Fort Worth Food Scene: Locals Eat More Than Just BBQ
so here's the deal with fort worth's food scene. everyone thinks it's all brisket and cowboy hats but that's like saying new york is just pizza. sure, the barbecue is legendary but locals? they're eating way more diverse stuff than you'd expect.
i spent a week talking to people from all walks of life - from the barista at avoca coffee to the guy selling tamales out of a cooler at the stockyards. here's what they actually eat:
*mexican food is the real king. not tex-mex, actual mexican. places like el tecolote and lupita's have lines out the door every weekend. one local told me "if you haven't had the tacos al pastor at tecolote, you haven't really eaten in fort worth."
vietnamese food is having a moment too. the banh mi at kho me makes people drive from dallas. and don't even get me started on the pho at nam an - it's the hangover cure of choice for fort worth's service industry workers.
but here's where it gets interesting. the data backs this up. fort worth has seen a 40% increase in ethnic restaurant openings over the past five years, according to the fort worth convention and visitors bureau. meanwhile, traditional tex-mex spots have actually declined by 12%.
the neighborhoods matter. the west 7th corridor is where you'll find the instagram-worthy brunch spots and $15 avocado toast. the near southside is the artsy district with food trucks and craft beer bars. and the stockyards? that's where you go for the touristy barbecue experience - but locals know to hit lucille's instead of the chains.
rent's getting stupid expensive though. average one-bedroom in popular areas is pushing $1,400 now. that's why there's this whole underground supper club scene popping up - people hosting dinner parties in their homes to make extra cash. found a bunch of them on fort worth's local reddit.
weather plays a role too*. when it's 100 degrees for the third week in august, nobody wants to cook. that's when the food delivery apps see their highest usage. but during those magical three weeks of spring? every patio in town is packed with people eating al fresco.
the thing is, fort worth's food scene is evolving fast. it's not trying to be austin or dallas - it's figuring out its own identity. and right now, that identity includes amazing korean fried chicken, craft cocktails, and yes, still really damn good barbecue.
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