An up-and-coming restaurant in Fort Worth is making a move: Beren Meze & Grill House, an indie spot that opened only a year ago, is graduating to a high-profile new address at 1200 6th Ave. in the PS1200 complex, moving into the former vegan restaurant Maiden, which closed in 2025.
Beren first made its debut as “Beren Mediterranean” in the Near Southside at 1229 8th Ave. in February 2025 inside the Funky Town Food Hall, where it’s been winning over fans (and earning acclaim including a nomination for Best New Restaurant in CultureMap’s 2026 Tastemaker Awards) for its homey take on Turkish and Middle Eastern food.
This relocation represents not only an affirmation of its food and service, but also a chance to expand in a meaningful way, says founder Caglar “Charlie” Unlu.
“We’ve loved our location near Magnolia — it was a great place to start, and we’re not moving too far,” Unlu says. “This will give us more room, and also the opportunity to serve cocktails and a full bar.”
Unlu is a food & beverage veteran who worked in management for more than a decade at pricey steakhouses and hotels, as well as for the Dallas Cowboys. Simultaneously, he and his wife, Leman Unlu, launched a side business selling baklava at farmers markets around town — proclaimed by many to be the best in town.
“But I always dreamed about having my own place,” he says.
Partnered with family members, they opened Beren with a menu focused primarily on Turkish cuisine, which they’ll continue and expand upon at the new location.
“We do traditional dishes but with light, modern touches, and we try to keep everything organic and with best quality ingredients,” he says.
Food
Kebabs are a signature, including their trademark adana kebab, featuring seasoned ground lamb and beef with onion, paprika, garlic, and onion, molded into a long sausage shape and grilled on a skewer, and served with salad and rice. In the beyti kebab, they take that same meat, wrap it in flatbread, and serve with tomato and yogurt. Other kebabs feature steak, salmon, lamb, and beautifully grilled shrimp.
“The approach we take is to make it light, and yet convey that comforting sense of homemade,” he says.
There is also Turkish Menemen, a classic Turkish breakfast of scrambled eggs with tomato, bell pepper, and onion; and the Empire Delight — also known as “Hunkar Begendi,” a historic Turkish dish featuring smoky eggplant puree with sauteed lamb basted in tomato sauce.
Beren is famous for its baklava.Beren
“We’re going to be offering chef’s specials which you can not find anywhere,” he says. There are also plans for a unique bar with cocktails, wine, Turkish beer, and local beer.
And of course there is their special fondness for desserts, including baklava in multiple varieties such as chocolate baklava, walnut baklava, and buzzy pistachio baklava, as well as a dessert called Cyprus Gold — a creamy walnut and coconut baked pastry topped with sweetened cream, which they describe as one of the most decadent desserts of the Mediterranean.
Unlu is visibly excited about the space and all its possibilities, including an “incredible patio,” and they’ve given the interior a makeover with muted earth tones including hues of pale olive green, terra cotta, and straw.
Their goal is to be open at the new location in early April, starting slow with dinner before expanding to dinner and lunch. Their last day at the food hall will be March 22.
“We do everything in an organic way, and this was a great place for us starting out, but we’ve changed a lot,” he says. “Now we have this incredible opportunity for our future — we’re aiming at being Michelin recommended — and to welcome more guests.”
Dining and Cooking