{"id":721407,"date":"2026-04-11T22:34:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T22:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/721407\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T22:34:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T22:34:43","slug":"our-favorite-bites-at-fort-worth-food-and-wine-festivals-main-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/721407\/","title":{"rendered":"Our favorite bites at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

I had 23 bites at the 2026 Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival. And yes, I\u2019m very full.<\/p>\n

Local chefs gather for this four-day event<\/a> put on by the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation to show off their culinary talents. It\u2019s quite the deal \u2014 guests get the opportunity to try dozens of restaurants for one ticket price.<\/p>\n

I attended The Main Event,<\/a> which featured 21 local restaurants and over 25 beverage vendors. There were a lot of tacos and pasta and surprisingly, little barbecue. Some chefs offer bites similar to what is offered on their restaurant menus; others curate samplings that are exclusive to the event.<\/p>\n

\"Caviar<\/p>\n

Caviar cornbread from Bricks & Horses at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event.<\/p>\n

Chef Antonio Votta of Bricks & Horses<\/a> offered caviar cornbread<\/b>, which was a crowd favorite. This may seem simple, but each ingredient was carefully selected. They used local Texas pecans from the TX Pecan Company, mandarin-scented cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche and caviar from Petrossian.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur concept focuses on refining local comforts, so I always start there. I aim to create a bite that incites thought and offers a wide range of flavor notes,\u201d he said when I asked how he came up with the dish. \u201cFrom there, I conceptualize textures that hit every sense to ensure the final result is complex, flavorful, and memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n

When I asked about what other chefs\u2019 dishes he was excited to try, Chef Votta said, \u201cHonestly, all of them!\u201d That perfectly reflects the level of craft present at the festival. When it comes to creating one bite for a guest to try, creativity is explosive.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Sicilian Butcher served vodka rigatoni out of a Parmesan wheel at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event.<\/p>\n

What I ate at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event<\/p>\n

Let me just say the theme was pork, pork, pork and tacos, tacos, tacos. For it not being the Tacos & Tequila<\/a> event, I was surprised by all the tortilla-wrapped dishes. But then I remembered, we are in Texas and that is what people eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner anyway.<\/p>\n

Note: For the sake of story length, I cannot highlight all the restaurants and chefs.<\/p>\n

The Sicilian Butcher<\/a> had a whole Parmesan wheel from which vodka pasta was served. So salty, perfectly spicy and the pasta tasted incredibly fresh.<\/p>\n

Rough Creek Lodge<\/a> had antelope sausage in a garlic roll with a chimichurri sauce. The sausage resembled chorizo and paired well with the herbs.<\/p>\n

Piatello<\/a> had crispy calamari with salty fried olives. Salt is the main flavor, but that\u2019s what makes it so yummy.<\/p>\n

\"Mesquite-smoked<\/p>\n

Mesquite-smoked peppered beef tenderloin from Perini Ranch Steakhouse at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event.<\/p>\n

Perini Ranch Steakhouse<\/a> had a smoked peppered beef tenderloin slice, which was so tender, soft and buttery.<\/p>\n

Ellerbee\u2019s Fine Food<\/a> featured deviled egg tartlets with bright dill and a sliver of salmon. It was sophisticated, fresh and easy to eat.<\/p>\n

\"Bonnell\u2019s<\/p>\n

Bonnell\u2019s quail schnitzel with a creamed spinach pasta at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival\u2019s Main Event.<\/p>\n

Top 5 bites at Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival<\/p>\n

Out of the 23 servings I tried, I crown these as my favorites because they were so good, I finished the whole sampling.<\/p>\n

In no particular order:<\/p>\n