APPETIZER
Reader Pick: Button’s Flash Fried Skrimpz
Our readers love fried, and here's one more example: Button's flash-fried Gulf shrimp, with spicy Serrano peppers, applewood smoked bacon, and jalapeno ranch salad.
4701 W. Freeway, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.735.4900, buttonsrestaurants.com
Staff Pick: Bonnell’s Elk Tacos
You can't go wrong trying any of the Bonnell's starters. Besides the Elk Tacos, there's also Bonnell's Oysters Texasfeller.
4259 Bryant Irvin Road, Fort Worth, 76109, 817.738.5489, bonnellstexas.com
ASIAN
Reader Pick: Cannon Chinese Kitchen
304 W. Cannon St., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.238.3726, cannonchinesekitchen.com
Staff Pick: Shinjuku Station
From the same family that brought you Cannon Chinese Kitchen and Tokyo Café, Shinjuku offers a robust shareables menu inside the warm embrace of Shinjuku's charming dining room.
711 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.923.2695, shinjuku-station.com
ATMOSPHERE
Reader Pick: Clay Pigeon
Chef Marcus Paslay tries to make everything in-house, from the breads and ice creams, to butchering meats and fish and making the charcuterie, and serve it up in Clay Pigeon's airy and cozy dining room.
2731 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.882.8065, claypigeonfd.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Café Modern
Café Modern patrons gaze out over the museum's serene reflecting pond while eating the creations of the new executive chef, Denise Shavandy. What's not to like about this atmosphere?
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.738.9215, themodern.org
Staff Pick: (tie) Brewed
Drop into Brewed, and you're as likely to see a business deal being quietly negotiated as a group of friends on an outing, or a guy sitting at a table working on his laptop. Sit in one of two dining rooms, at the bar, or out on the patio.
801 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.945.1545, brewedfw.com
BAKERY
Reader Pick: Le Chat Noir
The popular Le Chat Noir, the “Cupcake Bordello,” finally has its first brick-and-mortar location, on West Magnolia Avenue, and its colorful macaroon graces the cover of this issue.
1208 W. Magnolia Ave., #100, Fort Worth, 76104, 817.393.1733, cupcakebordello.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Stir Crazy Baked Goods
About a year ago, Stir Crazy's owner, Robbie Werner, was working on ideas for maintaining the business while the city began a reconstruction project on South Main Street near her one store. Then came word that the Magnolia Cheese Co. was closing down on West Magnolia. Werner snagged the space. Problem. Solution.
1251 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.862.9058, stircrazybakedgoods.com
Staff Pick: (tie) McKinley’s
In other bakery-related happenings in this year's Best Of Fort Worth contest, McKinley's has not moved. They're still in the same place, cranking out breakfast, lunch, dinner and baked goods.
1616 S. University Drive, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.332.3242, mckinleysbakery.com
BBQ
Reader Pick: Heim Barbecue
Travis and Emma Heim, and new partners Will Churchill and Corrie Watson, have shut down the food truck and are working furiously to launch Heims' first brick-and-mortar location on West Magnolia. The Southside can't wait to get its first serving of Bacon Burnt Ends.
1109 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.876-2741, heimbbq.com
Staff Pick: Off the Bone
Off the Bone's barbecue is so good, Big D barbecue so questionable, this old Forest Hill restaurant made No. 1 in a D Magazine ranking of best Dallas barbecue. Owners Eddie and Marilyn Brown, married 30 years, work together in the business. Eddie Brown takes care of the meats, and Marilyn Brown tends to the baking and desserts, offering traditional southern cakes, pies and cobbler. "Our customers say you don't need no teeth to eat our meat,” Eddie Brown says. That's fallin' off the bone tender.
5144 Mansfield Highway, Forest Hill, 76119, 817.563.7000, offthebonebbq.com
BEER SELECTION
Reader Pick: Flying Saucer Fort Worth
The Saucer continues to draw beer nuts, especially with its move into the former 8.0 space, with the expansive covered patio. Bike or Uber downtown and sit for awhile.
111 E. 3rd St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.336.7470
Staff Pick: Chimera Brewing Co.
Chimera – nee Zio Carlo's – has a nice beer menu, including its own beers, which it took awhile to begin producing after opening several years ago. But we just like the joint, with its big bar and table area, darts, and outdoor patio. You get a discount if you ride in on your bike. And Chimera has the city's best underrated pizza.
1001 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.923.8000, chimerabrew.com
BLOODY MARY
Reader Pick: Del Frisco’s Grille
Sundance Square Plaza, 154 E. 3rd St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.887.9900, delfriscosgrille.com
Staff Pick: Chef Point Café
Years later, the Chef Point story is almost the stuff of urban legend, except the story is true. Its owners wanted to open a restaurant, but they couldn't get a loan for one. They could get a loan for a gasoline station, so they opened a Conoco station and then opened a fine restaurant in it in 2003. Customers waiting to get into the restaurant line up over 12-packs of Diet Coke and people buying bubble gum. Owners Paula Merrell and Franson Nwaeze are preparing to take their show on the road, quietly purchasing a site on Oakhurst Scenic Drive in the Riverside area. Merrell says the two aren't ready to share their plans, but adds, “the Scenic Bluff area is a beautiful area, close to downtown and ripe for development. We hope to be in the center of all this energy.” The Bloody Mary is equally as legendary, named by the Huffington Post as one of “The 12 Craziest & Best Bloody Mary's in America.” The $25 drink is garnished with chicken, shrimp, waffle fries, bacon, jalapeños and a beef slider, plus it comes with your choice of 16-ounce domestic beer.
5901 Watauga Road, Watauga, 76148, 817.656.0080, chefpointcafe.org
BREAKFAST
Reader Pick: Ol’ South Pancake House
Patrons still regularly cram into Ol' South for the Dutch Babies and other “yummies for the tummy.” New competitors like IHOP and Panera Bread haven't been able to kill this place off, not that they're trying.
1509 S. University Drive, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.336.0311, olsouthpancakehouse.com
Staff Pick: Weatherford Downtown Café
This café, in a historic storefront on Weatherford's town square, consistently turns out rich, traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch favorites. Stop in if you're out on a weekend antiquing drive.
101 Church St., Weatherford, 76086, 817.594.8717
BREWERY-DISTILLERY
Reader Pick: Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
Fritz is getting to be the granddaddy of Fort Worth's growing brewing and distilling scene. He continues to turn out new beers on Fort Worth's Near Southside, one of the most recent new issues being the “Fort Worth.” A portion of the sales goes to the morale fund for the USS Fort Worth, the Navy's littoral combat ship based in Singapore.
701 Galveston Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.810.9266, rahrbrewing.com
Staff Pick: The Collective Brewing Project
This is another new brewery in Fort Worth's lineup, and it's across West Vickery from the T&P transportation hub, which may really mean something some day.
112 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.708.2914, collectivebrew.com
BRUNCH
Reader Pick: Bird Café
Brunch at Bird Café is worth it for the views of Sundance Plaza from the Bird Café patio alone, let alone the great creations of Chef David McMillan.
155 E. 4th St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.332.2473, birdinthe.net
Staff Pick: Fixture Restaurant and Social Lounge
401 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.708.2663, fixturefw.com
BURGER
Reader Pick: Rodeo Goat
Warning: If all you want is a regular burger, you will be challenged to find it here, among offerings like the Nanny Goat, Blue Goat, Chaca Oaxaca, Oh Whitney, Royale with Cheese, Terlingua, Whiskey Burger, Swine Flew, Olivia Darling, Sugar Burger, Telluride, Salted Sow and Country Joe & The Fish. But if you're adventurous, they've got it here. And the beer is…collllld.
2836 Bledsoe & Currie, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.877.4628, rodeogoat.com
Staff Pick: Tommy’s Hamburger Grill
Multiple locations, tommyshamburgergrill.com
CATERING
Reader Pick: Z’s Café
Chef and owner Carlo Capua's tasty treats are regulars on the catering front, with Capua offering to cater everything from baby showers to bridal showers, birthday parties and anniversaries, 50 guests, or 5,000. “The point of special occasions is to meet and mingle, not stress about the food and beverages,” Capua says.
1116 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.348.9000, zscafe.com
Staff Pick: Bistro Louise Catering
Chef Louise Lamensdorf, longtime operator of the now closed Bistro Louise restaurant, is still at it with her catering business. Lamensdorf's cuisine, based on bold flavors, special seasoning, and specially selected produce, has received top rating by Gourmet magazine and Zagat.
817.922.9244, bistrolouise.com
COFFEE SHOP
Reader Pick: Avoca
Avoca has been a reader favorite since it opened on the Near Southside's West Magnolia Avenue. Avoca fans turn the coffee shop into a hangout, which is good, given that it takes awhile for the shop to turn out a good cup of coffee.
Multiple locations, avocacoffee.com
Staff Pick: Paris Coffee Shop
We're not picking Paris Coffee Shop here because it has the best coffee on West Magnolia, up against the likes of Avoca and Brewed. We're picking it because we love dropping in for the $7.20 breakfast combo and having a cup or two with it.
704 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.335.2041, pariscoffeeshop.net
COMFORT FOOD
Reader Pick: Campfire Grill Texas Kitchen
Campfire Grill's “Southern Comfort” offerings include the BBQ Meatloaf, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Chicken, and, oh, we had to go and drop something potentially healthy in here, Blackened Chicken. All but the meatloaf are $9.99 or less, and the meatloaf is $10.99.
6751 Rufe Show Drive, Suite 350, Watauga, 76148, 817.849.5567, campfiregrilltx.com
Staff Pick: Montgomery Street Café
2000 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.731.8033
DESSERT
Reader Pick: Leah’s Sweet Treats
Leah's Sweet Treats is on the sidelines as of press time, having been damaged by a recent storm and preparing to rebuild. Leah's is still completing standing orders, according to its Facebook posts.
4910 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.731.5223, leahssweettreats.com
Staff Pick: Cacharel
Three words: white chocolate mousse. Um, yes. And the views of Arlington's entertainment district from the ninth floor of the Brookhollow I building aren't bad.
2221 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, 76006, 817.640.9981, cacharel.net
ENCHILADAS
Reader Pick: Enchiladas Ole
Who really has Fort Worth's best enchiladas? Enchiladas Ole's fans seem to think this place does. Enchiladas Ole, which also has a location inside John Peter Smith Hospital's cafeteria, offers eight different enchiladas, a sampler plate and a “Lite Plate” with one enchilada, rice, beans, and a small salad, “for our not-so-hungry customers.” The enchiladas range from “The Original,” an ancho-chili enchilada filled with sharp cheddar and onions, to a vegetarian option.
901 N. Sylvania Ave., Fort Worth, 76111, 817.984.1360, enchiladasole.com
Staff Pick: The Original Mexican Eats Café
The Original is like an old friend. Even if you lose touch, everything's the same when you check back in. Try the sour cream chicken enchiladas with jalapenos or the Roosevelt, with a top shelf margarita. On the rocks.
4713 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.738.6226, originalmexicaneatscafe.com
FAJITAS
Reader Pick: Uncle Julio’s
Why are Uncle Julio's parking lots always packed? It's the “World-Famous Fajitas,” readers tell us.
Multiple locations, unclejulios.com
Staff Pick: Benito’s
We still love the Benito's Fajitas De Res O De Pollo, the beef or chicken fajitas marinated and grilled, served with frijoles churros.
1450 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.332.8633, benitosmexican.com
FOOD TRUCK
Reader Pick: Gepetto’s Pizza Food Truck
gepettospizzatruck.com
Staff Pick: Yatai Food Kart
Chef Kevin Martinez, on hiatus from Tokyo Café after it burned down in a fire in 2014, has been churning out Chinese and Asian fusion fare from Yatai Food Kart, typically parked outside Avoca coffee shop on West Magnolia Avenue.
682.433.9685
FRENCH FRIES
Reader Pick: Lili’s Bistro on Magnolia
The gorgonzola fries here – waffle fries topped with gorgonzola cheese crumbles, green onions and cracked black pepper – could kill you, but they'd certainly be something to die for. Ask for the “crack fries”; the staff will know what you're talking about. Order them as a snack, or a side to a wedge salad, for a perfect lunch.
1310 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.877.0700, lilisbistro.com
Staff Pick: Kincaid’s Hamburgers
Multiple locations, kincaidshamburgers.com
GRAB ‘N GO
Reader Pick: Cuisine for Healing
Here's an interesting take on take-home food: Cuisine for Healing, a growing nonprofit that makes and packages nutritious meals for cancer patients and others fighting disease, also sells them packaged and ready to go from its quarters in the Texas Oncology building on Fort Worth's Near Southside.
1450 8th Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.921.2377, cuisineforhealing,org
Staff Pick: Oliver’s Fine Foods
Multiple locations, oliversfinefoods.com
HAPPY HOUR
Reader Pick: Vivo 53
Vivo 53, the downtown restaurant in the base of The Tower, has a big fan following. Come for appetizers, drinks, and evening people-watching on the patio overlooking the bustle of downtown, marvel at the notion of eating amidst the concrete supports of what used to be a bank lobby, stay for the pizza.
525 Taylor St., Fort Worth, 76102, 682.207.8700, vivo53.com
Staff Pick: Grace
777 Main St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.877.3388, gracefortworth.com
HEALTHY BITE
Reader Pick: Righteous Foods
Righteous righteously bills itself as “a healthy dose of friggin' awesome.” It goes on:
“Good for the body. Good for the soul. Great to taste. That's what Eating Righteously is all about. It's a way of life. And a way for more life. Our ingredients come from only reputable and organic sources. Nothing is processed –unless you're talking about our cooking. Don't get us wrong. We aren't self-righteous. We love our guilty indulgences. Just not every day. So tell your body, “Thank you body. You're important to me. I'm gonna take care of you.”
3405 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.850.9996, eatrighteously.com
Staff Pick: FW Market + Table
2933 Crockett St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.850.9255, fwmarketandtable.com
HOLE IN THE WALL
Reader Pick: The Shed
4019 Fort Worth Highway, inside David's Stove Shop, Hudson Oaks, 76087, 817.594.5533, lunchbreadpie.com
Staff Pick: Jazz Café
2504 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.737.0043
ICE CREAM/GELATO
Reader Pick: Melt Ice Creams
Melt owner Kari Crowe has come full circle since she tried unsuccessfully to open an ice cream shop on the Near Southside's West Magnolia Avenue, and ended up on West Rosedale Street, away from Magnolia's beaten path. This spring, Crowe, whose menu features six seasonally-rotating flavors, is moving her shop to 1201 W. Magnolia into the heart of an ever-growing array of restaurants.
954 W. Rosedale St., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.886.8365, melticecreams.com
Staff Pick: Gypsy Scoops
Julie Markley was looking for a brick-and-mortar production facility to produce ice creams for her popular food truck. She got that, and a new ice cream store, when she opened last summer on Race Street – the center of a hoped-for retail renewel in the Riverside area. Markley's neighbors include the Greasy Bend burger restaurant, Born Late records and tattoo store, Fuzzy's Tacos, Dino's Live, and New York Style Pizza & Gyros from the Dino's owners.
2905 Race St., Fort Worth, 76111, 817.357.6730, gypsyscoops.com
ITALIAN
Reader Pick: Nonna Tata
Customers regularly pack into the tiny Nonna Tata and onto its covered patio for pasta and other Italian fare.
1400 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.332.0250
Staff Pick: Piccolo Mondo
Piccolo Mondo continues its run as an elegant option for a date, special occasion or business meeting.
829 Lamar Blvd. East, Arlington, 76011, 817.265.9174, piccolomondo.com
KOLACHE
Reader Pick: Pearl Snap Kolaches
Friends Wade Chappell and Greg Saltsman founded Pearl Snap in Fort Worth out of dissatisfaction over the quality of locally made kolaches. They're not disclosing what's in the secret bread recipe they arrived at after numerous trials.
4006 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.233.8899, pskolaches.com
Staff Pick: Busy B’s Bakery
3701 Southwest Blvd., Fort Worth, 76116, 817.731.8986, busybbakeryonline.com
LAKESIDE DINING
Reader Pick: The Grille at the Harbor on Possum Kingdom Lake
Fort Worth, Texas magazine held its annual staff retreat at the Harbor last fall. We can attest to the fine nature of the dining at the Grille and the spectacular views off of the deck.
3415 Scenic Point Road, Graford, 76449, 940.779.7600, harborliving.com
Staff Pick: Flight at Eagle Mountain Lake
9307 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth, 76179, 817.882.6910, flightonthelake.com
MARGARITA
Reader Pick: Joe T. Garcia’s
We said somewhere else in this list that Tex-Mex on the Joe T's patio has been a Fort Worth institution forever. So have the margaritas by the pitcher. We might have said that, too.
2201 N. Commerce St., Fort Worth, 76164, 817.626.4356, joets.com
Staff pick: La Perla Negra
La Perla Negra is very confident its margaritas stack up better than anybody else's. “Cinco de Mayo like you mean it,” it said in a Cinco de Mayo Facebook post. “We challenge you to find a better margarita.”
910 Houston St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.882.8108, lpnegra.com
MEDITERRANEAN
Reader Pick: Chadra Mezza
Chef and owner Nehme Elbitar learned cooking as a child from his mother, watching her prepare meals from garden ingredients and feeding others in their neighborhood. Elbitar received his culinary education from Kafaat University in Beirut, where he became a chef and studied hospitality management. Soon after, he moved to Texas. Beginning as a dishwasher, he worked his way up in restaurants and eventually opened the small restaurant on Fort Worth's Park Place Avenue that he would later expand into today's Chadra Mezza. Elbitar's customer faves include the Heavenly Chicken, stuffed with cream cheese and topped with bacon, spinach, mushroom and Alfredo sauce over penne pasta. Elbitar offers weekday lunch buffets, Wednesday night pizza and pasta buffets, a Saturday lunch buffet, and a Mediterranean seafood and lamb buffet Friday and Saturday nights. An evening-ending retreat, if you have room left over: a flight of Elbitar's hand-crafted ice creams, which feature savory flavors such as the longstanding rosewater. Finally, we didn't mention this earlier, but the patio is dog-friendly.
1622 Park Place Ave., Fort Worth, 76110, 817.926.3992, chadramezza.com
Staff Pick: Greek House
2426 Forest Park Blvd., Fort Worth, 76110, 817.921.1473
MEXICAN
Reader Pick: Mariposa’s Latin Kitchen
What's not to love about the story of Irma Gamez and Crystal Padilla, the mother-daughter owners of Mariposa. Gamez got her start in cooking at age 16 working at a Fort Worth restaurant, soon putting together family recipes to create tamales that she sold to do mission work in Mexico. A friend encouraged her to go into catering, and that led to the opening with her daughter of their West Side restaurant Mariposa's, Spanish for butterfly. Gamez, who became a chef when she received her culinary certificate from the Fort Worth Culinary School in 2009, views the butterfly as metaphor for her early struggles and subsequent free flight.
5724 Locke Ave., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.570.9555, mariposalatinkitchen.com
Staff Pick: El Asadero
This joint got readers' votes for everything from best hole-in-the-wall to best steak and best Mexican, all of which makes sense to us. Go on a Saturday night date or a big lunchtime group to this Fort Worth institution.
1535 N. Main St., Fort Worth, 76164, 817.626.3399, elasadero.com
NEW RESTAURANT
Reader Pick: Fixture Kitchen and Social Lounge
The owners of this new Near Southside restaurant got their opportunity when the previous tenant of the space, 24 Plates, closed. Fixture bills itself as “comfort food with an eclectic twist.” We went there recently for Sunday Brunch and started, appropriately, with the Bloody Mary. We moved to the Texas Beet Fries as an appetizer (even if you think beets taste and feel like a dirt terrine, you will like these), and, finally, three entrees to pass around our group: the Fried bologna brunch sandwich, duck tacos, and the Ben's Steak Breakfast. The latter is a mélange of Santa Maria steak, green chili cheese grits, avocado, grilled tomato, salsa verde hollandaise, and pico de gallo that our server offered up when one of the people in our group protested the lack of an eggs benedict on the brunch menu. Eat in the dining room, or on the patio, or in the bar, which, in season, is open-air overlooking the patio. Drive, walk or bike here. You'll fit in. And, remember your server. Select the “Beer for the Kitchen Staff” option on the menu, which pays for the suds the staff gets to drink at the end of the day.
401 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.708.2663, fixturefw.com
Staff Pick: Horseshoe Hill Café
Grady Spears' new restaurant sits in a small, unpretentious historic building on a hill overlooking the Stockyards. Spears lets the food tell the story. The menu is not difficult to understand. Order up the specialty – chicken-fried steak – and throw down a few cold Lone Stars with it.
204 W. Exchange Ave., Fort Worth, 76164, 817.882.6405, horseshoehillcafe.com
PATIO DINING
Reader Pick: The Woodshed Smokehouse
3201 Riverfront Drive, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.877.4545, woodshedsmokehouse.com
Staff Pick: Press Café
The new Press Café serves up fresh salads, sandwiches, wine, spirits, and coffee for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, in the dining room, outside on the patio, or upstairs on the rooftop deck. Drive in, or, better yet, bike or hike into the Trailhead 1848. After you're done eating and imbiding, wander over to the new Mellow Johnny's bike shop.
4801 Edwards Ranch Road, #105, Fort Worth, 817.570.6002, presscafeftworth.com
PIZZA
Reader Pick: Cane Rosso
Cane Rosso's impressive lineup of neopolitan pizzas and ridiculously extraneous dessert pies have built a huge following in Fort Worth.
815 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.922.9222, canerosso.com
Staff Pick: Mama’s Pizza
Mama's Pizza has continued to be a favorite pizza of ours and our readers every year in Best Of Fort Worth voting. It's volume-feeding time.
Multiple locations, mamaspizza.net
PUB
Reader Pick: The Bearded Lady
The old-style, belly-up bar at The Bearded Lady could be in Chicago or New York. It happens to be here in Fort Worth, in a historic house the restaurant and bar adapted for new use on the Near Southside.
1229 7th Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.349.9832
Staff Pick: Ye Olde Bull & Bush
Great joint for a beer (or two) and a game of darts just off of the Fort Worth Cultural District along Montgomery Street.
2300 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.731.9206
QUESO
Reader Pick: Torchy’s Tacos
There are many things to crave about Torchy's Tacos. Its breakfast tacos. The regular tacos. The Torchy's Tinis. And, definitely, the queso.
Multiple locations, torchystacos.com
Staff Pick: Fred’s Texas
Multiple locations, fredstexascafe.com
SALSA
Reader Pick: Taco Heads
1812 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.615.9899, tacoheads.com
Staff Pick: Rio Mambo
Multiple locations, riomambo.com
SANDWICH
Reader Pick: Carshon’s Deli
We're not surprised Carshon's appeared at the top of the reader voting for Best Sandwich. Carshon's, a Kosher deli established in 1928 by David Carshon, a Jewish immigrant, is one of the city's oldest restaurants. Traditional favorites include the Reuben, but we like the tuna salad on egg bread. Cash only.
3133 Cleburne Road, Fort Worth, 76110, 817.923.1907, carshonsdeli.com
Staff Pick: Swiss Pastry Shop
3936 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.732.5661, swisspastryonline.com
SEAFOOD
Reader Pick: Bonnell’s Waters Coastal Cuisine
Waters typically offers three different fish at lunch and five at dinner. Waters' goal is to find the freshest wild, seasonal and sustainable fish it can get from small independent fishing operations. The restaurant orders fish daily for next-day delivery. “All of our fish is accurately labeled as well,” the restaurant likes to say. “When we call it red snapper, you can bet it's true American red snapper. And if it's served today, it was likely swimming yesterday.”
2901 Crockett St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.984.1110, waterstexas.com
Staff Pick: Pacific Table
1600 S. University Drive, Suite 601, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.887.9995, pacifictableftworth.com
SERVICE
Reader Pick: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
812 Main St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.877.3999, delfriscos.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Ellerbe Fine Foods
1501 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.926.3663, ellerbefinefoods.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Texas de Brazil
101 Houston St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.882.9500, texasdebrazil.com
SOUP
Reader Pick: Lucile’s Lobster Bisque
4700 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, lucilesstatesidebistro.com
Staff Pick: Bird Café Gumbo
155 E. 4th St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.332.2473, birdinthe.net
STEAKHOUSE
Reader Pick: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
The Double Eagle – with its indulgent cocktails, wine list, and menu, and richly appointed bar and dining room – remains the steakhouse that our readers compare all others to.
812 Main St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.877.3999, delfriscos.com
Staff pick: JR’s Steak & Grill
5400 Highway 121, Colleyville, 76034, 817.355.1414, jrssteaks.com
SUSHI
Reader Pick: Blue Sushi
3131 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.332.2583, bluesushisakegrill.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Little Lily Sushi
6100 Camp Bowie Blvd., #12, Fort Worth, 76116, 817.989.8886, littlelilysushi.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Piranha Killer Sushi
Multiple locations, piranhakillersushi.com
TACO
Reader Pick: Taco Heads
The first brick-and-mortar location of Sarah Castillo's creation has been a smash hit so far, even if the noise and traffic have been something of an irritant to the adjacent Arlington Heights neighborhood. Castillo and partner Jacob Watson are fine-tuning things; the wait for your tacos is, shall we say, long enough to consume one of Taco Heads' fine craft margaritas, but they expect the order turnarounds to shorten. The two are looking ahead to their next potential location.
1812 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.615.9899, tacoheads.com
Staff Pick: Salsa Limon
Multiple locations, salsalimon.com
TAPAS/SHAREABLES
Reader Pick: Fixture Kitchen and Social Lounge
401 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.708.2663, fixturefw.com
Staff Pick: Cannon Chinese Kitchen
This is the third restaurant from the families who own Tokyo Café, being rebuilt after a fire, and Shinjuku Station. Cannon's light, small plates are ideal for passing around the table and are a lively new take on Chinese shareables. If you must have the traditional high-volume feed of traditional Chinese restaurants and buffets, this place isn't for you. Or, don't share.
304 W. Cannon St., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.238.3726, cannonchinesekitchen.com
VEGETARIAN
Reader Pick: Spiral Diner
1314 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.332.8834, spiraldiner.com
Staff Pick: Local Foods Kitchen
4548 Hartwood Drive, Fort Worth, 76109, 817.238.3464, localfoodskitchen.com
VIETNAMESE
Reader Pick: Ocean Seafood Market
3835 Chesser Boyer Road, Fort Worth, 76111, 682.597.4513, oceanseafoodmarket.com
Staff Pick: Pho Little Saigon
1712 Mall Circle, Fort Worth, 76116, 817.738.0040, pholittlesaigon.com
WINE LIST
Reader Pick: Kent & Co. Wines
1101 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104, 817.632.6070, kcowines.com
Staff Pick: Le Cep
A Le Cep meal is one of those moments when it might be best to order up a car service to get you to and from the Monticello restaurant. The eight-course sampling menu ($85) has a recommended per-course wine pairing ($65). This doesn't include the champagne offer (rolled over on a champagne cart) to start the meal, or the fine port they offer you, gratis, at the end. Le Cep's ample wine collection includes 600-700 different wines, 55 percent French and 35 percent American.
3324 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.900.2468, leceprestaurant.com
