Some restaurant closings hit especially hard. In a public statement, Maiden: Fine Plants & Spirits announced it had permanently closed after staff were locked out of the building following unsuccessful lease negotiations at 1216 6th Avenue. The message reassured past patrons that the Maiden’s team members had secured other employment opportunities and thanked Fort Worth for two amazing years of “cruelty-free cuisine.”
Longtime local food writer Eric Griffey told PaperCity that Maiden’s closing is “heartbreaking, though not unsurprising.”
“Small, independently owned restaurants don’t do well in Fort Worth under normal economic conditions, let alone the current Thunderdome climate we’re in now,” he continues. “Add on top of that the uniqueness of the concept, and it was always going to be an underdog in this chain-heavy landscape.”
Griffey notes that Maiden’s closure follows several other closings this year alone, including Fitzgerald’s, Pizza Verde, Pouring Glory, and others.
A Remembrance of Maiden
When Chef Amy McNutt opened Maiden two years ago in the newly built PS1200, Fort Worth had never seen anything quite like it. Plush seating, natural wood accents, and an inventive plant-based menu drew praise from critics, including Texas Monthly, which called it a restaurant that “creates dishes that are as elegant as they are delicious.” The wine list spotlighted women-owned vineyards, and the staff were always eager to share the story behind each bottle.
“When you lose these types of places, you really lose the soul of your restaurant scene,” Griffey says. “Once again, those of us who love places like Maiden and want them to succeed are left wondering why any of the other 900,000 people in this town can’t get behind a concept that doesn’t serve cow and pig parts. We’re a big enough city in terms of population, but obviously not in our palate.”
For a city that aspires to earn a Michelin star, he notes, Fort Worth may have a long way to go.
Two New Fort Worth Restaurant Openings
Still, despite the disappointing news of Maiden’s closure, two new restaurant openings are already generating buzz. Not even the threat of storms could keep patrons from packing newcomer Polanco Fine Cuisine on a recent evening.
The latest venture from Azteca Concepts — the team behind Dallas’s Bocado Mexican Cuisine & Lounge — is chic and well-suited for date nights and group outings. Individual tables are tucked between large concrete beams, creating cozy, semi-private alcoves that elevate the dining experience. Our recommendation: Try the Chicharrón Azteca, a bold dish of grilled octopus over avocado mash, finished with macha sauce, citrus, arugula, radish, serranos, and onions.
Fort Worth’s West Side has a new food truck, The Gardenland Cafe, that replaced Heirloom Cafe & Market at Archie’s Gardenland. Headed by Chefs Cesar Fernando and Cecilia Lopez, the new venture serves phenomenal sammies like the patty melt and Veggie Dream on sourdough. My daughter is a huge fan of their Potato Smashies, which are boiled, smashed, and fried. If you’ve been missing Heirloom’s signature mix of rustic charm and bold flavors, now’s the time to return and see what Fernando and Lopez are cooking up.