Mendocino Farms, the California-born sandwich and salad chain, is preparing to open its first restaurant in Fort Worth. The location is at 1701 S. University Drive in Westbend, near Texas Christian University, with construction scheduled to wrap up in March 2027.
The restaurant will be the chain’s first in Tarrant County. It will span about 3,262 square feet, including a 733-square-foot patio, and a roughly $650,000 buildout will add a new kitchen, dining room, restrooms, lighting and finishes. Work is planned to start in December 2026.
The Fort Worth location will join six Mendocino Farms restaurants already open in the Dallas area. The chain’s menu centers on sandwiches, salads and wraps made with locally sourced bread, and it changes every six to eight weeks. Among the Dallas favorites are the “Not So Fried” chicken sandwich, the chimichurri steak and bacon sandwich, a club on sourdough and caprese and chicken parm sandwiches.
Westbend is a mixed-use development with retail, restaurants and apartments, and it is in the middle of a major second phase. The $82 million expansion adds 321 apartment units and more commercial space, which will roughly double the retail already at the center. Maman, the New York-based bakery and café, is also expected to open in the new phase, with a March 2027 target.
Mendocino Farms was founded in Los Angeles in 2005 by Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero. It has grown to more than 80 restaurants across California, Colorado, Texas and Washington, and has been backed by investors including L Catterton and TPG. Besides its sandwiches, the chain is known for its salads and a menu that includes vegan options such as its Vegan Banh Mi.
