Restaurant Closings

Celebrity chef throws in the towel on two Heights-area restaurants that lost their buzz

Bradley's Fine Diner sign March 2014 Bradley Ogden

Bradley's Fine Diner has served its last order of pot roast.

Photo courtesy of © Bradley's Fine Diner

In what has to be an early candidate for the least surprising Houston restaurant news of 2016, Ogden Hospitality has closed Bradley's Fine Diner and Funky Chicken. The California-based company that's led by James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef Bradley Ogden has confirmed a report by the Chronicle that the restaurants have shuttered.

"We want to thank the many people who worked so hard to make Bradley’s Fine Diner and Funky Chicken inviting venues for the surrounding community to enjoy," Christopher Vestal, CEO of Ogden Hospitality Group, said in a statement after CultureMap asked for comment. "At this time we will continue to focus our efforts on Pour Society, one of our most successful openings to date, which has taken shape under a talented and locally-based culinary and operations team. We are currently working to redevelop both Heights locations into concepts suitable for such a vibrant neighborhood and will release more information when plans have been finalized."

The closures bring to an end a saga that began in 2012 when Ogden announced his plans to open multiple restaurants in Houston. Funky Chicken opened two years ago, and Fine Diner followed in April 2014. Both restaurants showed promise initially but failed to connect with diners. In May 2015, Ogden hired former Triniti chef de cuisine Greg Lowry to get them on the right track, but it appears to have been too little too late.

Pour Society, the upscale Gateway Memorial City pub that features a menu created by Lowry and chef de cuisine Matthew Lovelace with the Houston palate in mind, has opened to mixed reviews. Still, the talent in the kitchen and today's commitment by Ogden Hospitality to the project suggest that it should find its footing from a culinary standpoint soon.

When Funky Chicken debuted, Ogden planned to open 200 locations across the country, but the restaurant never grew beyond Houston. He seems to have shifted his focus to hot dogs, opening a restaurant called Bradley's Funky Franks in Menlo Park, California, last October. Bringing that concept to The Heights seems like a risky move, though, as it would be in direct competition with well-regarded restaurants Happy Fatz and Good Dog Houston.

closings the-heights

build your own

Ohio-based Mediterranean restaurant now baking fresh pita in Memorial

Courtesy of Brassica

An Ohio-based Mediterranean restaurant has arrived in Houston. Brassica Sandwiches + Salads has quietly opened in the Briargrove/Memorial area (1413 S Voss Rd.) and will celebrate its grand opening next Tuesday, March 31.

Courtesy of Brassica

Build your own pita at Brassica.

Founded by brothers Kevin and Darren Malhame, Brassica is named for the family of vegetables that include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and more. The menu features build-your-own Mediterranean-inspired pitas, salads, or hummus bowls.

Proteins include falafel, braised chicken shawarma, and brisket. Diners can add toppings such as pickled cabbage, pickled beets, cucumbers and radishes, roasted carrots, cauliflower, feta, and more. Notably, the restaurant bakes pita throughout the day.

While the food is casual and affordable, Brassica has invested into details that will make diners choose to dine-in rather than order to-go — and order a drink from its beer and wine list. They include custom walnut trays, leather booths, and solid marble tabletops.

“Opening our first restaurant outside of Ohio is a huge milestone for us,” founder and CEO Kevin Malhame said in a statement. “We’ve been working towards opening out of state for some time now, and are thrilled to be in Houston.”

The restaurant has earned considerable acclaim, including being named a “Hot Concept” by Nation’s Restaurant News. It also earned an investment from Chipotle’s Cultivate Next fund in 2024.

“Growth for us will always be deliberate,” Malhame added. “We believe restaurants should last. That means investing in our food, our people, and our spaces — never cutting corners to expand faster.”

Brassica is open daily from 11 am-10 pm.

news-you-can-eat openings