Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth is a Michelin-listed neighbourhood smokehouse celebrated for its creative brisket tacos and sausage programme.
Order: Smoked brisket tacos, chorizo sausage, peach cobbler.
Tip: The bar stays open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday. Try the smoked beef tallow fries alongside the brisket.
Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth is a Michelin-listed neighbourhood smokehouse celebrated for its creative brisket tacos and sausage programme.
Order: Smoked brisket tacos, chorizo sausage, peach cobbler.
Tip: The bar stays open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday. Try the smoked beef tallow fries alongside the brisket.
Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth is a Michelin-listed neighbourhood smokehouse celebrated for its creative brisket tacos and sausage programme.
Order: Smoked brisket tacos, chorizo sausage, peach cobbler.
Tip: The bar stays open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday. Try the smoked beef tallow fries alongside the brisket.
Mexican Inn Cafe is a Fort Worth Tex-Mex institution at 8th Ave that has served the same reliably comforting enchiladas and combination plates since 1936.
Order: Combo plate with enchilada and taco, house cheese dip, sopapillas with honey.
Tip: The 8th Ave location has the most neighbourhood character. Combination plates with two or three items are the best value on the menu.
Esperanza's Park Place in Fort Worth is a second outpost of the family-run Mexican bakery-cafe, with breakfast tacos and fresh pan dulce near the Southside.
Order: Breakfast tacos, tamales, freshly baked pan dulce from the bakery counter.
Tip: The Park Place location has slightly later evening hours than the Main St branch. A great spot before or after a visit to the Botanical Garden.
Soma Winery on Fort Worth's South Main Street is a family-owned urban winery tasting room pouring guided flights from rotating international producers.
Order: Four-wine guided tasting flight featuring two-ounce pours from rotating international producers; seasonal.
Tip: Reservations are recommended on weekends; walk-ins are welcome on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings when the room is quieter.
The Holly on West Daggett Avenue in Fort Worth is a neighbourhood natural wine bar focused on sustainable, biodynamic producers from small European estates.
Order: Natural wine flight featuring biodynamic and organic producers; mystery glass for adventurous drinkers.
Tip: Order the mystery glass for a staff-chosen natural wine at a flat price; it is the best way to discover low-intervention producers you would not pick yourself.
The Bearded Lady in Fort Worth South Main is a dog-friendly gastropub with a large covered patio, rotating Texas craft taps, and a solid pub food menu.
Order: One of the rotating local Texas taps; the smash burger with fries.
Tip: The large patio is a great afternoon spot. Closed Mondays year-round.
Atlas on Fort Worth South Main is a cocktail bar with globally inspired drinks and elevated bites, open late most nights in a compact and welcoming space.
Order: The globally inspired house cocktail; the elevated small plates from the kitchen.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Weekend opening on Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 makes it one of the few South Main options for afternoon cocktails.
HopFusion Ale Works in Fort Worth brews every drop on-site, offering 20 taps in a colourful taproom with three garage doors opening onto a lively patio.
Order: Feisty Blonde honey ale; El Gran Pepinillo pickle beer; Fur Slipper milk stout.
Tip: Arrive early on Friday for the 19:00 live music session, when the covered patio fills up fast with local regulars.
Southside Cellar in Fort Worth's Near Southside curates deep local and regional craft taps alongside a bottle shop and an in-house pizza kitchen on S Main.
Order: Curated Texas draft rotating taps; local bottle-shop selections to go; craft pizza from the in-house kitchen.
Tip: The bottle shop carries limited-release cans not on draft; ask the bartender for what just came in if you want something genuinely rare.