Bar Daphne, 347 W. 20th, is now open at Hotel Daphne, at the corner of Ashland and W. 20th in the Heights. Guests can access the new bar and eatery through the hotel or a separate sidewalk entrance. Taking its inspiration from the secret drinking clubs that abounded in the Heights during the neighborhood’s dry days, it serves as a comfortable spot for hotel guests as well as a destination drinkery for locals and visitors.
Like its sister hotel, Bar Daphne is filled with artwork and the cocktails take their names from many of the paintings themselves. The Life on a Merry-Go-Round pays tribute to the stunning piece by John Alexander above the bar. Made with aperitivo, lychee, tart cherry, lime and boba, it echoes the whimsy of the colorful painting by the same name.
Other signature cocktails include the Watercolor No. 35 with tequila and raspberry, as well as the tropical Separation Anxiety. There are also mocktails such as the Surreal, with zero-proof gin and pineapple juice. The wine list features a well-curated selection of organic, all-natural and biodynamic varietals
Guests can grab a drink before or after dining at its onsite restaurant, Hypsi, or just nosh on an elevated bar snack like street corndogs, lamb sausage, or black garbanzo falafel with romesco yogurt.
North Italia, 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, opens June 10 at La Centerra at Cinco Ranch in Katy. It will be the fourth location of the brand from Fox Restaurant Concepts in the Greater Houston area and the 10th across Texas.
Its menu offers regional Italian dishes, handmade pastas and hand-tossed pizzas, including a rotating Chef’s Daily Pizza special. The seasonal menu highlights fresh ingredients in dishes like heirloom tomato burrata, agnolotti al pomodoro and grilled steak panzanella. At dinner, guests can indulge in the house focaccia with whipped ricotta or Sicilian pistachio pesto.
In addition to lunch and dinner, North Italia has a weekend brunch with sweet plates, like strawberries & cream French toast, and savory dishes like pollo frito, a crispy fried chicken breast served with Italian sausage, sunny side-up eggs and hash potatoes.
The bar menu offers Italian-inspired drinks like the New Italian Spritz and Sole Toscano as well as an extensive wine list.
The 9,000 square-foot space has a spacious dining room and indoor/outdoor bar, plus two covered patios. The patio area and a private dining room both feature murals from Texas-based artist Kyle Wadsworth, inspired by the historic oak trees originally planted by the early Katy settlers. Those same stately oaks are a central motif throughout, reflected in the natural elements and custom artwork.
Killer Burger, 1909 Taylor, opened May 6 in Sawyer Heights. It’s the first Houston location for the burger concept, founded in Portland, Oregon in 2010. Owned and operated by a local franchise group, it’s part of a multi-unit agreement in the Houston market. There are two other Texas stores, both in San Antonio. The brand sees Texas as a lucrative market, with expansions to Austin planned this year as well.
So why does Houston need another burger joint? Well, according to CEO Adam Sanders, Texas has been an incredible growth market for Killer Burger. “ We’re not just trying to be just another burger spot — we’re here to bring something bold and different.”
That difference lies in big, bold, and sometimes crazy flavors. For instance, there’s a Peanut Butter Pickle Bacon Burger that fans can’t get enough of. Newbies can try it in pint version first to see what it’s like. Killer Burger offers its hamburgers in three sizes: pint, original and double. And they all come with bacon, from the Classic or Purist to the green chile-loaded Jose Mendoza. Even the Teemah, with its topping of Swiss fondue and blue cheese crumbles, comes with bacon.
In addition to beef burgers, the restaurant sells crispy chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries and onion rings. There is also a meatless patty burger option. For those who like things saucy, there are a number of different dipping sauces, including a spicy habanero honey version. There’s always soft drinks or cold craft beers to wash it down.
Layne’s Chicken Fingers, 609 Main, will have its grand opening in downtown Houston May 11, after a soft opening this week. It comes from Masroor Fatany, a local franchise operator and entrepreneur who owns locations in Garden Oaks, Montrose, Katy, Beaumont, Pasadena, Mission Bend and Nederland. Fatany is also the franchisee for 7 The Halal Guys restaurants.
The menu features combo options like three, four or five crispy chicken fingers, plus crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, Layne’s sauce and a 22-ounce soft drink. There are also chicken sandwiches, wraps and grilled cheese.
House of Fries, 5322 Antoine, announced its closure May 1 on social media. The family thanked the community, customers and staff for their support over the past 15 years. The reason cited was the retirement of its founders Joe and Myriam Nabulsi.
Known for its juicy (and inexpensive) burgers, hearty breakfasts and multitude of loaded fries, it was a mainstay in the Oak Forest community for its friendly service and reliable eats. It will be missed.
Plum Coffee, 11688 Barker Cypress, closed April 30, exactly seven years after it opened in Cypress. It was known as a friendly meeting spot for book clubs and local residents who enjoyed its panini sandwiches, decorated cookies and wide selection of coffee drinks.
While owner Elizabeth Hale has closed the coffee shop, she is going strong with her bakery Cake Fine Pastry, which she operates with her husband Jerry Hale. Most recently, Liz Hale was seen making a tasty chocolate cake for Fox 26’s Chelsea Edwards for her televised birthday celebration.
Esther’s 2.0, 12225 Westheimer, is coming early this summer and it is currently hiring for numerous positions. Owner Esther Lewis Bernard is well-known for her restaurant Esther’s Cajun Cafe and Soul Food, which first opened in 2008. The new restaurant promises to be an upscale soul food spot with velvet chairs and vibrant artwork, according to online sneak peeks from those lucky folks who have managed to be invited to its soft opening parties.
We have reached out for more information regarding the opening date.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, 9955 Barker Cypress, is coming to Towne Lake this June. In the meantime, it is hiring approximately 135 team members ranging from servers and bartenders to hosts and cooks. Applicants can apply online or grab an application in person Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..
The Cypress store will be operated by local franchisee Brad Gunn who says, “ Houston is such a vibrant community and we are eager to build a team that reflects its passion for delicious food, for quality time with friends and family in a warm, welcoming environment and for gamedays and other celebrations of all shapes and sizes.”
The lakeside location will feature a large patio, multiple big-screen televisions, signature cocktails, Louisiana-inspired cuisine and American bar snacks.
Traveler’s Table, 520 Westheimer, and Traveler’s Cart, 1401 Montrose, will continue operations despite the deaths of its founders, Thy and Matthew Mitchell, and their two children.
The bodies were discovered May 4 at 5:25 p.m. at 2113 Kingston. The four deceased individuals have been identified as Thy Mitchell, 39, daughter Maya, 8, and son Max, 4, along with her husband Matthew Mitchell, 52, who is believed to have shot the victims before committing suicide as we reported earlier this week.
We reached out for more information about the restaurants and were told by a PR spokesperson that “The family is running the restaurant as of now. We have no further details, but we will likely know more in a few days.”
