closing soon

Heights wine bar's exit leads 3 Houston restaurant closings to know right now

Roberto Crescini Fresco Café Italiano Guy Fieri Diners Drives In Dives

Roberto Crescini met Guy Fieri in 2021.

Courtesy of Food Network

Houston's dynamic restaurant scene always offers something new to try, but even successful concepts sometimes meet their end. Rising rents and other challenges mean three more Houston restaurants will soon close their doors.

Fresco Café Italiano will close on May 2, the restaurant announced via email. Opened in the fall of 2017, the restaurant showcased Italian chef Roberto Crescini, who offered approximately a dozen different styles of fresh pasta that diners could pair with different sauces and proteins. Its liberal BYOB policy made it popular with wine enthusiasts. Guy Fieri featured the Greenway Plaza-area restaurant on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that aired last year.

In the note announcing the closure, owners Steve and Ruby Gonzalez write that Crescini will return to Italy for "rest and relaxation" in the form of a much-needed sabbatical. "The restaurant has experienced tremendous success over the past five years, and we are grateful to you, our customers, for your loyal support," they write.

Leibman's Eatery, Market, Gifts will close its location in the Memorial City complex on May 16. In a note circulating on social media, Leibman's explains that it has lost its lease on the space at 10100 Katy Fwy.

Known for both its sandwiches and salads as well as its extensive selection of gifts, Leibman's has been a community staple for 43 years. The establishment moved from its longtime home on Memorial Blvd. to its current location in 2018.

Wine bar Sonoma in the Heights will close its location on Studewood on June 26. Owner Farrah Cauley tells the Chronicle that she couldn't come to terms on a lease renewal and is looking for a new location nearby. Sonoma's location in Upper Kirby and Katy will remain open.

“I want to thank all the employees (past and present) that have contributed to make Sonoma in the Heights what it has become,” Cauley said to the Chronicle. “I want to thank all of our guests, for which showed an enormous amount of love and support over the years, especially throughout the pandemic.”

closings

H-E-B News

Houston infused honey company wins $25,000 prize in H-E-B contest

Hive Food Co. H-E-B Quest for Texas Best

Courtesy of H-E-B

Hive Food Co. won $25,000 from H-E-B.

Five Texas-made products took top honors in Quest for Texas Best, the annual competition hosted by Texas supermarket chain H-E-B, sharing $110,000 in cash prizes, as well as a chance to be sold at H-E-B stores.

According to a release, the Grand Prize winner was Sol Dias, a family-owned Mexican ice cream and paleta company based in Haltom City, who took home the top cash prize of $50,000, earning the title of "Texas Best" and a guaranteed placement on H-E-B shelves.

The five winners were as follows:

Grand Prize $50,000: Sol Dias, Haltom City Mexican ice cream company
First Place $25,000: La Fregona, Bastrop creators of a chile sauce for elotes and esquites
Second Place $15,000: Hive Food Co., Houston beekeepers known for gourmet infused honey
Third Place (tied) $10,000: Dean & Peeler Meats, Floresville beef producer known for smoked Gouda sausage and Angus tallow
Third Place (tied) $10,000: Uncle Marc’s, Glenn Heights manufacturer of barbecue seasonings, rubs, and sauces

Now in its 13th year, Quest for Texas Best challenges small businesses to compete for the chance to win cash prizes and the opportunity to be stocked on H-E-B shelves.

This year's winners were chosen from a record-breaking 978 entries representing more than 500 companies statewide. Those were culled down in September to 10 finalists, who pitched their products on October 8 at H-E-B's headquarters in San Antonio.

The remaining five finalists were awarded $5,000 each, bringing the grand total to $135,000.

Founded by the Tanvir family, Hive Food Co. evolved out of the family's beekeeping hobby. The woman-owned and Go Texas certified business sells 100-percent raw Texas honey that's infused with natural ingredients, such as its signature lemon and ginger flavor.

The 2026 finalists brought a distinctly Texas mix of food, beverages, and general merchandise to the competition, from frozen cookie dough, smoked sausage, and infused honey to seasonings, street-corn sauce, pet treats, and cocktail mixes.

Since the program began in 2014, H‑E‑B has discovered more than 1,000 Texas-made products and awarded nearly $3 million in prize money, complemented by marketing support, mentoring, and opportunities designed to help small businesses scale.

In a statement, H-E-B's Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity James Harris said that “Because H‑E‑B began as a small business, we understand the difference that meaningful support and access can make. Through Quest for Texas Best, we are honored to champion these innovators as they take the next step in building their businesses and reaching more customers.”

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Brandon Watson contributed to this story.

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