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From Cowtown to Culinary Mecca: Why Fort Worth is Rising in the Fine Dining Ranks

With new openings from restaurateurs Jeff Payne and Jason Cross, chef Tim Love, and Duro Hospitality, Fort Worth’s dining scene shows no signs of slowing down.

Once a small ranch town with quiet dirt roads and cattle farms, Fort Worth has since transformed into one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. Though it is often lumped in with Dallas when discussing the DFW metroplex, Fort Worth stands alone as its own entity—one that is far less urban and modern than Dallas. There is a stronger connection to traditional Texas roots like rodeo and cowboy culture, and while the famous Stockyards are still one of the city’s most popular attractions, this evolving cowtown, now with a population of over one million and nearly 10 percent growth in just five years, is stepping into a new era as a culinary mecca. 

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For years (and especially post-Covid), people have been drawn to the area’s comparatively lower cost of living, booming economy and family-friendly nature, creating a more diverse demographic that is expanding the city in ways never expected. Its high affordability enticed transplants moving out of pricier states like California and New York, and though locals might not appreciate the increase in traffic, the new residents have inspired a wave of exciting food and beverage offerings, drastically changing the culinary landscape. More recently, director Taylor Sheridan has helped put Fort Worth on the map with shows like Landman, opening up the area to an entirely new claim to fame. 

I’m originally from the suburbs outside of Dallas (namely, Frisco), but have spent a ton of time........

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