Self-made chef Hao Tran is working on her “dream project” of opening a Vietnamese restaurant, Duong DuVille. However, her cooking first sparked local admiration at her flagship business, Hao’s Grocery and Cafe, in Fort Worth’s Near Southside neighborhood.
When the Star-Telegram last spoke to Tran in February, she was unsure of what the future would look like for Hao’s Grocery.
“The funny thing is everything just kind of happens organically,” Tran told the Star-Telegram.
Luckily, market devotees do not have to say goodbye to the South Main grocery store. Hao’s Grocery and Cafe will start to operate as a full-service tea shop and deli starting July 1.
Cho Ke, AKA “Choke,” founder of Arte Tea Co., will serve teas throughout the day and conduct tasting events in addition to selling loose-leaf teas. Chef Luu Lac, founder of It’s Food, will sell his plant-based dumplings and Vietnamese banh mi in the deli portion. He will also serve as Chef de Cuisine at Duong DeVille.
“Choke has always wanted a tea shop,” Tran said. “And of course we [Hao’s Grocery] want to offer Luu’s food. It’s stellar and it expands our food choices.”
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Green mango salad from Hao’s Grocery and Cafe April family dinner. Chef Hao Tran cooked up a sneak peek into the Duong DeVille menu. Courtesy photo by Hao Tran Hao’s Grocery and Cafe updates
Choke operated Arte Tea Co. as a pop-up around Fort Worth for many years, with “CommuniTea” every Thursday from 9 p.m. to midnight at Hao’s Grocery. Now, her tea will be offered daily at Hao’s.
Tran calls Choke a “tea sommelier” of sorts, since she has traveled extensively through Asia to learn about and source the tea she sells. She will also put on more CommuniTea nights, meditation classes and events.
The deli will consist of meals from Duong DeVille, along with plant-based options from It’s Food, including Tran’s famous dumplings and Vietnamese banh mi.
After these concepts launch on July 1, Tran and her team may look into opening up the store on Tuesday and Wednesdays as well as offering an Asian Sunday brunch. Currently, Hao’s is only open Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
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Around every fourth Monday of the month, Hao’s Grocery and Cafe conducts a family dinner meal made with donation ingredients from Meals with Meaning free grocery boxes. Courtesy photo by Hao Tran
Hao’s Grocery offers many community events, but one that stands out is its monthly “family meal.” Around every fourth Monday of the month, Hao cooks up a family-style table meal. Sometimes it’s Italian, sometimes it’s her classic Vietnamese cooking.
The ingredients for family meals are from the previous day’s Meals with Meaning donation boxes. If you aren’t aware, every Saturday morning, Hao’s and Meals with Meaning gives away free boxes full of fresh ingredients.
“The idea is that we use the donations that we get as the ingredients to show people like, ‘Hey, how do you cook with this?’” Tran said.
Hao Tran’s rice cakes, a dish from Hue, the western region of Vietnam where her father is from. Guests may find a similar dish at Duong DeVille. Hao Tran Courtesy photo from Hao Tran When will Duong DeVille open?
The highly anticipated Duong DeVille has plans to open late this summer. The exact date is in limbo.
However, there is a way to get a foretaste of the menu. The Meals with Meaning supper club is putting on a seven-course dinner on June 7 exclusively featuring Duong DeVille beef dishes.
Tran also gave a menu sneak peek at her most recent family meal.
“We served tamarind, hot and sour soup. Braised pork and egg. Green mango salad with greens from Conundrum Farms,” she said. “And a dessert which was red bean and coconut cream.”
Kitchen equipment at Duong DeVille is going in this week. And once the space is built out, furniture will make the restaurant complete.
To see updates about Hao’s Grocery and Cafe or Duong Deville, follow their Instagram and Facebook accounts.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 10:39 AM.
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Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.