Top places to eat around Fort Worth

By Frances Wetherbee

Published Apr 26, 2021

Marcelino Flores wears a face mask as he delivers food to a table at Picos restaurant Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Houston. Picos, like many restaurants across the state, continue to operate at a reduced capacity and ask customers to wear masks despite Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ending state mandates for COVID-19 safety measures Wednesday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The city of Fort Worth has a buzzing food scene that any Horned Frog can appreciate.

No need to travel to Dallas for foodie favorites and fancy finds when Fort Worth has an abundance of TCU classics and chains local to DFW. Local frogs and visiting families read below for food recommendations for any craving.

New to the scene

ZAAP Kitchen store front Fort Worth location. Photo Credit: Frances Wetherbee

Zaap Kitchen recently established its newest location in the WestBend retail center, near University Park. This Lao and Thai street food replaced PopBar popsicles with a completely new cuisine of traditional Thai noodle and soup dishes.

The crispy garlic wings, Lao green papaya salad and Lao fried rice are a few of the many signature dishes on the menu.

Pick up your favorite dish and a traditional Lao iced coffee for a lunch or dinner treat and sit at the WestBend public tables. Zaap Kitchen is open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

If you can’t come in, try delivery through the Chow Now app or call the Fort Worth location for pick up via phone or online order.

Lunch with a view

Press Cafe is a modern twist on coffee to cocktails, open for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. Go and grab an appetizer of choice after a bike ride on Trinity Trail or come with family and dog in tow for an evening meal.

The Trinity Trail location has full deck patio seating and two stories of indoor seating and bar. All outdoor seating is dog-friendly with a view of the start of the Trinity Trail.

Happy hour offers a more affordable option for drinks and appetizers Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays.

The Press Cafe menu includes a variety of American dishes including one of Texas’s top 50 burgers, according to the Texas Monthly vote in 2016.

Cafe Modern is located inside the Modern Art Museum. It is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 restrictions but upon its reopening will offer an array of options.

Cafe Modern uses local ingredients to create seasonal dishes for both museum visitors and dining guests.

During normal hours, the cafe is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner on Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Visitors can sit in the dining area or at the bar with a view of The Modern’s water and a grassy area containing the infamous metal tree sculpture in sight.

Hidden gems

Angelo’s BBQ is located at the end of White Settlement Road near the Fort Worth Stockyards. Angelo’s offers a change in scenery for a log cabin, local treat feel. For over 60 years it has been serving the people of Fort Worth and even offering to ship its famous BBQ meats.

Come in for poultry, beef, pork, flavored sausages and classic countrysides. Angelo’s offers a full bar and beer selection menu. Order a quick bite to-go or sit and stay awhile in the animal-covered dining hall.

Angelo’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9-10 p.m., depending on the day.

Lunch at Angelo’s BBQ. (Frances Wetherbee/TCU 360)

Circle Donuts is a must. With donut holes that could rival Krispy Kreme and kolaches to satisfy any Texan in need of the classic Czech snack, this small pastry store has it all.

Come to Circle Donuts for a morning treat or a hot cup of coffee. This small business is open from 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will send you on your way with its classic white bags labeled “Donut worry, be happy.”

Quick frog favorites

Eatzi’s offers a variety of options including warm daily specials, fresh sushi, salads, soups and pasta. The garlic bread and cinnamon rolls are unlike any other bakery with an equal level of quality in the charcuterie options.

Eatzi’s market offers take-home items by the pound such as salmon or vegetable sides as well as daily themed specials. Pizza Fridays is a deal for $12 house-made pizzas or one pizza, one salad and one bottle of wine for $28.00 – a deal worth sharing!

Choose to sit on the covered patio and listen to the Italian opera music or take your meal home, fully equipped with all the sauces and silverware one might need.

Eatzi’s famous logo store front sign. (Frances Wetherbee/TCU 360)

Dutch’s is a TCU fan favorite and has been a purple staple to the university restaurant scene. Its most recent edition, the Burrito Bar, gives students and burrito lovers a local twist on Chipotle-style Mexican food.

Burrito Bar has both patio and indoor seating, as well as easy carry out options.

Come in on Taco Tuesday for unbeatable deals, or order a traditional burrito, bowl or taco salad mix. Burrito Bar also serves up Tex-Mex breakfast favorites.

Local classics

HG Sply Co. is the perfect answer to a lunch or dinner spot if a member of the dining party has an allergy or intolerance of almost any kind. All items on the menu can be prepared gluten or dairy-free.

The beloved Fort Worth location sits on the river with a large outdoor patio and bar scene with an option of beautiful indoor dining. HG is Fort Worth famous for its delicious vegan queso and kombucha mule drink.

Choose from sandwiches, appetizers, salads or build-your-own bowls. Dine with your canine outside after a long walk along the adjacent trail or come in for brunch between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Texas tacos

Torchy’s Tacos features crafty names and a lively scene.

With names such as the Republican, the Democrat and the Trailer Park, Torchy’s offers tacos made from scratch and keeps the menu updated with monthly specials featuring a few vegetarian and a wide variety of meat options.

While Torchy’s is not local to Texas exclusively, it is beloved by the DFW locals, visitors and TCU Horned Frogs with two locations in Fort Worth. Their specialty margaritas and queso put them on the map for a must-visit.

Torchy’s specialty queso dip. (TCU Student Media)

Fine dining

Lonesome Dove is a perfect choice for a celebratory steak dinner.

Located in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards, the themed restaurant is easy to miss at first glance. Its small store front and boarded wooden doors make it blend in with the rest of the old west.

Its unusual appetizer options including kangaroo carpaccio nachos or rabbit-rattlesnake sausage set this steak house apart from others for its menu alone. The restaurant is closely themed after the novel, Lonesome Dove. Choose from seafood to steak cuts and add in a southern side for the ultimate wild west experience.