Cafe with made-to-order mini-doughnuts to open near TCU in south Fort Worth

Doughnut News

Courtesy photo

Little doughnuts are rolling into south Fort Worth via a new doughnut cafe. Called Batter & Beans, it'll serve doughnuts, coffee, and more, and it's opening at 3548 South Hills Ave., south of TCU in Westcliff Center.

They'll be right around the corner from Cafe Bella [which it should be noted recently won Best Neighborhood Restauant in CultureMap's 2023 Tastemaker Awards].

Batter & Beans will be a family-owned collaboration between Matt Whip, a partner at Ernst & Young, and his brother-in-law Jacob Soltysiak, who worked for a restaurant group in Michigan and brings the food knowhow.

They'll be doing miniature doughnuts, similar to the Pittsburgh-based Peace, Love, and Little Donuts chain (which has one location in Texas, in Southlake).

They're aiming to be open by early fall.

"We'll be doing fresh, made-to-order mini cake doughnuts plus premium coffee we're sourcing out of Chicago, from Metropolis, a small-batch artisan roaster," Whip says. "We're originally from the Chicago area, and that's always been my favorite roaster, and they also roast coffee for Yolk, which has a location in Sundance Square."

The cafe will also offer fresh lemonade, iced tea, and ice cream, for neighbors who want to stop in for a treat at night.

Whip and his family first relocated from the Chicago area to North Texas in 2018, then moved down the street from the shop last year. It's a small storefront, about 920 square feet, and they're currently in the final stages of design and permitting.

"There's lots of kids in this neighborhood, and I think a place with mini doughnuts would do well," Whip says.

It was only after they signed on to do the shop that they learned from a neighbor that the space they're taking had good doughnut karma, with a longtime history as a doughnut shop, most recently a place called Donut Palace. Sadly, it closed during the pandemic. Now the doughnuts will return.

Parlor Doughnuts

Divine doughnuts and tempting tamales top this Fort Worth restaurant news

News You Can Eat

This roundup of restaurant news around Fort Worth has tidbits about doughnuts, Cajun food, vegan tamales, and gourmet ice cream, culled from press releases, social media, and the occasional hot tip.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Parlor Doughnuts has opened a location in Southlake, at 410 W. Southlake Blvd. #140, in a small center that also includes Another Broken Egg Cafe, Nektar Juice Bar, and Jersey Mike's Subs. Parlor was founded in Indiana as a coffee shop before they added gourmet cronut-style doughnuts, and subsequently began franchising across the U.S. They made their Texas debut in 2021 when they opened a store in Fort Worth. They do coffee and espresso drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes, plus hot chocolate, chai, and matcha drinks, plus doughnuts with decadent toppings and fillings, in flavors such as maple pecan, bourbon caramel, turtle cheesecake, and raspberry pistachio. But there's also a menu of breakfast items such as avocado toast, acai bowl, breakfast tacos, and two breakfast sandwiches: sausage-biscuit and spinach pesto on a ciabatta bun; and a whole line of decadent milkshakes in matching flavors such as churro and maple pecan.

The Cajun Market & Cafe in Colleyville closed at the end of October, which they announced on Facebook, stating that since mid-summer, sales have been steadily declining due to the post-pandemic shredded economy. "When we opened our doors and brought our business to the community, it was with the sincere desire to bring authentic Cajun cuisine to the market," they said. "It’s not you and your support or that we have dropped in the quality of our food or service. It's just an unfortunate set of economic circumstances we all have to deal with." They're pursuing a partnership with a local retailer who can stock their gumbo, etouffee, red beans, Boudin products, meat and crawfish pies, and sausages.

El Torito is a tamale maker that specializes in tamales with plant-based fillings, and as of November 19, they're now available at Mashup Market, the plant-based grocery in Denton. They've added a limited-edition tamale flavor to the menu: Jackfruit Pozole Rojo which will be available for the holiday season and through the winter. Their other flavors include green-chile chicken, jalapeno & cheese, chorizo & bean, bean & cheese, and for now, another limited-edition flavor: pumpkin spice. They also do empanadas and other specials. You order online although they're already sold out this week with holiday orders.

Belenty's Love Mexican Vegan Restaurant is now offering tamales for the holidays, available through December 23 in the following options: picadillo, chickenless, cheese & jalapeño, beans, or soyrizo, a dozen for $15. Call 817-862-9008.

Mariachi's Dine-In has launched a new made-to-order dessert: Buñuelo chips drizzled with house made chocolate, berry compote, powered & cinnamon sugar, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, all vegan. The ice cream sits at the center, so you can dip into it with the chips.

Morgan's Ice Cream, the small-batch ice cream maker, is now featured at Bonnell's Fine Texas Cuisine. They posted on their Facebook page that they were approached "by the Fort Worth famous, fine-dining restaurant @bonnellstexas" regarding bringing their ice cream onto their menu. Bonnell's is now serving their Honey, Not So Vanilla ice cream plus a custom coffee ice cream.

Modern Market has a new winter menu featuring a Greens & Grains bowl with arugula, tomato, grains in a scallion ranch dressing; Nicoise with tuna, olives, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and boiled egg; braised Angus beef bowl with garlic mashed potatoes, mushrooms, & kale Caesar salad; a Winter Garden salad with greens, shredded carrot, tomato, red onion, & crumbled goat cheese; pizza topped with Brussels sprouts & bacon; fire-roasted veggies plate with Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, & carrot; and a Nutella Belgian waffle with toasted coconut & almond.

Carrabba’s is doing a limited-time 3-course dinner for two for $44, featuring appetizer to share, soup or salad, and entrées with choices from stuffed mushrooms, zucchini fritte, Sicilian chicken soup, Caesar salad, eggplant parmesan, lasagna, spaghetti, rigatoni with Italian sausage, chicken, pork chop, or sirloin.Dunkin’s New Pancake Wake-Up Wrap is a portable, pillowy pancake, folded and filled with egg, bacon, or sausage, cheese, and a side of syrup.

7-Eleven debuts its 7Collection holiday line including holiday sweaters, "Oh Thank Heaven" script necklace, 7-Eleven knitted striped Beanie, 7-Eleven sherpa blanket, a 7-Eleven clock, and a 7-Eleven stocking.

Mushrooms are a nationwide trend which CW33 covers with a visit to Smallhold, an indoor farm in Buda that’s harvesting thousands of pounds of gourmet mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Yellow Oyster every day.

Dunkin'

High-tech Dunkin' shop opens in Fort Worth with coffee drinks on tap

Doughnut News

UPDATE 8-12-2022: The Next Generation Dunkin' at 7367 N. Beach St. is hosting a grand opening celebration on August 13. At 5 am, the restaurant will surprise the first 100 guests in the drive-thru line with free-coffee-for-a-year coupon books. From 9-11 am, the celebration will also include Dunkin'-branded giveaways, an appearance by Dunkin's mascot Cuppy, music, and more.

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

A new location of Dunkin', the New England coffee and doughnut chain, will open in Fort Worth with lots of new bells and whistles.

Located at 7367 N. Beach St., in a former urgent care medical clinic, the shop will be one of the chain's Next Generation models, with digital kiosks where you can order and pay using a credit card or a Dunkin' gift card. A release notes that the kiosks create an "efficient, accurate, more convenient, and frictionless experience" for customers. "Frictionless," as in, you won't have to deal with staff.

According to a spokesperson, the shop will open mid-summer.

Dunkin' began modernizing its store experience in 2018, when it first introduced the Next Generation format, featuring an open design with a front-facing bakery case that allows customers to more easily look at the doughnuts. At older stores, their doughnuts are on racks behind the cash register and it can really be a challenge and very awkward to figure out what they are and what to order.

There are now more than 1,000 Next Gen stores out of a total of 9,000 stores, and 13 stores across Dallas-Fort Worth, including Love Field Airport; a Next Gen store opened in McKinney in 2019. As the Next Gen stores have evolved, so have their features, with some stores offering Grab & Go bottled beverages and snacks.

Beyond the warm interior color palette and atmospheric lighting, the new Fort Worth location will feature a drive-thru, complimentary Wi-Fi, and best of all, an innovative tap system with all of their cold coffee drinks lined up, just like beer taps.

Let us list some of the exciting elements of the Fort Worth Next Gen location in our favorite bullet format:

Digital kiosks. Note: There is also a traditional order counter, if you are seeking an experience with friction.
Premium Pours. Dunkin’s signature cold beverages are poured through an innovative tap system, serving cold sips such as iced coffee, iced tea, Cold Brew, and Nitro-Infused Cold Brew (a Next Gen exclusive).
Espresso-based drinks. Crew members also use top-quality, flavor-maximizing espresso machines to make handcrafted drinks to order.
On-the-Go drive-thru lane. DDPerks members who order ahead via Dunkin's Mobile App bypass the ordering lane and can head straight into the line for the pickup window.

The store is also a DD Green Achievement restaurant, saving 25 percent more energy compared to a standard Dunkin'.

Photo by Josie Villa-Singleton

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This Week in Gluttony

This week ramps back up with tasty summertime events after many restaurants took some time off last week. Plan for a barbecue and local beer dinner on Thursday, followed by a busy Saturday of running, brunch, cookie dough and wine pairing, and a taco and margarita tour about town. Don't forget the peachiest festival of the year, too. Sunday features a high-rise restaurant brunch downtown that only happens once a month.

Thursday, July 11

Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. Beer Dinner at Barrel & Bones
The Montgomery Plaza barbecue joint and whiskey bar will offer a four-course, belly-busting barbecue dinner paired with nothing but local Rahr brews. Start with brisket and bourbon-barbecue beans paired with Rahr’s Texas Red, followed by smoked turkey breast and creamed corn with Dadgum IPA. Ribs will be paired with Adios Pantalones lager, then finish with mango bread pudding and mango chile sorbet with Rahr’s Paleta de Mango. Seats are $48 per person, and the dinner will run from 6-8 pm.

Saturday, July 13

Run & Brunch 5K at Pacific Table
There are mimosas at the finish line of this leisurely social run and walk, one for each hand. The untimed 5K (that’s 3.2 miles) starts promptly at 9 am and culminates with a breakfast buffet on the Pacific Table patio. Menu items will include scrambled eggs, bacon, French toast, breakfast potatoes, two mimosas, and coffee, along with an event shirt. Register by July 11 for $35, or pay $40 the day of the event.

Doughlicious Wine Pairing at Bingham Family Vineyards
This Grapevine winery had us at cookie dough. Visit for five different cookie dough sample scoops paired with five Bingham wines, plus a souvenir glass to take home. The pairing is only $20 and will be available all day from 11 am to 8:30 pm.

Taco and Margarita Tour
Launched by longtime Fort Worth food blogger Josie Singleton of Eat This Fort Worth, this Fort Worth food tour promises to take taco lovers on a guided jaunt to some of the city’s best taco dives. Participants will meet at Salsa Limon on West Magnolia Avenue, then journey to several secret spots. The $60 ticket includes tacos, two margaritas, and transportation. The tour begins at 11:30 am and will run until 3:30 pm.

Parker County Peach Festival
The second weekend of July means it's peach festival time in Weatherford. The 35th annual Parker County Peach Festival will include more than 200 arts, crafts, food, and activity booths; a food competition; live music; children's activities; the Peach Pedal Bike Ride; and a "42" domino tournament. It takes place from 8 am to 4 pm in Historic Downtown Weatherford, and tickets are $5 for adults (cash only) and free for children 12 and under.

Sunday, July 14

Second Sunday Brunch at Branch & Bird
Brunch happens just once a month at this downtown high-rise restaurant, and it’s this Sunday. Make reservations now (strongly encouraged) for dishes like shrimp and smoked gouda grits, steak and eggs, croque madam with a sunny-side-up egg, waffles, sausage Benedict, and omelets made to order. There’s also an extensive coffee selection, mimosas, and a full bar — not to mention skyline views from the sky-high patio. Reservations run from 10 am to 2 pm.

Facebook/Cowtown Brewing

These are the 5 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This Week in Gluttony

There’s an event for every wallet size this week, from a $20 beignet and beer pairing to a $225 fine-wine dinner. Barbecue enthusiasts, take note: one of Fort Worth’s best pitmasters will host a two-day brisket camp this weekend. Also, save room for a doughnut and beer pairing and a summer wine tasting.

Thursday, June 6

Wine Tasting: Patio Pounders at 3 Vino
The Roanoke wine bar's event title says it all. Guests get to taste five wines that go down smoothly and pair perfectly with summer heat. The tasting is $25 per person and comes with a cheese board. Visit from 6-8 pm.

Hourglass Wine Dinner at Del Frisco’s Grille
Indulgent ingredients and exclusive wines combine for a wine pairing dinner worth the steep price tag. Reservations are $225 per person, plus tax and gratuity, for this five-course dinner at the Southlake location of Del Frisco’s Grille. The luxurious menu will include lobster pancakes, wild boar, duck, and Japanese Wagyu steak paired with high-end Napa Valley wines. The dinner will begin at 6:30 pm.

Friday, June 7

FunkyTown Donuts & Drafts Pairing
In celebration of National Doughnut Day, the gourmet doughnut shop will host a multicourse pairing featuring four Fort Worth breweries. Start with a michelada tomato-glazed doughnut with lime and spices paired with Cowtown Brewing Company’s Mexican-style lager, and then enjoy a dark chocolate hibiscus doughnut with HopFusion Ale Works’ hibiscus cherry blonde. Pairing three features a peach and jalapeño doughnut served with Panther Island Brewing’s Summageez wheat ale brewed with Parker County peaches. The final pairing offers a watermelon-mint doughnut paired with Watermelon Crush Sour by Martin House Brewing Company. Tickets are $28, or $15 for only the doughnuts and a root beer. The pairing will take place in the Sundance Square Pavilion from 5-7 pm.

Joe’s Mini Brisket Camp
Learn the basics of brisket, from trimming and rubbing to smoking and slicing, in this two-day camp with Joe Riscky, who’s long departed from the family business to do barbecue his way. Day one, which runs 6-8 pm, will cover grading, rubs, pit design, and wood and fire talk before loading the brisket overnight. Day two (10 am to 1 pm) will review overnight-cooking and cover-cooking time, resting, and slicing, before ending with a barbecue lunch. The camp will be held at Wild Acre Brewing Company, and tickets are $125 per person.

Saturday, June 8

Beignet Pairing with The Dusty Biscuit at Cowtown Brewing Company
Piping hot beignets will be made to order during this all-day pairing event at the downtown brewery. Four beers will be paired with four different beignets from The Dusty Biscuit Beignet Bar, including a s’mores beignet, a maple-glazed beignet with pulled pork, and strawberry-jalapeño jam, a French Quarter-style beignet, and one called “everything.” The pairings will be $20 and will be available from 11 am to 6 pm.

Dunkin' Donuts

New England's fave doughnut chain opens 3 new stores around Dallas-Fort Worth

Doughnut News

Doughnuts and coffee to the rescue with the opening of three new Dallas-Fort Worth locations of Dunkin', the Massachusetts-based chain formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts.

The company has opened the following new locations:

Arlington, at 5801 Office Park Dr.
DeSoto, at 834 N. Hampton Rd.
Lake Highlands, at 6401 E. Northwest Hwy. in Dallas

All three stores feature the brand's next-generation store design, with a modern atmosphere, innovative technologies, and better displays of the doughnuts.

Dunkin' Donuts was founded in Massachusetts in 1950, and remains the dominant doughnut force in New England and in Northeast-leaning strongholds like Florida. There are currently more than 11,000 locations worldwide, including locations co-branded with Baskin-Robbins, which is owned by the same parent company.

Dunkin' has been undergoing a rebranding that includes ditching the (incorrectly-spelled) "Donuts" from its name and giving its coffee program equal emphasis along with the doughnuts, says Nathan Pressler, who does marketing.

"We're still selling doughnuts, but we're positioning ourselves to new audiences as being not just a doughnut shop," he says. "It's also about the coffee and the beverage variety. We revamped our espresso platform with new equipment and a much higher quality product, to become more competitive with coffee places. Dunkin' is about coffee and beverages. You can get a great quality coffee beverage and spend less money and still have a great experience."

That includes a new system for cold beverages, which are now served through an innovative tap system that serves eight cold beverages such as coffees, iced teas, cold brew coffee, and even nitro-infused cold brew — a unique offering.

The other big change: They're moving the doughnuts from behind the cashier to a case in front.

"At Dunkin', the doughnut case was typically behind the counter and now it's been moved to the front so that customers can see them and select them from a glass case," he says. "That's what most doughnut shops in Dallas do — they put their doughnuts in a glass case in the front counter — and that's what customers are used to."

Dunkin' was slated to enjoy a big rollout in 2012 when Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys formed a partnership to open at least 50 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth. The Cowboys team was supposed to select sites and develop the local market, but the partnership ended in 2016.

There are currently two of what Pressler calls "legacy franchisees" who've operated a handful of locations around Dallas-Fort Worth — Hurst, Garland, Plano — for decades, with new blood coming from four franchise groups who are set to expand the market over the next few years.

All of the future locations will follow the new store model with a modern, contemporary design that encourages you to not only buy a doughnut but sit down and have a latte while you're at it.

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.

Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with Camp Bowie 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.

Surprising Fort Worth suburb named No. 5 most family-friendly U.S. city

a great place to live

If Fort Worth-area residents are looking for the perfect new place to buy a home and raise a family, they should steer their interest toward Watauga. The northeast Fort Worth suburb, impressively, has been named the fifth most family-friendly city in the U.S. by real estate marketplace Opendoor.

Opendoor's second annual "Family-Friendly Cities" list focuses on local communities that offer plenty of recreational outdoor activities that are suitable for families of any age. Watauga was the only city in Dallas-Fort Worth to make the new list and the only Texas city to make the top 10. (Bellaire, near Houston, ranks No. 12.)

Cities were identified using the average number of family-friendly activity tags found on OpenStreetMap that are used for addresses in a city where the marketplace operates. Factors that were considered include cities with community centers, gardens, museums, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, and more.

Watauga - which is bordered by Fort Worth to the west, Keller to the north, Haltom City to the southwest, and North Richland Hills to the south and east - has plenty of family-friendly attractions. Yet it often gets overshadowed by bigger, busier, more affluent Northeast Tarrant cities like Grapevine and Southlake.

There are seven different parks around Watauga, including the popular 37-acre Capp Smith Park, with its four pavilions, two playgrounds, amphitheater, and several acres dedicated to open space and stunning views.

The City of Watauga calls the park the heart of the city's recreational activities.

"[Capp Smith Park] features a lighted one mile walking trail that surrounds a spring fed one acre pond fully stocked with several species of aquatic wildlife," the city's website says. "In addition, the park is home to several other forms of wildlife which have also taken up residence in the park."

The park is also the host of Watauga Fest, an annual family-friendly festival that brings in carnival rides, food trucks, vendors, and much more for all residents to enjoy.

In addition, Watauga residents can make use of a thriving public library, visit the city's 9/11 Memorial and Veterans Memorial, Foster Village Park, a splash pad, and more. The city is also adjacent to the expansive Arcadia Park, with its many trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, and disc golf course.

According to recent reports, the average home price in Watauga is $283,845 - significantly less than the average home value in Fort Worth proper, $307,939. It's become an attractive place for new restaurants and retailers in recent years.

Opendoor's 15 best family friendly cities in 2023 are:

No. 1 – Somerville, Massachusetts
No. 2 – Berkeley, California
No. 3 – Cliffside Park, New Jersey
No. 4 – Arlington, Virginia
No. 5 – Watauga, Texas
No. 6 – Chandler, Arizona
No. 7 – Denver, Colorado
No. 8 – Portland, Oregon
No. 9 – Valley Stream, New York
No. 10 – Garden Grove, California
No. 11 – Coral Gables, Florida
No. 12 – Bellaire, Texas
No. 13 – Ann Arbor, Michigan
No. 14 – Mission, Kansas
No. 15 – Avondale Estates, Georgia

The full report can be found on opendoor.com.

View All Listings