Blue Tuba, 350 W. 19th, opens May 1 in the Heights. Located upstairs in the former Harold's in the Heights space, the concept will offer European flavors with a Texas twist. The 5,141 square-foot restaurant will accommodate 150 guests including space for 40 on the rooftop deck. There's also a 15 seat bar and a private dining room for 16 guests.
It comes from owners Giga Leszayova and Vlado Kolenic. Both born and raised in Czechoslovakia, Leszayova arrived in New York in 2001 with just $200. In 2004 she got into hospitality management and her stint as manager at Bettola, an Italian restaurant in NYC, led her to eventually taking ownership of the restaurant in 2016, along with Kolenic, a rock musician who defected to the United States from behind the Iron Curtain. According to a press release, they loved New York but the restaurant never completely recovered from the pandemic. Kolenic says, "There's so much opportunity in Texas and so many different cultures here in Houston. We're excited to bring 'Euro-Tex' to the Heights."
Examples of what exactly Euro-Tex is can be seen on the menu. With their world travels and Slovakian heritage, the duo have taken inspiration from around the globe. Diners will find dishes such as Kolenic's pan-fried schnitzel and his Hungarian grandmother's authentic Hungarian goulash. Other memorable dishes from Kolenic's childhood such as Chicken Paprikash and Slovak Mac & Cheese (halushky) show up as well.

The fare also includes Kolenic's version of jambalaya. Here, it's called Texas Paella and is made with brisket, shrimp, chicken, mussels, kielbasa, black beans and Euro "Dirty" rice. There's even a selection of Euro Tacos like the French with escargot or the Italian with shrimp scampi. Diners can choose corn, flour or Slovak tortillas, made from potato, flour and salt.

The full bar at Blue Tuba is under the direction of bar manager Vincent Campos and the wine list has been curated by Guatemalan sommelier Gabriela Benecke.
Just as the food and drink are adventurous, the concept itself is meant to be a late-night spot for local musicians with a small stage set in the dining room. Being a musician himself, Kolenic is likely to join in the jam when he's not too busy in the kitchen, something he did at Bettola as well. In fact, a blue tuba that was once part of the eclectic decor at Bettola has made the trip to Houston too. It will take pride of place on the dining room stage as a visual representation of the duo's own unique journey.
Prego, 2520 Amherst, announced that its last day of service will be May 31. The closure is not a surprise since it was revealed in November 2023 that it would be reopening at 5515 Kelvin across the street. Unfortunately, that move has been nixed and there is currently no plan for reopening elsewhere. For more than four decades, the Italian restaurant has been a Rice Village institution, offering classic and contemporary Italian food way before Houston was the culinary mecca that it is today.

The original move was planned due to the redevelopment being carried out by Rice Management Company for the nearby Rice University. The owners were made aware of the RMC's plans for the building in April 2023.

The Facebook post announcing the decision to not relocate stated, "Despite our best efforts and Rice Real Estate Company's generous accommodations, we have decided that it is not the right time for Prego to make such a move. We appreciate the longstanding relationship with Rice and their partnership in helping us come to this decision. We are excited about the future of Rice Village and continue to be steadfast in our commitment to this community." Online chatter about the redevelopment hasn't been quite so hopeful.

The post went on  to say that the restaurant would host several wine dinners prior to its last service and invited its heartbroken patrons to "Come raid the cellar, have a martini at the bar, enjoy a family dinner on the patio and host a celebration in the wine room. We look forward to celebrating with you all!"
Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe, 348 S. Mason, opens as a three-month pop-up beginning May 4 and running through August 4, 2024. While some themed pop-ups have been a mixed bag over the years, this one has solid expertise behind the venture with restaurateur Andy Nguyen and his partners at Secret Sauce Society, Kevin Seo and Phillip Huynh, collaborating with gaming brand SEGA. Nguyen also has Houston cred as one of the founders of the oh-so-popular Trill Burgers.

The pop-up cafe is based on one of the world's most iconic video game characters, Sonic the Hedgehog. And guests will be transported into Sonic's universe with each order being served in custom-designed packaging featuring characters from the game. There will also be plenty of merch available for purchase such as t-shirts, hoodies and hats.
The menu offers items like the Knuckles Sandwich made with spicy fried chicken and Sonic's Classic Chili Dog, a must-have for true Sonic devotees. There are kid-friendly options such as Piko Piko Tenders and for vegans, there's the Green Hill Vegan Chili Cup. Sides include Fast Fries and Golden Ring onion rings. The theme continues with beverages like the Blue Blur blueberry slush and Team Dark mocha milkshake which is inspired by Shadow.
Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe first debuted at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2023, leading to a second pop-up in Chino Hills, California in November 2023. The Houston location is the first pop-up location outside California. It is temporarily taking over the Craft Burger space. Chef Shannen Tune, owner of Craft Burger, helped create the menu for the Katy pop-up. In addition to the previous menus, the Texas cafe will include Tune's Chaotix Hot Dog with chopped brisket, crispy onions and barbecue sauce. The Ultimate Fearless Hot Dog gets a kick from pepperoni, cheese and marinara sauce while Zomom's Hunger Buster Fries get topped with brisket, cheddar cheese and green onions.

Craft Burger will reopen after Sonic speeds away.
Urban South Brewery, 1201 Oliver, announced via social media that it closed its Houston location April 19. With the heading "Sad News, Houston" on its Facebook post it read "It is with a bittersweet feeling that we announce the closing of our beloved Houston taproom starting today. While we bid farewell to our cozy space, rest assured that Urban South beers will continue to be brewed out of the original New Orleans location and still be readily available across Houston through distribution channels." It continued with thanks to its patrons while hash-tagging "Houstonforever". Well, apparently not.

The Houston brewery and taproom opened Leap Day (February 29) of 2020. It was the second location for the brewery which was founded in New Orleans by Jacob Landry and Kyle Huling in 2016. Known for its fruited sour beers, Houstonians could enjoy Lime Cucumber Gose and HTX IPA. New lagers and sours were continually being introduced, including its smoothie sours in flavors like apple pie and Mexican candy.
Lick Honest Ice Creams, 3737 Cogdell, is celebrating its Autry Park opening May 3. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., guests will each receive a free scoop of ice cream . Those waiting in line will enjoy free samples of various flavors plus there will be free swag for the first 100 visitors that day.

The menu of delicious treats includes its Everyday Flavors like Caramel Salt Lick, Fresh Mint & Chocolate and Texas Sheet Cake. Working closely with local farmers and foragers, the shop also offers Seasonal Ice Creams in rotating flavors which currently means patrons can sample Lady Bird Lavender Crisp, Sweet Cream and Strawberry, Carrot Cake, Tres Leches and more.

The artisanal ice cream shop was founded in 2011 by Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier. Though the two co-owners met in New York in 2005, they had both grown up in small towns. Sobotik grew up in Halletsville, Texas while Palmatier was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where visiting local creameries was a way of life. The duo wanted to bring the small town feel with pure, organic ingredients to Texas and the idea for Lick Honest Ice Creams was born.

The ice creams are created with no artificial colors, preservatives, flavors or high fructose corn syrup. With so many Americans nowadays concerned about not only the ingredients in their food but also the welfare of the animals providing it, Lick has made a commitment to use creams from single herd, family-owned farms which raise their grass-fed cows with their well-being as a priority.
Pluckers Wing Bar, 8731 W. Loop S., had its grand opening April 22 in Meyerland. Two more are planned for the Greater Houston area including Shenandoah and Katy.

Founded in Austin in 1995, the sports bar and wing joint now has 28 locations across Texas and two in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It offers wings both bone-in and boneless with a variety of sauce options  which include Garlic Sriracha, Jamango Jerk, Maple Chipotle, Hallelujah, Baker's Gold, Spicy Lemon Pepper, Spicy Garlic Parmesan, Manganero and the ultra-hot Vampire Killer.
In addition to wings there are appetizers and munchies such as Fried Pickles, Buffalo Bites, Blue Cheese Potato Chips and Totchos. There's a selection of burgers, sandwiches and salads plus belt-busting desserts like Fried Twinkies and Fried Cookies and Cream. Kids 10 and under eat free on Tuesday with two free kids meals per one adult entree. Tuesday is also the day where adults can get $1 off all beer pints, bottles and cans and Pluckers Cocktails.

For football fan(atics), Pluckers will be offering food and drink specials April 25 beginning at 6:30 for the NFL Draft 2024. 
Baker St. Pub & Grill, 25 Waterway, closed March 13, as reported by Community Impact. Located on The Woodlands Waterway, the Sherlock Holmes-themed bar and restaurant was in operation for over 18 years as one of the first businesses to open on the waterside development. A notice was posted on the front door by its landlord, the Howard Hughes Corporation stating that the locks had been changed for the suite.

In its Facebook post, now taken down, the Baker Street Pub Woodlands team expressed its regret. "The decision to close was not one we made lightly. We understand the disappointment this may bring, especially as we reflect on the countless memories shared over live music, charitable events and the camaraderie that defined our establishment."

It continued with thanking its staff and stated, "We are committed to supporting our employees in their next steps, ensuring they have the resources to make the best decisions for themselves."

Local Pour, 1900 Hughes Landing, also closed in March, according to the Houston Chronicle. It opened in 2015 as the first restaurant at Hughes Landing.
Zutro Restaurant & Bar, 1121 Walker, is launching a new Italian-focused food and drink menu April 29. Located in Le Meridien hotel,  the restaurant's revamped menu showcases executive chef John Nguyen's new dishes such as Nona's Meatballs with soft polenta, Prosciutto Bruschetta, Rigatoni Bolognese and Risotto Milanese with braised short rib, leeks, pecorino cheese and fragrant saffron. There's also Steak Tagliata with marinated prime flat iron steak, charred scallion relish and marsala mushrooms.

There is a new lunch menu served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with items like Pepe Burger, Chicken Pesto Panini and an Italian Grinder with mortadella, capicola, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, smoked Gouda, pepperoncini and house vinaigrette.

To pair with the new menu, Zutro is debuting its Italian wine list by the glass and bottle plus craft cocktails inspired by Italy such as the Cowboy Bellini, Paloma Italiana and the Godfather, made with Aberfeldy 12  single malt Scotch and Amaretto di Saronno.

Star Cinema Grill, 822 Town and Country Boulevard, will reopen the dine-in cinema April 26 as it completes Phase 1 of its transformation of the space which previously housed Studio Movie Grill. The interior has been redone and more state-of-the-art technologies and amenities are planned for Phase 2, which will be completed by mid-November 2024.

It is the 13th dine-in movie theater for Culinary Khancepts which also operates restaurants such as Liberty Kitchen and State Fare Kitchen and Bar. It is also renovating the historic River Oaks Theatre which should reopen later this year.

Tavern by Hearsay, 737 Preston, is expected to open May 11 at Market Square Tower. Reservations are already available at Open Table. A look at the online menu shows starters such as deviled eggs, Wood-fired Chili Garlic Wings and Wagyu Meatballs plus steaks, Greek Seared Salmon, Fish and Chips and Beer-braised Short Ribs.