New tequila with Fort Worth roots tops this week's 5 hottest headlines

This week's hot headlines

La Pulga Spirits/Facebook

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. New tequila with Fort Worth roots is here in time for ranch water season. What do a restaurateur, real estate developer, and nightclub owner all have in common? In Fort Worth, it’s the launch of a new tequila brand. Called La Pulga, the 100-percent agave tequila comes from Sarah Castillo, owner of Taco Heads, Tinies Mexican Cuisine, and Sidesaddle Saloon, and two of her industry pals, former bar owner Andrew De La Torre and real estate developer Stephen Slaughter.

2. Beloved Tex-Mex restaurant Mercado Juarez has surprising new Fort Worth owner. A longtime Tex-Mex favorite in Fort Worth has a surprising new boss: Mercado Juarez Cafe, which has been doing classic Tex-Mex for nearly 30 years, was sold by owner Dave Cox to Fort Worth restaurateur Marcus Paslay and his team.

3. Get Mother's Day 2023 brunch at these restaurants in Fort Worth. One of the best (and surely easiest) ways to spoil mom on Mother’s Day is brunch. That's why it's so popular! A celebratory meal and you've shown what a good daughter or son you really are. Here's where to get Mother's Day brunch in Fort Worth.

4. Hip Pocket's theater under the Fort Worth stars aims even higher for 2022-23 season. Since Hip Pocket Theatre's al fresco format depends heavily on the weather, they're opening their 47th season a little earlier this year. The six-show season begins May 19 and runs most weekends through October 29 at the outdoor amphitheater located at 1950 Silver Creek Dr. in Fort Worth.

5. Fort Worth food fans toast to culinary stars at 2023 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. The best of the best among Fort Worth's restaurants and bars were celebrated at the 2023 CultureMap Fort Worth Tastemaker Awards on Thursday, April 27. Hundreds of hungry foodies and cocktail connoisseurs gathered at the 4 Eleven Venue in the South Main district to raise a glass to the city's top restaurants, bars, and culinary masters of the year. But first, they got to eat and drink.

Photo by Ashley Gongora

Celebrate Fort Worth's culinary all-stars at the 2023 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

A Toast to the Tastemakers

Get ready to celebrate the stars of Fort Worth's restaurants and bars. The annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards return this spring — and tickets are on sale now.

Join us April 27 at The 4 Eleven for an evening honoring the very best of Fort Worth's culinary scene.

That means our signature tasting event where you'll sample special bites from this year's participating nominees and sip an array of cocktails, beer, and more. Then we'll reveal the winners in our short and sweet awards ceremony.

The Tastemaker Awards shine a spotlight on the people making the local restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. Nominees and winners are determined by a panel of industry experts, including past winners — except for Best New Restaurant (more on that in a bit).

This year, we’ll award winners in all of the following categories: Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bar of the Year, Brewery of the Year, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant, and — just to add a little sizzle — Best Burger.

You can see all of the nominees here and learn more about them in our special editorial series leading up to the big event.

At the awards ceremony on April 27, we’ll unveil the winners in each category, including the winner of Best New Restaurant, which will be determined by you in a bracket-style online tournament.

A limited number of Early Bird tickets are on sale now at discounted rates of $60 for general admission and $99 for VIP (includes early access to the event, valet, and a dedicated bar). Prices will increase April 2 (or whenever Early Bird tickets sell out). Grab your tickets now, because this party will surely sell out.

---

The event is brought to you by Goodstock by Nolan Ryan, Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Ellum Ranch Patio Water, Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water, and more to be announced soon.. A portion of proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, Cuisine for Healing.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

'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.

Tasty restaurant news tops this week's 5 most-read Fort Worth stories

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. Fat tacos, crispy pepperoni pizza, and more Fort Worth restaurant news. We have lots of tasty restaurant dish in Fort Worth right now, including a new pizzeria, a new AYCE pizza buffet, and new limited-edition tacos. There's more than one fried chicken offering, and at least two pumpkin specials. Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news.

2. Restaurant bullish on burgers and bourbon cocktails comes to Grapevine. A better burger concept from South Carolina is taking a crack at Texas: Bohemian Bull, a small chain founded in Charleston in 2013, has opened its first Texas location in Grapevine, featuring burgers and a full bar with 24 craft beer taps.

3. Award-winning Mexican restaurant hits the jackpot at new Denton location. A DFW restaurant that's earned national acclaim has opened in Denton: El Rincón del Maiz, previously of Garland, is now located at 1431 E. McKinney St. in Denton where it's winning over locals with its Tex-Mex classics and vegan dishes.

4. Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Celebration ushers in new season with grace and gusto. Thunder crashed and lightning crackled outside, but a freak Friday night thunderstorm couldn’t dampen spirits at the Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Concert and Celebration on September 8.

5. Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 9 best bars to watch college football. Three weeks into the season and college football is on fire. Here are nine of the best bars to visit for some college football-watching in Fort Worth right now - a mix of old favorites and a few new surprises.

Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with new location

Pizza News

A Fort Worth-based pizzeria concept has opened a location in Fort Worth: Mr Gatti's Pizza has opened a restaurant off Camp Bowie at 2812 Horne St. #100, a space previously occupied by Helen's Hot Chicken, where they're open with pizza, pizza rolls, and their signature ranch dressing.

The location is a franchise owned by Kirk Jefferies, who also owns and operates franchises of Jason’s Deli and Chicken Express. This is his first Mr Gatti’s, but he has more locations planned.

“When people talk about Mr Gatti's Pizza, you can see a spark in their eyes. We love being able to bring that 'excitement' and combine it with our passion for pizza,” Jefferies says in a release. “Mr Gatti's Pizza has been satisfying cravings for over 50 years. It truly is an honor to be a part of this legacy brand that people cherish."

Menu favorites from about a dozen pizza options include The Sampler, The Deluxe with sausage, pepperoni, & smoked provolone, and BBQ chicken. A basic 12-inch cheese pizza with one topping is $12.

There are lunch specials from 10:30 am-3 pm including pepperoni rolls and salad for $10; 8 wings and salad for $13; and a medium pizza with 2 salads for $15.

The chain was first founded in Stephenville, Texas as The Pizza Place, in September 1964. In 1969, founder James Eure moved to Austin and opened the first Mr Gatti’s Pizza, named for his wife's maiden name.

They have a major presence in South Texas but only two in the DFW area: Plano and Allen.

There was a location that opened in Fort Worth in 2016, at 3280 W. Seventh St. in Museum Place, which at the time, was the first to use the Mr. Gatti’s name; the chain had been going by "Gatti's." So many name changes! It closed in 2018. There was also a location in North Richland Hills which opened in 2016 and closed in early 2019; and a location in Richardson that closed in 2018.

Back in the day they had a big buffet as well as a big game room, two features for which many longtime fans are nostalgic. But this location is just about the pizza.

There are now more than 70 locations in states across the Southeast, including Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

View All Listings