A First Taste of Si Tapas — A New Spanish-Style Restaurant in Fort Worth’s Artisan Circle

First opened in Uptown Dallas in 2009, Si Tapas is a Spanish-style, small plates restaurant from Ildefonso Jimenez. The favorite spot has expanded to Fort Worth’s Artisan Circle — in the former Fireside Pies space. Executive chef Jose Luis Lopez is producing some creative and authentic tapas in the urban village. On a recent first visit to the new restaurant, we sampled a variety of dishes, while sipping some lovely Spanish wines ― encouraging long sips and lingering conversations. We’ve also gotten an update on what’s going on with Artisan Circle, the newly rebranded development that was formerly Crockett Row.

A First Taste of Si Tapas

The feast at Si Tapas began with croquetas de jamón. They are crispy fried balls of Spanish serrano ham croquettes, that are doughy on the inside. The atún a la plancha is a hearty portion of seared tuna, crusted in coarse black pepper and plated in olive oil. Other seafood tapas include scallops, octopus, as well as baby eel and shark. It’s a vast menu.

The coliflor de La Mancha gratinada is a creamy cauliflower gratin blended with salty Manchego cheese and an almond sauce, topped with a breadcrumb crust. We also enjoyed the albóndigas estilo Si ― a house specialty of the tenderest beef meatballs, made from mortadella and Manchego cheese, served in a memorable tomato mint sauce.

Si Tapas is worth the visit with friends to take a leisurely tour through its on-point menu. I just hope the location won’t be a drawback, and that it can get noticed as Artisan Circle continues to transform around it.

The Changing Face of Artisan Circle

Originally launched simply as West 7th District ― the area began with an interesting mix of restaurants and retail back in 2010. It was envisioned as a walkable, livable neighborhood with a blend of shopping and dining. Then, it was rebranded as Crockett Row, which slowly morphed into a nightlife-heavy collection of bars and eateries.

That transition has not been a good one. Jon Bonnell’s original location of Waters Coastal skipped out early, moving to downtown instead. The grand plans for Crockett Row Food Hall fizzled (partly due to Covid closures as well). Fort Worth’s first West Elm home furnishing store shuttered, as did so many others ― as Crockett Row became more synonymous with beer pong, shot bars, a rowdy crowd, and even high-profile crime in the news than the upscale mixed-use development it was always intended to be.

But, in August of 2022, Younger Partners purchased Crockett Row with plans “to revitalize the development to become a top-of-mind destination for multi-generational customers.” Its newest rebrand to Artisan Circle launched that effort, and they went to work dusting off the perfectly positioned development. While some mainstays like Mash’d and Social House remain, there are a lot of vacancies as Younger Partners has its eye on a more well-rounded tenant list going forward.

Fort Worth Should See Big Changes By September

Moody Younger, co-managing partner of Younger Partners, tells PaperCity Fort Worth that big changes are already underway.

“We are about to begin construction on our courtyards ― adding turf, bench seating, and new lighting. And, new way-finding signage is also on the way,” Younger says. “Those upgrades should be completed by Labor Day. Visitors to Artisan Circle should notice a dramatic change by September.”

Younger confirms that Terra Mediterranean will return by early fall and that the same owners are opening the colorful La Cabrona Cocina Mexicana first at 2933 Crockett Street. It has an early August target date, and the menu is already posted online. Once some of these new restaurants open, another leasing push will follow.

“We are planning more family-friendly establishments, and want to broaden the demographic in Artisan Circle,” he says. “We love the property and its prime location, and we’re excited about the changes.”

He also tells us that the former Crockett Row Food Hall space might become home to a prominent retailer. Security guards have already been added, as well as cameras being upgraded throughout Artisan Circle, and the parking garages will remain free to patrons of shops and restaurants, with new red light/green light parking technology.

Si Tapas will soon have new neighbors and it will hopefully become an anchor for creative cuisine to return to the neighborhood.