Mornin’ North Texas,

Would you be willing to eat at a restaurant that had a no-cellphone policy?

Axios reports that phone-free dining is a growing trend nationwide. Data shows that Americans typically check their phones 144 times a day, spending 4.5 hours plugged in. As some school districts see positive results from cellphone bans in school, it makes sense that dining, often family time, would be the next cultural shift. We probably all could stand to be more present, right?

Any local businesses doing this?

Caterina’s in Fort Worth is leading the charge for Texas. The upscale Italian restaurant in the stockyards has had the policy in place since it opened in July 2022. When guests arrive, they place their devices in a fabric bag that stays with them. If they need to make a call, they can step outside. If someone calls the restaurant wanting to speak with a guest, the wait staff will bring a rotary phone to your table to take the call. The owner, who is also the executive chef, says this policy is all about maintaining an intimate dining experience that pays homage to how things used to be.

Do you like this idea or hate it? Let me know.

Let’s see more of this 👏

This is too pushy for me 🙅‍♂️

Joi Louviere

Senior Newsletter Editor, Courier DFW

Texas Monthly names two Fort Worth spots among the state’s best new(er) taquerias

Two taquerias in Fort Worth were recently named some of the best in Texas by Texas Monthly. (Jeswin Thomas/Unsplash)

By Sam Cohen

Texas Monthly recently released its list of the 25 Best New(ish) Texas Taquerias in 2026, and two Fort Worth-area locations earned shoutouts from the publication: Taqueria La Revolución in Haltom City and Aquí Se Come in Arlington. The selections were chosen by José Ralat, Texas Monthly’s taco editor.

In Ralat’s write-up for Aquí Se Come, he praised the taqueria for its “textural double whammy of chicharrón guisado, a mix of chopped chicharrón and cubed chicharrón prensado (pressed pork cracklings).” Ralat added, “This rare treat combines soft pieces of skin and fat with firm meat in a red salsa and is served in your choice of a flour or yellow or blue corn tortilla—all are wonderfully chewy with a buttery finish.”

That restaurant is located at 300 W. Randol Mill Road in Arlington.

Pro Tip: It’s inside the Kwik Food Store if you’re having trouble finding it. Aquí Se Come is open (per Google) from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. seven days a week.

More ordering tips & Dallas shops that made the list

⛔ No vote, no game: The NAACP has called for Black athletes, alumni, and fans to boycott athletic programs at public universities in states redistricting Black voting rights, including Texas. Learn more about the “Out of Bounds” campaign and what it hopes to achieve.

🧰 Better roads for a fee: The city of Fort Worth is considering charging households $3 a month for the maintenance of city streets. Click here to see the cost breakdown and learn how this would work for apartment complexes. (Fort Worth Report)

👋 Mavs switchup: The Dallas Mavericks and head coach Jason Kidd have agreed to part ways after five seasons working together. Read the statement from the team’s president here. (NBA)