Paris Coffee Shop
| Paris Coffee Shop | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Paris Coffee Shop | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1926 |
| Food type | American cuisine |
| Location | 704 West Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, Texas |
Paris Coffee Shop is a diner in Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1926 by namesake Vic Paris.
Description
The restaurant has mid-century themed decor and booth seating.[1] It is known as a diner and lunch room.[2] The restaurant is known for serving pies, chicken and dumplings,[3] and blue-plate specials.[4]
History
The restaurant is one of the oldest in Fort Worth.[5] It was founded in 1926 by Vic Paris. He sold it to Grigonos[3] "Greg" Asikis.[6] Asikis had immigrated from Greece to the United States when he was a teenager and worked as a dishwasher. He changed his surname to "Greg Smith" to avoid discrimination. He bought the Paris Coffee Shop from Vic Paris in 1930.[7]
In 1965, Greg became ill and his son Mike Smith took over management of the restaurant.[6] Mike had been studying for a master's degree at University of North Texas when Greg began to suffer from Parkinson's disease, which led Mike to return and help at the restaurant.[8] In 1974, Mike moved the restaurant a block west of its original location on Magnolia Avenue and Hemphill Street, into a former Safeway grocery store building.[4]
In 2021, Mike Smith retired[8] and sold the restaurant to Lou Lambert, Chris Reale, and Mark Harris.[3] They renovated the restaurant based on historical photos of the original location.[9][10]
References
- ^ Ellington, Michael (2025-06-02). "Fort Worth's Best Classic Restaurants". Eater Dallas. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ Stern, Jane; Stern, Michael (2005-04-12). Roadfood: The Coast-To-Coast Guide to 500 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More. Broadway Books. p. 498. ISBN 978-0-7679-2264-7.
- ^ a b c Blaskovich, Sarah (2022-05-19). "Fort Worth's oldest restaurant, Paris Coffee Shop, has reopened". Dallas News. Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ a b Release, Press (2022-05-19). "Fort Worth's iconic Paris Coffee Shop reopens on Near Southside". Fort Worth Report. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ Gleaves, Spray (2014-02-20). "20 Oldest". Fort Worth Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ a b Simmons, Linda Blackwell (2017-05-16). "A Day in the Life of Paris Coffee Shop Owner Mike Smith". Fort Worth Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ Smith-Rodgers, Sheryl (2000-06-01). Texas Old-Time Restaurants & Cafes. Simon and Schuster. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-1-4616-2549-0.
- ^ a b "'Mike's last day.' Owner of Fort Worth's Paris Coffee Shop retires after 55 years". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. April 17, 2021.
- ^ Dabney, Courtney (2022-04-15). "Legendary Fort Worth Diner On the Verge of Reopening — Restored and Revitalized Paris Coffee Shop to Return". PaperCity Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ Mayhew, Malcolm (2022-05-18). "The Rebirth of Paris Coffee Shop". Fort Worth Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-16.