Houston's restaurant scene in spring and summer proved eventful with openings from multiple bars and restaurants, including local watering hole Patterson Park, Rice Village's modern Israeli restaurant Hamsa, Montrose's Italian chophouse Marmo, and a relocation of Underbelly Hospitality's Georgia James ahead of some shifts in management. Now, fall is on the horizon, and in this new season, Space City is slated to welcome a new onslaught of anticipated restaurants and bars, ranging from establishments slinging masterfully-made sushi and seafood to French fare and barbecue.
Though delays may come up - meaning projected opening dates could change - here's what the Houston dining scene has planned for later this year.
Location: 1609 Westheimer Road
Key players: Adyson and Andrew Alvis
Projected opening: September 2022
Get ready for this culinary roller coaster. The third outpost of this coffee and cocktail bar, which also doubles as a dispensary, will debut in Montrose, but with a new twist. In addition to its wine, hemp-based elixirs, coffees, and other cannabis pairings, this fine dining restaurant will feature coastal foods from around the world that are infused with hemp-derived CBD or THC.
Location: 1212 Waugh Drive
Key players: Executive chef Erick Anaya
Projected opening: End of September
From the team behind Gatsby's Prime Steakhouse comes this Montrose seafood restaurant with a 1920s vibe à la The Great Gatsby. Replacing Tony Mandola's restaurant at 1212 Waugh Drive, Gatsby's Prime Seafood is slated to offer an array of seafood options with executive chef and Gatsby's Prime Steakhouse veteran Erick Anaya at the helm. Expect fresh catch and cooks daily, including branzino filets, New Bedford scallops, and seabass, plus caviar and cuts of filets, rib-eye, and New York Strips. With room for up to 225 guests, Gatsby's will feature a blue and gold interior - a departure from the black and red design at Gatsby's Prime Steakhouse. and will feature an outdoor patio where Guests will be able to head out to an outdoor patio to enjoy an array of cocktails, wines, and "pre-Prohibition" drink staples.
Location: 1700 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands
Projected opening: September 2022
The self-described "biggest bar" in Texas is branching out to the Woodlands. Located across from entertainment venue Cynthia Woods Pavilion, Kirby's second outpost will take up more than 28,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor space, with more than 60 TVs, a more than 300-inch HDV TV wall, an arcade, a 30-foot tall Texas live oak tree, and a bar that reportedly stretches 141 feet. Expect more than four dozen beers on tap, agua frescas, cocktails, and a rotation of city food trucks. The 21-and-up bar plans to open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays, and from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends.
Location: 3905 Washington Avenue
Key players: The Kirby Group
Projected opening: October 2022
With the Kirby Group's Heights Bier Garten serving as the inspiration, the hospitality group's latest beer garden Bayou Heights will open this fall, taking up over an acre of land to serve cocktails, beer, wine, and a bar menu that's slated to include smoked meats. Best of all, the bar plans to stay open rain or shine, with a patio with covered seating.
Location: 5216 Morningside Drive
Key players: The team behind Hidden Omakase
Projected opening: November 2022
Hidden Omakase has established itself as one of the best and most opulent omakase experiences in the city, and now, it's aiming to offer a just as delicious, but more affordable option. Its latest establishment, Sushi by Hidden, will open in Rice Village this November, offering a 30-minute, 12-course omakase experience for $60 that seats only 10 guests at a time. Guests will also be treated to a rotation of artwork that's rotated quarterly, thanks to an in-house gallery created for diners to enjoy.
Location: 5117 Kelvin Drive
Key players: Benjy Levit, owner of Lees Den and Local Foods
Projected opening: November 2022
Replacing Houston's now-closed Thai Spice, this bistro-style restaurant will join its speakeasy sister Lees Den above Local Foods in Rice Village, offering contemporary French cuisine, seafood, and various specialties prepared in a wood-burning oven.
Location: 2715 Bissonnet Street
Key players: Chef Cong Nguyen
Projected opening: November 2022
Evolving from a monthly pop-up at Hidden Omakase, the reservations-only Norigami has now found a permanent home in Rice Village. The brick-and-mortar, which will offer a speakeasy entrance, is slated to offer its artfully made sushi and crowd pleasers like the Ménage à Foie Gras, a luxe combo of uni, toro, wagyu, caviar, and foie gras.
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Location: 4411 San Felipe Street
Key players: Joseph Geiskopf, executive chef
Projected opening: Late fall
Blending modern Japanese and French cuisine, River Oak's anticipated restaurant Ciel will offer cocktails, champagne, and upscale wine collections in a restaurant inspired by landmarks along the French Riviera. Executive chef Joseph Geiskopf hails from Napa Valley, bringing with him talents from Michelin-starred restaurants, including French Laundry and Vespertine.
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This article will be updated.