National Tequila Day is Thursday this week, and Fort Worth is ready to celebrate with pairing dinners, tastings, mariachi music, and even a sip-and-stroll. It’s also time for one barbecue institution’s annual rib-eating competition, as well as the launch of summer afternoon tea service. Save room for not one, but two Italian wine pairing dinners.
Tuesday, July 22
July Wine Dinner at Caterina’s
Tim Love’s intimate Italian fine dining destination in the Stockyards’ Mule Alley will host its monthly multicourse wine pairing dinner. Menu highlights from the five-course meal include pork ravioli, braised beef ensalada, and roasted swordfish with kalamata olives and sweet corn custard. Dinner is $165, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.
Wednesday, July 23
Summer Afternoon Tea at Bowie House
Bowie House has launched afternoon tea service in its intimate Mulberry Room. The experience begins with a glass of champagne followed by savory bites, buttery biscuits, and sweet indulgences, all paired with seasonal loose leaf teas. The tea service is $75 plus gratuity and is available Wednesdays and Sundays at 1 pm and 3 pm.
Thursday, July 24
An Evening with Clase Azul Tequila at 97 West Kitchen + Bar
Hotel Drover’s signature restaurant will host a rare pairing dinner, this one featuring cocktails by Clase Azul. The evening will start with passed hos d’oeuvres followed by a five-course dinner where guests will learn about the history of tequila making. The $250 ticket price, plus tax and gratuity, includes a custom branded luggage tag and a complimentary gift. The event begins at 5 pm.
National Tequila Day at Los Vaqueros
The Stockyards Tex-Mex destination will mark National Tequila Day with complimentary tastings from Fort Worth-backed La Pulga Tequila. There’ll also be tequila cocktail specials, free swag, and live music by mariachis. The fun will run from 5:30-8:30 pm.
Italian Coastal Wine Dinner at 61 Osteria
This multicourse wine pairing dinner at the downtown Italian restaurant will be inspired by the Italian seaside. Executive chef Blaine Staniford will prepare wood grilled mozzarella, preserved local peppers with white anchovies, Dungeness crab claws, spaghetti and sungold tomatoes with Maine sea urchin, ocean trout, and stone fruit panna cotta with local peaches. The dinner is $150, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm with a welcome reception.
National Tequila Day at Taco Cabana
All locations of the San Antonio-based Tex-Mex fast food chain will feature $1.50 margaritas to celebrate National Tequila Day. Each is made with Casa Alta additive-free, blue agave tequila. (Tip: TC margs are also available via the drive-through window to enjoy at home.) Taco Cabana is also giving away trips to the birthplace of tequila – Jalisco, Mexico – including agave field tours, artisan distillery visits, and private tastings with tequila makers. To win, submit your favorite margarita recipe (up to eight ingredients) by August 10. Three grand prize winners will be chosen, as well as winners for weekly prizes including gift cards and free Taco Cabana for a year.
Saturday, July 26
19th Annual Rib-Eating Contest at Riscky’s Barbecue
The 98-year-old barbecue institution invites barbecue enthusiasts to polish off as many beef ribs as possible in one minute for a chance to win big prizes. The contest is limited to 30 participants, and top three qualifiers will go head-to-head to win $100, $250, and $500 in gift cards. The entry at the door is $5 and includes a complimentary Riscky’s T-shirt. The contest begins at 11 am at Riscky’s Stockyards location. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Tacos & Tequila Block Party in the Stockyards
There will be at least six stops during this tequila sip-and-stroll party in the Stockyards, including Second Rodeo Brewing and Taco Heads. Tickets are $15, plus a small fee, and grant access to discounted specials and themed tequila drinks from participating venues, along with one specialty Casamigos cocktail. Check in between 12-12:30 pm. The event will run until 5 pm.
Winemaker Dinner with Kim McPherson & Chef Pyles at The Seeker
Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars will visit chef Stephan Pyles’ fine dining destination in Stephenville for a five-course wine dinner. Taking place in The Seeker’s private Cork Room, the dinner will feature espresso braised pork belly, black pepper-cured smoked duck breast, and vanilla-scented sea scallops. The dinner is $175, plus gratuity, and begins at 7 pm.