While staff put finishing touches on his new restaurant, Cat City Grill, Vance Martin weighed the relative merits of opening 24 hours after Valentine’s Day.

In this grim economic climate, what’s remarkable is that Martin, owner-chef of Lili’s Bistro just down the street on Fort Worth’s Magnolia Avenue, is expanding his business horizons at all.

And he’s not alone… Read more

Critic’s choice: Lili’s Bistro

“Three years ago, only the pretentious (and the Weekly) were calling Magnolia Avenue and its handful of good eateries “Restaurant Row.” That changed fast when longtime Fort Worth restaurateur Vance Martin opened Lili’s Bistro in spring 2007. Lili’s handsome, cozy room of original brick walls and half-tin, half-exposed ceilings, along with its creative menu of delicious twists on retro (wedge salad), modern (tenderloin with grilled pears), and global (wasabi scallops) dishes, quickly cemented Magnolia’s place on the foodie map. Convival host Martin and exuberant chef Heather Hogan keep customer spirits high with good humor, a lovely wine list, and homey yet dazzling desserts. We’re not waiting until the fall opening of his highly anticipated Cat City Grill, just a block east of Lili’s, to dub Vance Martin the King of Magnolia Avenue.”

In addition to Critic’s Choice for Best Restaurant, Lili’s Bistro received the following FW Weekly Awards for 2009:

1. Best Wine List
2. Best Sausage
3. Best Dessert
4. Best Host, Vance Martin
5. BEST RESTAURANT

New Eatery on Magnolia
Fort Worth Star Telegram, July 9, 2009
You read it here first: After a year of planning, Vance Martin is spilling the beans about his new venture. It’s called Cat City Grill, a contemporary dining spot and watering hole to open this fall at 1208 West Magnolia Ave., a block from his wildly popular Lili’s Bistro in Fort Worth….

Restaurant Roundup: A Peak at Lili’s Bistro
FW Business Press, June 11, 2009
Head to Magnolia street for some good food. Many foodies think that’s a new idea, but think again…

Wedge Salads Make a Comeback
DFW.com (Fort Worth Star Telegram), May 2009
In this golden age of exotic greens, few people flip over iceberg lettuce…

Fort Worth Date Night: It’s all about ME!
Forth Worth Business Press, March 2009
The perfectly-crusted chicken was sitting on a bed of rice…

Salad Days
Star Telegram, March 2008
A Bulgher & berries salad, created by Vance Martin of Lili’s Bistro on Magnolia, sets a a light tone for spring.

A Few Minutes With Vance Martin, Owner of Lili’s Bistro
Fort Worth Business Press, June 2008

Food Faves: Join the ‘in’ crowd at hot spots
Star Telegram, March 2008

Best of 2007
Fort Worth Weekly, September 2007
Reader’s Choice: Best New Restaurant 2007
Critic’s Choice: Best Fries

Neighborhood Hangouts
Star Telegram, December 2007

Table Scout – The Foodie Pages
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., August 2007
…unpretentious Lili’s Bistro, serves inventive yet reasonably priced global cuisine with more than a hint of Parisian je ne sais quoi…

Lovely Lili’s
Star-Telegram June 2007
By Teresa Gubbins
Classic dishes get a modern redesign at Vance Martin’s latest restaurant

Magnolia? Never Heard of It
Chow, Baby – FW Weekly, May 2007
Chow, Baby is getting its hopes up for Magnolia again

Martin Opens Bistro in Hospital District
Dallas Business Journal, May 2007
By Holli L. Estridge, Staff Writer

New and Noteworthy
Texas Monthly, September 2007

Taste What’s Cookin’ on Magnolia
Star-Telegram, May 2007
By June Naylor

Best Non-Chain French Fries
Fort Worth Magazine, 2007 Culinary Awards