The Final Matchup

Best New Restaurant finale features intimate Montrose newcomer versus Memorial rising star

Hoosiers. Rudy. The Bad News Bears. Rocky. The Karate Kid. The list of sports movies where an improbable upstart defeats a well-established foe seems never ending. We love rooting for underdogs. It's what made the Cubs run to the World Series so much fun and the Patriots victory over the Falcons so disappointing.

CultureMap's Tastemaker Awards Best New Restaurant tournament, powered by Whole Foods, has seen a similarly unlikely rise. To earn its place in the finals, Nobie's had to defeat three of Houston's most acclaimed new restaurants from some of its most popular chefs: Hugo Ortega's Xochi, Ryan Lachaine's Riel, and Ronnie Killen's Killen's STQ.

Obviously, an effective social media campaign deserves much of the credit for Nobie's success in the tournament, but the intimate Montrose restaurant also charms just about everyone who dines there. Credit for that success goes to chef-owner Martin Stayer's diverse menu, the space's retro style, and the hospitality provided by a front of house staff that's lead by bar manager Sarah Troxell and general manager Dominic Ruiz.

Praising Nobie's for its achievement in reaching the finals is not to diminish State Fare, the tournament's other finalist. Lee Ellis' and Jim Mills' restaurant in Gateway Memorial City had its own tough path, knocking off River Oaks favorite Relish Restaurant & Bar, rising star barbecue joint The Pit Room, and its corporate sibling Pi Pizza.

State Fare draws the inspiration for its diverse menu from Ellis and Mills' upbringing in Texas and Louisiana, and their extensive experience in the restaurant business ensures they're highly effective at developing dishes people want to eat again and again. Seafood cocktail, chips and guacamole, giant burgers, and a first-rate brunch have all made the restaurant a hit. Ellis' flair for design, and a top notch beverage program with an extensive selection of craft beer, wine, and cocktails make State Fare equally welcoming for families with kids or adults on a date night.

So who will it be? The intimate Montrose restaurant from the first-time chef-owner or the expansive west Houston rising star from two of the city's most seasoned culinary veterans? Fried shrimp and burgers or beef tartare and octopus? 41 craft beer taps or cans of Montucky Cold Snack? Vote now.

Want to find out who wins? We're hiding the voting percentages to preserve the surprise. Join us April 18 at Asia Society Texas for the Tastemaker Awards Party when we'll reveal the winners in all of the categories.

Nobie's charming interior.

Photo by Jack Thompson

Nobie's charming interior.

tastemakers

an offer he couldn't refuse

Exclusive: Killen's Barbecue will soon shutter in The Woodlands

Killen's barbecue meat platter with sides

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

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Fans of Killen’s Barbecue’s location in The Woodlands have a days to make one last visit. The restaurant will close this Sunday, December 7, chef-owner Ronnie Killen tells CultureMap.

Open since 2021, Killen says that he’s in final negotiations to sell the location at 8800 Six Pines Dr. to Whataburger for a new location of the iconic Texas fast food restaurant. Neither the original location of Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland nor its Cypress location are affected by the closure of The Woodlands and will remain open.

“Whataburger made me a deal I couldn’t pass up. It would take 10 years to do that kind of revenue,” Killen writes in a text, adding that the company recently made a significant payment to keep the deal’s window open through the end of the year.

He added that the costs to operate the restaurant have gone up significantly. As one example, a cord of wood cost $175 when he opened the first Killen’s Barbecue in 2013. It costs $475 now, he writes.

If the deal falls through, Killen states that he could look for a new buyer or convert the restaurant into a second location of Killen’s Burger, the retro-styled burger joint he operates in Pearland.

The restaurant’s closure had been expected since February, when Killen sold The Woodlands’ location of Killen's Steakhouse. At the time, Killen said he also planned to find a buyer for his barbecue joint in the bustling suburb. He cited the driving distance from Pearland to The Woodlands as one reason he chose to divest both locations. He still operates Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, comfort food restaurant Killen's near the Heights, Killen's Burger, and three other locations of Killen's Barbecue.

As it approaches its 13th anniversary in the spring, Killen’s Barbecue remains a vital part of Houston’s barbecue scene. The restaurant recently earned an honorable mention from Texas Monthly and holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In July, it opened a new location at Hobby Airport.

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