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    Ciao, Montrose!

    New Italian restaurant from owners of River Oaks hot spots heads to buzzy Montrose development

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 1, 2021 | 1:50 pm
    Atlas Restaurant Group Alex Smith Steve Radom Eric Smith
    Atlas Restaurant Group owners Alex and Eric Smith (left and right) with real estate developer Steve Radom (center).
    Courtesy of Atlas Restaurant Group

    A Baltimore-based restaurant has big plans for Montrose. Atlas Restaurant Group, the company behind Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar, will open a new Italian restaurant in the heart of the city's premier dining neighborhood.

    Slated to open spring 2022, the still unnamed restaurant will occupy 5,500 square feet at the Montrose Collective, the mixed-use development currently under construction next to Uchi on lower Westheimer. The restaurant will be a new concept for Atlas that's distinct from Tagliata, the company's Italian-influenced steakhouse. Details are light, but it will feature "handmade pastas, charcuterie, and prime steaks," according to a press release.

    Loch Bar and Ouzo Bay opened at River Oaks District in 2019. The success of the two seafood restaurants — a lively, East Coast-inspired seafood tavern next to a European-influenced, fine dining concept — prompted Atlas to seek more opportunities in Houston.

    “The success of Ouzo and Loch Bar, combined with the city’s business-friendly environment, made the decision to grow here an easy one,” Atlas Restaurant Group co-owner Alex Smith said in a statement. “Frankly, we love Houston and plan to continue creating new brands here under the Atlas umbrella wherever it makes sense. And Montrose Collective made absolute perfect sense.”

    Currently under construction, the Montrose Collective will consist of over 100,000 square feet of office space, more than 50,000 square feet of retail space, and the relocated branch of the Houston Public Library that's currently on Montrose Boulevard. When it opens later this year, the development expects to be home to six new restaurants and 15 retail shops, including an outpost of New York's Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

    Like other projects from developer Radom Capital (Heights Merchant and M-K-T Heights), Montrose Collective will feature design by Texas architect Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

    “We couldn’t be more excited that Alex and Eric have selected Montrose Collective for their first Italian concept in Texas,” said Radom Capital Managing Principal Steve Radom. He added, “I was absolutely blown away by their creativity and attention to detail, on a recent visit to Baltimore, and the quality of their concepts speaks for itself, and I’m confident they will create something special for Montrose that will resonate with locals and visitors alike.”

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    one last squeeze

    Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter

    Eric Sandler
    May 21, 2025 | 5:16 pm
    BB Lemon exterior
    Photo by Leah Wilson
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    The original location of Ben Berg’s fancy burger joint will soon serve its last meal. B.B. Lemon on Washington Avenue will close after service on Sunday, June 1, the restaurant announced on social media.

    In response to CultureMap’s request for comment about the decision, a representative provided a statement that reads in part:

    “It is never an easy decision to close a restaurant,” Berg said. “The love Houston has shown B.B. Lemon-Washington over the years is what made it such a special place. Thank you for making us part of your everyday moments and life celebrations.”

    The statement continues that the restaurant is “no longer part of our strategic plan,” referring to Berg’s company, Berg Hospitality Group. However, the location of B.B Lemon that opened last year in the downtown tunnels will remain open.

    Open since late 2018, B.B. Lemon takes inspiration from iconic New York City restaurant JG Melon, including its signature green-and-white checked tablecloths. Thanks to a spacious patio and a lively atmosphere, B.B. Lemon soon found favor with area residents and downtown office workers, who made it a happy hour favorite.

    Like its decor, B.B. Lemon’s menu also takes inspiration from the East Coast. In addition to a diner-style, wagyu cheeseburger, the restaurant serves an array of comfort food that includes fish and chips, a lobster roll, and blue crab beignets.

    Berg’s decision to close B.B. Lemon follows last year’s closure of Benny Chows, its New York-inspired Chinese American restaurant. In January, the company closed NoPo Cafe to make way for a new location of Bagel Bob’s HTX.

    The group also opened three new concepts in 2024: live fire steakhouse Prime 131, retro diner Buttermilk Baby, and upscale steakhouse Turner’s Cut. It will open a second location of Buttermilk Baby in Sugar Land this summer.

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