{"id":773180,"date":"2026-05-04T18:56:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T18:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/773180\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T18:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T18:56:16","slug":"soft-serve-sips-top-7-best-fort-worth-food-events-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/773180\/","title":{"rendered":"Soft-serve sips top 7 best Fort Worth food events this week"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 <\/strong>CultureMap Tastemaker Awards <\/strong>celebrated Fort Worth’s culinary all-stars \u2014 the restaurants, bars, and chefs who’ve impacted the local dining scene most in the past year.<\/p>\n

After months of buildup, the winners finally were crowned at our signature tasting event and awards ceremony, hosted by local TV news personality Marc Istook<\/a>, on Thursday, April 30 at Social Space.<\/p>\n

For weeks leading up to the event, we introduced nominees to readers in a special editorial series<\/a>. A panel of expert judges helped select all of the winners, except for Best New Restaurant. That was determined by you, our readers, in a bracket-style tournament.<\/p>\n

Now, without further delay, let’s raise a glass to the 2026 Fort Worth Tastemaker Award winners:<\/p>\n

Restaurant of the Year: <\/strong>Cattlemen’s Steak House
<\/a><\/strong>The landmark Stockyards steakhouse opened in 1947 as a beacon of new development with its Vegas-style flashing lights and steaks grilled on hot charcoal right in the dining room. But not much changed over the next seven-plus decades until Fort Worth native TV producer-director Taylor Sheridan purchased Cattlemen\u2019s in 2023, completely reinventing the restaurant with a new patio, music stage, multiple bars, updated furnishings, and an underground private club that\u2019s seen in Landman season two. As for the menu, steaks are now sourced from Sheridan\u2019s Four Sixes Ranch, and there are new additions like blue lump crab cakes, steak tartare, and Wagyu meatballs with cheesy polenta. Even longtime local regulars \u2013 who may have been skeptical at first \u2013 are impressed.<\/p>\n

Chef of the Year: <\/strong>Jon Bonnell, Bonnell’s<\/a>, Waters<\/a>, Buffalo Bros.<\/a>, Jon\u2019s Grille
<\/a><\/strong>Born and raised in Fort Worth and with a penchant for hunting and fishing, Jon Bonnell is widely considered the modern-day godfather of Cowtown\u2019s culinary scene. He opened his namesake restaurant, Bonnell\u2019s Fine Texas Cuisine, in 2001, intentionally spotlighting local farmers and ranchers on his wild game-centric menu. Buffalo Bros, Waters, and Jon\u2019s Grille followed, as did his dedication to the promotion of Fort Worth\u2019s food scene. Bonnell is constantly recommending other local restaurants to his thousands of Facebook followers. His philanthropic efforts are well-documented, from his countless donations to local charities to his boots-on-the-ground work \u2013 like the time he loaded up and cooked meals for first responders in Port Aransas after Hurricane Harvey \u2013 no questions asked. Even after a recent battle with throat and tongue cancer, Bonnell\u2019s giving spirit has not diminished: he is now a passionate advocate for HPV vaccinations.<\/p>\n

Bar of the Year: <\/strong>Crystal Springs Hideaway<\/a>
<\/strong>This laid-back Texas beer garden located in a century-old bungalow in the River District (113 Roberts Cut Off Rd.) has built a loyal following for its great patio and friendly service. Most of the seating is outside, where a water tower overlooks trees strung with lights, a stone carriage house doubles as a second bar, and a stage stays busy with live music and watch parties. The Texas beer garden theme is evident in the list of more than a dozen Texas beers on tap. Signature cocktails include the Soggy Peso Margarita, a tribute to Isla Mujeres, a favorite getaway of the owners.<\/p>\n

Best New Restaurant:<\/strong> Cocodrie’s Bayou Kitchen
<\/a><\/strong>This new Cajun food destination in North Richland Hills (5209 A Rufe Snow Dr.) is from former Louisiana shrimper Jesse Gibson, who previously sold crawfish, gumbo, oysters, and king cakes under his brand, The Wild Cajun. Named for a small fishing community near Gibson\u2019s hometown, Cocodrie\u2019s is where hundreds lined up to devour 1,300 pounds of crawfish and two gators grilled over an open fire on Fat Tuesday in February.<\/p>\n

Rising Star Chef of the Year: <\/strong>Levi Gardner, Westland Hospitality
<\/a><\/strong>With not one, but four restaurants under his culinary leadership (JD\u2019s Hamburgers, Margie\u2019s Italian Gardens, Pulido\u2019s Kitchen & Cantina, West Side Caf\u00e9), Levi Gardner is responsible for some of Fort Worth\u2019s most beloved menus. He\u2019s rapidly becoming more of a household name in foodie circles, but Gardner is by no means new to high-profile kitchen gigs. Before joining Westland Hospitality, he was the executive chef for the iconic 6666\u2019s Ranch, cooking for famous cowboys along with stars of the Yellowstone cast and musical artists like Metallica, Shane Smith & The Saints, and Turnpike Troubadours.<\/p>\n

Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: <\/strong>Rex\u2019s Bar & Grill
<\/strong><\/a>This sports bar and grill opened next door to its sibling Ol\u2019 South Pancake House at Interstate 30 and University Drive (1501 S. University) in early 2025 and is named after its amiable owner Rex Benson. But guests have come to know that Rex\u2019s is far from just a sports bar. Longtime Fort Worth chef Brian Olenjack leads the kitchen, where he dreams up specials like blackened mahi mahi served over house-made gumbo, St. Louis-style pork ribs, chicharr\u00f3nes brisket \u201ccowboy nachos,\u201d and Bayou smothered mushroom chicken. Thanks to its spacious interior, enclosed patio, and even a turf space for the kids to let loose, Rex\u2019s has become a local favorite for families, post-golf cocktails, and even date night for live music on the patio or a nightcap at the bar. Rex\u2019s also serves a stellar weekend brunch.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dessert Program of the Year:<\/strong> FunkyTown Donuts & Drafts
<\/a><\/strong>Sundance Square is a lot sweeter thanks to this gourmet corner doughnut shop (132 E. 4th St.), where owner Brandon Moors and his team dream up delicious flavor combinations like lemon blueberry, pistachio with taro glaze, and Samoa with caramel and toasted coconut. They’re also known to bake up sweet treats matching the themes of shows at Bass Performance Hall across the street (always a tempting stop for patrons before and after performances). FunkyTown is also popular for custom orders like doughnut walls, giant doughnuts, and \u201cmessage doughnuts\u201d that can spell out any sentiment a customer desires.<\/p>\n

Coffee Shop of the Year:<\/strong> Buon Giorno Coffee
<\/a><\/strong>Inspired by a hiking trip in Italy where he tasted the best espresso of his life, David Clarke first opened Buon Giorno coffeehouse and roastery in Grapevine in 2006. A downtown Fort Worth location followed in 2010 in a small space on Florence Street, where, for a decade, coffee purists visited for high quality coffee beverages in a quiet, amiable setting. Clarke moved to a larger location at 500 W. Seventh St. in 2020, providing patrons more room to stretch their legs and enjoy Italian espresso along with breakfast and lunch items baked in house, from quiche to paninis and pastries.<\/p>\n

Best Sandwich:<\/strong> Carshon’s Deli
<\/a><\/strong>With roots dating back to 1928, Carshon\u2019s Deli is one of Fort Worth\u2019s oldest and most cherished restaurants, considered a bucket list destination by many (and one of the only restaurants in town that’s still cash-only). While it\u2019s changed locations a couple times during its nearly century-old history, the current location at 3133 Cleburne Rd. has drawn regulars since the early 1970s. Longtime favorite sandwiches include the iconic Rachel \u2013 a corned beef and turkey melt with Swiss, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye. There\u2019s also the Rebecca, piled with pastrami and smoked turkey, slathered with cream cheese, and layered on egg bread. Other sandwiches can be customized with everything from egg salad and chopped liver to bologna and peppered beef.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Fort Worth by Maker’s Mark, Lone Star Beer, H-E-B, Saratoga Water, and NXT LVL Event. A portion of the proceeds benefit our nonprofit partner, the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n