Fort Worth, TX – Fort Worth will have a new place to eat, drink and be active beginning late summer. Courtside Kitchen, located off I-30 and University Drive, will have more than 7,500 square feet of indoor and more than 23,500 square feet of outdoor dining, entertainment and family fun. As Fort Worth’s first dedicated pickleball facility, Courtside Kitchen will be the perfect place for those who enjoy great food, craft cocktails and an energetic atmosphere.
Created by Executive Chef Christian Lehrmann, a veteran of Fort Worth-Dallas restaurants such as Tinie’s Mexican Cuisine, the Porch, and CBD Provisions at the Joule Hotel, the menu includes items to satisfy your hunger at all times of the day. The familiar but fun meals range from poke bowls to Nashville style hot chicken sandwiches to flat iron chimichurri steak and fries.
“We want to provide items that you crave on a normal basis but reinvented in a new and fun way,” states Lehrmann. “Both the food and beverage menus will be eclectic and interesting. Everyone will enjoy having fun with us!”
Courtside Kitchen will also serve playful and inventive craft cocktails, a large selection of draft and local beers, as well as extensive wine and tequila lists. Saturdays and Sundays will offer chef-inspired brunch entrees and drink specials.
While Courtside Kitchen’s menu offerings are reason enough to stop in, the sport of pickleball has captured the hearts of Fort Worth’s active community. Often described as a combination between tennis and ping pong, the game of pickleball offers an opportunity for players of all levels and generations to have a great time together. Part of pickleball’s charm is how easy and fun it is to learn and how much laughter can be heard on and around the court.
“As America’s fastest growing sport, pickleball has really taken Fort Worth by storm,” says Zach Nichols, the League Coordinator of Fort Worth Pickleball. “We have more than 200 players participating in the ladies and mixed leagues this spring and it’s only our first season!”
Embracing the heart of Fort Worth, Courtside Kitchen will feature ambiance and design by Cody D. Henderson of Fort Worth’s CH Design-Build, known for creating inviting and interesting spaces. A lively and vibrant setting will welcome people of all ages and backgrounds. Play on one of the seven outdoor or two covered pickleball courts. Challenge your family and friends to lawn games like Cornhole and Texas-sized Connect 4. Sit back, sip a cocktail and enjoy live entertainment onstage. Rally around your favorite sports team by watching games on one of the many TVs. Courtside Kitchen also includes an outdoor beer garden with festoon lights to enjoy the starry Texas nights and plenty of shady trees for hanging out with friends and family on a beautiful afternoon. Even on colder days, Courtside Kitchen will keep patrons toasty warm with outdoor fire pits.
“All I know is that Fort Worth loves to have great time! We saw a need for an exciting and fun place where people could be active and social at the same time,” states Matt L. Johnson, equity partner and owner/operator. “Courtside Kitchen will be truly unique in ways that only Fort Worth can be. It will be a lively and fun place to bring your family, meet your buddies after work, or even get a workout!”
When completed, Courtside Kitchen will bring 40 new jobs to Fort Worth and will be open seven days a week.