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Summer’s end is near, which means it's back to school and back to work — and back to wondering where to go for lunch.

Fending off time and trends, the noble sandwich remains the quintessential lunch item. For this month’s Where to Eat, we point you to the best sandwich shops in and around Fort Worth. These are traditional sandwiches, and include venerable classics as well as some worthy newcomers.

For where to eat in Fort Worth, we bring you the best sandwiches in town:

203 Cafe
Downtown soup and sandwich shop from the team behind Reata is a real hidden gem, “hidden” being the operative word. It’s at 215 Commerce St., on the second floor of City Center Fort Worth, next to the entrance of a skybridge. You can also find it by entering through the Original Fire Station No. 1 and taking the elevator to the second floor. The sandwiches are worth the extra sleuth work. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich, whose plank of chicken is almost as big as the plate, is a must. Other favorites include a fantastic Italian beef-inspired sandwich called the Chicago, with thinly cut garlic and herb-roasted roast beef and crunchy giardiniere on a toasted hoagie, and the Hot Mess, an aptly named sandwich comprised of pecan-smoked smoked brisket topped with oozing poblano queso blanco and served on sourdough.

Carshon’s Deli
With roots dating back to the late 1920s, Carshon’s Deli is one of the city’s oldest restaurants, and most popular, too. Every walk of Fort Worth life can be seen here, from nearby TCU and Paschal High students to the city’s movers and shakers to those barely scraping by. All convene in the small dining room for a signature sandwich, be it the Rachel, piled high with freshly sliced corned beef, turkey, Swiss cheese, cole slaw and Russian dressing and served on rye bread; or the Rebecca, a double-decker made with pastrami, smoked turkey, and cream cheese, all divvied up on three pieces of grilled egg bread. Other sandwiches are of the straightforward-deli sort and include corned beef, pastrami, chopped liver, salami, and roast chicken, most of which are available half or whole. Dessert is a big deal: Many diners try to time their visits to the exact moment when the restaurant’s meringue pies are served fresh out of the oven. Bring cash; this old-school stalwart doesn’t accept credit cards.

Cheba Hut Toasted Subs
When it opened last year, this Colorado-based sandwich chain brought to the Near Southside something the area lacked: a sense of humor. Sandwiches named with pothead double entendres, an ice machine with a cut-out pic of rapper Ice Cube on it, Kool-Aid as a drink option - it’s refreshing to see a restaurant that doesn’t take itself so seriously in an area where so many others do. But the Cheech and Chong atmosphere masks terrific food. Sandwiches come on good quality bread, made fresh, and top-of-the-line ingredients are put to imaginative use, as on the Griefo, a mashup of cream cheese, guacamole, and assorted veggies, and the Sensi Kush, a BLT with bacon and honey sriracha. Coupla nice pluses: the restaurant is open late and has a full bar.

Colossal Sandwich Shop
The shop itself is small, occupying a strip mall spot at 1220 Airport Fwy., but as the name of their restaurant implies, owners and longtime friends Terry Duncan and Jonathan “Jono” Merrill serve super-size sandwiches, with most being big enough to share. Their sandwiches aren’t the same ol’ and are more aligned with the chef-inspired variety you’d find at high-caliber restaurants. “The Colossus,” their rendition of a pulled pork sandwich, features braised pork shoulder topped with jalapeno slaw and housemade barbecue sauce served on a grilled onion roll. Their grilled cheese, the Ooey Gooey, is a messy delight: a bed of roasted veggies comes topped with melted cheddar and provolone and a housemade herbed cheese spread.

Dino’s Subs
Beloved sub shop at 2221 South Collins St. in Arlington was opened in 1980 by founder Lawrence Dino, whose grandfather ran a similar business in New Jersey. A magnet for nearby UTA students, it has a rock & roll vibe, with cheap pitchers of beer, a big screen TV, loud piped-in music, and sometimes grumpy sandwich-makers. All add to Dino’s charm. You move through a line, ordering your sandwich by the size and number (and if you don’t, you’re quickly reminded by employees). Then you pick your toppings, sides, and drinks. Must-gets include the #21, layers of baked ham, peppered beef, mushrooms and provolone, all topped with cream cheese; #15, a simple but flavorful mashup of avocado and muenster cheese; and #18, a dessert sandwich made with honey, bananas, and peanut butter. There are lots of salads, too, plus pastas and cheesecakes. Cool, cool place.

Weinberger’s Deli
Recently named best deli in the state by the website Eat This, Not That, the Grapevine location of this Chicago-born restaurant is a long-running, old-fashioned deli serving upscale sandwiches out of a neat street-corner spot at 601 S. Main St. You gotta get there early if you want to dine-in; the place is typically packed by 11:30 am each day. Many come for the Italian beef sandwich, served as it is in Chicago, either dry or wet, with hot, mild or sweet peppers. Others swear by the Oscar, a salami, capicola, and pepperoni combo topped with grilled mortadella, provolone, and giardiniera. Weinberger’s is one of the few sandwich shops in North Texas to offer the New York-style chopped cheese, a mix of ground beef, grilled onions, American cheese, ketchup and mayo on a garlic toasted baguette. Man, it’s good.

www.outpost36.com

Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 hidden-find new restaurants

Where to Eat

In the past several weeks, several high-profile restaurants have opened in Fort Worth, making them seemingly perfect candidates for this edition of our monthly Where to Eat spotlighting newcomers.

There's Walloon's, the buzzy new seafood spot from chef Marcus Paslay; and Le Margot, the French restaurant collaboration between chefs Felipe Armenta and celebu-chef Graham Elliott.

But bigger does not always mean better, especially when we've uncovered some lower-profile newcomers that may not (yet) be a media buzz but definitely deserve attention, as well.

For the August edition of Where to Eat in Fort Worth, we bring you six small but mighty new restaurants:

Brix BBQ
After two years of setbacks and delays, the brick-and-mortar version of Trevor Sales’ popular barbecue trailer opened recently at 1012 S. Main St. in the booming South Main area. BBQ Snob Daniel Vaughn has already given the place his seal of approval, with a headline exclaiming it's the best new spot in town. The brick-and-mortar version of Brix has inside/outside seating, plus a rooftop dining area that'll be nice in the fall. Sales is still tweaking his menu, but in addition to his calling cards - brisket, housemade sausage, and ribs - he’s added a few items such as a brisket ragu pasta, and turned rotating favorites into permanent fixtures, like his popular smashburgers. Another welcome addition: booze. Brix offers an impressive assortment of beer, bourbon, and wine.

Eazy Monkey
Chef Andrew Dilda may have opened the most unique restaurant in town – a restaurant that combines Asian and American cuisine, with a side of ‘90s skate-punk culture. Dilda’s newly opened spot, which takes over the old Fixture restaurant in the Near Southside, is a joint venture between him and partners Andrew Chen, who founded the Monkey King Noodle Company chain of local restaurants, and Sonali Kumar, also a partner in Monkey King. As a result, the menu is inspired by Monkey King’s creative Asian cuisine and Dilda’s ode to Americana. Dishes include crab rangoon nachos, cheeseburger fried rice, beef cheek hash, and orange chicken and waffles. For now, the restaurant is only open for third-party delivery, but once the dining room opens in September, check out its walls covered in ‘90s culture paraphernalia – a nod to his and wife’s musical and pop culture interests.

La Bendicion
Newly opened in the Fielder Plaza shopping center in Arlington, at 1701 West Randol Mill Rd., this small Mexican restaurant harks back to El Fenix and El Chico and other restaurants that wave the flag for simple, straightforward TexMex cuisine. It practically picks up where the space’s previous tenant, the long-running Don Mario’s, left off. Matter of fact, one of the owners is a previous server from Don Mario’s. Don’t expect fireworks, just straightforward TexMex, done well and inexpensively. All the TexMex staples are here: enchiladas, tamales, chile rellenos, tacos and fajitas, stuffed, filled or served with various proteins and lots of cheese. There’s also a handful of seafood dishes, such as bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Noodle Works
From its modest exterior, this small new Asian restaurant in Southlake, at 250 Randol Mill Ave., may seem run-of-the-mill. But the food goes beyond the norm. The restaurant’s namesake dish is made in-house, in dishes such as dan dan noodles, spicy beef noodle soup, and youpo noodles, a mix of noodles with chili sauce, bok choy and green onions. Also made in-house are the dumplings, stuffed with your choice of vegetables or various proteins; bao buns; and pot-stickers. The rest of the menu touches on various Asian cuisines, with Japanese, Chinese and Thai dishes, plus an assortment of boba drinks.

Outpost 36
What looks like a big corporate barbecue restaurant is really an independently owned restaurant run by a small group of friends, Jeff Lowery, Dwight Dowell and Chris Polk; the place is just real big. Instead of the usual cafeteria-style service, customers stand in line to order, watching meat-cutters slice and dice meats that include brisket, sausage, and pork & beef ribs, then wait for their food to be brought to them (meats are supplied from the owners’ own Texas ranch). Everything we sampled during a recent visit was of good quality – brisket was tender and smoky, its spine etched in black pepper and melt-in-your-mouth fat; jalapeno sausage was appropriately spicy and its skin had a good snap; and pork ribs were of good size, not too big, not too small, with a hearty amount of meat. Good sides, too, including fried okra and green beans. The restaurant also makes its own bread, something no other North Texas BBQ joint does except Goldees. Located at 1801 S. Main St. in Keller, Outpost 36 is next door to the similarly named Horizon 76, an American restaurant with the same owners.

R&R’s Soul Food
This new spot in far south Fort Worth that has long been home to various takes on soul food. Before R&R, it was a temporary home to Sausage Shoppe, the long-running sausage and soul food hub that now resides on the east side, and it was the original home to the beloved chicken & waffles restaurant, Taste ‘N See. R&R picks up where its predecessors left off, with owner Renelle Davis offering a wide array of American, barbecue, and soul food dishes, including smothered pork chops, oxtails, and brisket. Sides include candied yams, potato salad, baked beans, and collard greens. There are rotating pies and cakes, too, all $3 a slice, plus Kool Aid and, what else, sweet tea to drink.

SFOT

10 fried finalists to compete in 2023 State Fair of Texas Big Tex awards

State Fair News

The fried food finalists are in: The State Fair of Texas has selected 10 fried-food creations as finalists in its 19th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards, ready to be sampled during your State Fair excursions in fall 2023.

The competition began in early July with 57 entries from by 37 concessionaires. Interesting, so that's an average of two submissions per concessionaire.

According to a release, 36 semi-finalists were chosen and now it's down to 10. On Sunday, August 27, a panel will choose three winners in the categories of Best Savory, Best Sweet, and Most Creative.

UPDATE 8-28-2023: The winners are:

  • Best Savory: Deep Fried Pho
  • Best Sweet: Biscoff Delight
  • Most Creative: Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas

--------------------------------------

These are the final 10:

SAVORY

Cheesy Crab Tater Bites. Isaac Rousso
Crab, potato, and cheese formed into tater bites, fried, and topped with cheesy Cajun crawfish sauce.

Deep Fried Pho. Michelle Le
Pho - noodles, beef, bean sprouts, and broth - rolled up and fried. With a side of pho broth for dipping.

Loaded Fries Pizza. Tom Grace
Pizza topped with ranch dressing, mozzarella, salted French fries, cheddar cheese, and bacon.

OX'cellent Soul Roll. Kerston & Shawn Thorns
Oxtails chunks and crumbled cornbread are rolled into a spring roll and fried.

Fried Turkey Ribs. Abel Gonzales
With stuffing-seasoned fries, gravy, and salsa.

SWEET

Biscoff Delight. Stephen El Gidi
New York-style cheesecake coated with Belgian chocolate, crushed Biscoff cookies, drizzled with Lotus Biscoff spread AKA cookie butter, and topped with a Biscoff cookie.

Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas. Cody & Lauren Hays
Sopapillas topped with vanilla-caramel-infused bananas, bourbon syrup, candied pecans, mascarpone cheese, crumbled Nilla Wafers.

Fried Cherry Pie in the Sky. Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee
Fried cherry tart topped with butter almond shortbread crumble, vanilla ice cream, cherry preserves, whipped cream, and garnished with dark sweet cherries.

Sweet Encanto. Tony & Terry Bednar
Waffle sweetened with caramel dulce de leche, specialty cream with strawberry, kiwi, peach, and shredded coconut, topped with raspberry jam, and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk.

Trail-Ade. Ruth Hauntz
Lemonade with fruit, cucumbers, and mint. Nonalcoholic cocktail is served in a souvenir cowboy boot cup.

These finalists will go head-to-head on Sunday, August 27. This year’s Big Tex Choice Awards event will be closed to the public, but folks can follow along with the 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards event by tuning into the action live on social media.

The 2023 State Fair of Texas — themed "Explore the Midway" — will open on Friday, September 29, and will run through Sunday, October 22. We have a list of of discount passes and the full lineup of musical acts playing this year.

www.smokenashbbq.net

7 Dallas-Fort Worth BBQ joints make Texas Monthly 'new & improved' list

BBQ News

The barbecue experts at Texas Monthly are once again sharing their perspective on where to eat smoked meats statewide courtesy of a new list titled "Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas."

Released every four years, the new and improved list recognizes restaurants that have either opened or made significant changes since 2021, which is when Texas Monthly last published its quadrennial ranking of the state’s 50 best barbecue restaurants — an occasion that combines the anticipation of receiving Christmas presents with the seriousness of attempting to pass the bar exam.

Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn traveled across the state to compile the list, which is presented alphabetically by city. Overall, he finds the state of the state’s barbecue is quite strong.

“No matter where I go, I find there’s no end to smoked-meat innovation,” he writes. “Thanks to ingredients and preparation methods from a medley of culinary traditions, we’re now blessed with dishes such as za’atar-spiced lamb, berbere-seasoned pork ribs, and brisket fried rice. It’s a glorious time to eat Texas barbecue, and I’m more excited than ever for what the future will bring.”

Dallas-Fort Worth earns seven of the 25 spots on the list, followed by greater Austin with five, Houston with four, and San Antonio with one.

Dallas-Fort Worth representatives include: Arlington’s Ethiopian-influenced Smoke ‘N Ash and Douglas Bar and Grill in Dallas' Snider Plaza, which operates as a steakhouse in the evenings.

From there, Vaughn dives into the suburbs, shouting out North Texas Smoke BBQ (Decatur), Heritage Butchery & Barbecue (Denison), Pit Commander BBQ (Van Alstyne). Hill City Chophouse (Tolar), and B4 Barbecue and Boba (Mabank).

Houston's representatives consist of Brisket & Rice, an Asian-influenced restaurant in a far-west Houston gas station; J-Bar-M, the massive barbecue temple in EaDo; Montgomery’s Bar-A-BBQ; and Rosemeyer Bar-B–Q, a food truck in Spring.

Austin starts with Egyptian-influenced KG BBQ; Briscuits, a food truck that serves its barbecue on a biscuit; and Lockhart’s Barbs B Q, the female-owned restaurant that recently starred on the New York Times’ list of The 20 Best Texas Barbecue Restaurants From the New Generation. The Texas Monthly list also includes Austin restaurant Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen and Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, located in the small town of Harker Heights near Killeen.

San Antonio gets recognized for Reese Bros Barbecue, which updated its offerings with Mexican-influenced dishes such as brisket and the queso fundido sausage and a carnitas torta. Heading south, the Rio Grande Valley takes three spots: Vargas BBQ (Edinburg), El Sancho Tex Mex BBQ (Mission), and GW’s BBQ Catering Co. (San Juan).

Barbs B Q isn’t the only overlap between Texas Monthly and the Times. Houston's Brisket & Rice and Smoke N Ash in Arlington also bask in both spotlights.

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Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 5 new restaurant picks in the 'burbs

Where to eat

The July edition of Where to Eat, CultureMap's monthly column recommending where to eat, focuses on new openings. Obviously there's no shortage, with a seemingly never-ending stream of restaurants opening in and around the Fort Worth area.

This list focuses on that last part: "around the Fort Worth area." We’re talking the suburbs, where new places are opening at the same rapid and exciting pace.

Here are five big new restaurants that have opened just outside Fort Worth:

The Brunch District
New Colleyville restaurant serves brunch every day, not just on weekends. It’s located in a strip mall at 3855 Glade Rd., but the plain exterior gives way to an attractive, lively dining room. The menu consists of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees such as chicken-fried steak. Brunch items include French toast topped with banana-bourbon sauce, lingonberry crepes, bagel and lox, and avocado toast. There are no less than 10 ways to get your pancakes, including topped with crushed Oreos or stuffed with cheesecake bites. There are brunchy cocktails and an extensive kid’s menu. This is the second brunch-inspired concept for co-owner Andreea Bujor, who previously opened Berries & Batter Brunch House in Highland Village and Frisco, and is now focused on The Brunch District, including a second location to open in Addison later this year.

Gilberto’s Taco Shop
Arlington favorite from owner Jose Ruiz made its debut on Abrams Street near Collins in 2019, in a shop that was absurdly small, with tables and booths crammed within inches of another. In late May, they opened a second location at 611 Park Row Dr., a few blocks from UTA, this time with plenty of legroom for diners and a big parking lot, something the original also lacks. The menu is made up of Mex-Mex and Tex-Mex staples, from enchiladas to chimichangas, which you can order individually or as a combo plate with rice and beans. Gilberto’s signature item remains birria tacos, the popular grilled tacos stuffed with cheese and birria meat and served with a side of consommé. They also serve breakfast all day in the form of breakfast tacos and plates, with eggs and choice of chorizo, bacon, or shredded beef. The place is hard to miss: Its building is covered in a mural of the infamous punch delivered by Texas Ranger Rougned Odor to Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista during a 2016 game.

Golosinas Hondureñas
Honduran food isn’t easy to find in North Texas, so any time a Honduras restaurant opens, it’s cause for celebration. This small mom-and-pop in South Arlington, at 7401 Matlock Rd. is a spinoff of a restaurant in Irving, and like the original, it offers authentic Honduran fare: from baleadas — a flour tortilla stuffed with red beans, crema, and queso duro — to pupusas and sopas, to fish and jumbo shrimp dishes cooked in Honduran spices. The expansive menu also includes breakfast dishes, coffee drinks, freshly made pastries, nearly a dozen agua frescas, plus rice and corn drinks imported directly from Honduras.

The Original Roy Hutchins Barbecue
Newly opened in Trophy Club at 3000 Hwy. 114, this barbecue joint has good lineage: It's from three members of the well-known Hutchins family: Dad Roy, his son Wesley, and Wesley’s son Zack (the family recently settled a lawsuit concerning the names of their restaurants). While it operates independently of the Hutchins locations in McKinney and Frisco, it’s similar in both setup and offerings. You wind your way through a line, picking your meats, sides, drinks, and dessert, then snag a seat. The menu mainly sticks to BBQ basics – sliced brisket, served lean or moist, chopped brisket with sauce, smoked turkey, burnt ends, St. Louis-style pork ribs, pork sausage, beef ribs, and smoked chicken. Their sides are more interesting than the norm: There’s a great chopped broccoli salad, pinto beans spiked with brisket, and dirty rice, a rare sight at a barbecue joint. Dessert consists of freshly made banana pudding.

Zack’s Bistro
Those familiar with Keller Chophouse and Mercury Chophouse will recognize the "Zack" in Zack’s Bistro as Zack Moutaouakil, who opened this new high-end steakhouse at 900 E. Copeland Rd. in Arlington, in a space that has seen many a concept come and go: PYT Social Lounge, Okal's Cafe, Donnie's Hot Dog Shop & Philly Steak Supper Club, Flying Daiquiris, even a Quizno's. One presumes Zack will have his usual magic touch. Along with a half-dozen steaks, the menu includes Moroccan beef “cigars” — ground beef wrapped in a spring roll with Moroccan spices — plus bruschetta, calamari, salads, bacon-wrapped deviled eggs, a burger, beef stroganoff, chicken-fried steak, shrimp and grits, beef tips, salads and fish tacos.

Photo by Joey Garcia

3 Fort Worth restaurants make best new BBQ list by New York Times

BBQ News

The New York Times has shined its spotlight on the new faces of Texas barbecue. In an article titled “The 20 Best Texas Barbecue Restaurants From the New Generation," the paper considers restaurants that opened after 2011 and are serving more than the traditional brisket and ribs with cole slaw and potato salad.

The list was written by Brett Anderson, former restaurant critic for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans where he still resides; according to the Times, he visited Texas seven times in two years to conduct his research.

The list is presented alphabetically by name. Houston and Austin lead the way with five restaurants each. Dallas-Fort Worth has three spots, and San Antonio claims two.

The remaining five restaurants span the state, covering Beaumont, Marfa, Weslaco, and two towns near Lubbock: Slaton and Wolfforth. Each entry gets a brief profile and suggestions for what to order.

The three "Dallas-Fort Worth" spots that make the list actually include no Dallas restaurants but are instead three from Tarrant County, as follows:

  • Goldee’s Barbecue in Fort Worth, buzzy newcomer that vaulted to fame after being ranked number one on Texas Monthly’s list
  • Smoke ‘N Ash Barbecue, Arlington restaurant that has earned acclaim for its use of Ethiopian flavors
  • Vaqueros Bar-B-Q, Grapevine spot that serves barbecue-influenced takes on Mexican dishes such as cochinita pibil and birria tacos

Houston's entries include:

  • Blood Bros. BBQ, Asian-influenced restaurant in Bellaire
  • Brisket & Rice, Asian-influenced restaurant in Northwest Houston
  • Gatlin’s BBQ, staple Black-owned restaurant featured in Netflix’s High on the Hog documentary series
  • Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack, Black-owned restaurant in Third Ward
  • Truth BBQ, Washington Avenue restaurant ranked third in the state by Texas Monthly

Austin's entries include:

  • Distant Relatives, known for incorporating flavors of the African diaspora
  • Japanese-influenced Kemuri Tatsu-ya
  • farm-to-table food truck LeRoy and Lewis
  • Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ, which just opened its new location in Buda in June

Anderson also includes Barbs-B-Q, a restaurant in Lockhart that only opened at the end of May but whose three female owners boast serious resumes.

San Antonio is represented by two Mexican-influenced spots: 2M Smokehouse and Burnt Bean Co., the restaurant in Seguin whose owners Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland earned nominations for Best Chef: Texas in this year’s James Beard Awards.

"The New Generation"
Some guidance for the criteria used to identify the members of the New Generation comes via Anderson's companion essay.

Titled "Texas Barbecue Is the Best It Has Ever Been. Here’s Why," he explains that Texas barbecue has evolved beyond its Central Texas, European-inspired roots to include a more diverse set of influences.

“It is a malleable cuisine, one that is open to newcomers and includes the traditions, notably Black and Mexican American styles, that have long thrived here,” he writes. “The new Texas barbecue gives voice to a population that has been diversified by new arrivals from other states and countries, and to a cultural dialogue between rural and urban artisans; much of it nods to American barbecue’s origins in the live fire cooking of Indigenous people and enslaved Africans.”

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CultureMap Emails are Awesome

'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Ultra-chic Postino WineCafe brings wine and bruschetta to Southlake

Wine News

A nationally acclaimed wine bar-restaurant has opened in Southlake: Postino WineCafé, specializing in wine, bites, and a chic atmosphere, opened a location at 1440 Main St., in Southlake Town Square, in the no-brainer slot next to Trader Joe's.

Postino is known for its daily happy hour, bruschetta boards, and menu built for sharing, as well as a laid-back atmosphere, designed for all-day hangouts with friends, date nights, client get-togethers, and family outings.

The chain first came to Dallas in 2021 when they opened a location in Deep Ellum. They closed that location two years later in March 2023 and relocated to Addison, where they just opened in August.

"We are thrilled to bring Postino to Southlake and the heart of bustling Town Square," says Postino Co-Founder Lauren Bailey. “The Dallas/Fort Worth market is very important to us, and we are excited to be expanding our footprint here so soon – just a month since debuting in Addison."

Founded in Arizona in 2001, Postino's goal is to bring people together over wine and food. Its bruschettas are a menu mainstay, artfully presented on boards made of reclaimed wood, with 12 variations including:

  • Prosciutto Di Parma, Fresh Fig & Mascarpone
  • Sweet N’ Spicy Pepper Jam & Goat Cheese
  • Brie, Apple and Fig Spread
  • Ricotta, Dates & Pistachio

Guests can mix and match four bruschetta per board, meaning you can try more than one a time. The entire menu is that way: designed without a definitive beginning or end, with the freedom to tailor your experience based on the occasion, from a meal to a swift bite.

A category called Snacky Things features chicken and filet skewers with garlic yogurt, shrimp scampi, and crispy cauliflower with sultana raisins, capers, and a Romesco drizzle.

There are entrée salads, soups, hand-pressed paninis (on ciabatta or focaccia bread), with the option to mix-and-match sandwich, salad, and soup.

Desserts include: Chocolate Bouchon with vanilla bean ice cream, Crème Brulee, and Salted Caramel Sundae with vanilla ice cream, chocolate covered corn nuts, pretzel sticks, and salted caramel drizzle.

Weekend brunch is served from 11 am-3 pm with spritzy cocktails, lemonades, and bowls

The wine list by Advanced Sommelier and Beverage VP Brent Karlicek is especially fun to sample during their 11 am-5 pm happy hour spotlighting 25-plus wines for $6 a glass, along with $6 pitchers of beer, both local and beyond.

"We fervently champion winemakers across the globe – from trailblazers like Folk Machine, Mary Taylor, and Scarpetta to the guardians of tradition like Ernst Loosen and Bonny Doon," Karlicek says in a statement. "Producers dedicated to crafting approachable, harmonious wines without sacrificing excellence truly resonate with us. Our aim is to kindle a symphony of excitement and curiosity within our patrons during their dining journey."

Decor is attuned to the neighborhood, with art installations and local/vintage finds. At Southlake, that means a tribute to the Back to The Future series, which was the original inspiration that shaped architect Brian Stebbins’s design for Town Square. An interior wall is decked with close to 400 vintage clocks, juxtaposed by plants.

A semi-private dining space can accommodate up to 14 guests for showers, parties, and other events.

Fort Worth Fire Department welcomes its largest recruit class ever

Firefighter News

The Fort Worth Fire Department must be doing something right: On September 25, the department welcomed its newest class of recruits at Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex to start their Fire Training Academy journey, a 36-week course.

With 60 recruits, the class is twice the size as the usual Academy class — making it the largest recruit class in the history of the department.

The class of 60 includes two sub-groups:

  • The first group, Class 93, consists of 10 "fast-tracked" students who already hold their Fire and EMS certifications. They'll graduate on November 17.
  • The second group, Class 94, consists of 50 brand new recruits who hold no certifications. They'll graduate on May 17, 2024.

This largest class in the history of the Fort Worth Fire Department comes after the Mayor, City Council and City Management’s vote to approve staffing levels where they need to be for a Department serving a city this size.

In August, a fire ad-hoc committee recommended increasing the fire department's staffing with 76 new positions, from 979 to 1,049 positions - particularly to cut back on overtime costs, racked up due to an increase in the number of special events they are called on to cover.

The recommendation called for the department to take on two 50-person recruitment classes, one in September and one in February, with approximately 25 percent predicted to fall out due to attrition, for a total of 76.

In addition to the increased number of recruits attending the Academy, staffing studies and negotiations with City leadership and stakeholders has made room for an additional 15 people to be added to the training team. These new training instructors, as well as the use of adjunct instructors from within the Department, will provide even more skill-based learning opportunities with experienced and tenured firefighters.

In a statement, Chief JIm Davis said, "I want to thank the Mayor, City Council and City Management for their diligence in seeing us through our staffing study and helping make the necessary adjustments to our staffing levels. I’m excited that the Department is growing alongside the City of Fort Worth and look forward to watching the new recruits go through one of the best training academy’s in the country."