Angie’s Pizza , 1002 W. 11th, opened the last week of July in the Heights. It’s the first brick and mortar for the Angie’s Pizzeria pop-up, but not the first restaurant for owner Angelo Emiliani. In 2022, he and his sister Lucianna Emiliani opened Cafe Louie, showcasing her pastry skills. Seven months later, the siblings transformed the concept into Louie’s Italian American, before shuttering in April 2023. The space at 3401 Harrisburg is now home to James Beard Award-winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter’s Thai restaurant Street to Kitchen.
When Louie’s Italian American closed, there were plans for opening Angie’s Pizza, as we reported here in the Houston Press. It seems the vision has finally come to fruition after years of pop-ups from the custom-built pizza oven. Emiliani’s culinary background includes stints in Napa with renowned chef Thomas Keller, but it is his mentor and pizza maestro Chris Bianco that fueled his pizza passion. Bianco is the famed founder of Pizzeria Bianco, regarded by many as the pioneer of the artisanal pizza movement.
The wood-burning pizza oven at the new eatery is a main focal point, turning out pies like Black Gold, made with mozzarella, TX sheep’s milk gouda, black garlic and dried porcini. There are also spicy options like the Piccante, with hot honey and chorizo, and the Market, with corn and salumi picante. Besides the premium toppings, often locally-sourced, the pizza’s real selling point is the airy, crispy dough with its beautiful char. Sister Lucianna is also in the kitchen, helping with the dough itself as well as dreamy desserts like blueberry and cream tiramisu.
Besides the much-lauded pizza, the new menu offers a variety of seasonal pasta dishes including leek tortelloni and ricotta gnocchi, plus starters such as polenta “tots” with fried rosemary and served with zin-zin, an eggy cheese sauce from Northern Italy.
There is also a full dining room bar with seating, as well as a separate cocktail lounge, Bar Angie, upstairs. The beverage program has been curated by Drew Bennett (Anvil) with a focus on Italian aperitivos like spritzes and negronis. Guests will find its own version of an espresso martini, but made with the flavor of Biscoff cookies. Renato Bringas developed the Italian-leaning wine list.
The interior is a modern and bright interpretation of mid-century style, designed by gin design group, a leading restaurant design firm headed by owner Gin Braverman. She centered the design around a painting done by the siblings’ grandfather, further cementing the family influence.
Long Point Social Club, 7202 Long Point, opens August 26 in Spring Branch. The racquet club comes from The Kirby Group co-owners Andy Aweida and Jeff Barati. It’s a modern take on traditional country clubs with two acres of space for pickleball and sports viewing plus a dog park, cafe and bar.
For pickleball fanatics or just casual players, there are opportunities for fun and exercise at every skill level. A dozen courts, eight of them covered, are available for open play, leagues, tournaments, clinics and private lessons. There will also be four padel courts.
The new club aims to be a gathering place for running groups, dog lovers, families and local residents. Guests can reserve courts ahead of time and there are memberships available as well.
Opening at 8 a.m., the LP cafe will also have an early morning selection of specialty coffee drinks, pastries, bagels and smoothies, along with grab and go options. The club’s restaurant kitchen will serve a menu of munchies like Pickleballs, fritters made of cream cheese and dill pickle, served with yogurt ranch, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Guests can also nosh on Third Shot Wings with Calabrian chili and honey, the Bixby Burger, grilled chicken sandwich, or a sweet potato “steak” topped with miso butter and green apple gremolata. The bar will operate from noon to midnight.
The venue will also be adding a distinct cocktail lounge, The Bixby, with its own entrance and identity. More details about the lounge are forthcoming.
Pok Pok Po and Bol, 3201 Louisiana, will close August 29, according to its parent company, Kahani Social Group. Though the concepts in Midtown are closing, a limited menu from Pok Pok Po will still be available in The Woodlands through third-party deliveries.
Co-founder Surpreet Singh said that Kahani Social Group, which also operates the upscale Amrina in The Woodlands, and Kitchen Rumours in Houston, is grateful for the community which gave the company the opportunity to introduce a more casual expression of Indian cuisine. He said in a press release, “Our time in Midtown gave us valuable insight into how guests interact with these concepts, and more importantly, reinforced our belief in both brands.”
Singh said that the company has a vision for the future of the concepts and that the group is looking for the right opportunities to bring them back in ways that are more accessible and convenient.
Pok Pok Po debuted in late 2024, selling chef Jassi Bindra’s brunch fried chicken that had become a hit at Amrina. Using Indian Kashmiri red chili powder and a blend of herbs, the menu offered fried chicken sandwiches and strips, plus loaded fries and basmati rice. Bol opened a month or so later, sharing the adjacent space. Its menu featured customizable salads and rice bowls with Indian flavors.
The team is scouting for locations that better support the fast-casual concepts, with more convenient parking, easy pickup and possibly a drive-thru option. All current employees are being offered positions at KSG’s other concepts.
Mia’s Table Kirby, 3131 Argonne, is closed temporarily due to a kitchen fire that occurred August 16, prior to the restaurant’s opening for service. All employees were evacuated safely and there were no injuries among staff or firefighters. According to its website, “Cleanup is underway and our team is working hard to get everything ready so we can welcome you back as soon as possible.”
The damaged location is the original, which owner Johnny Carrabba opened in 2012. Named for his daughter Mia, the restaurant serves Southern dishes including chicken fried steak, Mississippi catfish and Nashville hot wings.
For those craving Mia’s Dip or the baby back ribs, there are seven other locations across the Greater Houston area including a very new spot in Sugar Land at 15908 Lexington Boulevard. Opened the last week of July, the Sugar Land store follows the same design scheme of homey decor, white wood paneling and a bright dining room. There is a mix of tables, booths and picnic tables inside, plus a covered outdoor patio.
Fielding’s Wood Grill, 1699 Research Forest, will close briefly August 31 through September 4 for renovations, and reopen September 5 with a grand reopening brunch September 5 at 10 a.m. Along with refreshing the interior, the team will also be working on new menu items and a completely new bar program with handcrafted cocktails.
Founder Cary Attar said in a press release, “This remodel allows us to introduce exciting new flavors and a refreshed atmosphere while staying true to everything our guests have come to love about Fielding’s Wood Grill.”
Its sister concept Fielding’s Local Kitchen + Bar, 26400 Kuykendahl, will celebrate Labor Day, September 7, with specials beginning at 4 p.m.
Pochitos Mariscos y Mas, 11130 Gulf Freeway, is beginning a three-year partnership with famed Mexican chef Aquiles Chavez, who is also a cookbook author, restaurateur and Top Chef Mexico judge. The revamped menu will be introduced September 3 with fried dishes that make good use of Gulf Coast seafood, along with boiled seafood inspired by Houston’s Cajun influences. Chavez will also highlight Sinaloan and Pacific flavors with ceviches, aguachiles and crudos, plus Mexican-inspired sushi preparations.
The collaboration is part of founder Juan Antonio Hernandez’s mission to create a culinary destination in the southeast Houston community where he grew up. He says that it’s an investment in the community. Hernandez, who is also the lead singer and BMI award-winning composer of Obzesion, a Tejano/norteno musical group, said in a press release, We could have taken this concept to another part of the city, but I kept coming back to one thought: why not here? Why shouldn’t this side of town have something people are willing to drive across the city to experience?” He added that he didn’t just want Chavez to come in and put his name on a few dishes then leave. “I wanted him to challenge everything we’re doing in the kitchen.”
The new menu represents the five pillars of Houston’s multicultural relationship to seafood, from Cajun and Mexican coastal culture to live fire cooking and Gulf Coast comfort. Chavez is the perfect person to partner with since he is a well known television personality across Latin America for shows that highlight his culinary travels, such as the series Motochefs, with co-host and celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez. He says, “Houston is one of those cities where so many cultures meet at the table, especially when it comes to seafood. And because this is a three-year collaboration, we can keep evolving the menu and giving guests new reasons to come back.”
And the menu is not the only thing getting revamped. The restaurant has new dining room seating, tables and plateware, plus a dedicated kids menu and walls of fold-up windows to add to its open-air tropical vibe.
