Dandelion Cafe, 611 W. 22nd, opened September 17 in the Heights Clock Tower. This makes location number three for the family-owned daytime cafe and also the largest. Its original spot opened in Bellaire in 2016 followed by a grab-and-go location at Rice University’s Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering Science.
Its expansion has been in the works for a while, but like many local businesses, it took a hit from Hurricane Beryl. Co-owners Sarah Lieberman and Executive Chef JC Ricks were featured last year on Good Morning America in a breakfast competition, beating out another local favorite Breakfast Klub, but not taking home the national honors for its Chicken & Waffles. This past July, ABC News correspondent Mireya Villareal came to Houston to present the couple with a $14,800 check with donations from non-profit group Southern Smoke Foundation and for-profit company Cash App.
Lieberman says it’s a dream to expand into a central location. Husband Ricks agrees. He said in a press release, “Considering we can probably fit the entire Bellaire location inside of our Heights kitchen, this is a huge and exciting upgrade in growth for us that will allow us to achieve things we’ve been wanting to do for years like offer market goods and grab-and-go items and now we can finally do that.
As the pandemic began, the cafe was in the process of doing just that. it was offering jarred jams, pickles, salsas, granola and sausages. However, they put a pause on the market items to focus on the increasing cafe business. The Heights location will eventually launch the market goods as Dandelion Cafe settles into its expansion.
Joining the couple in the growth of the brand are general managers Jeff Buhrer and Rommel Carino. Buhrer has been in charge of the Bellaire location for the past 15 months and his prior experience includes a ten-year-stint with Underbelly Hospitality. Carino is a hospitality veteran with 27 years of experience including his work for local restaurant group Laurenzo’s El Tiempo Cantina. The duo will now oversee all three locations together. The Heights cafe will also add an in-house baker to the team.
The Heights location will feature the same bright and dandelion-themed interior but with expanded room to seat 70 guests indoors and 20 on the dog-friendly patio. There is a wrap-around coffee bar plus a private room available for rent that seats 25.
The breakfast menu offers its GMA-famous Chicken & Waffles as well as the full-on morning meal, The Dandy Classic. Other choices include Black Bean Tostada, Dandy’s Chicken Chilaquiles, Buttermilk Pancakes and Bagel & Lox. For lunch guests have options such as Smoked Salmon BLTA, Grilled Cheese with several different cheeses, Club Sandwich and the Super Food Salad.
For beverages, there is a variety of coffee drinks and teas plus smoothies, juices and an array of mimosa flavors.
Killen’s STQ, 2231 S. Voss, will close its doors for good September 30, as reported by CultureMap Houston. Owner Ronnie Killen told CultureMap’s Eric Sandler in a series of text messages that business never again reached the success of its pre-pandemic levels. Killen added, “Plus, STQ is one of the only two places I lease. I own all the other properties.” The closing date also coincides with Killen’s birthday.
The restaurant first opened in 2016 as a blend of live fire cooking and barbecue elements with the elevated style and service of a steakhouse experience. Killen already was operating several eponymous restaurants in Pearland including Killen’s Steakhouse, Killen’s Barbecue and Killen’s Burgers. STQ was voted Best Steak 2017 as well as Best Chicken Fried Steak 2017 as part of the Houston Press Best of Houston.
Good Vibes Coastal Cantina, 3500 W. Main, opened September 16 in League City. While the name may look slightly familiar, it’s a brand new concept from Eric Nelson, chef and owner at Good Vibes Coastal Kitchen in Pearland. Nelson is calling the cuisine “Chef-Mex”, a marriage of Tex-Mex with Gulf Coast flavors. Guests can expect vibrant dishes created with Mexican ingredients, innovative techniques and seaside inspiration.
The menu begins with Little Bites, a selection of starters like Birria Nachos, Smoked Carnitas Pozole, Avocado Tuna Tostadas and Small Pot Tamales. There are also fresh oysters, raw or grilled. The ‘Vibin’ Tacos and Handhelds’ section offers Smoked Carnitas, Grilled Octopus, Vibin’ Birria and Tuna Pastor Gorditas while the Big Bites selection includes El Jefe yard Bird, Dr. Pepper Ancho Baby Back Ribs and an Elote Corn Dog made with a battered RC Ranch wagyu hot dog.
There are fajitas, too, along with sides such as Elote, Jalapeno Mac & Cheese, Vibin’ Charro Beans and Spiced Fries. The dessert menu features Coconut Tres Leches, Mexican Chocolate Cake and Put the Lime in the Coconut, a coconut cookie with lime gelato.
The tropical vacation continues with beach-y decor and a welcoming bar. Besides wine, beer and craft cocktails, the drinks program offers margaritas and Tiki creations.
Solarium, 820 Holman, is shooting to open this fall in the space which formerly housed Holman Draft Hall. The new restaurant, bar and games court is a joint venture from The Kirby Group and Rex Hospitality. The Kirby Group is known for businesses such as Worcester’s Bier Garten and and Degust while Rex Hospitality is the team behind Maven Coffee Company and Maven Coffee + Cocktails.
It promises to be a hotspot for dining, socializing and physical activity for those so-inclined. There will be four pickleball courts and two courts for playing padel, a game that’s a mix of tennis and squash. We know that because we Googled it. In addition, there will be five lounge-like court bays with waiter service for those watching the action.
Wings Etc., 1023 S. Broadway, is expected to open in La Porte this November. It’s only the second Texas location for the wings brand which was founded in Indiana by Jim Weaver in 1994.
The franchisee bringing it to the Greater Houston area is Lance Stephens, who, along with his wife Staton, first visited a Wings Etc. in South Carolina. The variety of food on the large menu and the relaxed, family-friendly sports bar ambiance appealed to them. Stephens, a native Texan and hospitality veteran, returned to Houston after residing in Florida for five years and saw it as a perfect opportunity to bring it to the region.
He views the location between two large ports as very beneficial especially with the potential for lunch delivery to the nearby petrol industry employees. He also expects that the proximity to nearby recreation areas like Galveston Bay and Sylvan Beach will generate customer traffic as well.
First and foremost on the menu are its jumbo wings with a choice of 22 different sauces like Gar-Licky Parm, Chipotle Peach BBQ, Hummin’ Hot Honey and the hottest sauce, Wall, made with habanero pepper. Celery or carrots and dressing are available at an extra cost. Not like the olden days of the 90s when wing lovers could expect that particular garnish gratis. Maybe we’re just showing our age.
The extensive menu also offers sandwiches like the Buffalo Chicken, Philly Cheesesteak, Nashville Hot Chicken and Hawgzilla Pulled Pork, all served with fries (at no additional cost). There’s a lineup of burgers, Ultimate Nachos and apps like Bavarian Pretzel Bites, Cheddar Cheese Curds, Spicy Pickle Chips and more. The Keep-‘Em-Quiet Kid’s Meal list includes Kid Wings, Kid Burger, Kid Mini-Corn Dogs and Kid Chicken Tenders. Made for kids, not of kids. That would really keep ’em quiet.
There are plenty of adult beverages including cocktails and cold beer plus numerous televisions for sports viewing.
In a press release Stephens said, “We’re eager to carry forward the brand’s ‘Good Food, Great Times’ ethos in the Houston area, as well as its commitment to give back.”
Katy Beer Garden, 5345 E. Third, is celebrating its grand opening with an Oktoberfest event October 5 from noon to 2 a.m. Though it opened this past June, this party will make it official with a variety of activities, polka music (attention, Big Hair Kim), live bands and DJs. But, there’s even more. For the brawny, there’s a Stein Holding Contest while the brains can try their luck at Guess How Many Corn Kernels. For snappy dressers, the Costume Contest will be the event to flaunt your lederhosen or dirndls with prizes for Best Dressed Singles, Couples and Pups.
It’s a family-friendly shindig with face painting for die Kinder and sausage platters available for purchase for sustenance throughout the day. Best of all, admission is free, which leaves plenty of das Geld for beer, wine, cocktails and sausages.
Uchiko Houston, 1801 Post Oak Boulevard, will debut its lunch menu October 7, the first such service for any of Hai Hospitality’s ‘uchi family’ of restaurants. While its more casual sibling concept, Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar, has been serving lunch since its inception in 2018, this is a novel move in regards to the upscale Japanese restaurants it operates like Uchi, Oheya, and Uchiba.
Uchiko Houston’s kitchen is led by chef de cuisine Shaun King, who helped launch the concept in Houston in May 2022. His years of experience at places like Momofuku Las Vegas and Mina Group’s Ramen Bar have given him a strong appreciation of Japanese techniques and flavors while incorporating smoke into the offerings from the yakitori grill. King believes Uchiko’s style of food will translate easily into lunch and his team had fun rediscovering the menu through the lens of lunch. He said, ” The Wagyu Short Rib Sando from our Hearth is perfect for those who are craving something heartier while the Chirashi Bowl is fresh and lightly filling. ”
There will be nigiri and sashimi favorites on the lunch menu like the Sake Toro and Gyutoro plus a selection of makimono and a variety of side vegetables. There will still be Cool Tastings and Hot Tastings, echoing the dinner menu as well as specials like the Ko Lunch which features sunomono (‘vinegared things’), Hamachi maki and two chef’s choice nigiri along with a protein option: chicken karaage ($32), salmon ($35) or wagyu short rib sando ($55).
Another lunch special, the Sushi Oma ($55) is a fish-centric combination while the Hearth Midi offers soup, rice, salad and pickles with a choice of wagyu steak ($44), king salmon ($34), Jidori chicken ($24) or king trumpet mushrooms ($19).
P. Terry’s Burger Stand, 9207 FM 723 Richmond, is currently in the works. We reached out to the company for more information about its opening date. The Austin-based burger brand also has two other Houston area locations slated for our sprawling metropolis including one at 20255 Champion Forest in Spring as well as one at Village Green in Bridgeland Central.
Sweet Paris Creperie and Cafe, 20240 Summit Point, is also slated for Village Green at Bridgeland Central along with a number of other restaurants and businesses, dates to be determined.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
