These are the 11 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week
October 18,2021
See full CultureMap Fort Worth article by Celestina Blok here.
Fall festival season is back as several favorite events have returned after a long hiatus — including the big Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival (slightly scaled back). It’s also a good time for carb-loading; a wine bar is hosting an Italian wine dinner, and a downtown restaurant is featuring pasta specials all week. Get in the spooky spirit with a murder mystery dinner, fill up on some smoked whole hog, then start next week strong with a fall-themed beer dinner featuring a local distillery.
Tuesday, October 19
National Pasta Week at il Modo
National Pasta Day was Sunday, but the folks at downtown’s newest Italian restaurant are celebrating all week with chef specials. From now until October 23, a new pasta dish will be featured daily, ranging from mushroom fettucine to linguini arrabiata. Located inside the new Kimpton Harper hotel, the restaurant opens daily at 5 pm and reservations are recommended.
Thursday, October 21
Italian Wine Dinner at Thirty Eight & Vine
The pour-by-push-button wine bar located in the Foundry District will host a multicourse wine dinner featuring dishes from Fort Worth favorite Italian restaurant Café Bella. Paired wines will be by Il Borro. Seats are $110 per person plus tax and gratuity, and dinner begins at 6:30 pm.
Friday, October 22
29th Annual Mid-Cities Greek FoodFest
The three-day event will be held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church Friday through Sunday featuring Greek food galore and live dance performances. Partake in homemade lamb chops, gyro sandwiches, pastitsio casserole, flaming cheese, hummus, and more paired with Greek beer and wine. Admission and parking are free all weekend. The festival will run 11 am-10 pm Friday and Saturday and 11am-4 pm Sunday.
Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival: Fall Edition
A year-and-a-half after being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival is back for a mini fall rendition. There are three days of unique events, all set to take place outside at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork (and they're expected to sell out, so online tickets are the way to go). Ticket sales benefit the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation, which funds culinary scholarships and classroom grants. The three events are:
At Friday’s Taco. Beer. Repeat. (6-9 pm, $100) guests will get their taco fix from 18 different restaurants, including Magdalena’s, Mi Dia From Scratch, and Del Norte Tacos.
Saturday will bring Gameday Gourmet (2-5 pm, $100), where 18 chefs — including Jon Bonnell, Stefon Rishel, and Michael Thomson — will prep their tailgate favorites over live fire. There’ll be plenty of craft beer, wine and spirits to wash it all down at both of these events.
The festival will commence Sunday with Bluegrass Brunch (11 am-2 pm, $200), featuring a five-course, Southern-inspired seated meal paired with beverages. Six chefs will collaborate for this one, including Blaine Staniford of Grace and Shannon and Austin Odom of Walnut Springs’ buzzworthy Oma Leen’s. A live bluegrass band and community-style seating will ensure a good time.
Murder in Sundance Square
Participate in murder mystery action during a three-course dinner at the Aloft Fort Worth Downtown hotel. Professional actors play out scenes from a crime that guests will help solve. Menu selections include blackened tilapia with jalapeño cream sauce and chicken parmesan with pasta Alfredo. Dinner is $62.95 per person (alcohol not included) and begins at 7 pm.
Saturday, October 23
Fort Worth Margarita Festival
Visit The Yard in the West Seventh district for this margarita sampling event, where guests will get to try more than 10 drinks and choose their favorite. The event will include a live DJ music all day and food trucks on-site to provide some sustenance. Tickets start at $25 and the event begins at 12 pm.
BeerFeast at Flying Saucer
Beerknurds rejoice. The downtown draught emporium’s annual beer tasting festival is back after a year hiatus. Guests can choose from 50 different local, national, and international craft brews to try on the Flying Saucer patio, where live music will play all day. The $45 ticket includes an event T-shirt, tasting glass, and 12 tastings. Beerknurds (you know who you are) get a $40 ticket price. The event will run 1-7 pm.
Sunday, October 24
HOGtoberfest
Dayne’s Craft Barbecue (which just got a nod on the Texas Monthly top-50 BBQ list) will visit Lola’s Trailer Park to serve a North Carolina-style whole smoked hog, bratwurst, brat dogs, pork belly burnt ends, and more. Live polka music will keep things lively, and Oktoberfest beer from Panther Island Brewing will be served. The event runs 11 am-6 pm, and admission is free.
Monday, October 25
Beer Dinner with Blackland Distilling at Funky Picnic Brewery & Cafe
The South Main brewery and restaurant will team up with Blackland Distilling for a five-course pairing dinner. Highlights from the fall-themed menu include acorn squash saltimbocca, pumpkin Alfredo with butternut squash ravioli, and seared scallops with apple salad and acorn squash puree. Courses will be paired with beer and cocktails by Blackland. Tickets are $80 per person and do include tax and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7 pm.
Locations Mentioned: Aloft Hotel, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium