Sophisticated Heights dining

Veteran Houston chef returns to The Heights with classic American fare

Take a sneak peek at Fegen's interior.

Photo by Carla Gomez

One of Houston's most veteran chefs has cooked up a sophisticated new restaurant for The Heights. Lance Fegen will open Fegen's in the former Liberty Kitchen space on Studewood, the chef announced.

Dedicated Houston food lovers will recognize Fegen's name from his lengthy career that includes Brennan's, the Houstonian, and the late, lamented Zula. The chef helped establish The Heights as a dining destination when he opened Glass Wall in 2006; the first Liberty Kitchen followed in 2011. When Culinary Khancepts acquired the Liberty Kitchen brand last year, Fegen and his partners Carl Eaves, Will Davis, and Jim Jard opted to keep The Heights location.

"This is a very special place for us,” Will Davis said in a statement. “It’s where Liberty Kitchen started ... There’s this longevity to the place. It has positive energy fueled by loads of neighborhood spirit; we’re looking forward to building upon that."

Liberty Kitchen's coastal hues have been replaced with a darker palate of red and green with brass accents. A lowered ceiling has been installed to give the room a more intimate feel that provides a setting for family lunches, business dinners, and date night.

Fegen's menu will cover an array of classic American fare mixed with Southern Italian-inspired pizzas and pastas. Potential dishes include chicken schnitzel, Surrago’s Sunday Meatball, Veal, and Pork Tomato Gravy and Macaroni, linguine and clam sauce, seafood salads, and steaks.

"More important than what’s on the menu is what I want to achieve overall: simple dishes that you can always count on, executed seamlessly,” Fegen added.

Handling the front of house will be two industry veterans. General manager Matt Hart comes from the corporate world of Landry's and Darden Restaurants. Bar manager Nicole Meza will bring the craft aesthetic she learned at Weights + Measures and Julep to Fegen's cocktail offerings.

Slated to open later this spring, Fegen's will serve dinner to start with lunch and weekend brunch to follow.

the-heights openings chefs

G'day, Bay Area Citizens

All-day Montrose cafe pours Aussie culture into new Webster pub

Courtesy of Citizen Rec.

Citizen Rec. will serve dishes such as fish and chips and steak and Guinness pie.

The owners of a Montrose coffee shop and cafe are bringing a taste of Australia to Houston’s Bay Area. Citizen Rec is an all-day concept that blends a daytime coffee shop with an evening pub.

Slated to open this fall, Citizen Rec will be located in Webster near the intersection of I-45 and W. Bay Area Blvd. (19403 Gulf Freeway). The concept is an evolution of Citizen, the Australian-inspired, New York-based restaurant that’s been open in Montrose since 2023.

By day, Citizen Rec will serve the dishes that Citizen is already known for, such as avocado toast, miso-butterscotch banana bread toast, and the Australian big breakfast, a platter that includes two poached eggs, sourdough toast, bacon, chicken sausage, smashed avocado, and hash browns. They’ll be paired with coffee, juices, cocktails, and other sips.

At night, the restaurant will become “a moody gastropub” that serves dishes such as steak and Guinness pie, fish and chips, and shrimp on the barbie cooked over live fire. A “secret” Vegemite menu will match the controversial ingredient with savory dishes. Beer and cocktails will enhance the experience. The pub menu will come to the Montrose location after the Webster location opens.

The restaurant’s decor will further transport diners to Australia with details such as wood paneling, stained-glass lights, and retro Australian artifacts. TVs will play cricket and horse racing, while a wall will pay tribute to various famous Australians.

Diners will also have the opportunity to play two-up, a popular Australian pub game, to win $100 off their bills. Sundays will feature live music, food specials, and other details designed to encourage relaxation.

Australia natives Andrew Geisel and Justin Giuffrida founded Citizen in New York. From there, the concept grew to include an additional New York outpost, plus locations in Houston and Austin.

"Aussie cafes have become a phenomenon globally, and we've loved bringing that to life here in the U.S.," Geisel said in a statement. "We want to further immerse our locals in Aussie culture with our version of a pub, bringing playfulness and adventure to what we hope will become their new favorite spot."

news-you-can-eat anderson openings coffee