Wine Time

Openings and Closings: Hello Crack Shack, Goodbye Hubcap Grill Heights

Openings and Closings: Hello Crack Shack, Goodbye Hubcap Grill Heights

Openings and Closings: Kriti Kitchen Open, Spanish Village Closes Soon

Openings and Closings: Kriti Kitchen Open, Spanish Village Closes Soon

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Houston Thanksgiving: Drink Selections to Go With All That Delicious Turkey

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Nov 22, 2022

Thanksgiving is almost here and most of us have already made our plans for dining out, taking in or madly preparing a feast in our own kitchens. We're defrosting the turkey, whipping the potatoes and baking the pies. We know which aunt is gluten-free, which girlfriend du jour is vegan...
Openings and Closings: B.B. Italia Sugar Land, Goode Co. K&C Heights

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Nov 11, 2022

B.B. Italia Bistro & Bar, 16250 City Walk, opened November 8 in Sugar Land. Benjamin Berg, owner and founder of Berg Hospitality is on a roll, having just recently opened his speakeasy bar, Emilia's Havana, next to another Berg concept, The Annie Cafe and Bar on Post Oak Boulevard. For...
Openings and Closings: Cherry Block Smokehouse Opens, North Italia Woodlands Soon

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Sep 9, 2022

Cherry Block Smokehouse, 1223 W. 34th, opened September 7 in Garden Oaks at the Stomping Grounds. This new smokehouse comes from Felix Florez who was the force behind the now-shuttered Cherry Block Craft Butcher's at Bravery Chef Hall. Cherry Block left the food hall in January 2021, opening Cherry Block...
Openings and Closings: Revival Market Has Closed, Mandola's Trio Shutter Today

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Aug 5, 2022

Nino's, Vincent's and Grappino di Nino, 2817 W. Dallas, will close August 5 after the final dinner service. The three concepts were part of Tuscan Villa, a two and a half-acre development owned by the Vincent Mandola family. The development has been bought by an affiliate of the Oxberry Group...
Openings and Closings: Upside Pub Opens Soon, Verdine Closes Sunday

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jul 29, 2022

The Upside Pub, 3402 N. Shepherd, will have its grand opening August 9. The neighborhood bar is a community driven concept from owners Paige and Andy Lujan, newly transplanted arrivals to the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area, or GOOF, if you want to get some people's knickers in a twist. The...
Openings and Closings: A New Sonoma, Soto's Reopens, Shoot the Moon Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 24, 2022

Sonoma Wine Bar, 1223 W. 34th, is shooting to open at The Stomping Grounds in Garden Oaks in December 2022. The announcement for the new location comes on the heels of the wine bar's impending closure of its Heights location June 26, which we announced recently here in the Houston...
Openings and Closings: Postino Katy Opens, Phat Eatery Woodlands

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 10, 2022

Postino, 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, opened June 6 at La Centerra at Cinco Ranch. The Katy location makes the fifth for the Houston area. There are locations in the Heights, Montrose, Town and Country and Uptown. Overlooking the plaza's green space and courtyard, the 3,900 square-foot restaurant has an open...
Girls Rule, Guests Drool at Butcher's Ball

By Lorretta Ruggiero
May 3, 2022

Houston's culinary diversity and bounty of talented chefs is no longer a secret. The Bayou City has popped up more and more in national food magazines and television shows and each time, the hosts and journalists find themselves "surprised" that Houston is a cradle of global cuisine with an intimate...
Openings and Closings: RARE Opens, Sushi and an Irish Pub on Post Oak

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 18, 2022

RARE Restaurant and Lounge, 4105 Washington, opened March 17. The new concept from chef and owner Don Bowie is a modern steakhouse that will feature live entertainment in an upscale and high-energy atmosphere. Joining Bowie in the new venture are partners Andre Johnson and musical artist Akon. Johnson is a...
Openings and Closings: Daily Gather Opens, Stella's Debuts

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jan 14, 2022

Daily Gather, 800 Sorella Court, opened January 11 at CityCentre. The new concept comes from Aaron Lyons, founder and CEO of Five 12 Restaurant Concepts, along with owner Trent Patterson and Culinary Director Brandi Key. Lyons is best known for his farm to table concept, Dish Society, which has six...
Openings and Closings: Barrel of Monkeys Hospitality Launches, Layne's Chicken Fingers Houston

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 18, 2021

Barrel of Monkeys Hospitality, a newly-formed restaurant group from Monkey’s Tail owner, Jessie Gonzales, launched June 2021. Gonzales founded Monkey’s Tail in 2019 and Barrel of Monkeys Hospitality plans to open several more concepts in the next few years including Grease Monkey, which will open this fall in the Oak Forest/Garden...
Openings and Closings: NoPo Opens, il Bracco This Fall, A New Ragin' Cajun

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 11, 2021

NoPo Cafe, Market and Bar, 1244 N. Post Oak, opened June 10. NoPo is an acronym for the North Post Oak area encompassing the neighborhood east of Spring Branch, north of the Galleria and west of Timbergrove. Berg Hospitality's culinary director, Jose Hernandez, has created a classic American menu for...
In Vino Veritas: National Wine Day May 25 [Update]

By Lorretta Ruggiero
May 19, 2021

We don't need excuses to drink wine but National Wine Day is May 25 and that's as good a reason as any to imbibe some juice de Bacchus. For even more incentive, Houston restaurants and wine bars are offering wine specials from great deals to wallet-emptying wine dinners. We have...
Openings and Closings: Chris Shepherd Fires Up Another Concept, MARCH Madness Arrives

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 26, 2021

Underbelly Hospitality will open a 5,000 square foot restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Chris Shepherd in late 2021. Regent Square, an urban infill development near Buffalo Bayou Park and Allen Parkway, led with the announcement of Shepherd as a tenant promising more surprises to come. The Phase...
Openings and Closings: Local Foods Market Opens Next Week, Messina Hof Lands in Richmond

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Feb 12, 2021

Local Foods Market, 2424 Dunstan, opens February 16 in the former benjy's restaurant. Benjy's closed in March 2020 to make way for the new concept. It was the last remaining location for owner Benjy Levit's namesake restaurant. Now, Levit's focus has turned to his Local Foods empire which currently has...
Openings and Closings: Lucille's Hospitality Launches, Kanpai Club Opens

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Feb 5, 2021

Lucille's Hospitality Group, the new endeavor from Houston chef Chris Williams, is on track to produce four new restaurant and lifestyle concepts by 2022. Williams, known for his restaurant Lucille's in the Museum District, has launched the venture as a tribute to his grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, who not only...
12 Days of Favorite Houston Food & Drink Experiences in 2020, Part 3: Wine

By Houston Press and Houston Food Finder
Dec 11, 2020

Welcome to the third part of a series where we showcase the noteworthy food and drink experiences of a very weird year. In the spirit of the holidays, it's also a very special collaboration between the food writers of the Houston Press and Houston Food Finder, the online publication founded...
National Wine and Cheese Day is July 25

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jul 21, 2020

National Wine and Cheese Day is July 25. Yes, there is such a thing and we have a list of places to help you celebrate the special day whether you are braving the outdoor patios of reopened restaurants and wine bars or cuddling at home with your cat watching the...
5 Old World Wine Regions and the First Dates To Serve Them On [UPDATED]

By Kate McLean
May 13, 2020

First dates are deliciously awkward and best served with wine—but as all wines are not created equal, neither are first dates. A little more goes into securing a tasty bottle than just picking a region. While mandated requirements aid in keeping quality ship shape, also vintage, producer, and varietal come into...
Wine Time: Houston Sommeliers On Keeping Staff and Guests Safe as Dine-in Service Resumes

By Jeremy Parzen
May 12, 2020

Governor Greg Abbott has provided little guidance to Texas restaurateurs who began reopening their businesses for dine-in service beginning last week. As a result, many are looking to Georgia governor Brian Kemp’s restaurant guidelines as they resume operations. But even the Georgia order makes no mention of wine service and...