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Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Burgers and Tex-Mex will open in new Benbrook restaurant development

Benbrook will soon gain new burger and Tex-Mex options.

Jake’s Burgers and Beer as well as Tacos & Avocados will join a new restaurant development located off Benbrook Boulevard.

This neighborhood southwest of Fort Worth is fit with plenty of fast food options– Whataburger, Wendy’s, Jersey Mike’s, Arby’s. Though Paisano’s Italian Restaurant is across this street from the new development, the area is thirsty for more sit down, dine-in options.

Jake’s is known for its half-pound burgers served...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

How a Ukrainian family found refuge in Texas after fleeing front lines of war

This article is part one of a two-part story. See the second part here.

Alina Lytvynenko remembers Ukraine vividly — warm summer days, where she woke up and smelled the wet grass from a rainy night, winters with the delicate snow-covered ground, the smell of fresh bread she’d eat on her walk home from the market.

These are only memories for her now that her motherland is at war with Russia.

In 2022, Alina, her daughters and her mother had no choice but to leave their village Zavorychi, about...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

How a Fort Worth family helped a Ukrainian family find a new life

This article is part two of a two-part story. See the first part here.

Ukrainian family Alina and Lera Lytvynenko, Liza Novosolova and Tetiana Kholod barely escaped the horrors of war before they arrived in Germany.

From the day the Russia-Ukraine war began, the family spent weeks in a freezing underground basement, hiding from Russian soldiers who ransacked their village and houses. Their basement was in a bunker below the Russian front line. It was nearly a month before Alina finally found s...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

French influencer says Fort Worth is ‘poverty cosplay’ in viral video

If you want to “watch a billionaire dressed like a homeless person drink a Starbucks inside a holy stadium,” come to Dallas-Fort Worth.

Or at least, that’s what influencer Éros Brousson thinks.

The clever French content creator recently moved to America and has spent a few weeks exploring the Lone Star state, where he hopes to open his bread bakery. Despite his short time here so far, he’s picked up on some Texas stereotypes quickly.

It all began a few weeks ago, when Brousson described Aust...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

How to order from Ichirō Izakaya, Japanese bar and yakitori grill on South Main

You can’t help but enjoy the smell of charcoal-grilled yakiroti when you walked past Ichirō Izakaya on South Main.

I simply couldn’t pass up a grilled dinner– especially since I don’t own a grill myself at home.

“Izakaya” is traditionally a type of Japanese bar that serves small snacks and alcoholic drinks. In English, it directly translates to “stay-drink-place.” Think of it as the Japanese version of an Irish pub or Spanish tapas bar.

The narrow space is decked out in natural woods and vivi...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

We tried West 7th’s new Irish Pub that serves Irish nachos and Jameson mules

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Henry McCarty Irish Pub has opened in the West 7th Entertainment District.

There’s no sticky floors or rotten wood smell. It may just be the nicest Irish pub Fort Worth has ever seen. It’s dressed with snazzy checker flooring, a dark oak bar (in classic Irish fashion) and leather seating. Even the bathrooms are nice.

Previous Irish pubs in the area just felt like watering holes that served Guinness (and most bars serve Guinness nowadays anyway). But the Iris...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Crawfish season in Texas: Where to get live or boiled crawfish in Fort Worth

It’s that time of the year again when people go crazy for some Cajun mudbugs.

Depending on the weather, crawfish season can be plentiful or scanty.

“We need a lot of rain down in Louisiana, and we need a little bit of warm weather,“ said Jesse “The Wild Cajun” Gibson, owner of Cocodrie’s Bayou Kitchen in North Richland Hills. “They kind of exist in this little Goldilocks zone, a temperature too hot or too cold, they go far into the ground. So that’s why we see them pop up during nice weather...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Near Southside chef to open ‘dream’ restaurant with family’s Vietnamese recipes

Hao Tran of Hao’s Grocery and Cafe in Near Southside recently broke ground on her “dream project.”

Two years ago, her landlords Will Churchill and Corrie Watson Fletcher approached the Trimble Technical High School teacher and self-taught chef with the opportunity to open her own restaurant in a business development space in White Settlement.

“I thought about it, because I’m still teaching, and I wasn’t going to stop, because I only have a few more years left before I can retire,” Tran told th...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

The Curious Farmhouse lets kids plant their own veggies — and eat them, too

About a dozen tots strapped up in their floor length aprons, eager to get messy in the garden, on a brisk winter Texas morning.

The Curious Farmhouse in Godley, Texas invites kids under 10 years old to learn about gardening, nutrition and life skills through tasting and planting fruits and vegetables with their own hands.

Founder Lizned Larrota grew up mainly in Chile, but also Ecuador before moving to the United States, learning about the rewarding process of gardening from her father, Luis R...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Birria and chicken tinga meet ramen and bao buns in Near Southside restaurant

A new restaurant in Fort Worth’s Near Southside neighborhood serves ramen in burritos and kimchi in quesadillas.

While some locals were sad to see Paco’s Mexican Cuisine close, owner Francisco “Paco” Islas didn’t leave his customers high and dry.

Instead, those who loved Paco’s can still enjoy Islas’ new Mexican concept with a twist– Shōgun Taqueria.

Replacing the former Paco’s at 1508 W. Magnolia Ave., customers can chow down on Asian-Mexican fusion dishes before they prance next door to the...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Why this new Asian fusion restaurant on Magnolia draws hours-long lines

Velvety souffle pancakes and emerald matcha lattes is what draws two-hour lines to a new Asian fusion cafe on Magnolia.

Sweet Stacks is a new restaurant in Fort Worth serving Thai stir-fries, Japanese matcha and souffle pancakes– which are pancakes made using the French souffle technique.

Sweet Stacks filled the old brick and mortar of Vice Burger, which closed in June 2025.

Chef and owner Mina Sourignavong told the Star-Telegram that business has been so good since opening at the end of Dece...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

This North Texas barbecue restaurant serves wagyu brisket with a Middle Eastern twist

After Kafi BBQ got recognized by Eater Magazine as one of the best new restaurants in the country, I knew I had to try it for myself.

Barbecue is a tough game in Texas, let alone Dallas-Fort Worth, so a one-year-old restaurant making its way with guns blazing caught my attention.

Kafi BBQ is a Halal fusion barbecue restaurant that serves wagyu brisket and incorporates Middle Eastern flavors. Pitmaster Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi told the Star-Telegram that the brisket is Texas raised and sourced fro...
Pulitzer Center •

My Letter to Ukrainians Around the World

It was the middle of my reporting trip when I found myself at a Pijana Wisnia wine bar in Krakow, Poland, with a Ukrainian war veteran named Kamilla Kosenko.
One ypa (Ukrainian cheers) after another, she told me, “We are going to give you a night you will never forget.” 
We started with a scavenger hunt around Krakow. From broken brick roads to Jewish synagogues that have stood since before WWII, it was surprising that I learned more about Ukraine’s culture than the Polish town we were walking t...
Pulitzer Center •

Russia Burns Evidence of Ukraine’s Culture, but These Women Rewrite Their Own Stories in Poland

Clutching her 5-year-old son, Klement, close to her heart, Kamilla Kosenko agonizes over how she ended up in Krakow, Poland.
Kosenko and her son are among nearly 1 million Ukrainians who have found refuge in Poland since the war with Russia started more than three years ago, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Kosenko, like many other women in her situation, is searching for answers. The recently retired military veteran and lover of history said her new life in Poland, although far...
Pulitzer Center •

As Refugees, Ukrainian Women Navigate a More Permanent Life in Poland

Starting a new life sounds daunting to anyone, but for refugees, it is a permanent solution to an issue that they never thought they would have to solve. 
It's been three years since Vladimir Putin’s Russian war machine invaded Ukraine. Since then, more than 6 million Ukrainians have fled across the globe. Since 2022, nearly 1 million have found refuge in Poland.
Poland has never had a history of accepting forced immigrants, but since the war began, Ukrainians have been allowed to cross borders...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Look Inside the new Fort Worth brunch spot, Cafe Mirador

Champagne, caviar and lobster rolls for brunch? The Dallas-based Headington Companies is bringing its Mirador penthouse restaurant to Cowtown.

Cafe Mirador will open inside the new Forty Five Ten boutique at 3220 W. Seventh St. in Fort Worth. This area of West 7th has been growing with trendy businesses within the last five years. Don Artemio and the Crescent Hotel have both been luxurious additions to the surrounding block that are well-received by locals and visitors.

The flagship Forty Five...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

How a North Texas Mexican-Japanese fusion bakery went viral

Confectionery enthusiasts love Mexican desserts like conchas and Japanese treats like milk bread, but what about the two fused together?

Pan Pan Bakery and Cafe, at 2110 Roosevelt Drive Suite A in Dalworthington Gardens, filled a gap in the Dallas-Fort Worth bakery landscape that many didn’t know existed: a Mexican-Japanese fusion bakery. Pan Pan blew up online overnight due to a video that raked in 19 million views and 3 million likes on TikTok.

Laura Molinar is the shop’s 21-year-old owner....
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Check out the NADC Burger in downtown Fort Worth on a budget

I’ve heard buzz about the NADC Burger ever since it popped up in Austin in 2021.

On paper, this burger is a dream — double-smashed wagyu beef patties with melty American cheese, grilled onions, sweet but spicy jalapenos and pickles that come with “secret sauce.”

And then actually taking a bite of the burger makes you transcend.

If you ask to make any modification to this burger, the cashier is going to tell you:

”Not a damn chance.”

And I’m going to tell you: Trust them.

The concept came f...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

New Japanese diner, bar coming to South Main in Fort Worth

A new Japanese restaurant in Fort Worth has been getting lots of buzz on social media — and no, it’s not a sushi place.

Its name is Ichiro Izakaya Diner and Bar, and it’s located at 401 Bryan Ave., Fort Worth.

This downtown Fort Worth neighborhood is home to local favorites like Sabar Barbecue, Panther City Barbecue, and Coco Shrimp, but it lacked a Japanese restaurant until Ichiro Izakaya opened its doors.

“Izakaya” is traditionally a type of Japanese bar that serves small snacks and alcohol...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Take a tour inside Fort Worth’s new The Mont restaurant

An evening at The Mont feels modern, yet timeless, with its contemporary atmosphere, 1950s-inspired decor, glamorous views and rhythmic service. It can be whatever you want it to be.

From the minds of co-owners Jason Cross and Jeff Payne, and culinary director Michael Artis, The Mont is a mid-century modern restaurant with contemporary American cuisine. The new establishment opened Aug. 7 in the Montserrat neighborhood of southwest Fort Worth.

The star-Telegram took a tour of the restaurant th...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

A guide to Fort Worth’s Hyderabad House Biryani Place menu

The new Hyderabad House Biryani Place near Alliance Town Center has an extensive menu of Indian dishes.

The menu offers fried rice, noodles, curries, kebab, but the restaurant is known for its biryani rice. (Biryani rice is the “crown jewel” of most Hyderbadi Houses.) However, there are more than 20 different options for that dish.

Biryani is a rice dish that layers rice and meat, made with aromatic spices. What makes this dish so flavorful is the way they cook it, using the dum cooking method...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Discover No Vacancy, a hidden speakeasy in West 7th

A new invite-only speakeasy is coming to the West 7th Entertainment District — and it’s hidden behind a green door that looks like an alleyway dumpster.

No Vacancy is its name, and it will be located at 2811 Bledsoe St. #200, right next to Koe Wetzel’s Riot Room. In fact, this new speakeasy is from the same brain behind Riot Room — Emil Bragdon.

Bragdon’s hospitality company, Funky Lime Hospitality, runs quite a few bars in the West 7th district. You may also know Reservoir, The Whiskey Garden...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Lunch under $25 at Sour Boule cafe in Fort Worth

Right now sourdough and pickles are all the rage, and luckily for us, Fort Worth’s The Sour Boule restaurant has both.

The Sour Boule is a bakery and cafe located in west Fort Worth. Not only is it cheap, but it’s also a meal made from scratch.

Our Eats Beat reporter, Bud Kennedy, recently wrote about Sour Boule expanding into a bigger space because of popularity. I knew I had to check it out myself– especially as a sourdough lover.

After I saw the menu prices, I knew I had to share with you...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram •

Take a look inside Ko Thai, a new Fort Worth Thai spot

Magnolia Street has a new snazzy Thai restaurant on the block.

Ko Thai is a new two-story restaurant on Magnolia Avenue with traditional Thai dishes but also specialty items curated towards the southside culture of Fort Worth.

From the owners of Koracha Thai in Benbrook, Joy Theepaka and “Nick” Thana Pornin thought they would bring the Ko (cow) to Cowtown.

“We could have gone to Dallas, but Fort Worth doesn’t have much Thai food,” Theepaka said.

Spice is a block down the street at 411 W. Mag...
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