A Fort Worth gourmet grocery known for BBQ is facing a kitchen change. What’s next?
Roy Pope Grocery, the 80-year-old neighborhood market that reopened in 2021 as a contemporary “urban grocery,” will have a new chef after the departure of founding consultant Lou Lambert, according to an announcement Wednesday.
The grocery will remain open as usual for now with the same menu, co-founder Mark Harris said. He expects a new consultant and business partner, he said.
Lambert and managing partner Chris Reale of the Paris Coffee Shop continue at that restaurant, 704 W. Magnolia Ave., according to the announcement. The Paris, considered the city’s oldest sit-down restaurant, originally opened nearby in 1926.
Roy Pope Grocery, 2300 Merrick St., was remodeled from a corner grocery and deli known for burgers and fried chicken. Lambert and Reale redesigned the space to add a coffee bar and increased the wine selection, along with adding craft barbecue on weekends.
In the statement, Lambert said he and Reale are proud of “keeping the period aesthetic and retaining the longtime customer base” while also drawing younger customers.
Lambert, a West Texan and a TCU graduate, honed his culinary skills in gourmet restaurants nationwide and then joined his sister, retro hotelier Liz Lambert, in Austin. He has been the chef at Reata and founder of Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue locations in Austin and Fort Worth, along with co-founding Dutch’s Hamburgers.
He and Reale also operate Westfork Fitness, 4661 White Settlement Road, and plan to build a new 10,000-square-foot workout facility across the street, the statement said.
Roy Pope Grocery is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; 817-732-2863, roypopegroceryfw.com.
