Restaurants in Fort Worth

Beyond the twinkling string lights that frame Thai Jasmine's front windows, traditional tapestries dollop the cream walls as framed artwork of bronze elephants stares down at cozy booths. But decorative flourishes take a back seat when waiters begin to drop off steaming noodle and rice dishes––all available vegetarian or vegetarian-repellant by request. Alongside steaming crocks of hot and sour soup lay morsels of flame-kissed chicken, beef, and shrimp amped up with coconut milk, sweet-and-sour sauce, or several varieties of curry. After polishing off the last Thai-style chicken wing, patrons can retreat to the gated outdoor patio for a banana sundae with fried ice cream.

One might feel compelled to recite the Pledge of Allegiance upon entering All American Cafe, whose exposed brick walls are strewn with stars to represent the United States. Of those 50 states, the café’s menu draws most heavily on the proud state of Texas. Sunlight filters in through large windows to illuminate fuchsia tablecloths lined with fried and grilled fish fillets, pork chops, and aged Angus steaks served alongside fried okra and mashed potatoes. After two-handing a juicy half-pound burger, diners can question servers about the all-day breakfast offerings or ask for a napkin made from an authentic piece of the Declaration of Independence.

The crew of chefs at Lorida's Deli slices roast beef, pastrami, and turkey and bustles amid loaves of bread and fresh veggies. Chatter drifts through the dining room, and drivers rush past with party platters to bolster festivities or prove to stuffy magistrates that the three stooges can behave at dinner.

Mike French and Todd Hoffman, inspired by the burger joints and Mexicali burritos of their native Southern California, opened OC Burgers: a sit-down eatery where diners can dive into voluminous selections of both culinary offerings. Half-pound Black Angus burgers come topped with scoops of guacamole or teriyaki pineapple, and 14-inch tortillas envelop carnitas or carne asada. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Patricia Rodriguez called the bacon cheeseburger “very good indeed … with charred edges and a juicy interior.” She also marveled at the size of the carne asada burrito, which she described as having, “strips of tender flank steak … marinated in orange juice and cilantro” with “more complex flavors than other carne asadas.” On the restaurant’s large TV, a looping video of the sunrise prompts roosters to continually announce the all-day breakfast menu, which includes breakfast burritos, omelets, and plates of pancakes or french toast.

After more than a decade on the Fort Worth restaurant scene, husband and wife duo David and Ann Shaw founded Shaw's Patio, Bar & Grill. Within their eatery’s dark, wood booths or on the outdoor patio, guests dine on burgers and hot dogs. These menu staples start as lean Angus beef patties and quarter-pound, all-beef franks, and they emerge from the kitchen transformed into specialties including the andouille-topped ShawSauge burger or the chili-cheese dog. Regionally inspired paninis such as texas grilled cheese, a mix of warm brie and bacon sandwiched between slabs of texas toast, gain their stripes on the grill rather than by bartering with zebras. Shakes and malts hand-spun from Blue Bell Ice Cream pay wholesome complement to the diner fare, while a full bar that flaunts more than 40 beers and a family margarita recipe provides more grown-up refreshment. As the sun rises on Sunday mornings, a hearty brunch decks tables in chorizo and egg burritos, eggs benedict with portobello mushrooms, and fruit-laden french toast, all paired with a parade of complimentary mimosas.

Bayou Twist’s chefs celebrate the spicy melody of Cajun food while remixing it a dash, like culinary DJs, by integrating it with Laotian cuisine. Several of their dishes are firmly planted in Cajun tradition, such as shrimp boils and baskets of fried catfish, while others, such as larb beef, use fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh herbs to evoke traditions born halfway around the world in Laos. In plates of barbecue shrimp, homemade lao sausages over sticky rice, and in the sauce that covers crawfish tacos, the two cuisines meld harmoniously, unlike peanut butter and a carburetor.