Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, beginning with a French cafe's upcoming U.S. debut. Plus, inside the hottest new bar in the Heights. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit this guide for festive weekend fun.

1. French pastry chef perks up Houston with first U.S. coffee shop and café. A French coffee shop and cafe is coming to Houston. Pastry chef Jean-François Feuillette will open the first U.S. location of Café Feuillette in River Oaks District next year.

2. New Houston cocktail bar serves up a house party fueled by music and martinis. It hasn’t taken long for Houston cocktail fans to discover Donna’s. Since it opened Thanksgiving weekend, the new cocktail bar in the Heights has been packed with people eager to check out the project from Anvil owner Bobby Heugel and veteran Houston bartender Jacki Schromm.

3. New York Times critic awards Houston restaurant 2 stars in glowing review. Let’s just call 2025 the year of ChòpnBlọk. In a review published December 16, the New York Times awarded the Houston restaurant two stars (“very good”).

4. Family-friendly Houston restaurant picks Missouri City for 6th location. A family-friendly Houston restaurant will soon open its sixth location. Local Table is expected to open in Missouri City in January.

Coming soon to Missouri City. houston.culturemap.com

5. Food experts draft the best dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston. On this episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler recruited five of his friends and colleagues to select their favorite dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston via a fantasy football-style draft.