What’s more enjoyable than grabbing a meal or a drink on a patio overlooking the suburban landscape?
Even in the depths of the dog days of August, a nightcap when the sun’s gone down is a pleasure.
Here are some of my favorite spots in Fort Worth, the city of cowboys and culture where the West begins, located downtown, in the Historic Stockyards on the north side, and near the Cultural District (the country’s number one Zoo and world-class museums await).
If Fort Worth is a little too far for you, we’ve included options in Dallas and Collin counties as well.
Reata Restaurant is the original home of upscale cowboy cuisine, much imitated but hard to beat — especially when you consider the Sundance Square mainstay has three patios with different views of Fort Worth.
Branch & Bird sits at the Sky Lobby level of Frost Tower downtown. The restaurant is open for bankers’ lunch to late-evening nightcaps. Try Wine on the Skyline on Wednesdays, with live music and half-off bottles of wine.
Lot 12 is a sports-themed bar atop the new Hyatt Place TCU. Sports fans might also enjoy the Top Golf Swing Suites. The menu’s mostly tapas with a burger, tacos, and a giant nacho plate, but Lot 12 is a great way to start or end a trip through the Cultural District.
Tinie’s Mexican Cuisine is a newer restaurant offering a stellar cocktail menu along with Mexican brunch and Taco Tuesdays. Tinie’s is located in a renovated 1930s-era building on the up-and-coming South Main area, where plenty of food and nightlife options abound.
Ático is Spanish for “attic” or “top floor” (depending on who’s translating for you). Restaurateur Tim Love’s new tapas and cocktail restaurant sits in Fort Worth’s Stockyards, but provides a stunning view of the buildings downtown.
Are you a Dallasite who doesn’t feel like crossing the Trinity River?
Sky Blossom Bistro opened in downtown Dallas last January. The Vietnamese restaurant has a patio so popular; you’ll need to plan a couple of weeks in advance if you want to dine on it.
Meanwhile, Plano’s Haywire at Legacy West offers a lovely farm-to-table menu. Their signature cocktail, the Front Porch Swing, comes in both traditional and “skinny” versions if you’re trying to cut back on the refined sugar!
DFW is blessed with an abundance of locally and regionally owned restaurants offering spectacular views and relaxing vibes. Go enjoy!
