The Heights seriously needs to stop being so awesome, because I don’t care how many great restaurants relocate to the neighborhood, I’m still not moving there. But I will keep wasting gas driving over there. (Side note: Dear restaurants, please come to downtown!)

Just in this week alone, Down House and BB’s opened up and increased the area’s cool factor by a power of 20. (And there’s Heights Ashbury, too, which might be losing its vegetarian food but will retain its juices and smoothies.)

Down House is a coffee shop-cum-bistro that’s serving breakfast and lunch in a repurposed bank building just off the main drag. Locally roasted Cuvee coffee is on tap, as is a cleverly cultivated selection of craft beers. Rave reviews have already come in from the Chronicle and The Loop Scoop; we’re more than eager to check it out this weekend.

And replacing the run-down old 6th Street Bar & Grill is the third location of BB’s Cajun Cafe (who is exempt from the above plea, its second location being on Lousiana in downtown). Super casual yet tasty Cajun is a no-brainer for this corner, which is directly across from the refurbed Fitzgerald’s.

And while it’s not technically the Heights, popular neighborhood restaurant Chatter’s has opened a new location at 1275 Eldridge Parkway for all those Energy Corridor folks who don’t want to make the drive inside the Loop.

In other, non-Heights related news, another Five Guys Burgers & Fries opened up way out in Magnolia. And El Colonial Mexican Restaurant quietly shut its doors last week after over 20 years in business.

Below is a list of all the restaurants that opened and closed in May. If we left any off, please let us know in the comments section.

Openings

Arturo Boada Cuisine, 6510 Del Monte, 713-782-3011
BB’s Cajun Cafe, 2701 White Oak,
Bohicky’s BBQ, 243 FM 2094, Kemah, 281-535-2000
Brasserie 19, 1962 West Gray, 713-524-1919
Buffalo Grille (new location), 4080 Bissonnet
Brick House Tavern, 3502 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston, 409-763-5649
Chatter’s, 1275 Eldridge Parkway, Suite 100, 281-293-0001
Down House
Friends Pizzeria, 7952 Westheimer, 281-888-9564
Greatfull Taco, 2411 South Shepherd, 281-888-2504
Heights Ashbury Coffeehouse, 242 West 19th Street, 713-862-7018
Jack’s Place, 26710 I-45, 832-510-2050
Keeper’s Japanese, 4654 Highway 6 South, Sugar Land, 281-242-0389
La Magnolia Trattoria Italiana, 18535 FM 1488, Magnolia, 281-259-9197
Mala Sichuan Bistro, 9348 Bellaire Boulevard, 713-995-1889
Ray’s Real Pit BBQ, 4529 Old Spanish Trail, 713-748-4227
Saigon Music Restaurant, 11360 Bellaire Boulevard, 832-766-0344
Stir Crazy, 25 Waterway Avenue, The Woodlands, 281-296-3306
The Core of Texas Grill, 1826 Country Place Parkway, Pearland, 713-436-2233
Turquoise Grill, 16019 City Walk, Sugar Land, 281-937-7447

Closings

Caffe Bello, 322 Westheimer
Catalan (to become Coppa), 5555 Washington Avenue
Chispas Del Tiempo, 1504 Airline
El Colonial Mexican Restaurant, 6991 Highway 6 South
Patu’s Thai Village, 2420 Rice Boulevard
Phil’s Texas Barbecue, 110 South Heights
Udipi Cafe, 4632 FM 1960
Washington Grill (to become Hughes Hangar), 2811 Washington Avenue

Follow Eating Our Words on Facebook and on Twitter @EatingOurWords

This article appears in Jun 2-8, 2011.