Upper Kirby hotspot Saint Genevieve has suddenly closed down for good. A representative from the bar tells CultureMap that "The Van Delden Group and West Ave landlords have come to a mutual agreement and the space will be occupied by another tenant."
Why did Saint Genevieve shut down though? "They simply decided to close Saint Genevieve so they can focus on other projects in their pipeline," the rep says. "They have a large expansion project of their businesses going on in Austin as well."
When it opened in 2011, Saint Genevieve established a reputation for a stylish crowd and a boozy brunch that was the spiritual successor to the bye-gone days of La Strada. The menu, created by Roost chef/owner Kevin Naderi, offered a globally-influenced collection of small plates that had a reputation for being better tasting than the typical party spot.
It built a rep for a stylish crowd and a boozy brunch that was the spiritual successor to the bye-gone days of La Strada.
The representative insists that owners Jeff and Darren Van Delden "are working on some other exciting projects in Houston for 2014-2015" but declined to provide specifics. Saint Genevieve joins sports bar Sawyer Park and Midtown cocktail bar The Good Life as Van Delden concepts that have closed in the past 12 months. Red Door, their original Midtown project, remains open.
Tootsie's, Del Frisco's Grille and Pondicheri are still going strong, but West Ave has struggled overall to find a mix of viable concepts. Celebrated Houston chef Robert Del Grande closed his restaurants Ava and Alto in 2012, and high profile sushi spot Katsuya followed last year. Just last week, celebrity makeup artist Edward Sanchez parted ways with the still open West Ave makeup lounge that once bore his name.
Upper Kirby hotspot Saint Genevieve has closed.
