Keith Barrett
An Arlington restaurant that specializes in staples of Chicago cuisine is expanding. Hershey’s Palace, a small mom-and-pop restaurant that serves pizza puffs, Italian beef sandwiches, and other dishes closely associated with Chicago, has opened a second location at 1110 S. Bowen Road. “It was always my intent to open multiple locations,” says owner Anthony “Hershey” Jones. “Now that I’m in a good place with the first location, it’s time to start expanding.” As I detailed in a story about Italian beef sandwiches earlier this year, Jones is a Chicago native who brought the flavors of his hometown to Arlington. He first landed in a spot near UTA, then moved to a more neighborly neighborhood on W. Arkansas Lane, where business has boomed. The new location on Bowen has two things going for it: the same menu as the original location and a much bigger dining room. His must-get is the Italian beef — a sandwich made with thinly sliced roast beef that’s wildly juicy, a little spicy, and incredibly messy, the way it should be. He also serves pizzas by the slice or whole, along with pizza puffs, fried dough filled with tomato sauce, cheese, and pizza toppings of your choice. They’re similar to Hot Pockets but so much better. hersheyspalacemenu.com
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Bailey’s Barbecue, one of North Texas’ oldest barbecue joints, has a new name and new menu items, thanks to Panther City BBQ, whose owners have purchased the historic downtown ‘cue joint. Opened in 1931, Bailey’s is now known as Fort Worth Barbecue Co., and it now serves brisket elote, Nutter Butter cheesecake, and a few other select items from Panther City. Bailey’s longtimers shouldn’t sweat the changes; the old-school ‘cue, with old-school prices, are being left intact. 826 Taylor St. instagram.com/fort_worth_barbecue_co/
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Local culinary couple Victor Villarreal and his wife and business partner, Misty, have been hired to help breathe new life into another one of Fort Worth’s golden oldies, The Star Cafe, an American restaurant in the Fort Worth Stockyards known for essential Fort Worth eats: burgers, steaks, and chicken-fried steak. Villarreal teased the news recently on social media, not long after the diner was purchased by Drew Boatman, who owns or co-owns several bars in Fort Worth. Villarreal says Boatman hired the couple to revamp the restaurant — Vic will take care of sprucing up the menu (he’s already unveiled a new line of burgers); Misty will handle redesigning the dining room and bar area. Originally known as Edna's Star Cafe, the restaurant opened in the 1930s and has gone through a handful of ownership and name changes. In the 1970s, it was an early location of Black-Eyed Pea, when the chain was first starting out. Don Boles purchased the restaurant in 1980, giving it back its original name. In 2022, Boles sold the restaurant to entrepreneur Chris Flores, who, in turn, recently sold it to Boatman. Villarreal says Boatman hired the pair to bring it into the 21st century. “It’ll be a little like what the new owners of the Paris Coffee Shop did,” Villarreal says. “We’re making something old new again.” starcafefortworth.com
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JD’s Hamburgers, the popular burger joint in Westland opened by Gigi Howell, has introduced a new lunch menu. Items include a grilled pimento cheese sandwich; a spinach and chicken wrap; a smoked and fried bologna sandwich; and a bacon, lettuce, and fried green tomato sandwich. All come with fries and are all are priced at $10 or less. 9901 Camp Bowie West Blvd., jdshamburgers.com
