Crystal Wise
Chef Ben Merritt, a mainstay in Fort Worth’s dining scene for many years, announced earlier this week that his Westside restaurant, The Fitzgerald, will close after its final service on June 7, just after Memorial Day. Since opening in the fall of 2021 with business partner Chris Lynch, The Fitzgerald brought Gulf Coast seafood and steaks to Camp Bowie Boulevard, filling the large, airy space — complete with a sprawling patio and the cozy, leather-sofa–lined Regal Room.
Merritt’s footprint in Fort Worth spans several neighborhoods and concepts — from the long-running Fixture Kitchen & Social Lounge on Magnolia, to the short-lived Ben’s Triple B on Rosedale. The latter closed just months before The Fitzgerald’s debut, a victim of the labor shortages that have affected many local restaurants. Now, four years later, The Fitzgerald faces a similar fate.
In announcing the closure on social media, Merritt and The Fitzgerald team reflected on their journey with a mix of pride and gratitude. They described the restaurant as “a place rooted in creativity, community, and amazing food,” crediting their staff’s talent and passion for making the vision a reality. Recognizing the difficulties ahead, they urged friends in the industry to consider hiring their team, calling them “some of the best in the business” and expressing a genuine desire to see them land on their feet. To loyal guests, they extended thanks for every visit and kind word, noting how much that support has meant.
Merritt himself will be stepping away from the restaurant business for a while, planning to take a well-earned break to spend more time with family. The final call for diners to visit came with an invitation to share one last meal and “let us say thank you in person,” reminding everyone that “this isn’t the end, it’s just the end of a chapter.”
Merritt told Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy the decision came down to a “decline in business that I couldn’t sustain.” Rising food and labor costs, combined with an increasingly crowded dining scene and shifts in consumer habits, have created an especially tough environment for long-term survival.
A 2019 winner of “Chopped,” Merritt’s career has been defined by both ambition and adaptability. Now, as he closes this chapter, Fort Worth’s restaurant landscape continues evolving, reminding us that even well-loved places sometimes have to step aside for what comes next.
