Huge Coffee News

Houston to get a monster-sized new Starbucks with special evening service perks: A tourist draw?

Fresh off the news that Korean-based coffee chain Caffé Bene will make a play for the caffeine-fueled affection of downtown office workers by opening the chain's first Houston outpost in the GreenStreet development, the Houston First Corporation and Starbucks have revealed a plan to bring a massive, 4,000 square foot outpost of the Seattle-based coffee giant to downtown's Hilton Americas hotel.

Expected to open in October in the northeast corner of the hotel's lobby, the new Starbucks will be one of the first in Texas to feature Starbucks Evenings service, which will provide wine, beer, appetizer-type snacks and desserts after 4 p.m. The shop will also feature Starbucks' new Reserve line — described in a release as "small-lot coffee selected by Starbucks, roasted then delivered to select retail outlets and brewed for individual orders" — i.e., the sort of small-batch, limited quantity product that's only typically found in independently owned coffee shops.

“This will become an eye-opener for downtown visitors for years to come."

“This will become an eye-opener for downtown visitors for years to come,” Ric Campo, chairman of the Houston First board of directors, said in a statement. “And while we have been negotiating this arrangement for more than a year, we are now going to fast-track the buildout phase."

Design changes will include removing the glazing on the exterior windows to allow pedestrians to look into the shop.

"We are intentionally working to integrate what is taking place inside the Hilton and the GRB with what is taking place outside," Dawn Ullrich, president and CEO of Houston First, added. “We anticipate this inside-outside approach will work seamlessly as we work to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment."

Starbucks joins Pappasitos as another upgrade to the dining options at the hotel that helps make it a draw for people attending events at the George R. Brown convention center and Discovery Green as well as hotel guests. In February, Houston First announced a partnership with real estate firms Griffin Partners and Wulfe & Co. to bring as many as seven new retail, restaurants and sidewalk cafes to the convention center in time for Super Bowl LI in 2017.

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two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q