Fort Worth-area restaurants win honors in the first Michelin Star awards for Texas

Three restaurants that helped make Fort Worth the “barbecue capital” of Texas were among those hoping for awards Nov. 11 before the announcement of winners in Texas’ first Michelin Guide.

Goldee’s, a backroad barbecue shack south of Kennedale; Panther City BBQ, in the heart of central Fort Worth; and Smoke’N Ash BBQ, an Ethiopian- and Texas-style barbecue restaurant in south Arlington, were among the local restaurants invited to Houston for the ceremony.

Birreria y Taqueria Cortez, 2220 E. Rosedale St., Fort Worth, and Panther City BBQ were the first winners, named Michelin “Recommended” restaurants a notch below the “Star” or “Bib” awards.

Also recommended was The Charles in Dallas, near opening a Fort Worth restaurant, The Chumley House, at 3230 Camp Bowie Blvd.

Goldee’s and Smoke’N Ash were expected to receive some sort of recognition ranging from one, two or three Michelin Stars to the Bib Gourmand award for a good value.

No other Fort Worth restaurateur acknowledged receiving an invitation, although one did not respond.

Fort Worth restaurateur Jon Bonnell, chef at Bonnell’s and Waters and a leader in the restaurant community, sent congratulations.

“I’m glad that Texas and Fort Worth are now on their radar,” he wrote in a text message, “and cannot wait to see what the future holds for this great city.”

Adrian Burciaga of Don Artemio Mexican Heritage, a 2023 national James Beard Award finalist, celebrated fellow restaurateurs’ Michelin Guide honors “as great recognition to be some of the best in the world.”

Felipe Armenta of restaurants including The Tavern, Pacific Table and Press Cafe wrote in a text message: “This is a good thing for the state of Texas.”

The ceremony was emceed by TV host Java Ingram, with remarks by Michelin and Texas tourism officials.

A Michelin Guide Texas video included scenes of Richard Haas’ 1985 Sundance Square Plaza mural “Chisholm Trail,” the Fort Worth Herd and the Hotel Drover, earlier the winner of a Michelin Key hotel award.

Goldee’s, a weekend-lunch-only restaurant at 4645 Dick Price Road south of Kennedale, has gained statewide and national attention since 2021, when it was named the best barbecue joint in the state by Texas Monthly magazine.

White and partners Jalen Heard and Lane Milne, childhood friends from Arlington, were recently honored by Food & Wine magazine in New York as three of America’s Best New Chefs.

Panther City BBQ, 201 E. Hattie St. or 201 E. Pennsylvania Ave. (depending on which map you use — the street name changed), has grown from a trailer to a patio to an all-day restaurant and bar.

Panther City is open for lunch and dinner Wednesdays through Sundays. Chris Magallanes and Ernest Morales co-founded the restaurant in 2018 on the site just off Interstate 35W.

Both restaurants also operate a second spinoff location.

Goldee’s sells pork ribs, beef ribs, chicken and fries at Ribbee’s, open for lunch and dinner Thursdays through Sundays at 923 E. Seminary Drive.

Panther City BBQ also operates a midprice barbecue stand, Fort Worth Barbecue Co., in a historic restaurant at 826 Taylor St. downtown. It’s open from 10:30 a.m. weekdays for lunch but closed weekends.

Smoke’N Ash BBQ, 5904 S. Cooper St., first opened in 2018 in a strip shopping center on Matlock Road and won praise for its basic brisket and pork ribs before owners Fasicka and Patrick Hicks added Ethiopian barbecue and gained national fame.

Texas Monthly magazine and The New York Times are among the outlets sending reviewers who praised dishes like the missir wat lentil stew, Ethiopian spicy beef tibs stew and Ethiopian-spiced collard greens.

Smoke’N Ash is open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays, lunch through late afternoon Sundays.

The world-renowned Michelin Guide sent inspectors to Texas restaurants last spring for the first time, promoting the rollout with marketing help from Travel Texas and Visit Fort Worth.

Besides the top-level 1-, 2- or 3-star awards, Goldee’s might qualify for the Bib award for good midpriced restaurants.

The announcements follow the news that two Fort Worth hotels made Michelin Guide’s top national lists of “key” restaurants.

The Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd., is one of only three hotels in Texas rated “two Michelin Keys” on a scale of three. The Guide reviewers define it as “exceptional.”

The Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, 200 Mule Alley, also made the list. It was among more than 200 hotels and 17 in Texas rated “one Michelin Key.”