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Details emerge about Rice Village's long-rumored chef-driven food hall

A new food hall is coming to Rice Village.

Details are starting to emerge about the long-rumored food hall that's coming to Rice Village.

Slated to open this fall, Politan Row will feature 12 vendors, developer Will Donaldson tells Forbes. Having a name, which takes its inspiration from "metropolitan" and "restaurant row," gives some reality to the project.

Donaldson is the operator of acclaimed New Orleans food hall St. Roch Market and its sister market in Miami. A lawsuit by the City of New Orleans over the St. Roch name prompted the rebranding to Politan Row for the expansions that are coming to Chicago in March and Houston this fall.

Politan Row's website describes the venue as "a chef-driven food hall platform" that allows "the culinarily curious to explore a variety of new cuisines." Upscale design and good service help differentiate Politan Row from other food halls, according to the company.

The remaining details have yet to be revealed, including where exactly in Rice Village the food hall will be located. (Representatives from Rice Village have yet to respond to CultureMap's request for comment.) A site plan from operator Trademark Property suggests that a space at the corner of Kelvin and Times has been reserved for "F&B." The food hall could be that food and beverage concept, but prior renderings for the "Rice Village Market" suggest it could occupy the former Bombay Brasserie and Kubo's spaces on the second floor.

Similarly, who the vendors will be and what kind of food they're planning to serve remains a mystery, but it will need to attract some compelling talent to stand out in Rice Village. The past few years have seen Rice Village emerge as a top culinary destination. With the openings of burger joints Hopdoddy and Shake Shack and the imminent arrival of wine bar Sixty Vines, elevated sandwich shop Mendocino Farms, and eclectic salad concept Sweetgreen, the area has become home to top restaurant brands from out of state.

Politan Market is only the latest sign that Houston is catching up to the national food hall trend. In the coming year or so, the city is expected to add five more to the two, Finn Hall and Conservatory, that already exist; the others on the horizon are Bravery Chef Hall, Lyric Market, Railway Heights, and Understory.

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Texas comfort food restaurant closes at Memorial City after 10 years

Houston, new patios, March 2017, State Fare

Photo by Julie Soefer

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One of Houston’s favorite destinations for Texas comfort food has closed its original location. State Fare Kitchen & Bar at Gateway Memorial City shuttered after service on Sunday, May 31, its owner Culinary Khancepts announced.

Originally opened in May 2016 by Cherry Pie Hospitality, State Fare quickly established a reputation as a family friendly restaurant with a wide-ranging menu of Texas-inspired dishes such as chicken fried steak, burgers, chili, and seafood. Over time, the restaurant added over-the-top elements such as expansive brunch boards and cocktail flights. It won Best New Restaurant at the 2017 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

After being acquired by Culinary Khancepts in 2018, the restaurant expanded to Sugar Land in 2020 (and closed earlier this year), followed by The Woodlands in 2022. That location, in the development’s dining-focused Hughes Landing district, will remain open.

“State Fare wasn’t just a restaurant — it was an experience,” Culinary Khancepts Omar Khan said in a statement. “We set out to continue the legacy of something fun, energetic, and different, and the response from the Houston community exceeded anything we could have imagined. We’re incredibly proud of the memories made there and the role this location played in shaping the future of Culinary Khancepts.”

While State Fare’s time near Memorial City Mall has come to an end, Culinary Khancepts has plans to evolve the concept in a 15,000-square-foot new location. The company is redeveloping State Fare as a “social dining destination” with a “more relevant menu” and games for people to play before or after their meals. Details on the new location will be released in the coming weeks, according to a release.

“This brand has always been about bringing people together and creating moments that guests remember,” Khan said. “What’s coming next builds on everything people loved about State Fare, while taking the experience to an entirely new level.”

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