The Mont Will Bring Mid-Century Glamour and Elevated Fare to Fort Worth

Some restaurants dazzle with design, while others lean on impeccable service or the quality of their ingredients to make an impression. The Mont, opening on August 7 just outside Fort Worth’s Montserrat neighborhood, isn’t choosing sides. With its moody mid-century interiors, chef-driven menu, and focus on hospitality, this upscale new American concept aims to deliver on all three fronts.

Behind the new restaurant are familiar names in the local restaurant business. Jeff Payne, the owner of Cousin’s BBQ, is partnering with longtime industry partner Jason Cross to offer a refined yet approachable menu created by Executive Chef Michael Duff, the former Executive Chef at Eddie V’s Fort Worth.

The lavish, mid-century-inspired interiors were designed by Kellye Raughton of Maven Interior Design, who has built a dual career as one of Fort Worth’s leading luxury designers and the creative force behind many of Chef Felipe Armenta’s most beloved restaurant spaces.

“This menu is a love letter to timeless cuisine,” Cross says in a release. “We’re taking familiar flavors and elevating them with thoughtful technique and seasonal produce.”

As the restaurant readies for its Fort Worth debut, Cross, Payne, and Raughton are concurrently at work at Beverly’s Downtown, which is scheduled to open late this year.

A Look Inside The Mont’s Sophisticated Design

The Mont’s interior exudes mid-century glamour with a modern edge. Emerald green accents, warm wood paneling, and gold-tinged details set the mood for fine dining and socializing. During a tour of one of her residential projects, built by Brasswell Homes, Raughton told us that the Mont’s natural features lent themselves to a 1950s- and 1960s-inspired design.

“The building feels mid-century,” she says. “It has that whole aesthetic. We played into that to where it has an almost Mad Men theme but more playful. There is not one part of that restaurant that isn’t custom.”

While she enjoys designing custom residential interiors, she adds, working in the hospitality industry allows her to share her visions on a mass level.

Co-owner Payne says in a public statement that his team “wanted to build a place where people can connect over beautifully crafted food and timeless atmosphere. Fort Worth has a strong culinary identity, and we’re excited to add something special that celebrates seasonality, quality, and creativity.”

Chef-Driven Dishes with a Modern American Edge

The Mont’s menu, crafted by Executive Chef Duff in collaboration with Culinary Director Michael Arlt, blends timeless technique with seasonal flair. Chef Arlt, a Johnson & Wales graduate with a resume that includes Watercolor Inn, E2 Emeril’s Eatery, Cindy’s Rooftop, and Fort Worth’s The Beast and Company, helped shape a culinary program rooted in elevated comfort and creative precision.

Guests can expect handmade pastas, fresh seafood, and expertly grilled meats, along with refined starters like oysters on the half shell, red snapper ceviche, and wagyu beef tartare. Small plates range from lobster hush puppies and scallops with chow chow to deviled eggs topped with caviar. Entrées include roasted monkfish tail, cavatelli with mushrooms and charred corn, and a wagyu strip au poivre served with potato purée and green peppercorn sauce.

The Butcher’s Cuts program features premium Irodori wagyu paired with Mont sauce and dressed greens. For the table, shareable showpieces include a 40-ounce wagyu tomahawk and a richly layered duck dish with foie fried rice, black garlic glaze, and maple nuoc cham.

With some notable exceptions like Margie’s Italian Gardens, there are few elevated dining options on Fort Worth’s far West Side. With Maverick Golf & Ranch Club and Bluejack Ranch set to bring hundreds of upscale homes to the area in the next few years alone, The Mont arrives just in time to meet the growing demand for chef-driven dining in this rapidly expanding corner of Fort Worth.