By: Elizabeth Ludrick and Lauren Niebes Date Posted: 12/4/2007 Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend

It’s that time of year again when we unveil the results of our annual Best for Families survey. You’ve had your say; we’ve tallied the votes; and now we present the most up-to-date compendium of Fort Worth favorites, across a wide variety of categories. We pride ourselves on bringing you the best for your family. But, don’t take our word for it! As we close 2007, here’s what your peers had to say about the best of Cowtown:

The Family that dines together…
If there’s one thing Fort Worth is well versed in, it’s dining out. From fuss-free to international flavors, Benbrook to Bedford, here are your choices for the best places to bring your family together over food:

Kid-friendly, upscale dining: Mimi’s Café
You don’t limit your kid-friendly restaurant choices to venues with a ball pit. For a night out with the kids (or breakfast or lunch), Mimi’s Café satisfies everyone. With locations in Fort Worth, Arlington and Grapevine, you don’t have far to go for an old favorite with a very extensive menu.

Cheap eats: Hobert’s Bar-B-Que Place
Sometimes, you need a good, quick meal on the cheap. And for that, you have Hobert’s Bar-B-Que to thank. We Texans have mastered the art and science of barbeque, so we know you know a good thing when you taste it.

Most original kids’ menu: Denny’s
There’s something about Denny’s kids’ menu that satisfies your little ones every time. With an entirely outer-space themed menu, such unique options as Galactic Grilled Cheese and Smiley Alien Pancakes dazzle the kids and minimize the fuss.

Pizza: Pizza Hut/CiCi’s (tie)
Everyone’s got a favorite place for pie. You chose the ever-faithful Pizza Hut for those rainy Tuesday evening deliveries and babysitter nights and CiCi’s for a kid-pleasing, mile-long buffet.

Place to introduce sushi: China Wok
OK, you love a good spider roll, but how do you turn your kids on to the joys of healthy, fresh sushi? It’s easy at China Wok, in Arlington, your choice for best kid-friendly sushi spot.


Party over here; Party over there…
You know what makes a party memorable: food, fun and loved ones. But, you’ve also learned a thing or two about those little extras that make a good party grand. Whether you need a clown, 12-dozen treats, or just a place to party, here are your top-notch party resources:

Party supplies: Party Warehouse
When you throw a bash, you know just who to call to make it happen. Whether you need balloons by the boatload, party favors, or just a tank of helium to rent, Party Warehouse makes your event a VIP-worthy affair by providing all your necessities.

Party entertainers: Golly Jolly/Razzle Dazzle (tie)
When you need entertainment for your kids’ parties, you call up the professionals. Well, they’re professionals in a circus sort of way. Golly Jolly and Razzle Dazzle tie for your top choice of entertainers with their enthralling magic shows, face painting and balloon decorating. Party on, party people!

Bakery: Bluebonnet Bakery
Our readers sure know where to find the sweet stuff. Fort Worth’s own ace of cakes, Bluebonnet Bakery, produces breads, cookies, pies and sweets that satiate your sweet tooth and are the icing on any party’s cake.

On the map…
Every family has its favorite neighborhood — its little pocket of the city for home, school and family life. But, from Southlake to North Richland Hills, and all points in between, FortWorthChild readers have their favorite city spots — those places that put Tarrant County on the map for culture, fun and recreation.

Shopping center: Ridgmar Mall
It’s hard to beat Ridgmar Mall for shopping. Ridgmar helps you cover all your bases, with tony anchor stores like Macy’s and Neiman Marcus. You also voted Ridgmar’s play space as the best indoor venue, and, just when you might drop from all that shopping, chill out at RAVE Motion Pictures, voted your favorite place to catch a flick.

Sports team: Fort Worth Cats
Arlington’s not the only place in town to enjoy America’s game. The Fort Worth Cats have been putting on a show for generations, and the historic LaGrave field dates back to the 1920s. For the refreshing spirit of independent minor league baseball and a truly magnificent field, you can’t beat these boys (cats) of summer.

Family-friendly town: Fort Worth
Some cities are just made for families. Maybe that’s why you declared the city of Fort Worth as best place to raise yours. With seemingly equal parts entertainment, culture, dining and history, the city where true cowboys once roamed is at once charming and modern. Whether you take in the daily cattle drive through the Stockyards or peruse the singular collection of the world-famous Kimbell Art Museum, nearly 700,000 residents have chosen Cowtown for work, life and play.

Cultural spot: Fort Worth Stockyards
With so much to do at the Fort Worth Stockyards, it’s no wonder you consider it a year-round destination of epic proportions. Cowtown Coliseum hosts rodeos worthy of the old West; you can hop on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad here; and don’t forget about the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame! Oh, and the aforementioned longhorn cattle drive has been a crowd-pleaser for years.

Fair-weather family hangout: Fort Worth Zoo
Lions and tigers and … wallabies? The gang’s all here at the Fort Worth Zoo, your favorite outdoor family hangout, and, coincidently, favorite tourist attraction. The zoo showcases at least 12 different habitats, from the World of Primates to the Australian Outback, and clearly satisfies all species.

Rainy-day family hangout: Main Event
When the weather drives us indoors, Main Event is the place to explore. From bowling to laser tag to games, this entertainment emporium keeps your family active, even on a rainy day.


Lifestyles of the young and Texan …
Your kids have their favorite local haunts, too. From begged-for story time to beloved playground, here are the top attractions for the youngest Dallasites.

Kids’ fitness: YMCA
To take a cue from a famous song, “there’s no need to feel down” at the YMCA.A staple for kids’ fitness for years, our nine local branches offer affordable youth sports teams, child care, day camps, and even fun family programs to bring everyone together.

Kids’ hair salon: Cool Cuts 4 Kids
Nothing can ruin the start of second grade like an unfortunate hair cut. That’s why local moms and kids trust the stylists at Cool Cuts 4 kids to tame young manes. The stylists makes sure kids stay entertained with games and movies, so the snips go smoothly. The results? Sophisticated styles and our readers’ raves.

Story time: Fort Worth Central Library
Where will you find Tarrant County’s young literary set? At the Central Library for story time. FortWorthChild readers agree, the Central branch boasts the best story time in town.

Children’s theater: Casa Manana, Children’s Playhouse
All the world’s a stage … and Casa Manana’s Children’s Playhouse series lives by this mantra, with its professional children’s productions. The theater has entertained local families hoping to raise young patrons of the arts for 45 years, and has given stage time to many aspiring young thespians.

Park/outdoor playground: Trinity Park
What can we say? Kids know a great playground when they see one. For recreation, running, climbing and more, Trinity Park is your family favorite for outdoor amusement. The vast park is also the site of a host of annual events, including Shakespeare in the Park and Mayfest.

Need a big weekend?
There’s a plethora of things to do in our fine city on the weekends, but you narrowed the field by telling us your favorite places to go locals to see.

Frozen Treats: Cold Stone Creamery
You voted this ice cream the best in the land, with their custom creations dictated by … you! They definitely don’t mess with the real deal (ice cream that is), but leave it all to you to make a good thing even better.

Kid-friendly brunch: IHOP
There’s no questioning where you’re headed on those weekend mornings for a bite to eat. You voted IHOP as the best kid-friendly brunch, because what kids wouldn’t love pancakes with a smiley face to top it off!

Local family fieldtrip: FortWorthZoo/Botanical Gardens (tie)
So you wanna get away for the day, but what to do and where to go? Visit both flora and fauna at the Botanical Gardens and the Fort Worth Zoo, tied for the best weekend family diversion by your votes.

Family-friendly vacation spot/Texas getaway: San Antonio
So what’s so great about our neighboring Spanish-influenced city to the South? Plenty! What’s not to love about a city with a River Walk, the Alamo (Texas’ ultimate symbol of freedom) and Sea World? Family-friendly and beautiful, it’s understandable why it’s been voted as the best family vacation spot in Texas.


Grown-up enrichment …
You devote most of you waking hours to your kids, but what about you? Who to you turn to for babysitting, pampering and to just get away? Here’s what you said.

Place to shop for clothes: Dillard’s
Finding clothes is never an easy task for anyone … but for moms, it seems even harder. So what did you vote as the “go-to” place for finding mommy-wear? Dillard’s. With all the classics (plus some), it’s a one-stop-shop for moms on the go.

Babysitting service: Mom’s Best Friend
Mom’s Best Friend will find you anything from a personal chef, to an executive housekeeper and everything in between. But looking after your little ones is what you voted them the crème de la crème for. Now what can be better than having someone find the right sitter (or maybe personal assistant) for you? Now, that really is a mom’s best friend.

Restaurant for date night: Olive Garden
Between basketball games and ballet classes, “date night” is more of a dream than a reality. But when there is a pause in the busy carpooling schedule, where do you go for some together time? Olive Garden was your top choice. What’s more romantic than good old fashioned Italian food with your amore!


Shop like a rock star …
As much as you want to, you can’t keep yourself out of stores. You put your shopping knowledge to good use by telling us who reigns in retail.

Children’s wear: Snug as a Bug
Whether it’s for her Sunday best or for romping around the house, Snug as a Bug won your votes for the place in 2007 to fashion your kids’ sense of style.

Furniture: Roomstore
You voted locally-based Roomstore as your favorite place to gather the goods to make any house your home. Covering nine states with 70 stores, they’ve obviously secured a recipe for success.

Independent Toy Store: KB Toys
Even with the recent (and many) recalls, kids still want every toy they lay their eyes on. Your vote on where to find them? KB Toys. If you’re squeamish about which toys to buy (with all of the recent recalls), check the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, www.cpsc.gov before you buy.

Organic food: Central Market
For those of you who relate the phrase “crunchy granola” more to a type of person than a food, you know where to go to get your “green” goods. Central Market won your vote for the place to shop for organic food. You’ll find just about any organic food you’re looking for in their maze-like market.

Best deals on kids’ clothes: Just Between Friends
Sometimes, it’s just not worth buying new clothes every two weeks when your little one hits a big growth spurt. Your vote for best place to buy “hand-me-downs”… Just Between Friends. With consignment sales across the country, there is sure a deal to be had in your neighborhood.


Baby your babies …
With an apparent baby boom going on (well, at least in Hollywood), you can never have enough help guiding you to the biggest (although not always) and the best places to buy for and care for your newest addition to the family.

Place for unique baby gifts: Babies on the Boulevard
You’ve been to about 25 baby showers already in your lifetime (and see at least another dozen in the near future) with as many diaper genies and three-tier diaper cakes given as the number of petit fours eaten. For something different, you voted Babies on the Boulevard as the place to pick up a gift that hasn’t been given a hundred times before you. How refreshing.

Place to have a baby/Parent & baby class: Harris Methodist downtown
Harris Methodist takes the cake this year for mommies and their babies. You voted it the best hospital to have a baby and best place to take a parent and baby class. Whether it is preparing, having or caring for your babies, you are turning to this established institution first.

Maternity clothes: Motherhood Maternity
It’s a known fact that maternity clothes aren’t the most appealing to a woman with a keen sense of style. One store that breaks the mold in Fort Worth, according to you, is Motherhood Maternity, recipient of the Best Maternity Clothes honor.

Doula/Midwife: Brenda Shumway
You voted Brenda Shumway as the best of the best as far as doulas are concerned. A certified doula, who also offers Monitrice service, will make sure that your labor and delivery is as smooth and as safe as possible.

Stock up on baby essentials: Target
No matter what you’re looking for, you’re bound to find it at Target. And that applies especially to all things baby. According to our readers, it’s the place to stock up on all of the necessities a mama needs to care for her new bundle.

Nursing lounges: Babies ‘R Us
When a baby’s hungry, he lets you know … loudly, no matter where you happen to be at the moment. That’s why nursing lounges are a great mommy perk. Clean and comfortable, Babies ‘R Us won your votes for the best lounge in the land.