Woodfire wafted over a line of customers as they waited patiently outside Goldee’s Bar-B-Q Thursday morning. The barbecue joint wasn’t even open yet, but ash already floated in the air.
As the crew arrived to work, they greeted each other with hugs and congratulations. That morning, they’d found out their smokehouse was now Fort Worth’s first Michelin-starred restaurant.
Goldee’s joined 148 other Texas restaurants — three in Tarrant County — recognized for culinary excellence as the prestigious publication returned for its third year of spotlighting the best of Texas culinary arts.
The far southeast Fort Worth barbecue joint previously held the Bib Gourmand award, which Michelin awards to restaurants it believes deliver great value for the money.
Co-owner Lane Milne found out about the new win through a series of text messages. While he doesn’t consider himself an especially emotive person, Milne said he is “super excited” by the win, particularly for the staff.
“The crew comes in and kills it every day,” he said.
Goldee’s was founded by Milne, Jonny White, Jalen Heard, Dylan Taylor and Nupohn Inthanousay — a group of friends who grew up together in Arlington. The owners tout that they distinguish Goldee’s from other barbecue spots by going the extra mile for flavor.
“We try to make everything as good as possible, so we’ll take the extra time on all the meats,” Milne said.
On top of offering classic and unique options like Laotian sausage and tandoori turkey, Goldee’s also makes everything else in-house. Even its bread, mayo and pickles are homemade. The restaurant added mac and cheese, lamb ribs and the lamb special after earning the Bib Gourmand, constantly tweaking the menu to avoid complacency.
Michelin inspectors described Goldee’s as a restaurant worth “the hours-long wait in the Texas sun.”
Statewide, 19 Michelin stars were spread among Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Spring.
Smoke’N Ash Tex-Ethiopian Smokehouse BBQ in Arlington, Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth’s Near Southside and Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez in Polytechnic Heights remained Michelin-recommended restaurants. No new spots joined the list.
Visit Fort Worth president and CEO Mitch Whitten said Goldee’s Michelin star is an incredible milestone for the city in addition to Panther City BBQ and Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez’s continued recognition.
“These honors reflect the talent, passion and creativity that make Fort Worth such an exciting culinary destination,” he said in a statement. “We’re proud to celebrate these restaurants and the entire culinary community that makes our city’s food scene so special.”
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker described Goldee’s owners as true Texas barbecue experts and said that “it just makes sense” that a restaurant rooted in the community and committed to the craft would earn the recognition.
“We are so proud that you call our city home,” Parker said in a statement.
First day as Michelin joint draws a crowd
Goldee’s Bar-B-Q employee Madison Acuña-Taylor, left, hands a customer cash during a mealtime rush on Oct. 8, 2026. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
Dozens of people made their way into Goldee’s Thursday morning to secure their tasty plates. One of those foodies was Tom Peluso, a visitor who planned to visit Goldee’s after hearing about them on social media.
News of the Michelin star wouldn’t change his expectations, he said. He was staying open-minded while taking the first bite from his large tray of brisket, turkey, mac and cheese, and pork hash.
Joseph and Tinika Blackston had landed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport just 30 minutes before heading to Goldee’s. The couple from Baltimore discovered the barbecue joint through YouTube and had planned to grab food there the next time they were in North Texas.
The Michelin star was a nice surprise as it highlights a small business for being a good restaurant, Joseph said.
After the Blackstons finished their food, Joseph described Goldee’s as the best barbecue he’s ever had.
“For Michelin, you often gotta be a fancy $400 restaurant, but to see a group of friends who started a barbecue place to get a star, it’s really cool to see,” he said.
Asked if anything would change at Goldee’s post-star, Milne said the restaurant would continue prepping the menu as always — albeit, with extra business.
“I think we’ll get a good bump for a little bit, so I’m excited for that,” he said.
Will Fort Worth continue the Michelin agreement?
Thursday morning’s announcement marked the final year in a three-year agreement between Michelin and the Texas tourism office and visitor bureaus in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
The state paid $450,000 annually with each of the five cities pitching in $90,000 each year. The agreement didn’t guarantee a specific number of restaurants included in the guide.
Whitten said Visit Fort Worth is studying whether to renew the agreement with Michelin, noting that the guide is part of a larger strategy to highlight the city’s culinary scene. He emphasized Cowtown has seen national success separate from the guide through the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival and celebrity chefs like Tim Love.
“Restaurants create economic impact, especially for small businesses, but also they bring people together, and that’s more important than ever,” Whitten said.
Michelin spokesperson Carly Padgett said the company cannot discuss the terms of its relationships for competitive reasons, but that the intent is for the guide to remain in a destination after it arrives.
“Supported by partnerships, the inspectors will continue to evaluate restaurants in the current coverage areas while keeping an eye on other locales as possible culinary hotspots for inclusion,” she said via email.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org.
Erin Ratigan is the food columnist for the Fort Worth Report. You can find her on X @erinratigan. Send your restaurant tips and hot takes to erin.ratigan@fortworthreport.org.
The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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