How Fort Worth Became a Fine Dining Area

Once a small town with quiet dirt roads and cattle ranches, Fort Worth has since transformed into one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Although it is often linked to Dallas when discussing the DFW metroplex, Fort Worth stands alone as its own entity—one that is less urban and modern than Dallas. There is a strong connection to traditional Texas roots such as rodeo and cowboy culture, and while the famous Stockyards are still one of the city’s main attractions, this dynamic cowtown, now home to over one million people nearly 10 percent growth in just five yearsenters a new era as a culinary mecca.

For years (especially post-Covid), people have been drawn to the relatively low cost of living, booming economy and family-friendly environment, creating a diverse population that is growing the city in unexpected ways. Its high accessibility is attracting transplants from treasured states like California and New York, and while locals may not appreciate the increased traffic, the new residents have inspired a wave of exciting food and drink offerings, radically changing the culinary landscape. Recently, director Taylor Sheridan has helped put Fort Worth on the map with shows like Landmanwhich makes way for an entirely new quest for glory.

I’m originally from the suburbs outside of Dallas (ie, Frisco), but I’ve spent a ton of time in Fort Worth over the years, giving me a front row seat to many of the changes that have taken place. Back in December of 2023, I visited the eagerly awaited Property of the Auberge Collection, Bowie House, shortly after its opening. Given its immediate popularity among locals, many of whom were seen in the bustling neighborhood and the hard-to-book Bricks and Horses restaurant, the Bowie House showed how Fort Worth was trying to develop a refined, elegant image. As we settle into 2026, the vision is crystal clear.

In the ’90s, popular restaurants like Joe T. Garcia and Cousin’s BBQ dominated the Fort Worth dining scene, and although fine dining options were limited, chef Tim Love’s Lonesome Dove Western Bistrowhich opened in 2000, expands offerings in an upscale yet affordable way. “For many years, Fort Worth was a city about steakhouses, barbecue and Mexican food, but now the area is more open to what I would call high-end and diverse cuisine,” Love told the Observer. “That’s a product of young people moving here, and a large population of people who want not only better food, but greater variety.” Love also believes that the post-Covid climate has shaped the current restaurant scene, as many closures have opened the doors for new and smaller restaurants to take their place.

While his flagship restaurant Lonesome Dove, a seasonal restaurant specializing in unique and game meats, continues to thrive, Love is gearing up for his latest Fort Worth opening. Meraki, which will debut in the spring of 2026, is an upscale Greek restaurant that Love hopes will impress Michelin. “Most of the current Mediterranean restaurants in Fort Worth are buffets, so we wanted to create a world-class alternative where you can sit down and really enjoy this food,” explained Love. “We’ll be cooking over an open fire with olive wood and oak, but I’m really excited about our mezze. We’ll have a selection of great dips to serve with homemade pita bread that took six months to make.” Lunch is a three-course tasting menu, which turns into a six-course dinner experience. “We’ll also have a very unique tasting menu for groups, because I think this type of dining helps with larger events,” added Love. All of this will be served in a family style, so think whole grilled fish, large format pastas and table meats.

Just 35 miles east of Dallas, Duro Hospitality has been upping the ante with top-notch establishments like Mr. Charles and Sisters. In late 2024, the award-winning restaurant group set up shop in Fort Worth and opened. Houses in Chumleya London-inspired steakhouse. “Opening Chumley House was a natural step for us,” Benji Homsey, founder and partner of Duro Hospitality, tells the Observer. “We’ve always wanted to be in Fort Worth—I went to TCU and Chas, my partner, I grew up there—so the city has deep roots for both of us.

Duro Hospitality hasn’t found much of a difference in restaurant management and operations in Dallas compared to Fort Worth, despite early concerns about a lack of hospitality talent. “Obviously, Fort Worth is a small city with a small pool of industry professionals, but we’ve been able to identify, hire and train the best people for our team,” Homsey said. If this trend continues and fine dining continues to find its place in Fort Worth, it is possible that the local restaurant scene will resemble the culinary world of Dallas. Although nothing has been confirmed, Duro Hospitality is in talks for another concept in Fort Worth.

In August 2025, Cousin’s BBQ owner Jeff Payne and partner Jason Cross switched gears, starting Monta sophisticated mid-century modern concept that works very well with New American fare. Inspired by the desire to provide the locals of Montserrat with a new “nighttime” destination, Cross and Payne teamed up with Kellye Raughton and Maven Design to create a retro, Mad Men– Ambiance inspired. “We share a love of food, and that love ranges from bean burritos to caviar and everything in between,” Cross told the Observer. “We set out to find a place to open a Mexican restaurant, but while we were searching, The Mont was presented.” As industry veterans since 1983, Cross and Payne — who launched Around the Fire Hospitality in 2025 — have watched Fort Worth transform. “We’ve seen many things go out of style and come back many times,” explains Cros. “We’re still a cow town, and I hope it stays that way. It’s rooted in our culinary scene, though, so now it feels like we have almost every cuisine represented, or at least represented, here.”

With Monti firmly entrenched in the city, Around the Fire Hospitality is gearing up to launch its second high-profile opening. Beverly’s is a dynamic, bright Mexican restaurant located in the basement of Downtown Fort Worth’s Historical Hogan Building. Set to open in the first half of 2026, Beverly’s brings Cross and Payne back to their original Mexican restaurant plan. “We really love Mexican food and all the things it inspires,” Cross said. “This fire has been burning inside of us for a long time. Beverly’s will come from the heart.” They stuck with the design maven, who turns a cozy basement into a desert hangout with a coffered ceiling, stone floors, driftwood and carved walls.

For years, many of Fort Worth’s top chefs have pushed boundaries and taken risks to help transform people’s palates. Today, the results are clear, and locals and tourists alike are able to enjoy everything from five-star sushi Ngoing to Rooftop to the French for boarding The Walloon’s. “The opportunity to work and grow with Fort Worth is fantastic,” Cross tells us. “Anytime you get an opportunity to create something new with motivated and talented people, you embrace it, and this is happening all over our city right now.” After a decades-long slow burn, it’s officially off to the Fort Worth restaurant races.