Ben Berg’s Candy-Colored Soda Fountain, Buttermilk Baby, Is Coming to North Texas

On any given day, Fort Worth’s B&B Butchers & Restaurant buzzes with the sounds of a bustling steakhouse. Ben Berg’s decision to open his second B&B Butcher in Cowtown (the first debuted in Houston in 2015), in hindsight, feels like a natural choice, but The Shops at Clearfork surprisingly drew light foot traffic when it first opened in 2018. His second North Texas concept, Soy Cowboy, debuted at Loews Arlington Hotel last year. And now, Berg has even more hot spots on the way.

We recently caught up with Ben Berg to talk about his first expansion into Fort Worth, current restaurant trends, and exciting new additions he has coming up for North Texas and beyond.

Ben Berg’s First Fort Worth Concept — B&B Butchers & Restaurant

The founder and CEO of Texas-based Berg Hospitality Group, which now oversees 15 restaurants and $75 million in annual revenue, tells PaperCity that he accepted an offer to be a part of [The Shops at Clearfork], partly at the urging of Crawford Edward, president of Cassco Development Co.

Crawford’s people “came to me,” Berg says. “They didn’t want a big national chain for their development. They asked if I’d consider it. At first, I didn’t know if I could handle it, but their approaching me felt like I was being recognized. It was a slow go at first.”

When Berg first opened B&B Butchers, he envisioned the restaurant as a return to what large chain steak houses had lost sight of — a focus on premium meats.

“The steakhouses at the time really started shrinking the steak options,” he said. “I didn’t want to be your grandfather’s steakhouse. There don’t have to be dark leather chairs everywhere. Let’s put steak first. Let’s bring out different cuts. The fact that we do our own butchering and dry-age our meats helps us connect to our guests.”

The North Texas restaurant definitely picked up the pace, as it’s now one of the most popular steakhouses in Fort Worth.

Ben Berg on Texas Restaurant Trends

Berg says he is “cautiously optimistic” about growth in the hospitality sector in Texas this year. There are the realities of world events, inflation, and other uncertainties to contend with. Citing the “Ozempic effect,” Berg’s team has found that diners are opting for a quality tumbler of whiskey or bourbon over a bottle of wine.

“I think this year we’ll see guests going out in larger parties,” he says. “In 2023, people were eating at home more to save money. I think they will continue coming out more this year. People looking for an elevated experience.”

New Berg Hospitality Restaurants

This year, Berg Hospitality is preparing to launch two restaurants: a third B&B Butchers in Denver, Colorado, and a second Annabelle Brasserie (the first is in Houston) in Nashville, Tennessee. The costs of building new restaurants have risen 40 percent over the past decade, Berg says, adding that future openings now come with talks to development owners about cost-sharing.

“The costs have gotten to the point that we are asking ourselves, ‘What’s the [return on investment] for this?’ I think developers and landlords are seeing this. There has to be more of a partnership to bring us in. Those costs have to be shared more. We may see a little slowdown in building as the market works itself out with how expensive it is to build right now.”

Beyond delivering hospitality and consistently high-quality food, Berg takes pride in the design of his restaurants. The hospitality group owner who holds a B.A. in art history cites designing his concepts as one of the most enjoyable parts of his job. Arlington’s Soy Cowboy, he says, is Berg Hospitality’s most sublimely beautiful space to date.

“We wanted different areas” for the new concept, he says. “We want to spark emotion from our guests. The bar mimics a street scene in Thailand. The dining room is more formal. Then we have our bamboo castle, which is magical. It pops your senses.”

Buttermilk Baby Comes to North Texas

In partnership with Carvel Ice Cream, Berg Hospitality Group’s Buttermilk Baby is the group’s first fast-casual concept. It opened its first location in Houston last year. And Berg says they will have a North Texas location within two years, adding that “nothing moves fast” in the restaurant business.

The candy-colored Houston location channels a drug store soda fountain. The design is eye-popping and retro, and the menu offers a playful take on nostalgic Southern food. You’ll find all of the classics including soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, boozy shakes, corn dogs, chicken sandwiches, burgers, and so much more. It’s open for breakfast as well, serving biscuit sandwiches and pancakes in the mornings.

“Milkshakes and chicken tenders evoke emotions of happiness and good times,” he says. “I just want it to be a happy place.”

Judging by Buttermilk Baby’s undeniable charm, we say he’s achieved just that.