Openings & Closings: Lucky Burger Says Goodbye After 40 Years & Siphon Coffee Finally Opens

Swamplot broke the news this week that Lucky Burger at 1601 Richmond Avenue will close on Saturday, May 31. Now that the burger joint’s lease is up, the restaurant will turn off the lights after 40 years of operation. But, if you want to take a piece of the restaurant home with you, especially if it was a memorable spot to grab a cheeseburger, then you can buy some of the tables, chairs, cookware and equipment, if items are still available.

CultureMap Houston’s Eric Sandler reports that The State Bar & Lounge at 909 Texas will hold its last service on Saturday, May 31. A manager told Sandler that the bar is closing, but did not reveal the reason.

The Cafe Express at 3200 Kirby also closed on Thursday, May 29. Cafe Express released a flyer explaining that the Kirby location closed “due to site development.” This Cafe Express has been serving customers since 1987, but that has all come to an end. Fortunately there are other locations around town for you to get your sandwich, salad and burger fixes.

Remember when John Kiely asked La Fresca Pizza to become a chain? Well the local pizza shop has opened its second location at 6603 Kirby last week. Fans of the thin-crust pizza with super fresh toppings can now grab a slice in Meyerland and inside the loop.

Just in time for the summer, Gelazzi is now open at 3601 White Oak Drive, just behind Revival Market, on May 18. While you can satisfy your sweet tooth and cool down from the rising temperatures outside with gelato, you can also sit down to a flatbread or Panini and a cold beer or glass of wine for lunch or dinner once the restaurant receives its TABC license.

Hop Scholar Ale House held its soft opening on Friday, May 23. This dive bar at 610 Rayford in Spring serves craft beers from Southern Star, Karbach, Buffalo Bayou, Saint Arnold, B-52 and many more.

The Vintage Park shopping center has welcomed many new restaurants over the past several months, and Donafe’s Café is the latest addition. Donafe’s Café, located at 126 Vintage Park Boulevard in Suite F, serves pastries (savory and sweet), sandwiches and drinks inspired from the cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago. This pastry shop and café opened on Friday, May 23, next to Facon Brazilian Restaurant, a recent newcomer to the shopping center.

Bandito’s Taco Grill opened in Rosenberg at 503 FM 2977 during the weekend of May 24. Bandito’s serves a variety of breakfast tacos filled with steak, egg, potato, chorizo, beans and cheese, as well as specialty tacos for lunch and dinner. How about a Santo taco with slow-braised shredded beef brisket, grilled onions, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado and cheese? Or the Bonnie & Clyde taco with blackened seasoned grilled tilapia, slaw, cilantro, pineapple, mango and creamy chipotle sauce?

Siphon Coffee is finally open. The sign on the marquee has changed from “Coming Soon” to “We Are Open.” Along with siphon-made coffee concoctions, this new coffee spot serves up savory items like breakfast tacos, empanadas filled with chicken, beef or potato. Kaitlin Steinberg chose the finocchiona sandwich as her No. 93 favorite dish. It’s a panini filled with Italian fennel salami made with ground pork and pork fat (finocchiona), melted scamorza cheese, giardiniera tapenade and roasted red bell pepper strips.

VERTS seems to be multiplying its locations almost as fast as Dunkin’ Donuts — well, not quite that fast, but the fourth location opened in Cypress at 25626 Northwest Freeway on Saturday, May 24. Now you can get a döner kebap in Cypress.

If you’re just looking for a regular sandwich, then head to the newest Subway at 4807 San Jacinto. The newest location opens today, May 30, and beginning at 7 a.m. until Saturday, May 31 at 10 p.m., this Subway will offer a free second sub sandwich of equal or lesser value to the first purchased sandwich.

Two new frozen yogurt locations opened last week. Zoyo Frozen Yogurt opened in League City at 2456 FM 2094 on Wednesday, May 21. Sweet Frog opened in Oak Forest/Garden Oaks at 1210 W 43rd St. on Friday, May 23.

Another Torchy’s Tacos is headed to Houston, well actually Katy. The new location will open at 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard on June 12. Get to this Torchy’s between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. for free tacos. But if you miss out on this deal, you’ll always be able to get happy hour discounts and beers from Saint Arnold, Karbach and the area’s own No Label Brewing Company.

Head to the next page for a complete listing of May’s openings and closings.

May Openings: Bambu Desserts & Drinks, 3825 Richmond, 888-224-2469
Bandito’s Taco Grill, 503 FM 2977, Rosenberg, Ste. 2, 281-239-3428
BB’s Café, 6154 Westheimer, 713-339-2566
Beer Market Co., 920 Studemont, Ste. 900, 713-426-9035
Boil House, 606 E 11th St., 713-880-3999
Common Bond, 1706 Westheimer, 713-529-3535
Daily Juice, 6401 Woodway Dr., Ste. 175, 832-804-9535
Donafe’s Cafe, 126 Vintage Park Blvd., Ste. F, 281-257-5677
Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins, 2808 Highway 6 S, 281-617-7373
Fresh Market, 1519 West Bay Area Blvd., 281-332-3607
Gelazzi, 3601 White Oak, 713-597-6257
Hop Scholar Ale House, 610 Rayford, Ste. 642, Spring, 281-203-7406
La Fresca Pizza, 6603 Kirby, Ste. B, 713-723-7778
Lillo & Ella, 2307 Ella Blvd., 281-888-5335
Longboard Pool Bar, 1702 Seawall Blvd., 409-762-4141
MF Sushi, 5887 Westheimer, 832-530-4321
Ninja Ramen, 4219 Washington, 281-888-5873
Pho Binh, 8336 Southwest Fwy, 713-777-1770
Preview Modern Seafood Cuisine, 4645 Highway 6, Unit C, Sugar Land, 832-939-8968
Red Ox Bar & Grill, 811 Collingsworth, 713-227-3369
Sal y Pimienta, 818 Town & Country Blvd., Ste. 105, 713-907-0412
Salata, 9050 W. Sam Houston Pkwy North, 832-478-5745
Siphon Coffee, 701 W Alabama, 281-974-4426
Solaro Estate UrbanWinery, 330 TC Jester Blvd., 832-660-8642
Subway, 4807 San Jacinto, 713-529-2668
Sweet Frog, 1210 W 43rd St., 713-682-2215
Table on Post Oak, 1800 Post Oak Blvd., 713-439-1000
The Egg & I, 9920 Highway 90-A, 281-242-3447
The Republic Grille, 4775 W Panther Creek Dr., Ste. 490, The Woodlands, 281-719-5895
VERTS, 15556 Cutten, 832-559-3766
VERTS, 25626 Northwest Freeway, Ste. 500, 512-800-8194
Zoyo Frozen Yogurt, 2456 FM 2094, League City, 281-332-5912