• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Where to Eat Now

    Where to Eat Now: Catch up on the summer's best new restaurants in October

    Eric Sandler
    Oct 6, 2016 | 2:19 pm

    Summer’s relaxed vibe means people take a break from some of the more harried aspects of city life. They go out of town. They stay in the air conditioning or hang out by the pool. When it comes to food, choices tend to be quick, casual, and familiar.

    Fall’s cooler temps also bring a renewed interest in food. That means the time has come to catch up on the best of what opened this summer before the flurry of new openings builds before the Super Bowl.

    As always, these are roughly ordered by how important it is I think you try them, but, since this column hasn’t appeared since July (mea culpa), the whole list is worth your consideration.

    The Pit Room
    People who follow barbecue paparazzi (h/t J.C. Reid) on Instagram already know that The Pit Room, the recently opened barbecue joint in Montrose, is serving up some delicious-looking food. Thankfully, the meat coming out of chef-pitmaster Bramwell Tripp’s smokers tastes as good as it looks.

    Proximity to my Montrose apartment means that I’ve made several visits since it opened, and I’ve had good experiences each time. Housemade sausages drip with delicious meat juice, the USDA Prime brisket has a good bark and a pleasant amount of smoke, and the pork ribs have just the right amount of chew. Housemade tortillas that incorporate smoked brisket fat might be the dish of the year, especially since they’re used in massive tacos that feature toppings like pulled chicken with roasted garlic. Now that the restaurant has added dinner service, it has the potential to be one of Houston’s most-acclaimed barbecue destinations.

    Pi Pizza
    While I respect the believes of the passionate gun activists who refuse to patronize a business that won’t let them enter with a concealed weapon, I also feel a little sorry for them, because they’re missing out on some really delicious food by refusing to try Pi Pizza. Moving from a food truck to a brick and mortar restaurant has been highly beneficial for chef-partner Anthony Calleo’s creations; the dough has a better, chewier texture, the number of pizzas he serves has expanded, and the additions like a classic Caesar salad and surprisingly addictive fried cauliflower, give it an appeal even for non-pizza eaters.

    Partnering with Lee Ellis’s Cherry Pie Hospitality has been beneficial, too, as demonstrated by the sophisticated bottled and frozen cocktails, elaborate decor, and polished service. The only downside is that a lease restriction prevents the restaurant from selling pizza by the slice, so the legendary 420 is off the menu (at least for now). That’s a small price to pay for daily access to the best chicken parm sub in Houston and creatively-topped pizzas like the Sgt Pepper Redux (blackberries, chevre, mint pesto).

    Le Colonial
    Everybody knows that the quality of the food is only one component of eating in a restaurant. The decor, the ambiance, and the service all shape the experience. Dining at Le Colonial, the Houston outpost of the New York-based chain that opened in River Oaks District in August, demonstrates this phenomenon well.

    Dinner with friends revealed dishes that were hit or miss — for the record, we liked the spring rolls, shrimp in tamarind broth, and bo luc lac but found the chicken salad bland and the pho salty (especially for the price) — but the experience is phenomenal. The luxurious decor gives the room a sense of occasion, and most of the other diners are dressed up like they’re eating somewhere important. The upstairs lounge is lively and definitely feels like something special is happening.

    For well-executed Vietnamese food, stick with Houston classics like Que Huong and Hyunh; the flavors are the same, and they’re less expensive. For a Vietnamese-themed fine dining experience with luxurious touches, it’s hard to top Le Colonial.

    Arthur Avenue Italian American
    This Italian-American restaurant from the Helen folks pays homage to the East Coast, red sauce dishes that play a supporting role in classic movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas: slow-simmered, hearty food that sustains a group of people who have to go to the mattresses. While it could come off as kitschy, chef William Wright’s genuine affection for these dishes means they’re carefully prepared and utterly charming.

    Chicken Parmesan, a half-chicken that would easily feed two, arrives crispy and juicy with a bright tomato sauce that nails the sweet-tart balance. Spaghetti gets serves properly al dente, but the real must-order is the caprese salad. Pulling the mozzarella means it’s served warm, and the marinated tomatoes avoid the trap of underripe, out-of-season produce. I’ll be back to try the clam-topped, New York-style pizza.

    On the beverage side, look for sophisticated cocktails from beverage director Lainey Collum and rising star bartender Josh Bearden, as well as a wine list curated by Pax Americana partner Shepard Ross. With good food and fun drinks, it’s no wonder Heights residents are packing the place.

    Dandelion Cafe
    Finding a coffee shop that serves locally-roasted coffee may be easy inside the loop, but the movement still hasn’t spread throughout the Houston area. Thankfully, Dandelion Cafe gives Bellaire residents a place to get Greenway Coffee, pastries from Weights + Measures, bagels from New York Bagels, freshly squeezed juices, gelato, and a tidy menu of sandwiches and salads.

    Hanging plants contrast with concrete floors and exposed ceilings to give the room some charm. While most people will probably opt for a turkey sandwich or a super food salad made with kale and quinoa, don’t miss the roast pork panini that allows owner Sarah Lieberman to pay homage to her Philly roots.

    The only downside is that the cafe has been so successful that it tends to run out of pastries or a specific sandwich before closing, but Lieberman comes off as smart and passionate. Once she works through the soft-opening growing pains, Dandelion will be an essential part of its neighborhood.

    Snooze: An AM Eatery
    As the two-hour waits on weekends demonstrate, Houstonians are pretty excited that this Denver-based, all-day brunch restaurant has opened in Montrose. Complaining about the wait is almost as popular, but the reason people put up with the hassle is that the dishes are creative, flavorful, and well-executed. Sure, cinnamon roll pancakes are really sweet, which is why they’re best as one item on a pancake trio with two more traditional options (like the super-fluffy blueberry). Egg dishes, including signature items like the breakfast pot pie, run the gamut from light and healthy to hearty and filling.

    Service from the relentlessly cheerful staff and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options mean that, when you do sit down, the experience will keep you coming back.

    Brasserie 1895
    Calling Kris Jakob’s recently opened, European-inspired establishment the best restaurant in Friendswood is probably damning it with faint praise given the limited competition for the title, but Jakob is doing something pretty special at Brasserie 1895. Few restaurants in the Houston area would serve Indian-style rogan josh with housemade naan alongside chicken fried steak and housemade pasta, but they all find a place on the restaurant’s menu. Indeed, all of the restaurant’s housemade breads are worth coming back for.

    A well-priced wine list and a craft beer list that delves beyond the usual locals only adds to the sense this restaurant is offering something special that should draw diners from places like Pearland, Clear Lake — and maybe even inside the loop.

    Rise nº2
    For as much as people love to wonder about whether Houston needs another steakhouse/burger joint/taco shop, no one ever asks why there aren’t more places to get a souffle. But shouldn’t they? Souffles are light and fluffy and serve equally well as sweet or savory.

    Thanks to Rise nº2, the Galleria-area outpost of the Dallas-based restaurant, Houston has another place to get souffles. The space has a dimly-lit, romantic vibe that would make it a perfect date spot, and the menu is accessible enough to appeal to a wide variety of diners. On the savory side, we liked the umami-rich, truffle-infused mushroom variety better than the slightly salty ham and cheese, but just about anyone will enjoy the luxurious chocolate for dessert. Paired with a couple of glasses of rose, the dishes made for a leisurely, satisfying lunch.

    I’ll be back for a few bites from the decadent-looking cheese cart and what appeared to be a highly credible steak frites.

    Oui Banh Mi
    Montrose residents may miss Lucky Burger, but this recently-opened banh mi shop gives the neighborhood an appealing replacement. Now that it’s emerged from its soft-opening, the restaurant is open from 11 am until midnight every day, which makes it convenient for both lunch and dinner. The menu consists of the namesake sandwiches that are served on bread that balances the crunchy exterior/soft interior needed for a good banh mi. The portion might be a little light, but a double meat option is available. Hazelnut-flavored cafe sua da is one of those ideas that’s so delicious you’ll wonder why no one has thought of it before.

    City Acre Brewing
    Despite its unlikely location on 59 just north of 610 on the way to Bush Intercontinental, this new brewpub is a destination worth seeking out. In addition to a rotating selection of mostly easy-drinking beers (low ABV, reasonable IBU) brewed on site, the pub also offers a mix of beer cocktails and beers from other high-quality local brewers.

    Turning to the food, the menu skews Germanic with options like a burger made with a pork and venison patty, Belgian-style frites, and the obligatory giant pretzel. I’d rank it a notch below the dining options at Karbach and Saint Arnold, but the brunch menu looks appealing.

    Looking for more options? Try the picks from July, June, and May.

    A full spread of Snooze.

    Snooze Montrose pancakes benedicts
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    A full spread of Snooze.
    where-to-eatopeningsdinnerbrunchcoffeecocktailswinecraft-beerlunchnews-you-can-eat
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/where-to-eat-houston

    With or Without Whiz

    Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 19, 2025 | 4:35 pm
    Bas's Cheesesteaks Abbas Dhanani
    Photo by Michael Ma
    Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

    Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

    Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

    Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwichThe cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

    “We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

    As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

    “I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

    Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

    As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

    news-you-can-eatopeningsbas's cheesesteaks
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/where-to-eat-houston
    Loading...