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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...

Charcuterie brings all your friends together.

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...

NoPo has cafe dishes like quiche and salad.

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...

Get educated with a flight at Mutiny Wine Room.

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...

Chefs Dawn Burrell and Chris Williams team up.

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...

Exceptional wines from Piemonte are poured and ready at home in anticipation of the start of Roma's Pertinace dinner.

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...

Central Market's wine wall has some high end bottles.

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...

Doris Metropolitan wine director Lexey Davis Johnson

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...

Wine Time: Master Sommelier Steven McDonald

By Jeremy Parzen

Apr 23, 2020

Until late March, Master Sommelier and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse wine director Steven McDonald managed what many consider to be one of the best wine lists in the United States. Last year, his program, which includes thousands of rare and high-priced wines, was one of just eight in the world to...

"Absolutely, yes," said One/Fifth wine director Matthew Pridgen when asked if his team's non-profit Southern Smoke is still accepting applications for financial assistance.

Wine Time: Matthew Pridgen, Wine Director at Southern Smoke and One/Fifth

By Jeremy Parzen

Apr 22, 2020

Sommelier Matthew Pridgen is the Beverage Director at the Underbelly Hospitality restaurant group and the Wine Director at its flagship concept One/Fifth. He’s also the “Special Events, Wine, and Silent Auction Director” at Southern Smoke, a non-profit association that provides assistance to Houston-area restaurant workers in times of need. Last...

Wine Time: Goodnight Hospitality Partner and Master Sommelier June Rodil

By Jeremy Parzen

Apr 16, 2020

In April 2019, Master Sommelier June Rodil moved to Houston from Austin to become a partner in the Goodnight Hospitality restaurant group, which includes Goodnight Charlie’s, Montrose Cheese and Wine, and Rosie Cannonball. The Houston Press spoke late last week with the former TexSom “best sommelier in Texas” about what...

Wine Time: Kroger Beverage Director and Sommelier Jaime De Leon

By Jeremy Parzen

Apr 15, 2020

After the city of Houston ordered restaurants and bars to close a few weeks ago, nearly all of the city’s wine professionals have been either furloughed or laid off. Jaime De Leon, the Adult Beverage Sales Manager for Kroger’s Houston Division is also an Advanced Sommelier and a leading member...

Rodeo Uncorked Best Bites 2020: Scenes and Winners

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Feb 24, 2020

And thus, it begins. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2020 got kicked off last evening with the Rodeo Uncorked! Best Bites Competition which featured 113 Houston restaurants serving delicious bites along with pours of 450 wines from the 2020 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition to accompany them. Officially Rodeo...

Chicken Mousse on Texas Toast cubes marry well with wine.

Openings and Closings: Mutiny Wine Room Opens Soon, Andes Cafe Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jan 10, 2020

Mutiny Wine Room, 1124 Usener, will open January 18. The Napa Valley-inspired wine tasting venue and restaurant comes from longtime Heights residents, Marke Ellenberger and Emily Trout. Husband Mark hails from California while wife Emily is a native Houstonian. The couple have been involved for years in the wine country...

The Butcher pizza from Sixty Vines in Rice Village.

Upper Crust: Sixty Vines

By Carlos Brandon

Dec 11, 2019

It's not exactly a pizzeria. But it's not exactly not one, either. You catch our drift? Sixty Vines, the Dallas-based wine-on-tap concept, just opened the brand's first Houston store in Rice Village. A fitting home for the out-of-town upscale bar, as Rice Village has slowly been invaded by out-of-town chains...

Wine Time

Openings and Closings: A New Sonoma, Soto's Reopens, Shoot the Moon Closes

Openings and Closings: Postino Katy Opens, Phat Eatery Woodlands

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