At Caterina’s, a Texas restaurant located in Fort Worth’s Stockyards neighborhoods, phones are a no-go. Chef Tim Love — who makes an irresistible mole-inspired dry rub — specifically designed his upscale Italian restaurant as a no-phone eatery. While such a rule may sound rigid, Love established the policy for one simple reason: without phones, diners are more present with both their meals and one another.
People love to complain about the rule, Love reveals to Tasting Table. “But those are the people who are not wanting to enjoy time with their friends, so they don’t come there,” the chef continues, adding that, “If you do want to come, I promise you: you’re gonna have a better experience than you ever thought.” Granted, the mystery of no phones — and therefore fewer phone-eats-first Instagram photos — has generated buzz around the restaurant. Such publicity wasn’t Love’s intention, however; rather, he simply aimed to create an immersive atmosphere for guests to sit down and connect over a good meal.
“I just wanted a place of a little bit of solitude,” he admits. “We’ve chosen to take time and effort to come together to have dinner; let’s have dinner and talk.” With the phones away, guests are therefore better equipped to enjoy conversation with those at their table, as well as diners at surrounding tables. A communal phenomenon has emerged at Caterina’s, which Love attributes to, yes, the lack of phones.
Caterina’s encourages conversation with a no cell phone policy
If you are going to Fort Worth’s Caterina’s, leave your phone at home or in one of the establishment’s designated cell phone bags offered for your convenience. As a result of this rare chance to unplug, Love has noticed more vibrant conversations, both within groups who arrive together and those who meet at neighboring tables. “Texans inherently, generally, will be friendly and comment on the people next to them,” explains the chef, who has noticed some diners talking from across the room. Because they can’t resort to Google, they’ll often ask those around them for answers, sparking conversation and, perhaps, new friendships.
“Next thing you know, they’re at the White Elephant [a local saloon the next street over] having a cocktail,” Love adds. Chef Love didn’t necessarily predict this pattern of table-to-table conversations, though they prove that no cell phones may, in fact, be the best complement to Caterina’s veal cheek agnolotti and escolar crudo. As such, even if you’re not in Fort Worth, you can take your next dinner time cue from Love. If you put your phone away and follow his recipe for cheesy roasted carrots, who knows what conversations may arise?
