Think Pink

Get ready to rosé all day with these Houston-area drink specials

Not like you needed an official excuse to raise a glass to rosé, but you might be interested to know that the second Saturday in June has been designated National Rosé Day.

If the pink wine isn't normally your go-to beverage, consider Austin Eastciders Rosé dry cider. The well-rounded cider is made using hibiscus and real rose for a uniquely light, dry take on rosé. It has notes of crisp apple and black currant and an aroma of florals and sweet cherry — rosé done the Texas way.

Plan your day with these Houston-area specials, available on June 8 and beyond:

Cedar Creek Cafe is mixing Austin Eastciders Rosé in its Bayou City Blush frozen cocktail (which you can enjoy throughout the summer). In addition to the cider, it has strawberry purée, lemonade, and Smirnoff strawberry vodka and is served with a floater of rosé and a strawberry garnish. While you're there, take advantage of Cedar Creek's new brunch menu.

Bungalow Heights is serving rosé three different ways, including its Bungalow Heights Frosé made with Deep Eddy lemonade and Austin Eastciders Rosé then topped with fresh rosé draft to make a slush. On National Rosé Day itself, you can order it plus two other cocktails when Bungalow Heights hosts a night market from 7-10 pm.

Order Conservatory's Makin' Me Blush Rosé cocktail on Saturday, made with Eastciders Rosé, gin, lemon, hibiscus syrup, and a lemon twist, then take advantage of happy hour all day on Sundays and Mondays.

The Hibiscus Skies at Henderson Heights is a mixture of gin, hibiscus, fresh basil, and Eastciders Rosé. Come back for Texas Tuesdays, when there are specials on all Texas crafts, or Mondays for all-day happy hour. Henderson Heights is also hosting a Brew and Succulent Night on June 26, when you can purchase a canned beer or cider and then craft the can into a succulent planter.

In Galveston, Hotel Galvez & Spa is celebrating National Rosé Day at the onsite Galvez Bar and Grill, the Pool Grill, and the Swim-Up Bar. Wade in the water with cocktail in hand or lounge on the deck as you savor Texas-style bites under the warm Gulf sun. Be sure to stay for Sunday brunch, Galveston-style — it was named one of the Texas' best brunches by Southern Living magazine. Reservations are suggested.

Visit Float Pool Bar's Facebook page for a complete listing of upcoming events, such as Euro Nights on Sundays and happy hour specials from 4-7 pm, Monday through Friday.

Enjoy 33 craft beers on tap at Beerfoot Brewery, including Austin Eastciders Rosé, a selection of daily drink specials, Gulf views, sports on seven TVs, and island vibes. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4-7 pm. Visit its website for a list of upcoming events.

SideYard has happy hour specials from 3-7 pm, Monday through Friday. In addition to the Austin Eastciders Rosé, you'll find unique specialty drinks, exceptional service, and a fun atmosphere that includes live music, sports, and entertainment.

Bask in the sun, poolside, on Galveston's only white-sand beach, relax in a Texas-sized spa, or float on the Interactive River as you celebrate rosé all day at Palm Beach at Moody Gardens. Join Palm Beach for Bands on the Sand with live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights from 6-10 pm, then the evening wraps up with a fireworks finale at 9:30 pm. It's the perfect way to kick-off your weekend, island-style!

No matter where you choose to be, you can rosé all day.

Conservatory wants you make you blush this National Rosé Day.

Makin' Me Blush cocktail at Conservatory Houston

Photo courtesy of Austin Eastciders

Conservatory wants you make you blush this National Rosé Day.

holidays drinks happy-hours promoted cocktails

Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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Think Pink

Get ready to rosé all day with these Houston-area drink specials

Conservatory wants you make you blush this National Rosé Day.

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Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

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