Where to drink

Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 6 best bars for singles ready to mingle

If you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, this list might help. These six Fort Worth-area bars are known in some circles for their matchmaking scene. Some offer swanky lounges where patrons dress to impress, and others are more casual, where even four-legged friends are invited. All make for a great night out – bonus if a new friendship blooms in the process.

Mutts Canine Cantina
Some say how one treats their dog is a good indicator of their character, and anyone who takes their furry friend to this pet-friendly outdoor bar and dog park is surely a sweet soul. Located near the Shops at Clearfork right on the Trinity River, Mutts Canine Cantina stays busy with dog lovers who mix and mingle while their fur babies play. Dogs may run free in the enclosed park area (day pass required) while their humans grab a cold craft beer or cocktail, like the agave tequila “Barkarita.” (Add a sangria popsicle on top to keep cool.) Paid pooper scoopers constantly roam the premises, leaving more time to strike up conversation with a fellow pet owner. No day pass is required for the outdoor bar and grill, which serves sandwiches, burgers, chicken tenders, and a “Woof Menu” of “Pupsicles” and “Doggie Dogs” (dogs must be on a leash). Day passes start at $12.95, and monthly memberships start at $24.95.

The V Lounge at Eddie V’s
A longtime Cultural District hangout for local business professionals seeking something stiff to drink after hours, this upscale bar promises – in their own words – “civilized seduction.” Setting a mood is intentional here; the lounge is dimly lit, the horseshoe-shaped bar encourages conversation, and live jazz trios play every night of the week. It’s only fitting to order a martini, perfect for sophisticated sipping. During happy hour Sunday through Thursday from 4-6:30 pm, select cocktails – including the Dapper Martini shaken with vodka or gin – are $10, and indulgent apps like black truffle tartare and oysters Rockefeller are also on special. Note the V Lounge is located to the left of the main steakhouse entrance, no reservations required. Get comfortable and hang out a while – Eddie encourages it.

Glass Cactus
Popular for GNO (girls' or guys' night out) this Grapevine night club and lounge sits right on Grapevine Lake as part of the Gaylord Texas Resort. Glass Cactus is only open on Friday and Saturday nights, so guests arrive dressed to impress and ready to let loose after working for the weekend. During the summer months, the club hosts its Sunset Party on the Patio on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 7 pm. This is when guests can catch a romantic summer sunset on the lake with a craft cocktail accompanied by live music from a DJ or an acoustic artist. At 9 pm, the party moves inside to the night club for live entertainment and dancing. (A small cover charge is required for entry.) The party goes on all the way until 2 am.

White Elephant Saloon
The White Elephant is a great spot to cowboy up and meet singles, especially on a weeknight. That’s when the iconic Stockyards saloon draws everyone from business travelers to rodeo professionals, many looking for a longneck bottle and a dance partner. A live country band plays here nightly, providing the perfect opportunity to two-step with a new friend. (Ladies, be prepared to be asked out on the dance floor by a cowboy.) Order a cold schooner or salt-rimmed margarita and take in the scenery. The historic bar dates back more than a century and remains a destination for those looking for love – or to drown their sorrows.

Winslow's Wine Cafe
The Camp Bowie Boulevard wine bar and restaurant's unofficial motto is "where friendships begin," and these friendships have been known to blossom into something more. In fact, management says they've seen relationships happen here time and time again. (Visiting on a Sunday or weekday evening is recommended for best chances of meeting other singles.) Since opening in 2008, Winslow's has established itself as the favorite neighborhood gathering spot, where an intimate ambiance is conducive to striking up good conversations. Inside, the cozy be-seen bar area offers high-top cocktail tables and cush barstool seating. On the patio, summer sunsets pair well with a glass of wine and a comfy chair by a fire pit. Note that while Winslow's is known for its impeccable wine collection, they do offer a full bar.

The Bar at Grace
It's no secret this elegant downtown dining establishment is known for its upscale bar scene. The bar itself sits immediately to the right of the hostess stand, where a social atmosphere is amplified by street-side floor-to-ceiling glass windows, pretty cocktails, and a pretty crowd to match. Management says they often see relationships bloom over a mixed drink at the marble bar. Even more, Grace offers daily “bubble hour” from 4-6 pm, when all sparkling wines are half-price. So, arrive early and toast to new friendships.

Mutts Canine Cantina/Facebook

Mix and mingle with fellow dog lovers while the furbabies play.

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Doughnut News

Luscious doughnut shop Duck Donuts makes Fort Worth debut

Photo courtesy of Visit Addison

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A decadent new doughnut shop is coming to Fort Worth: Duck Donuts, a North Carolina-based chain known for serving doughnuts made to order, will open a shop at 6387 Camp Bowie Blvd. #A within the Ridglea Plaza Shopping Center in Fort Worth.

According to a release, the shop will open on Saturday December 21 at 7 am.

Duck Donuts opened its first locations in 2007 in the beach resort towns of Duck and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with the intention to create an oasis for vacationers. They're now headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and began franchising in 2013, with more than 150 locally owned and operated shops across 26 states and international locations. There was previously a DFW location in Addison on Belt Line Road that opened in 2020 but it did not survive the pandemic.

The Fort Worth shop is owned and operated by husband-and-wife Justin and Morgan Thomas.

“We are delighted to be opening in Fort Worth,” Justin says in a statement. “The community has been patiently waiting for us to open our doors, and now we cannot wait to sprinkle happiness to all with our warm, delicious and made-to-order doubhnuts.”

The 1,035-square-foot shop reflects the franchise’s reimagined design which gives a modern twist on their iconic beach theme and family-friendly atmosphere. Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by the aroma of warm, light vanilla cake doughnuts.

Customers can create their own combination by choosing from coatings, toppings, and drizzles, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon.

Key to their appeal is the viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their doughnuts being made.

Many of their flavors have a beachy theme such as the Beach, a cake doughnut with vanilla icing dusted with cinnamon sugar; the Sunrise with lemon icing and raspberry drizzle; and the Beach Ball with vanilla icing, rainbow sprinkles, and chocolate drizzle.

They rotate in seasonal offerings such as the current lineup of mint-flavored flavors including chocolate icing with mint buttercream. The doughnuts themselves are limited to vanilla and chocolate cake; the flavors come primarily from icing.

In addition to doughnuts, the Fort Worth location will serve coffee, doughnut breakfast sandwiches, doughnut sundaes — in which a doughnut is topped with ice cream and syrup — plus frozen beverages and milkshakes.

doughnuts openings