellison St., Burleson) sell boozy soft-serve cocktails with flavors that rotate weekly. Current selections at Old Texas Brewing Co.’s Burleson outlet include tequila-based peach margarita and whiskey-based salted caramel, and in Fort Worth, tequila-infused options in mango and strawberry. Prices vary by location. In Burleson the drinks are $10 (half-off on Sundays after 3 pm) and in Fort Worth prices range from $8-$14 depending on size. Follow each location’s social media channels for flavor updates.

Habanero's Fresh Mex Cantina
This popular far north Fort Worth spot for Tex-Mex (5601 Basswood Blvd.) currently offers soft-serve cocktails ($13) in two unique varieties: pineapple blended with reposado tequila and vanilla made with vanilla vodka. Swirl them for a potent punch of flavor, and delight in the tiny pink plastic shovel that comes with the cool concoction. Habanero’s is also a fan-favorite for its great happy hour specials, which run all day on Mondays when soft-serve cocktails are only $8. Talk about a Monday mood booster.

The Swirled Sip
Want soft-serve cocktails at your next party? Hire this newly launched Keller-based mobile soft-serve cocktail bar and choose from nine creamy and cool varieties, ranging from bold espresso martini and a frosty Jack & Coke to a citrusy cosmopolitan and tropical pina colada. The Swirled Sip comes from best friends Cindy Coker and Nakami Stewart, who use their own recipes and plan to update flavors seasonally. The duo will also work with clientele to create custom flavors. Packages start at $175 (which serves five to 10 guests) and include garnishes and finishing touches. (Note that alcohol must be purchased separately per Texas state laws.) Follow The Swirled Sip on social media to learn about occasional pop-ups around town.

Birrieria Chalio
Originating in Los Angeles, this South Fort Worth destination for Cali-Mex cuisine was ahead of the birria trend in Fort Worth when it opened in 2010 at 308 E. Seminary Dr. It was also one of the first in town to offer soft-serve margaritas, debuting them last May. Flavors have rotated monthly ever since, with the August lineup including peach, watermelon, or a thick and fluffy swirl of both. The drink also comes with a sweet and spicy “Mexican candy” tequila shot in a tube and options for a Tajin and chamoy rim. No need to wait until lunchtime for this cooling concoction - Birrieria Chalio opens 8 am daily.

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Michelin plan

Michelin Guide sets date for reveal of 2026 Texas restaurants

Photo by Dan Padgett

Leeks vinaigrette at Mamani, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Dallas.

Restaurant rating organization the Michelin Guide will reveal the third edition of its Texas selections on October 8, the organization announced.

The 2026 list of restaurants will come via press release this year, and not in an elaborate ceremony that draw chefs and restaurateurs from across the state - a big change from the fanfare that accompanied the 2024 and 2025 selections.

Michelin employs anonymous inspectors to evaluate restaurants on five criteria: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. Based on that, they may recognize restaurants with one of three designations:

Michelin stars, rated at one, two, or three for restaurants that offer exceptional experiences
Bib Gourmand, described as “restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices”
Recommended for good restaurants that don’t quite meet the level of either a star or Bib Gourmand

The guide also gives out professional awards, such as service awards and sommelier awards.

Last year, Michelin added three starred restaurants statewide (including Dallas' Mamani), bringing Texas’ total to 18, along with eight new Bib Gourmands and 16 Recommended restaurants. (But Fort Worth was shut out.) Overall, 140 restaurants are included in the Guide.

Initially, Michelin made a three-year commitment to Texas, which was paid for in part by a $900,000 partnership with the statewide tourism organization Travel Texas and local tourism organizations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. No announcement has been made about whether those partnership will continue, but a Michelin representative provided CultureMap with the following statement about the company’s future in Texas:

“Michelin cannot discuss the terms of its relationships for competitive reasons, although Michelin respects that partners might have disclosure agreements. It’s worth mentioning that once the Guide arrives in a destination the intent is for it to remain there. Supported by partnerships, the inspectors will continue to evaluate restaurants in the current coverage areas while keeping an eye on other locales as possible culinary hotspots for inclusion.”

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