A Houston charcuterie sensation will open a brick-and-mortar storefront in The Heights. Graze, a service that creates elaborate cheese and charcuterie boards, will open this fall in Wolf Capital Partners’ redevelopment of 1135 E 11th St.
Owner Alyssa Case tells CultureMap she started her business in 2019 after a career in the modeling industry. Currently delivery-only, Case says that Graze distinguishes itself by carefully sourcing its products and creating presentations that ensure the end result is both delicious and beautiful.
“I try to keep everything local to Houston and Texas,” Case says. “If not, it’s the best of what the rest of the U.S. has to offer.”
Towards that end, Case sources all of her cheese through Houston Dairymaids, and many of them come from Texas farms. Graze’s jams are produced locally, too. The charcuterie comes from Italy, because, as Case notes, “if it’s not going to come from Texas, why not Italy?”
Boards come in a range of styles from individual portions to custom creations designed to feed dozens of people. The popular classic board (feeds 10-12) comes with four cheeses and three kinds of charcuterie, while the oversized Texas board feeds up to 30. From there, customers can opt for elaborate table spreads.
“That’s my most favorite thing to create,” she says. “It’s a huge meat and cheese board on whatever surface you choose. In my opinion, it’s a piece of art that’s edible. They can be as big as you want; eight feet is a common size.”
Case says she always wanted a storefront where customers could pick up everything they need for a special occasion from her custom-made boards to accessories such as crackers, candles, and more. While the footprint will be small, Graze will even have a few tables.
“More than anything, I want to offer people a place where they can come and graze and snack and come with a friend and enjoy a beautiful atmosphere while also eating some really good food,” she says.
The storefront will also allow Graze to offer a shorter lead times on orders, including same day for smaller boards. If all goes according to plan, Graze will open in late September or early October. Until then, it will operate in its current, delivery-only mode.
Graze will open at 1135 E. 11th St.
