Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.
Openings, closings, and coming attractions
Brazilian steakhouse Gauchos do Sul’s new location in Highland Village will begin its soft opening on Thursday, June 11. Originally announced in February, the restaurant will occupy the former Up restaurant location at 3995 Westheimer Rd. Expect USDA Prime meats, New Zealand lamb, and more served via skewer-bearing servers.
Island Grill has opened its fifth Houston-area location in the Springwoods Village mixed-use development (1701 City Plaza Drive, Spring). The fast casual, Mediterranean-American occupies approximately 3,600-square feet, plus a spacious outdoor patio. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu covers everything from omelets and burgers to pitas and pizzas that are produced in a wood-fired oven. Hours are 7 am - 9 pm Monday - Saturday and 8 am - 4 pm on Saturday.
Patrenella's, the classic Italian-American restaurant near Buffalo Bayou, has closed. In a message posted to Facebook, the Patrenlla family thanked customers for supporting the restaurant for 28 years.
Tropicales, the all-day cafe from Blacksmith owner David Buehrer and partners Steve and Hilary Ybarra that closed in March, will not reopen, according to a representative. Opened in May 2019, the Latin-inspired bar and restaurant featured coffee, cocktails, and tacos served in a stylish, tropical environment.
The Toasted Yolk will open its 13th Houston-area location in Cypress on Monday, June 15. To celebrate the grand opening, the breakfast and lunch cafe will offer free churro donuts and $3 mimosas. Known for its classic American menu, The Toasted Yolk serves dishes such as Benedicts, salads, sandwiches, and pancakes.
Other news and notes
Saint Arnold Brewing Company has had a busy couple of weeks. Houston’s oldest craft brewery is celebrating its 26th anniversary with two releases this week: Double Art Car IPA and Double Barrel Imperial Stout, which is aged in both bourbon and port barrels. Last week, the brewery introduced Gratuity, a limited release Pale Ale; 100% of the profits from this beer will go to Houston Shift Meal, the local organization offering free meals to unemployed hospitality workers.
For the month of June, Goodnight Hospitality is donating all proceeds from every pizza sold at Rosie Cannonball and every bottle of June’s purchased at Montrose Cheese and Wine to the NAACP. In one week, the effort has already raised over $5,000. Partners June Rodil, Felipe Riccio, and Pete and Bailey McCarthy provided the following statement about their decision
The above is our first, small step to what we feel is a long road to justice. We want to establish firm roots to create something that’s sustainable to continue to bring awareness and change in our lifetimes. We are committed to learning more and doing more. We are open to avenues, pathways, foundations, and suggestions on how to do this. #blacklivesmatter
The Toasted Yolk opens in Cypress next week.
