Superica, 1801 N. Shepherd, will close February 15 to make way for another Rocket Farm Restaurants concept, Star Rover. Taking inspiration from Rocket Farm’s Nashville steakhouse and honky-tonk, Star Rover Sound, the new Houston spot will expand on the Nashville menu, but stay true to the original spirit of a traditional West Texas steakhouse.
Star Rover will open February 26, if all goes to plan, but owner Ford Fry knows that Houstonians will miss some of the offerings at Superica. He said in a press release, “Star Rover lets us lean into an everyday, nostalgic steakhouse vibe, something there isn’t a lot of in Houston, and still keep touches of what guests have loved about Superica, like brunch.”
Part of the everyday steakhouse approach is allowing diners to choose their preferred cuts of steak, which are accompanied by a salad, warm buttermilk rolls and French fries + onion rings for the table. There will also be shareable appetizers, plus house-made pies and soft-serve ice cream.
Along with cold beer and a wine list, guests will find cocktails like frozen Jack & Coke, margaritas and the Filthy Martini. The weekend brunch will still feature Superica’s hot cakes.
For fans of eating challenges, the restaurant will have the 76’er challenge in which a diner who thinks they are a contender can dare to finish a 76-ounce standing rib roast, along with accompaniments including a milk roll, side salad, fries and onion rings, in less than an hour. Champions will win the meal for free, a t-shirt and their signature on the winners’ wall.
Maven Coffee, 1501 Silver, closed January 2, at Sawyer Yards, according to its social media posts. The statement read, “We’re brewing up something new at Maven Sawyer Yards. Our location is closed until further notice while we work behind the scenes. Updates are on the way See y’all soon.”
However, it seems as if the coffee-forward restaurant from Rex Hospitality is leaving that particular venue. According to CultureMap Houston, the partners at Rex, including Juan Carlos de Aldecoa, Jimmy Doan and Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., are shifting gears to focus on expanding Maven Coffee Company with a new model that includes licensing deals. The group is also looking for a new operator for Maven at the Thompson Hotel.
The news isn’t all bad for Sawyer Yards. The space has been turned over to Slowpokes, the locally-owned coffee shop and lounge that already has seven locations across the city. It’s shooting to open this March, as reported by CultureMap Houston.
Cowboys Red River, 7500 Bellaire, is opening this January in Sharpstown, though a definitive date has yet to be released. The massive dance hall and saloon is following in the giant bootsteps of its predecessor, the original location in Dallas, which began operating as Cowboys Dancehall in 1989. It relocated to North Dallas in 1996 and rebranded as Cowboys Red River. A second location opened in San Antonio in 2003.
The honky-tonk ranks among the top country dance clubs around the world and has won awards like CMA’s Nightclub of the Year.
The Houston location promises to be just as celebrated, with a huge racetrack-style dance floor for two-steppin’ and top-tier musical performers. The large stage will be home to honky-tonk band, “Running Behind” and there will also be nationally-known country artists scheduled. There’s an elevated patio, free dance lessons, pool tables and, as a nod to the old Gilley’s, a mechanical bull. The parking lot boasts 1,700 spots and valet parking is free for unescorted ladies.
Scott Murphy, vice-president and COO said in a press release, “For over 30 years, we’ve been the biggest, baddest honky-tonk in Texas – the kind of place where you can hold someone close on the dance floor or raise a little hell with your buddies and feel right at home either way.”
Sally’s Apizza posted on its website about major expansion plans outside the northeast and those plans include Texas. For native Houstonians that may not be a big deal, but for Connecticut transplants, primarily New Haven folks like my husband, it’s a pizza miracle.
There’s a triad of New Haven pizza giants: Frank Pepe’s, Sally’s Apizza and Modern Apizza. Pepe’s and Sally’s still operate their original Wooster Street locations, just minutes from each other, giving pizza lovers options, or extremely difficult decisions.
Locals often say “ah-BEETZ” when describing the apizza, a Neapolitan-style, thin crust, coal-fired pie that stirs up intense debates among die-hard fans. While Frank Pepe’s gets the credit for the longest running coal-fired pizza establishment (1925), pizza historians say the first to sell it was Camposano’s in 1924.
What sets Sally’s apart is its restraint with cheese, letting the tomato sauce be the star, which is more common in true Neapolitan pies. And hopefully, Houston will be able to find out for itself.
A Sally’s spokesperson sent us a statement from brand adviser Christian Bonaventura. “Houston is a target market, but no other details are available at this time.”
However, if you’re making a trip to Florida in the next year, that seems to be its current expansion plan.
Connie’s Frozen Custard, 11231 Greenhouse, had its sneak-peek soft opening January 8 and January 9 in Cypress. It will officially open to the public January 14. It’s the second location of the locally-owned frozen treat shop, which was founded by Melissa Ashby in 2000. Its Jones Road location has been the site of many a teen date night, after-school hangout and winning game celebration for the Cy-Fair community for over two decades.
When the original owners decided to sell, Keri Jackman and husband Matthew Greatens decided to buy the business in 2022 to keep the legacy going for the custard shop since they had been regulars for years.
Commercial frozen custard began in Coney Island around 1919 and eventually made its way, via carnivals and fairs, to America’s Midwest. It became a popular staple from Ted Drewes’ famous concretes in the 1930s to more recent fast casual chains like Culver’s and Freddy’s. In 1946, Leon Schneider, founder of Leon’s in Milwaukee, began using a Carvel custard machine to serve the treat at his restaurant.
The inclusion of pasteurized egg yolks creates a creamier texture, while the machine itself freezes the ice cream en route, keeping much of the air out, resulting in a denser product. In fact, Connie’s still uses a 1950 Leon’s machine and the original 80-year-old recipe.
The menu at the new location will be pretty much the same as the original store with build-your-own concretes and vanilla and chocolate cones or cups, plus popular sundaes like the J.B. Texas Turtle, a frozen custard topped with hot fudge, caramel, roasted pecans and two cherries. Connie’s banana split is a perfect treat for two with vanilla custard, a whole banana, marshmallow creme, nuts and cherries.
The crew at Connie’s hand blend a rotating selection of flavors as well. There are also milkshakes, floats and soft drinks.
Plucker’s Wing Bar, 151 David Vetter Boulevard, opens January 26 in Shenandoah. It’s the 34th location for the brand in Texas and number 9 for the Greater Houston area. The sports bar and restaurant is also a proud sponsor of the Houston Astros.
As its name suggests, it offers a variety of chicken wings with sauces like Maple Chipotle, Jamango Jerk and Buffalo Hot, plus several dry rubs including Cajun and chile lime. The menu is filled with sports bar nosh like burgers, chicken sandwiches and signature appetizers such as Plucker’s Totchos and Holy Macaroni.
Along with sports viewing, cold beer, craft cocktails and finger-licking wings, Pluckers features activities like Wednesday Night Trivia and its more recent Over/Under Game in which guests can test their knowledge and also win prizes. Look for daily specials such as Monday all-you-can-eat wings, Tuesday Kids Eat Free and Friday Teacher Freebie from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Golden Chick, 5734 Barker Cypress, opened January 6, making it the 19th store in the Houston area. Brian Loescher, president of Golden franchising says, “Houston continues to be one of our most important growth markets. Reaching 19 restaurants in the trade area reflects both strong guest demand and the confidence franchisees have in our brand.”
And the new operator for the Cypress location is Firoz Harini, a first-time Golden Chick franchisee. Loeshcer says that first-time operators are critical to the company’s growth.
The menu features fried chicken, tenders,wings and roast chicken, plus Southern fried catfish, sandwiches and salads. Munchies include jalapeno poppers and corn nuggets, plus there are Southern-inspired sides like dirty rice, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw.
Through February 8, Golden Chick is offering $6 Golden Deals with a choice of three Golden Tenders or two pieces of fried or roast chicken, with a side of mashed potatoes and a yeast roll. It has also extended its Mini Funnel Cakes ($2.99), in which 10 percent of proceeds go to local schools and teachers.
This article appears in Private: Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026.