J. Rae’s Returns to Cowtown, a Highly Anticipated Vietnamese Spot Nears Its Debut, and More Fort Worth Restaurant News

Triple-digit temperatures have nothing on this week’s Fort Worth restaurant news. Learning of the return of homegrown bakery J. Rae’s to Cowtown felt like Christmas morning in the middle of summer, earning a top spot in this roundup of can’t-miss dining updates. We also caught up with the owner of Duong DeVille as she gets ready to debut her first brick-and-mortar restaurant, and there’s a fresh happy hour worth clocking out early for at one of the city’s buzzy Latin seafood destinations.

J. Rae’s Sweet Return to Fort Worth

Who doesn’t love a good homecoming story? This one is particularly sweet, as it involves the long-awaited return of a beloved bakery that first won over Fort Worth and later built a devoted following in Dallas. When we heard J. Rae’s was returning to Cowtown with a new home in the West 7th District, we knew it deserved top billing in our restaurant news roundup.

Although this bakery has many devoted fans east of State Highway 360, its origin story begins in Fort Worth. The bakery, famed for its handcrafted sugar cookies, originally opened in Cowtown in 2008 before relocating to Dallas in 2021. Now, Audrey Dixon, the founder’s niece, is bringing J. Rae’s home once again, with a new location at 3330 West 7th Street that is slated to open this Thursday, July 16.

The 1,700-square-foot bakery pairs J. Rae’s signature black-and-white stripes and hot pink branding with a bright, modern interior. Alongside its signature hand-decorated sugar cookies, customers will find cupcakes, cheesecakes, cake balls, cookie cakes, and other homemade treats, plus seasonal specialties and custom desserts.

At the end of the day, Dixon says in a release, “We’re just people who love to bake and create homemade desserts that bring others joy, and it’s been incredible to watch that passion grow into something much bigger than we ever imagined.”

Duong DeVille Prepares to Welcome Diners in September

Progress has been steady at Chef Hao Tran’s forthcoming Vietnamese restaurant, Duong DeVille. Tran tells PaperCity Fort Worth that the restaurant will embrace a natural, calming aesthetic inspired by bamboo and greenery, accented with family portraits, an herb-filled courtyard patio, and sustainably crafted tables made from recycled chopsticks. Her team aims for an opening at 405 Jim Wright Freeway in September.

“We are ordering a charcoal oven and grill, which is the way my grandmother cooked,” she says, adding that charcoal brings out the aromatics of ginger and lemongrass. “We will highlight dishes from Central and South Vietnam, including savory Vietnamese crepes, crispy grilled fish marinated with fish sauce, lemongrass, and garlic, and a cousin to pho called Bún bò Huế that is strong in flavor and delicious.”

In the coming weeks, furniture and kitchen equipment should start arriving, she says. Rest assured that her Hao’s Grocery & Café, which works closely with the nonprofit Meals with Meaning to distribute free food on Saturday mornings, will remain open after Duong DeVille opens in September. The long lines that form before each weekly distribution, Tran says, serve as a reminder that many Fort Worth families continue to struggle with food insecurity.

Dos Mares Adds Happy Hour Menu

Let’s get right to it: Dos Mares now offers a Tiny Tini Tree featuring 12 mini martinis for $75. The new happy hour menu also lets guests mix and match Mexican, pomegranate, classic, dirty, espresso, and Cosmopolitan mini martinis for $7 each or a flight of three for $20. The sister restaurant to Don Artemio, Dos Mares keeps the 3 pm to 6 pm deals coming with $4 off cocktails and mocktails, wines by the glass 25 percent off, $6 Baja tacos, $5 Tostada de Ceviche Estilo Vallarta, and $12 guacamole with chips.

Tuesdays are no longer just for tacos in Fort Worth, as this Cultural District destination adds a two lobster taco deal with a house margarita for $29. Those beer-battered tacos, by the way, come topped with pico de gallo, shaved cabbage slaw, and macha mayo.

Summer shows no signs of slowing down Fort Worth’s restaurant scene.