Macaron Madness

Dallas' Joy Macarons bakery brings its sweet magic to Fort Worth

Fort Worth will become more joyful in the fall, when Oak Cliff's Joy Macarons arrives.

Photo courtesy of Joy Macarons

Dallas bakery Joy Macarons, a local trailblazer in macarons and macaron ice cream sandwiches, is spreading its sweets to the west, with a new branch set to open in Fort Worth. It will be the third location of Joy, but the first in Tarrant County. Founder Liz Lanier says they're targeting fall for an opening.

"I don't have a date, but I'm thinking in the fall," Lanier says. "We're going to be at the Shops at ClearFork, which I thought was a great new development that's central to Fort Worth."

Fort Worth has sparse options on the macarons front. Black Rooster Bakery sells them at its original location near TCU and at its new opening-soon location in downtown Fort Worth, while Dallas bakery Savor Patisserie is doing a popup shop on Crockett Street that is expected to run through the summer.

Joy Macarons was one of the first places in Dallas to serve macarons when Lanier opened her original store in 2014 in Oak Cliff. She opened her second location on Greenville Avenue in 2016. That's also when she expanded her ice cream operation, with ice cream made in-house for her macaron ice cream sandwiches.

She also does custom flavors, packaging, and displays for weddings, events, and corporate gifts.

Fort Worth has always been on her radar.

"I am originally from Fort Worth, and my whole family lives there," she says. "We've been eyeing Fort Worth for a while, just trying to find the best spot, and thought the Shops at ClearFork was perfect."

She'll duplicate her menu of macarons plus ice cream.

"It's going to be the same concept, and we're going to highlight our ice cream again, but we always try to make each store look a little different with some interesting architectural elements," she says.

For Fort Worth, she envisions some kind of reference to her alma mater. "I went to TCU, so I expect we'll probably have some sort of Horned Frog in there," she says.

desserts oak-cliff openings

Quonset Hut News

Familiar names take over Quonset hut for new Far-Out Dallas bar

Yelp

Wriggly Tin is now Far-Out Dallas

There's a new Dallas restaurant and bar coming to everyone's favorite Quonset hut: Called Far-Out, it'll take over the space at 1906 E. Haskell Ave. in East Dallas that was previously home to Wriggly Tin, with a grand opening slated for 2025.

Founders Caroline and James Lee are calling it Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria and promise that a culinary adventure awaits.

"After months of creative brainstorming and a bit of furniture rearranging, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new pioneering concept that will open its doors in 2025," the duo says. "Introducing Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria, a dynamic new restaurant and brewery born from the collaboration of industry veterans."

The team includes some beloved East Dallas names:

Marc Cassel of The Green Room and 20 Feet Seafood Joint
Christopher Jeffers of Bolsa and Smoke
Stephanie Houston, the trailblazing first Latina Production distillery owner in America

Also joining the team is Bar Director Adam Mercado, whose resume includes stints at Billy Can Can and Brass Ram.

Marcado will crafting a unique beverage program, with support from mixologist Brian McCullough. Together, they will create what the founders call "unforgettable drink experiences to complement our delicious culinary offerings."

Wriggly Tin opened in November 2023 as an ultra-hip pizza and craft beer spot inside a renovated Quonset hut near Dallas' Fair Park — a former Cajun fried turkey place which they gave doting makeover with custom plaster walls and art objects from around the world. They replaced one whole side of the hut with glass for sunsets and created a spacious outdoor patio in front.

They earned two nomination in CultureMap's 2024 Tastemaker Awards, one for Best Bar and another for Best Patio.

Alas, the original founders, who'd previously owned Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff, parted ways shortly after it opened. And the bar closed down in September 2024, for what they called "internal changes."

Now the hut is back: The new Far-Out bar is already up and running a few days a week. In the coming days, they will offer updates and sneak peeks as they gear up for the opening of their kitchen.

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