This creative community offers one of Fort Worth’s “restaurant rows.” The neighborhood is a hub for live music venues, breweries, bars, galleries and plenty of artistic endeavors within walking distance. Near Southside is also the home of the Medical Innovation District, with five major hospitals enhanced by entrepreneurship, innovation and research.
EAT
It’s easy to hop from one restaurant or bar to another on South Main Street, just south of Downtown. For an elevated take on Tex-Mex, Tinies has all the tacos and margaritas you can enjoy. Join them for Taco Tuesday or brunch on the weekends. Wishbone & Flynt offers an approachable dining experience with interesting dishes that are sure to satisfy, like their venison tenderloin or PB&J Wings. The Funky Picnic Brewery & Café has a full kitchen that offers artisan sandwiches, burgers, appetizers, desserts and specialty beers.
With another location in Austin, Nickel City is a laidback pub with tons of options for mixed drinks, beer, sliders and hot dogs with crinkle fries. The Bearded Lady across the street is a low-key gaslight pub with a dog-friendly patio that offers monthly specials like a burger of the month and a grilled cheese of the month.
Up the street, Tre Mogli serves family style Italian cuisine in an inviting space that includes a semi-private dining area upstairs. Coco Shrimp is a quirky, charming spot with incredible shrimp of five different flavors and garlic-y, buttery rice.
Brix BBQ’s menu might be limited, but the force of its flavors is in every bite. With BBQ chicken tenders and smoked meat sandwiches and plates, this restaurant is worth the visit. Panther City BBQ gives everyone a run for their money with twists on traditional barbecue dishes like pork belly poppers and brisket elote cups.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with seasonal, creative pies at Emporium Pies, the self-described shop of “fine pies for fine folk in Texas.” And get a boost of caffeine at Roots Coffeehouse.
Near Southside has not one, but two “restaurant rows,” and the second is on Magnolia Ave. Have a boozy brunch at Brewed or Paris Coffee Shop, a Fort Worth institution since 1926. Across the street, Walloon’s Restaurant is a seafoodie’s paradise, with moules frites, redfish beignets, and Fort Worth’s Coldest Martini. Cat City Grill is a bar and bistro that offers a little bit of everything including an award-winning chicken fried steak. Lili’s Bistro on Magnolia has creative comfort food in a warm, lively setting.
For more international flavors, try Shinjuku Station for sushi and Japanese small plates, King Tut for Egyptian cuisine with tons of vegetarian options and Spice for traditional Thai noodle dishes, curries and stir-fries. Boulevard of Greensor Spiral Diner & Bakery have the neighborhood’s vegan options, with delicious, health-conscious dishes.
After brunch or dinner, visit Stir Crazy Baked Goods for a selection of cupcakes, cookies and pies.
Melt Ice Creams’ location on Magnolia offers the small batch, high-quality ice cream that Fort Worth has come to expect from the local chain. Avoca Coffee and Cherry Coffee Shop are great places to grab a coffee and relax during your exploration of Near Southside.
NIGHTLIFE
Craft beer enthusiasts, rejoice! Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. has a long history of beer-making from its 150-year-old German heritage. The award-winning HopFusion AleWorks offers a selection of creative beers, tasting flights and brewery tours. The Radler Biergarten serves gourmet hot dogs, Bavarian pretzels, and craft beer in a converted home with an outdoor patio and casual vibes.
For the enologists out there, visit Magnolia Wine Bar, which serves a large, rotating selection of domestic and international wines. The Holly Bar is a retail bottle shop and wine bar that celebrates small batch natural wines. And the urban micro-winery SOMA Winery pours a carefully curated list of wines in an intimate tasting room.
Tarantula Tiki Lounge serves classic beach-themed drinks like mai-tais and daquiris, original rum cocktails and four different “bowls,” massive cocktails that serve more than 2 people.
For live music, head to Tulip’s, an entertainment venue that offers music, art, cocktails, cold beers, great food and community. With local art gracing the walls and a litany of live music lineups of local and regional musicians, it’s a spot that focuses on building community in the neighborhood and Fort Worth as a whole.
SHOP
Find Fort Worth gear at Fort Worth Locals. With a collection of Fort Worth-themed shirts, headwear and accessories, they offer tons of choices for souvenirs for you to take home. If you’re looking for retro vibes, visit 817 Vintage Hypeon Magnolia Ave. Magnolia Skate Shop will meet all your skateboard needs.
Pickle lovers rejoice! The Best Maid Pickle Emporium is a celebration of the historic and celebrated Fort Worth pickle company. Best Maid is the largest family-owned manufacturer of shelf stable pickles in the U.S. Experience their history, peruse their merchandise and take home all your Best Maid favorites from bread-and-butter pickles and baby dills to barbecue sauce and bloody mary mix.
ENTERTAINMENT
Prefer to partake in activities while you eat and drink? You’ve come to the right place. Bowlounge is a bowling alley featuring craft beer, cocktails and a scratch kitchen. If boardgames are more your style, visit Game Theory Restaurant + Bar, which has a game library of cards, boardgames and an extensive menu of food and drinks.
SiNaiCa Studios provides workshops for adults and kids to try their hand at glass blowing. Founded by five local glass artists, SiNiCa Studios is all about sharing the enthusiasm for creativity and curiosity for the art of glass making.
Spend the evening enjoying a local gallery. Cufflink Fine Art Gallery is a contemporary gallery focused on providing a platform for established and emerging artists. Gallery 440 features regional artists and modern art.
WANDER
Near Southside is a great neighborhood to get outdoors! During the summer months, head over to the Magnolia Green for Friday on the Green. This family-friendly monthly concert series in the summer features regional live music, good food and drinks from nearby eateries, and a fun atmosphere to relax on a Friday night.
ArtsGoggle is Fort Worth’s premier local art festival, highlighting the work of local artists, musicians and performers. The event attracts tens of thousands of people and hosts more than 1,000 visual artists, 50 musical performances, artistic displays, drinks and food.
Fire Station Skate Plaza is a 15,000 square foot skate plaza that features an urban skate plaza for all skill levels, a pump track for BMX bikes, market plaza for local vendors, a fenced dog park and central green for public events.