A burned avocado leaf is added to mashed avocado, pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, pico de gallo with cilantro salad and goat cheese to create guacamole at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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Mole Negro Ceremonial, a traditional Oaxaca style mole with grilled organic chicken breast, toasted sesame seeds, banana fried chips, is served at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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A view of the Almacén El Gallo restaurant bar in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026. Old Mexican black and white movies play on the screen above the bar.
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A view of the Almacén El Gallo restaurant’s dining room in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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A view of the Almacén El Gallo restaurant’s dining room in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
The “el gallo” (rooster) is the calling card of Almacén El Gallo (The Rooster Shop) restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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The entryway and hostess stand are pictured at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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Aguachile de Camaron El Gallo, made with fresh shrimp cured in clamato, with avocado, pistachio, is served with corn tostadas at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
A exterior view of Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Walking into Almacén El Gallo feels like stepping into a 1940s Mexican cantina, with communal small tables designed for gathering and conversation while steaming dishes emerge from the kitchen. But the experience comes with a refined atmosphere and a menu created by a chef whose restaurant in Mexico has earned Michelin recognition.
The new restaurant, located at 500 W. 7th St., Suite 175, in Fort Worth, opened on July 27. Its goal is to introduce diners to the flavors of Mexico’s cantinas and fondas — places that serve home-cooked-style food at reasonable prices — through traditional recipes reimagined with a contemporary approach.
The restaurant is led by restaurateurs Adrian Burciaga and Martin Quirarte, who partnered with Mexican chef Rodrigo Rivera-Río, who created the menu. Rivera-Río, a native of Monterrey, is the chef behind Koli | Cocina de Origen, his restaurant that has held one Michelin star for three consecutive years.
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Olvidado de Camaron, an entree made with Zarandeado shrimp, “frijoles con veneno” chile mix dressing and pico de gallo in a fried corn tortilla, is served at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
“We wanted to create a menu centered around fondas and cantinas, which, to me, are the soul of Mexico,” the chef said. “This is a menu of Mexican soul food, bold and deeply flavorful.”
The result is a menu that combines traditional dishes with contemporary techniques, including guacamole topped with cacao nibs and burnt avocado leaf, shrimp aguachile with pistachios, the Taco Olvidado featuring zarandeado-style shrimp, frijoles con veneno — beans cooked with pork — and Quiroga-style duck carnitas.
The menu also includes steaks inspired by northern Mexican cuisine and desserts that reinterpret classic Mexican sweets, such as sweet corn flan, a Mexican-chocolate molten cake made with Chocolate Abuelita, and a strawberries-and-cream pavlova.
Michelin-starred chef Rodrigo Rivera-Río is the culinary director at Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, photographed on July 28, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
“This menu is 100% Mexican, it’s simply contemporary,” Rivera-Río said. “We took the essence of one of the most traditional places in Mexico and elevated it.”
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The restaurant plans to update the menu seasonally to showcase new ingredients and dishes.
Almacén El Gallo uses non-GMO heirloom corn from Masienda to make its tortillas and sells several house products, including its signature salsa macha and Mexican coffee.
A space designed around nostalgia
The restaurant’s design is also a key part of the experience.
The décor is filled with references to traditional Mexican neighborhood stores, including wooden Coca-Cola crates, vintage scales, old cash registers, toys, ceramic pieces and rooster figurines throughout the space, a nod to the restaurant’s name.
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The chairs were custom-made in Guadalajara, Mexico, specifically for the project, and many decorative elements were sourced from the state of Jalisco.
Much of the concept and interior design was developed by María José Cervantes, Burciaga’s wife and co-owner, along with their son Fernando Rojas, who created several original artworks for the restaurant, including a mural depicting a 1940s Mexican cantina.
Owners Adrian Burciaga and his wife, María José Cervantes, are pictured in the dining room of their new restaurant, Almacén El Gallo, in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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“The idea was for people to feel like they’re walking into a place that breathes Mexico,” Burciaga said. “With classic films from Mexico’s Golden Age playing on the screens and all the décor, we wanted to create an immersive experience.”
The atmosphere is further enhanced by a soundtrack of popular Mexican music.
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The kitchen remains partially open to maintain a connection between the chefs and diners.
“Hearing what’s happening in the kitchen is music in a place like this,” Burciaga said.
Elevated casual, not fine dining
Although some of the restaurant’s first guests have described the experience as fine dining, Burciaga said that was never the goal.
“We want to be an elevated casual restaurant,” he said. “We want people to feel they can come here without spending a fortune. Our goal is for guests to enjoy an excellent meal for around $50 to $60 per person.”
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A Mexican cantina mural painted by the owners’ son, Fernando Rojas, adorns the back wall of Almacén El Gallo restaurant in downtown Fort Worth, July 28, 2026.
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The restaurant also features a private dining room designed for corporate meetings and social events. Located in downtown Fort Worth and surrounded by office buildings, the space includes audiovisual equipment for business presentations and meetings.
In addition, Almacén El Gallo offers a Private Locker Program, allowing members to store and access collectible wines and premium spirits through a membership.
Almacén El Gallo is located at 500 W. 7th St., Suite 175, Fort Worth. almacenelgallo.com.