8 things to know

8 things to know about Houston dining right now: openings, closings, and BOGO burgers

Editor’s note: It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the world of Houston restaurants. Here’s eight things we think you should know.

Three openings
With the opening of Truck Yard, phase one of the East Village mixed-use complex is now complete. The Dallas-based bar features an expansive outdoor seating area — complete with Ferris wheel — along with cocktails (on draft or frozen), craft beer (draft, bottles, or cans), and cheesesteaks. A rotating selection of food trucks provide additional dining options. Open every day from 11 am to 2 am at 2118 Lamar St (right next to Rodeo Goat).

As a side note, an East Village representative confirms that the previously announced plans to open a vodka distillery at the property have been scuttled. The development's second phase will kick off when Agricole Hospitality opens its three new concepts later this summer.

Acclaimed Third Ward barbecue joint Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack opened its new location at 3929 Old Spanish Trail on May 11. The larger space offers lots of benefits to customers including more seating and better parking, as well as a larger kitchen. Of course, pitmaster Herb Taylor and co-owner Ray Busch won’t let anything change about the signature, all-wood smoked meats.

Malk Organics, a local purveyor of dairy-free nut milks, has united with Greenway Coffee to launch the Malk BevBar. Billed as Houston’s first plant-based beverage bar, the Malk BevBar will serve plant-based coffee, tea, and smoothies from within the Snap Kitchen location at 3600 Kirby Dr. Look for a hazelnut and maple pecan latte, non-caffeinated red velvet cashew latte, a plant-based butter coffee, and more.

Three closings
Schnitzel fans only have a couple more weeks to visit Charivari. Chef-owner Johann Schuster tells Houston Food Finder he’s decided to close the Midtown German restaurant after 18 years, but the restaurant’s fans shouldn’t despair too much. The chef is developing a more casual version of the concept for a new location. Details are TBA.

Fielding’s Rooster, the chicken-oriented siblings of popular Woodlands restaurants Fielding’s Wood Grill and Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar, closed on May 8. Only open since August 2017, the space is being converted into a catering and private events venue, the company announced on Facebook. Here’s hoping the restaurant’s best dishes — fried chicken, chicken liver mousse — find spots on other menus.

Galleria-area office workers may be stunned by the sudden shuttering of the Chick-fil-A at 5005 Richmond Ave. After all, an almost constant line of cars kept the drive-thru full. It wasn’t a lack of business that forced the closure, but rather METRO’s plans to bring dedicated bus lanes to Post Oak Boulevard. The State of Texas has initiated eminent domain proceedings against the entire shopping center, Swamplot reports, as part of the efforts to rebuild/transform the 59/610 interchange.

Beer news
After teasing the brew's release for the past week, Saint Arnold Brewing Company announced on Monday, May 14 that its jumping on the hazy IPA craze with a new beer called Not A Collaboration. Packaged to look quite a bit like the products from Brash Brewing Company (but definitely not a collaboration with Brash, obviously), the double dry hopped IPA uses Centennial, Citra and Hallertau Blanc hops to create flavors that the company describes as “an upfront citrus bomb with a mix of mango and juicy pineapple notes.” Thanks to a special arrangement with its distributor Silver Eagle, Not A Collaboration will be available on shelves and tap walls the same day it’s been packaged, ensuring drinkers will experience the freshest possible beer. Find the full list of day-of releases here.

BOGO burgers birthday bash
FM Kitchen & Bar will celebrate its first anniversary with buy-one, get-one FM Burgers ($5.89, limit two per customer) and $6 birthday cake shakes on Tuesday, May 15. The special is available from 11 am to close. In addition, FM Kitchen will keep the party going on May 19 with an FM Farmer’s Market from 11 am to 3 pm, live music from local band RUCKUS from 2 pm to 5 pm, and food and drink specials all day including $6 birthday cake shakes, $1 off burgers, and $5 off draft margaritas and watermelon mules.

Fielding's Rooster closed in The Woodlands.

Courtesy photo

Fielding's Rooster closed in The Woodlands.

closings craft-beer news-you-can-eat openings

rumor no more

East Coast-style Austin pizzeria confirms plans to open in the Heights

Home Slice Pizza Heights location rendering

Courtesy of the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

A rendering previews Home Slice Pizza's new location in the Heights.

One of Austin’s pizzerias is expanding its presence in Houston. Home Slice Pizza has claimed the former Mapojeong space in the Heights (602 Studewood) for a new location that will open in the fall of 2026.

Founder Joseph Strickland tells CultureMap that Home Slice wanted to add a second Houston location that would build on the success of its Midtown restaurant that opened in late 2022. Unlike Midtown, which is counter service and offers limited seating, the Heights location will offer full service, an expanded menu, and cocktails, which is in line with Home Slice’s North Austin location.

“We saw a lot of synergy in North Austin and the Heights,” Strickland says. “They have a similar feel, a lot of families, a lot of people looking to get together in big groups. There’s also a robust bar scene on White Oak that we’re happy to be part of.”

Strickland says Home Slice had several requirements for a new location, including a larger dining room than Midtown, a decent-sized parking lot, and enough kitchen capacity to serve both dine-in and larger to-go orders. Not only did they find the right building, but they established a productive relationship with the property’s owner, Revive Development, the Houston-based firm that also owns properties that are home to Loro, Squable, Camaraderie, and the Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks.

“It was hard to believe at first. The more we talked with the Revive folks, there was a lot of alignment and opportunity for us to expand what we’re showing Houston,” Stickland says.

Home Slice is working with the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to renovate the building. Strickland notes that it will require some extensive changes, including removing the butcher shop that was installed as part of its iteration as Ritual, a steakhouse that closed in 2021. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the restaurant should open sometime in the fall of 2026.

Home Slice Pizza food spread Home Slice serves New York-style pizza.Photo by Garrett Smith

Once open, Home Slice will serve its East Coast-inspired menu of New York-style pizzas (whole or by-the-slice), hot and cold Italian deli sandwiches, salads, and desserts — all of which utilize dough or bread that’s made in-house. In particular, the restaurant is known for its white clam pizza, as well as classics such as pepperoni and mushroom or sausage with ricotta and roasted peppers. In 2024, the Houston Press awarded “Best Sandwich” to the restaurant’s Italian Assorted, which is made with ham, dry salami, capicola, genoa salami, vegetables, provolone, mayo, and oil & vinegar.

Critically, the Heights Home Slice location will add wings to the New York and Sicilian-style pizzas, salads, and sandwiches that the restaurant serves in Midtown. Inspired by the wings served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Home Slice keeps its wings simple — medium or hot and served with a house made blue cheese dressing. “It goes with our pizza quite wonderfully,” Stickland says.

He hopes that the the wide-ranging menu, flexible menu, and late night hours will appeal to Heights locals, people patronizing the nearby bars on White Oak, and anyone else looking for a slice and a drink. The larger location and full service should make home slice an option for date nights, office happy hours, any just about any other occasion.

“We hope the neighborhood will be happy to have another offering that’s like ours, where you can bring a first date or your office or go by yourself. We offer all those experiences,” Strickland says.

openings news-you-can-eat pizza home slice pizza