Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival Preview

Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival Preview

This year’s version of the city’s biggest food week will feature some new attractions and vendors.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

Spring is here, which means that so is the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival. The sixth annual event, which runs Thu-Sun, April 4-7, has already become a city institution, where the price of your ticket goes toward scholarship programs to educate Fort Worth’s great chefs of the future –– as well as buying you countless food samples from some of the best restaurants in town. Many of these events were once set in the middle of nowhere but now are close to the new Shops at Clearfork. We dare say you’ll find the festival a bargain at $450 for a weekend pass or anywhere between $50 and $150 for the various individual events.

Tacos + Tequila

On Thursday, April 4, the binge begins with a taco festival at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork (5000 Clearfork Main St). Like sushi, the delectable taco is a street food that has made its way upmarket, lending itself to exotic ingredients, creative minds, and delicate presentation. Estimable local taquerias such as Meso Maya and Mariachi’s Dine-In will be up against newcomers such as McKinney’s Patina Green Home and Market and Four Sisters — A Taste of Vietnam. (Like we said, tacos can accommodate all manner of ingredients, including the non-Latin ones.) Of course, you’ll be able to wash the tacos down with a seemingly infinite variety of tequila on offer or their rougher, smokier, no-less-interesting cousins, mezcal. Tickets are $50-60.

The sixth annual Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival runs Thu-Sun, April 4-7.

Photo by Farrar Food Photography, courtesy of Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival

Main Event

The blowout of the festival on Friday has always taken place in the old Pier 1 Imports Building, but this year it moves to the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork as well. At this writing, the restaurants that are planning to take part include several mainstays: Bird Café, Bonnell’s, Reata, Nonna Tata, and Piattello among them. The restaurants from the Clearfork shops such as Malai Kitchen and Fixe Southern House all made their debuts at last year’s festival and know what to expect now. Still, there’s sure to be more restaurants and caterers jumping in to present their fare at the best-attended event of the week. You’ll also need as much food as possible to absorb the wine, beer, cider, and whiskey that you’ll be sampling here. Tickets are $125-150.

Desserts After Dark

This event stays in place at the Whiskey Ranch (4250 Mitchell Blvd), where it was held last year. We’ll see if whiskey is still a featured ingredient in all the dishes. Veteran dessert establishments such as Stir Crazy Baked Goods and Joy Macarons will be joined by newcomers such as Sweetie’s Cheesecakes, Dallas-based Kate Weiser Chocolate, and Cinnaholic, the Atlantabased chain of upscale cinnamon bun bakeries that just opened its Fort Worth location. Tickets are $60-70.

Culinary Corral

On Saturday, a new feature of the festival replaces last year’s Rise + Dine event. Now the week’s big brunch has been augmented by live music, an artisanal marketplace, and a beer garden, among other things. Some big names such as Jon Bonnell’s Waters: Fine Coastal Cuisine and Café Modern will be here, along with FunkyTown Donuts and soufflé specialists Rise No. 3. Walking around doing some shopping while sampling all these brunch foods sounds like a perfect way to spend an April afternoon. Tickets are $75.

Burgers, Brews + Blues

Thankfully, this event focuses on sliders, because you couldn’t eat a whole burger from every single establishment here in one go. Old standbys like Tommy’s, Fred’s, and Rodeo Goat will look to test out new creations for their menus, while a bright newcomer like Knife Burger and an out-of-town contender in Bridgeport’s Rock City Burger will try to dazzle you with their distinctive interpretations of ground meat and bread. Also, Melt Ice Creams will be here — wonder what they’re going to do? Beer always goes well with burgers, and 22 local breweries will have suds on hand to counteract the richness of the food. Tickets are $70.

Ring of Fire

Capping the festival is an all-new event. The Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival has spotlighted barbecue before, but this year, they’re expanding their cookout event to include grilled vegetables, pizza, and exotic game meats. This year, we have Stillwater Barbecue (Abilene), Ten50 BBQ (Richardson and soon Grapevine), and BBQ on the Brazos (Cresson). We also have the new Brix Barbecue food trailer. Appropriately enough, a Johnny Cash cover band (Bennie Wheels & Walkin’ the Line) will provide music for this event. Along with spirits, wine, and beer, this should bring the festival to a smoky end. Tickets are $65-75.

For tickets, visit Fortworthfoodandwinefestival. com. Be sure to use the hashtag #ZesttheFest to keep up with everyone’s pictures.

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