Fort Worth has a robust culinary culture where you can sample everything from American comfort food to seafood, fusion, Italian, Mexican, and more. You can visit a barbecue joint, try a pay-what-you-want restaurant, sample a local eatery that ethically sources ingredients from local farmers, or check out one of several down-home diners.

You can even try an upscale eatery that has a social media-related theme. Check out these 10 places locals love to eat in Fort Worth, all within 20 minutes of city centre.

  • 1

    The Cookshack

    Try a down-home barbecue rib restaurant

    The Cookshack
    • Food

    The Cookshack is a down-home restaurant with a casual atmosphere and a menu that focuses on Southern comfort food like barbecue chicken and ribs. The menu offers everything from chicken sandwiches and tacos to chicken tenders, applewood-smoked ribs, and 5 levels of "heat" for the barbecue sauce.

    Drinks include Southern staples like lemonade and iced tea but also include margaritas, beer, and wine. The restaurant can be found about 8 minutes to the west of city centre Fort Worth in the University Park area, but it requires a bit of a roundabout path up Route 199 to reach it.

    Location: 500 University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA

    Open: Daily from 11 am to 10 pm

    Phone: +1 817-367-9151

    Map
  • 2

    Taste Community Restaurant

    Dine on a budget and support the local community

    Taste Community Restaurant
    • Budget
    • Food

    Taste Community Restaurant is a unique nonprofit restaurant serving the community that offers local, seasonal fare at a pay-what-you-can price. They have only one goal, and that's to be able to provide a meal to anyone who wants one.

    For those travelling on a budget or in need, this is the place to go. They ask only that you pay what you can afford or what you'd normally pay, plus any extra you can afford. Their high-quality food is locally sourced with options like pasta, soup, sandwiches, and more. The restaurant is located in the heart of city centre Fort Worth.

    Location: 1200 S Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA

    Open: Tuesday–Friday from 9 am to 2 pm, Saturday–Sunday 10 am–2 pm (Closed Mondays)

    Phone: +1 817-759-9045

    Map
  • 3

    Provender Hall

    Sample a wide range of American comfort food

    Provender Hall
    • Food

    Provender Hall is a sit-down and takeaway restaurant offering an eclectic menu based on American comfort food in a wide variety of traditions. The restaurant is located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, and the menu features everything from oysters on the half-shell to buffalo tenderloin, a smoked chicken half-bird, chicken gumbo, and more.

    The space encompasses 5,000 square feet and covers 2 stories. On the 2nd level, the dining room offers a rustic and industrial style with wood and brick accents and dual catwalks overlooking the main floor area.

    Location: 122 E Exchange Ave #110, Fort Worth, TX 76164, USA

    Open: Sunday from 3 pm to 7 pm, Wednesday–Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm (closed Monday–Tuesday)

    Phone: +1 817-782-9170

    Map
  • 4

    Local Foods Kitchen

    Eat fresh and local from organic sustainable farms

    Local Foods Kitchen
    • Food

    Local Foods Kitchen offers quality soups, salads, sandwiches, meals, and desserts in small batches that are all ethically sourced from sustainable and organic local farms. Their menu utilises only seasonal ingredients, both to offer the highest-quality meals and to minimise the impact on the environment.

    This also means that the menu is constantly changing, so you're in for a new treat every time you visit. Sit-down and takeaway service are available as well. It's about 13 minutes southwest of city centre Fort Worth.

    Location: 4548 Hartwood Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA

    Open: Monday–Friday from 11 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm (Closed Sundays)

    Phone: +1 817-238-3464

    Map
  • 5

    Giovanni's Italian Kitchen

    Taste some traditional Italian food made with time-honored recipes

    Giovanni's Italian Kitchen
    • Food

    Giovanni's Italian Kitchen offers traditional and authentic Italian food in an open, laid-back, and relaxed atmosphere that's ideal for family dining. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh ingredients and making every dish to order. They have been in business in Fort Worth for over 25 years, and all of their recipes are time-honored.

    They have a BYOB policy, and their menu offers everything from subs like meatball parmesan to pasta dishes such as baked tortellini, cheese ravioli, and fettuccini alfredo, and classic entrees like veal parmigiana and shrimp scampi. It's just about a 15-minute drive south of city centre.

    Location: 5733 Crowley Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76134, USA

    Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 11 am to 10 pm (Closed Mondays)

    Phone: +1 817-551-3713

    Map
  • 6

    Doc B's Restaurant and Bar

    Enjoy a homestyle family meal with comfort food

    Doc B's Restaurant and Bar
    • Food

    Doc B's Restaurant and Bar is a lunch and dinner establishment that serves up food from sandwiches to pizza quickly with local and healthy ingredients. The fare is very much down-home, American comfort food, and the dinner menu includes such staples as barbecue ribs, buttermilk fried chicken, grilled salmon, and more.

    Vegetarian options include the Tofu Wok Out Bowl with broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and cashews. Whatever your culinary preference is, you'll find something to enjoy here and it will be comfort food that's as healthy as it is delicious.

    Location: 5253 Marathon Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA

    Open: Sunday–Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm

    Phone: +1 682-231-8820

    Map
  • 7

    Lucita's Mexican Cocina

    Settle in for some traditional Mexican staples

    Lucita's Mexican Cocina
    • Food

    Lucita's Mexican Cocina is a laid-back, casual, and traditional restaurant serving mostly Mexican standards and staples. Menu items include tacos (made with a choice of carne asada, chicken, pork, or al pastor), quesadillas, fajitas, chicken flautas, enchiladas, burritos, and gorditas.

    Other popular dishes include shrimp cocktail, fish or shrimp tacos, and others. Breakfast is served all day and features items like chorizo with eggs and chicharrones (fried pork rinds). The restaurant is just a 7-minute drive east of the central city centre area.

    Location: 3912 E 1st St #6507, Fort Worth, TX 76111, USA

    Open: Monday–Friday from 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm (Closed Sunday)

    Phone: +1 817-720-5505

    Map
  • 8

    Mash'D

    Get connected in a social media-themed upscale eatery

    • Food

    Mash'D is a casual restaurant in Fort Worth offering comfortable surroundings, craft cocktails, and a high-energy, social media-themed vibe. It's a restaurant that's built to appeal to the younger set who are always on, and it bills itself as "upscale meets down-home."

    Some of the menu highlights include craft French toast, a crab and shrimp volcano, avocado hummus, a turkey burger, meatloaf made with Kobe beef, and chicken-fried pepperoni amongst others. It's located a quick 7-minute drive west of city centre in the Cultural District.

    Location: 2948 Crockett St, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA

    Open: Monday–Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, Friday from 11 am to 11 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 11 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm

    Phone: +1 817-882-6723

    Map
  • 9

    Coco Shrimp

    Try a Polynesian-inspired shrimp dish

    • Food

    Coco Shrimp is a Hawaiian-themed food lorry and restaurant inspired by the owners' experiences at BYU-Hawaii and features Polynesian-inspired shrimp dishes.

    The menu is entirely focused on shrimp and includes such staples as coconut, spicy, lemon herb, and butter garlic shrimp as well as shrimp salad and tacos (though the shrimp tacos are not available at the lorry, only at the sit-down restaurant). The restaurant is located right in the heart of city centre, while the food lorry is about a 17-minute drive to the north.

    Location: 318 Bryan Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 10.30 am to 9 pm

    Phone: +1 817-720-6235

    Map
  • 10

    Nana's KItchen

    Go home again and enjoy some of grandma's cooking

    • Food

    Nana's Kitchen is an old-fashioned diner-style restaurant serving up homestyle American comfort food at affordable prices. The atmosphere here is laid back and casual, and it's intended to present a feeling of home just like visiting grandma's house.

    Some of the most popular menu items at this establishment include rosemary baked chicken, smothered pork chops, meatloaf, chopped beef, sliced brisket, hot wings, and a range of soups and salads. Nana's is just a 13-minute drive to the east of city centre Fort Worth.

    Location: 7403 John T White Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76120, USA

    Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, Saturday from noon–7 pm, Sunday from noon–6 pm (Closed Monday)

    Phone: +1 817-653-7078

    Map