While we are Fort Worth by name, our papers reach readers as far west as Weatherford, north to Roanoke, east to Grand Prairie, and south to Burleson. (You didn’t know that, did you? Hmmph.) To showcase eight Black-owned food purveyors in honor of Black History Month, I did a little mapping on Google. The curated results are not a “best of” list but rather an exercise in culinary adventuring. The circular path starts on the Near Southside and ends in Bedford, with stops on the East Side, in Richland Hills, and in Hurst. It’s a soulful food crawl, y’all!
1.) Founded by husband-and-wife duo Patrice and Tweety Angwenyi, the cold-brew-focused HustleBlendz Coffee (120 St Louis Av, Ste 101, Fort Worth, 817-875-6663) features coffee made from Kenyan beans and champions Black community and culture. Start your crawl with a premium coffee option, such as the signature Hola Jefe (with horchata and caramel) or the Millionaire frappuccino. HustleBlendz also serves desserts, smoothies, and teas.
2.) Smoke-A-Holics (1417 Evans Av, Fort Worth, 844-536-8086) was founded by pitmaster Derrick Walker in 2006 as a pop-up. Now permanently located on the Near Southside, his “barbecue with a soulful twist” fuses traditional Texas ’cue with African-American culinary staples. In a glowing review (“Queuing for ’Cue,” Sep 11, 2019), one of our food critics suggested you arrive well before the official closing time of 7pm. Like most legit barbecue joints, Smoke-A-Holics shuts it down whenever they run out.
3.) Established in 2001, laid-back family-operated Stormie Monday’s Cafe (3509 E Berry St, Fort Worth, 817-203-3980) specializes in comfort-food classics, including catfish, fried chicken, meatloaf, and seafood. One of our food critics thought the two specialty items were the real showstoppers, though (“Soul Food TKO,” Jan 25, 2017). “My oxtail was fall-off-the-bone tender and drenched in its own juices. It tasted like pot roast but with a little pink left in the meat. The pork chop was smothered in onions and flour and was (plastic) fork-tender. Most places overcook and dry out their pork, but Stormie’s slow-cook preparation kept the pig moist and flavorful.”
4.) After going viral for the high-quality food he served from a gas station, Chef Mike Douresseauz needed more room for his Chef’s Corner (1201 Oakland Blvd, Fort Worth, 682-301-1031). Now working in the space formerly occupied by Turkey Den, Chef Mike serves up tasty Southern comfort food, including praline-chicken and waffles, seafood gumbo, and stuffed turkey legs.
Courtesy Chef’s Corner
5.) At Nana’s Kitchen (7403 John T. White Rd, Fort Worth, 817-653-7078), Chef Natasha Ramsey offers the usual fried chicken, catfish, meatloaf, and pork chop choices you’d expect from a scratch home-cooking restaurant daily, but she really shines on Sundays. That’s when you also have your choice of beef tips and rice, chicken and waffles, oxtails, and smothered turkey wings. Also, keep an eye on her socials. That’s where you’ll find information on specials, including loaded tacos and wing baskets. You’ll also find some very funny promotional reels at Facebook.com/NanasKitchenFTW. Trust me.
Courtesy Facebook
6.) Not only is Tam Tam Zings Bar & Grill (7224 Glenview Dr, Richland Hills, 817-537-2059) Black-owned, but it’s also a woman- and veteran-owned business. Stop in for an African-themed environment and try unique East African dishes like amandazi (fried bread), goat meat kabobs, and sambusas (kind of like samosas).
Courtesy ZingsCafe.com
7.) A Mid-Cities favorite, Juicy’s Homestyle Fried Chicken (444 W Bedford Euless Rd, Hurst, 817-290-4994) serves “crispy, golden fried chicken with a side of Southern hospitality,” using homestyle recipes and fresh ingredients, and is known for its “crunch.” Still full from all of the above? Just eat one piece in the parking lot.
8.) Owned by Rosako Bailey, Rosako’s Soul Food & BBQ (2816 Brown Trl, Ste A, Bedford, 817-661-1088) is known for serving authentic dishes and is popular on these kinds of lists, having also appeared on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. After a long day of trying all the things, maybe get their specialty to go: a turkey-with-stuffing waffle called the Thanksgiving 365. One of our food critics loved it (“New Old Soul,” Dec 23, 2015).
If you do actually go on this adventure as a day-long food crawl, you’ll need 4-6 hours and 4-6 people to share plates with. Call ahead for hours, stay hydrated (seriously), and be respectful of the neighborhoods you are traveling through. For a map to all of the above, visit Bit.ly/FWW_SoulFoodCrawl.
