This week several big name chefs and restaurant owners spoke about their newly opened and to-come restaurants. Oh yeah and Iguana Joe’s apparently got a lot of people sick and is shut down temporarily. But enough of the gross news, let’s get back to some openings we are pretty excited about.

Eater Houston notes that Georges Guy came out of retirement for the third time to open Bistro Des Artes. The restaurant will be opening at 12102 Westheimer and is definitely going to be a French-inspired place to eat. Eater reports that the restaurant will have a rotating display of art from several different artists, as well. The restaurant takes the place of Mumbai Spice and will serve lunch and dinner every day except on Tuesdays.

Grant Cooper and chef Charles Clark have paired to open two new restaurants in Rice Village. Eater Houston spoke with Grant Cooper about these two new concepts, Coppa Osteria and Punk’s Simple Southern Food, which Cooper says they will “take classic Southern ingredients from here all the way up the food to the Carolinas and basically give it our chef’s interpretation.” There might even be fried chicken offered one day of the week. You can’t complain about another southern-food restaurant, especially from these two people.

Coppa Osteria will most likely open in August, if the construction process goes according to plan. Cooper says the restaurant will have a neighborhood feel to it, with a pedestrian storefront where he says you can grab a slice of pizza to go.

The Houston Chronicle reports country singer Toby Keith is bringing one of his chain restaurants to Houston in the West Oaks Mall. “I Love This Bar and Grill,” based off his hit song, was supposed to be open during the spring of this year, but according to the general manager of West Oaks Mall, the restaurant is close to 90 percent complete. The restaurant will serve barbecue and customers can enjoy live country music while they eat and dance.
The Leader reports that Wakefield CrowBar opened on Thursday, June 20, in the Garden Oaks-Oak Forest area serving lunch and dinner items like salads, burgers, shrimp baskets, and fish n’ chips. Starting Saturday, June 29, the restaurant will serve breakfast on the weekends.

Eater Houston reports from a tipster that Pappasito’s Cantina is opening inside Hilton Americas and will be taking the place of former Spencer’s For Steaks and Chops restaurant inside the hotel. Hilton Americas wants to give out-of-town guests a taste of some of the best cuisine in Texas — Mexican food.
KHOU reports that Mickey Gilley announced on his Facebook page that he will bring back his Pasadena bar, Gilley’sthat burned down 20 years ago. brought attention to the Pasadena area for its country theme. In order for him to rebuild his famous club, he needs to raise a minimum of $3 million.

It seems like every week a new wing bar is opening in Houston. This week, Pluckers Wing Bar, based in Austin, is set to open at 1400 Shepherd, taking the place of the recently closed Maggie Rita’s, according to the Chronicle. Swamplot says that the restaurant was started by two University of Texas freshmen and will serve the staple wing bar items, like beer and even Dr Pepper-flavored chicken. Yum. ESPN said it was a top five sports bar in North America, as noted by Eater.

Fielding’s Wood Grill should be opening in The Woodlands in the Research Forest shopping center, soon, according to Swamplot. There are not too many details about the restaurant’s cuisine, but it should be opening in the fall. More details will most likely come after the restaurant decides to put up a sign or logo on the storefront.

B4-U-Eat’s newsletter points out that El Taco Tote Real Mexican Grill location on Westheimer closed this week, as well as the Spicy Pickle on West Gray.
Post Oak Grill in Sugar Land is closing, but the owner has decided to reopen it with a new name: Veritas Steak and Seafood. The Chronicle says that the owner wants to try something new by adding more steak and seafood items to the menu.

According to a reviewer on Fajita Express‘ page on B4-U-Eat, the restaurant has closed in Stafford on West Airport Boulevard and has been replaced by a burger restaurant.

Sandy Witch Sandwich Company finally has their menu posted online. Eater Houston broke the news about the restaurant’s menu filled with sandwiches and sides that follow the witch theme, such as the Alistair Crowley, a sandwich with shredded steak, onions, house-made beer cheese whiz and a house marinade, or the Witch of Endor complete with slow roasted pulled pork, house pickled slaw and spicy mayo. Sandy Witch Sandwich Company will be open July 5 inside the Grand Prize Bar.

For those of you who miss Zake Sushi Lounge, you will be excited to hear that another sushi restaurant has taken its place on South Shepherd. Onaga Pan Asian Bistro offers Asian Fusion dishes for lunch and dinner and has Happy Hour every weekday from 4-7 p.m.

Cork Grinders Coffee and Wine Bar opened in Baytown on Wednesday, June 26. The coffee and wine bar will also serve craft beer later in the evenings.

On Saturday, June 29, D & T Drive Inn will have its grand opening, as reported by B4-U-Eat’s weekly newsletter. Head on over to the restaurant at 1307 Enid for free samples off its menu, along with beer specials.

For the entire month of openings and closings, head to the next page…

Openings:

3rd Floor Bar, 2303 Smith St., 832-801-6906
Araya Artisan Chocolate, 2013 W. Gray St., 832-967-7960
Bikini Sports Bar & Grill, 17117 Tomball Parkway, 281-807-1700
Bistro Des Artes, 12102 Westheimer, 281-597-1122
Board Game Island, 213 Tremont St., Galveston, 409-762-0144
Caracol, 2200 Post Oak Blvd, COMING SOON
Chocolate Drop Café, 9029 S Hwy 6, Ste 190, Missouri City, 281-972-9908
Coppa Osteria, 5210 Morningside Dr, COMING SOON
Cork Grinders Coffee and Wine Bar, 206 W Texas Ave., Baytown, 281-427-3260
D & T Drive-Inn, 1307 Enid St., 713-868-6165
D’Amico’s Italian Market Café, 5510 Morningside, 713-526-3400
Dunkin’ Donuts, 2330 South Shepherd Drive, COMING SOON
Dunkin’ Donuts, 18315 West Lake Houston Parkway, Humble, COMING SOON
Dunkin’ Donuts, 3950 South Terminal Road, Terminal E, IAH Airport, COMING SOON
Dunkin’ Donuts, 4130 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, COMING SOON
Fajita Jack’s, 15256 Hwy 105 W Waterpoint Marina, Montgomery, 936-588-3340
Galvez Bar & Grill, 2024 Seawall Blvd, 409-765-7721
Gigi’s Cupcakes, 600 Travis St., 713-225-2100
Green Vegetarian Cuisine, 1517 Westheimer Rd, 281-974-3860
Happy’s Pizza, 103 E. Crosstimbers, 713-694-0000
Houston Food Park, 1504 St. Emanuel, 713-256-1379
Hughie’s Tavern & Grill, 1802 W. 18th St., 713-869-1830
Jal- The Grille, 13849 SW Freeway, Sugar Land, 281-240-0786
Johnny’s Pizza House, 20669 W Lake Houston Pkwy, Atascocita, 832-644-8230
Jus’ Mac, 106 Westheimer Road, COMING SOON
LongHorn Steakhouse, 20127 Hwy 59 N, Humble, 281-466-2261
Mandi Halal, 6121 Hillcroft Suite R, 832-534-3636
Marfreless, 2006 Peden, 713-528-0083
Morningside Thai, 6710 Morningside, 713-661-4400
New Addiction Cupcakes, 919 Milam #T-1300, 713-654-4491
Onaga Pan Asian Bistro, 2946 S Shepherd Dr., 713-526-6888
Pappasito’s Cantina, inside Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar St., 713-739-8000
Pistolero’s, 1517 Westheimer Road, 281-974-3860
Plucker’s Wing Bar, 1400 Shepherd, COMING SOON
Punk’s Simple Southern Food, COMING SOON
River Oaks Donuts, 3601 Westheimer Road, 713-961-9458
Sandy Witch Sandwich Company, 1010 Banks St.
Skallywag Suds N’ Grub, 600 6th St, Kemah, 281-538-8877
Smashburger, 25705 Katy Fwy Ste 110, COMING SOON
Sonic- 2720 Washington, COMING SOON
Spaghetti Western Italian Café, 1951 W. T C Jester Blvd., COMING SOON
Tandoory Taco, 407 Sawdust Road, The Woodlands, 281-203-5020
The Burger Guys, Beaumont, COMING SOON
The Palm Steakhouse, 6100 Westheimer, 713-977-2544
The Tasting Room in Uptown Park is expanding, 1101 Uptown Park Blvd, 713-993-9800
Tucanos Brazilian Grill, 16536 SW Freeway, Sugar Land, 281-277-5477
Veritas Steak and Seafood, 1550 Lake Pointe Pkwy #500, 281-491-2901
Voodoo Queen, 322 Milby, COMING SOON
Wakefield CrowBar, 954 Wakefield Dr., 713-416-3509
Zato Thai & Sushi, 421 Sawdust Road, The Woodlands, 281-419-7619

Closings:

Aldo’s Cucina Italiana, 18450 I-45 S, Shenandoah
Burns Old Fashioned Pit Bar-B-Q, 7117 N Shepherd
Chick-Fil-A, 19205 Westheimer, Webster
Dulce Bakery & Café, 6734 Westheimer Lakes N, Katy
El Taco Tote Real Mexican Grill, 6154 Westheimer Rd.
Fajita Express, 10890 Westheimer Rd.
Feast, 219 Westheimer
Iguana Joe’s, 18319 W Lake Houston Pkwy, Humble
Jamaica House, 6357 Westheimer
Mark’s BBQ-Catering, 1504 Airline Dr.
McDaniel Hill, a Texas Family Café
Post Oak Grill, 1550 Lake Pointe Pkwy #500
Re:Hab Houston, 1920 Houston Ave.
Roots Bistro, 507 Westheimer
Scott Gertner’s At Houston Pavilions, 1201 Fannin St.
Spicy Pickle, 1440 W Gray
Sumbarina California Subs, 6245 Hwy 6, Missouri City
The Red Fox, 214 W Texas Ave., Baytown
Uncle Tony’s Café, 23690 Hwy 59
Villagio’s Italian Grill, 5777 San Felipe Drive

This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2013.