Whether serving as the backdrop for unforgettable weddings, welcoming families to holiday light displays, or hosting outdoor concerts, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden has long been one of the city’s most cherished gathering places.
Today’s announcement of a partnership between Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Westland Hospitality (the group behind Magdalena’s, Pulido’s Kitchen & Cantina, and Margie’s Italian Garden) is part of the Garden’s continued investment in guest experiences, Stephanie Sellers tells PaperCity Fort Worth. The collaboration includes a reimagined on-site dining experience called Flora House and an exclusive catering partnership, set to debut this fall.
The Garden’s vice president of guest experience tells us that, after reviewing proposals from four bidders to operate Flora House, selecting Westland Hospitality felt less like choosing a vendor and more like forming a natural partnership.
A Reimagined Onsite Dining Destination at Fort Worth Botanic Garden
The Garden’s current cafe space will soon undergo extensive renovations as Westland Hospitality takes over management and operations of the restaurant, which is centrally located within the destination.
Acclaimed chef and Westland Hospitality partner Juan Rodriguez will lead the culinary vision for Flora House and manage the Garden’s catering services, while his wife, Paige Rodriguez, will oversee guest experience and help ensure a seamless integration of the expanded hospitality offerings.
While the new menu has not been finalized, Sellers says current offerings under consideration include breakfast tacos, salads, wraps, crab cakes, smoked salmon, puff pastries, and kid-friendly options. The restaurant, which is set to reopen late this year, will also serve visitors to the forthcoming Baker Martin Family Garden, which is slated to open early 2027.
“We previously had an open catering policy,” Sellers says, meaning that guests could hire any outside company. “We will now work exclusively with Westland Hospitality, which has a vast catering menu that pulls from their popular restaurants. Westland Bar Co. will bring alcoholic and non-alcoholic options that we previously did not have.”
As someone who frequents Fort Worth Botanic Garden, even on her time off work, Sellers says the new partnership will provide guests with more reasons to stay and enjoy what the Botanic Garden has to offer.
