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The Fort Worth Heatmap: Where to Eat Right Now

by Whitney Filloon
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by Whitney Filloon

Welcome to the summer edition of the Eater Fort Worth Heatmap. Here's the part where we turn our attention westward to answer the question: "Where should I eat in Fort Worth right this second?"

New additions to this edition of the Fort Worth Heatmap include a far-flung barbecue joint that's worth the trek, a gluten-free Mexican spot making its own corn tortillas, and one chef's homage to California cuisine.

IN: BBQ on the Brazos, Elote Mexican Kitchen, Salsa Limon, Pacific Table
OUT: Clearfork Food Park, Lee's Grilled Cheese, Ryan's Fine Grocer & Deli

Got a suggestion for a restaurant you think deserves to be added — or deleted from— the next Heatmap edition? Drop us a line or leave a comment below.

Heatmap History

Spring 2013
Added: Waters, Enchiladas Ole, Red Door Bistro, Campisi's
Removed: Torchy's Tacos, Reservoir, Fred's Texas Cafe


—Malcolm Mayhew

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. BBQ on Brazos

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9001 U.S. 377
Cresson, TX 76035
817-396-4758
817-396-4758
Visit Website
Longtime North Texas barbecuer/chef John Sanford is serving dynamite barbecue out of a gas station in Cresson. Crusty brisket and snappy beef sausage are terrific, but load up on the sides, too, like the cilantro slaw and sweet 'n messy cornbread salad.

2. Campisi's

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6150 Camp Bowie
Fort Worth, TX 76116
Visit Website
Dallas-based Campisi's opened its first Fort Worth branch in the spring, finally sating the cries of Fort Worthians who crave rectangular, thin-crust, Sicilian-style pizza. Love the sauce-less veggie pie.

3. Elote Mexican Kitchen

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12584 North Beach Street
Fort Worth, TX 76244
(817) 741-3600
(817) 741-3600
Visit Website
New fast-casual gluten-free Mexican food from same fam that brought us nearby Italian spot Olivia. Best use of the thick, housemade corn tortillas: double-wrapped around sizzling-hot grilled shrimp. Namesake dish served on the cob, coated in lime, chili powder and cotija cheese. Good margs, too.

4. Enchiladas Olé

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901 N Sylvania
Fort Worth, Tx 76111
Visit Website
First time at restaurant bat, and Mary Perez hits it out of the park with this little 'chilada dive. Food is more authentic than fancy, with an emphasis on sauces. Must tries: the enmoladas, chicken enchiladas with verde sauce and old-school red enchiladas.

5. Little Lilly Sushi

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6100 Camp Bowie Blvd
Fort Worth, TX 76116
(817) 989-8886
(817) 989-8886
Visit Website
Chef Jesus Garcia’s menu at this west side Japanese resto rotates more by his imagination than by season. Pray you’re there when he’s doing his duck and oyster okonomiyaki. Pork belly ramen’s excellent, too. Order a California roll, we don’t know you.

6. Magnolia Cheese Co,

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(817) 945-2221
(817) 945-2221
Visit Website
Slowpoke lines at this cozy café and cheese emporium on Magnolia Avenue are worth enduring for the venison sausage melt and cut-to-order cheese planks. Save room -– and pennies -- for the $8.50-a-slice chevre cheesecake.

7. Pacific Table

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1600 South University Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 887-9995
(817) 887-9995
Visit Website
This charming new resto in the University Park Village is headed up by chef Felipe Armenta, best known for serving forward-thinking Ameri-Tex at Tavern on Hulen St. Here, in this airy, handsome spaced lined with cedar wood, he pays tribute to California cuisine, zeroing in on fresh sushi, fish and oysters. Can't beat the tuna on rye.

8. Red Door Bistro

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4938 Overton Ridge Blvd
Fort Worth, TX 79132
(817) 292-0000
(817) 292-0000
Visit Website
Last thing anyone expected Donna and Bobby Albanese of beloved Italian resto Piola to do: Not serve Italian. But here they are, in this exquisite, quiet, strip-mall resto, doing wonders with chicken roulade, burgers and beignets.

9. Revolver Taco Lounge

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2822 W. 7th St.
Fort Worth, TX
Visit Website
Authentic Mex Mex served in a classy, white table-clothed environment. Corn tortillas made in-house, as you watch. On weekend nights, look for Revolver’s new sidewalk taquiza, a build-your-own-taco stand pushing $2 tacos.

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10. Rodeo Goat Ice House

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2836 Bledsoe St
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 877-4628
(817) 877-4628
Visit Website
The Wynne family (Flying Saucer, Meddlesome Moth) entered the burger biz with this West 7th b-joint, housed in an old candy factory. Clever toppings and housemade sauces are great but the real sweethearts of this Rodeo are the juicy patties, ground daily in-house. Killer patio and brews, too.

11. Salsa Limon

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929 University Dr.
Fort Worth, TX
Visit Website
What a cool location for siblings Milo and Rosalia Ramirez's first standalone Salsa Limon: in an historic "streamline moderne" building from '47. As with their food trucks and La Gran Plaza mall storefront, you'll find a good mix of gringo and non-gringo tacos - fajita, barbacoa, tongue and intestines -- along with quesadillas, agua fresca and squealy TCU students.

12. Waters Coastal Cuisine

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2900 Crockett St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Visit Website
After conquering the wild kingdom at his self-named, game-heavy resto in southwest Fort Worth, chef Jon Bonnell goes all Waterworld on us, turning the old Bailey's Prime Plus into a luxurious ode to the ocean. Nibble away on BBQ oysters and seafood gumbo; the smart shall save a place for lemon icebox cheesecake.

13. Woodshed Smokehouse

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3201 Riverfront Dr.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 740-8835
(817) 740-8835
Visit Website
Tim Love's ode to campfire cooking remains one of the top tables in the city, and it's not just barbecue: there's also turkey tamales, smoked Brussel sprouts and, for breakfast, the "Sandwich," a two-fisted taco filled with a tenderloin patty, pickled chiles, an over easy egg and lamb bacon. Tim effing rules.

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1. BBQ on Brazos

9001 U.S. 377, Cresson, TX 76035
Longtime North Texas barbecuer/chef John Sanford is serving dynamite barbecue out of a gas station in Cresson. Crusty brisket and snappy beef sausage are terrific, but load up on the sides, too, like the cilantro slaw and sweet 'n messy cornbread salad.
9001 U.S. 377
Cresson, TX 76035
817-396-4758
Visit Website

2. Campisi's

6150 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, TX 76116
Dallas-based Campisi's opened its first Fort Worth branch in the spring, finally sating the cries of Fort Worthians who crave rectangular, thin-crust, Sicilian-style pizza. Love the sauce-less veggie pie.
6150 Camp Bowie
Fort Worth, TX 76116
Visit Website

3. Elote Mexican Kitchen

12584 North Beach Street, Fort Worth, TX 76244
New fast-casual gluten-free Mexican food from same fam that brought us nearby Italian spot Olivia. Best use of the thick, housemade corn tortillas: double-wrapped around sizzling-hot grilled shrimp. Namesake dish served on the cob, coated in lime, chili powder and cotija cheese. Good margs, too.
12584 North Beach Street
Fort Worth, TX 76244
(817) 741-3600
Visit Website

4. Enchiladas Olé

901 N Sylvania, Fort Worth, Tx 76111
First time at restaurant bat, and Mary Perez hits it out of the park with this little 'chilada dive. Food is more authentic than fancy, with an emphasis on sauces. Must tries: the enmoladas, chicken enchiladas with verde sauce and old-school red enchiladas.
901 N Sylvania
Fort Worth, Tx 76111
Visit Website

5. Little Lilly Sushi

6100 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76116
Chef Jesus Garcia’s menu at this west side Japanese resto rotates more by his imagination than by season. Pray you’re there when he’s doing his duck and oyster okonomiyaki. Pork belly ramen’s excellent, too. Order a California roll, we don’t know you.
6100 Camp Bowie Blvd
Fort Worth, TX 76116
(817) 989-8886
Visit Website

6. Magnolia Cheese Co,

Fort Worth, TX 76104
Slowpoke lines at this cozy café and cheese emporium on Magnolia Avenue are worth enduring for the venison sausage melt and cut-to-order cheese planks. Save room -– and pennies -- for the $8.50-a-slice chevre cheesecake.
(817) 945-2221
Visit Website

7. Pacific Table

1600 South University Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76107
This charming new resto in the University Park Village is headed up by chef Felipe Armenta, best known for serving forward-thinking Ameri-Tex at Tavern on Hulen St. Here, in this airy, handsome spaced lined with cedar wood, he pays tribute to California cuisine, zeroing in on fresh sushi, fish and oysters. Can't beat the tuna on rye.
1600 South University Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 887-9995
Visit Website

8. Red Door Bistro

4938 Overton Ridge Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 79132
Last thing anyone expected Donna and Bobby Albanese of beloved Italian resto Piola to do: Not serve Italian. But here they are, in this exquisite, quiet, strip-mall resto, doing wonders with chicken roulade, burgers and beignets.
4938 Overton Ridge Blvd
Fort Worth, TX 79132
(817) 292-0000
Visit Website

9. Revolver Taco Lounge

2822 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, TX
Authentic Mex Mex served in a classy, white table-clothed environment. Corn tortillas made in-house, as you watch. On weekend nights, look for Revolver’s new sidewalk taquiza, a build-your-own-taco stand pushing $2 tacos.
2822 W. 7th St.
Fort Worth, TX
Visit Website

10. Rodeo Goat Ice House

2836 Bledsoe St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
The Wynne family (Flying Saucer, Meddlesome Moth) entered the burger biz with this West 7th b-joint, housed in an old candy factory. Clever toppings and housemade sauces are great but the real sweethearts of this Rodeo are the juicy patties, ground daily in-house. Killer patio and brews, too.
2836 Bledsoe St
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 877-4628
Visit Website

11. Salsa Limon

929 University Dr., Fort Worth, TX
What a cool location for siblings Milo and Rosalia Ramirez's first standalone Salsa Limon: in an historic "streamline moderne" building from '47. As with their food trucks and La Gran Plaza mall storefront, you'll find a good mix of gringo and non-gringo tacos - fajita, barbacoa, tongue and intestines -- along with quesadillas, agua fresca and squealy TCU students.
929 University Dr.
Fort Worth, TX
Visit Website

12. Waters Coastal Cuisine

2900 Crockett St., Fort Worth, TX 76107
After conquering the wild kingdom at his self-named, game-heavy resto in southwest Fort Worth, chef Jon Bonnell goes all Waterworld on us, turning the old Bailey's Prime Plus into a luxurious ode to the ocean. Nibble away on BBQ oysters and seafood gumbo; the smart shall save a place for lemon icebox cheesecake.
2900 Crockett St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Visit Website

13. Woodshed Smokehouse

3201 Riverfront Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76107
Tim Love's ode to campfire cooking remains one of the top tables in the city, and it's not just barbecue: there's also turkey tamales, smoked Brussel sprouts and, for breakfast, the "Sandwich," a two-fisted taco filled with a tenderloin patty, pickled chiles, an over easy egg and lamb bacon. Tim effing rules.
3201 Riverfront Dr.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 740-8835
Visit Website

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