Forno's opens new location on the water in Cottonwood Shores
Emily Hilley-Sierzchula/Restaurant owner Waleed Shubber, left, and Gib Shackelford, general manager of the LBJ Yacht Club & Marina, enjoy the weather on the outside patio.
By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula
Those in the know already know, of course, but the regular customers of Forno’s Bar and Grill have been keeping the owners busy since the doors swung open at the LBJ Yacht Club and Marina in Cottonwood Shores.
The restaurant flourished for years at its Marble Falls Main Street location until the building was sold, prompting the move, said co-owner Jo Shubber.
“We wanted to be on the water and this location became available,” she said. “I think it was a good move for both the marina and us.”
The business is located on the border with Horseshoe Bay, making it convenient for many regular customers. It’s a combination of ambiance and good food that has kept folks coming back, Jo said.
“Mostly, we try to treat people like family and keep a relaxed atmosphere,” she said.
Waleed Shubber, co-owner and chef, said it’s all about the food. “People around here love food, especially different kinds and food from overseas,” he said. It fits right in with the cosmopolitan nature created by a wealth of retirees from around the country and world, Waleed explained.
He said customers appreciate his made-from-scratch sauces and bread. It’s all home cooking from a person who loves to cook, using recipes and techniques gleaned from an Italian chef many years ago.
The restaurant is part of an economic revitalization in Cottonwood Shores as new businesses are calling the city home. “We want this area to be the spotlight,” Waleed said. Already folks travel from Kingsland and Bertram to eat a plate of his Calamari Marinara or Shrimp Di La Casa.
For more on this story, see The Highlander on Friday, April 15.
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The restaurant is located at 200 Wirtz Dam Rd., Cottonwood Shores. For more information, call 830-637-7878 or visit www.fornos.us.
Forno’s is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the bar open until midnight; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed Tuesdays.
