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    11 things to know

    11 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, closings, and all things Chris Shepherd

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 30, 2018 | 4:28 pm

     Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

     

     Openings and closings
    Pour one out for Hops Meets Barley. The craft beer pub recently poured its last pint, Swamplot reports. The space at 2245 W. Alabama St. is now for lease.

     

     Pepperoni’s, the delivery-oriented local restaurant chain, will soon add a Galleria-area outpost to its growing roster. Owner Ray Salti (Bollo Woodfired Pizza) tells CultureMap that he’s claimed the former Healthy Cow Pizza location at 3005 W. Loop South. Area residents and office workers can look forward to ordering pizzas, sandwiches, and salads beginning around September 1.

     

    Speaking of office workers, the ones who fill cubicles downtown will soon get a new healthy lunch option when Ono Poke opens in the tunnels. Already a hit in Montrose, the new Ono will arrive in One Allen Center later this fall.

     

    Veteran restaurateur Michael Collins (The Fish in Midtown, South Bank Seafood Bar) will be bringing two new concepts to the Generation Park development in the Lake Houston area. Wholesome Kitchen, a full service restaurant featuring “an all-organic seasonal menu, including gluten-free and vegetarian options,” will join Wholesome Pies, a wood-fired, Neapolitan pizza concept, in the development’s 7,600-square-foot “jewel box.” Slated to open in the spring, the two restaurants are the first projects from Collins’ new company, Wholesome Restaurant Group.

     

    Three new concepts are slated for The Woodlands. Teriyaki Madness, an Asian-inspired, build-your-own-bowl concept, will open this fall at 1501 Lake Robbins Dr. Levure, the second location of the French-inspired bakery and cafe that’s been a huge hit in the Creekside neighborhood, will join luxury candy store Sugarfina as the latest arrivals to the Market Street mixed-use development. Sugarfina opened July 27, while Levure is expected to debut in August.

     

    Finally, 8th Wonder Distillery is now serving vodka and gin flavored with hops. Get a taste either neat or in cocktails at the distillery (2201 Dallas St.) on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 pm to midnight, Saturday from 2 pm to midnight, or Sunday from 2 pm to 8 pm. As co-owner Ryan Soroka discussed on a recent episode of CultureMap’s What’s Eric Eating podcast, the two spirits are only the first efforts from the newly opened facility; bourbon is on the long-term agenda.

     

     Chefs on the move
    Harold’s in the Heights has tapped Kathy Elkins as its new executive chef. Elkins, whose resume includes stints at Hunky Dory and Better Luck Tomorrow, replaces Richard Knight, who departed after three months.

     

    Both general manager Jeb Stuart and executive chef J.D. Woodward have left La Vista 101, the restaurant announced. Only open since May, the sudden departures constitute a surprising turn for the promising neighborhood restaurant.

     

    “I appreciate Jeb and J.D.’s work and significant contributions, which helped shape La Vista 101 since its inception,” owner Greg Gordon said in a statement. “I will continue moving forward with our vision of serving fantastic food, serious cocktails, and big wines in a cool environment.”

     

     All things Chris Shepherd
     Hay Merchant has dropped the Impossible Burger and replaced it with a housemade veggie burger. Shepherd added the product, famous for its ability to “bleed” thanks to the plant-based protein heme, to great fanfare back in 2017.

     

    “We sold the Impossible Burger at the lowest cost we could (and still didn't quite hit our margins), which was $18,” the restaurant writes on Instagram. “They've continued to increase their price on the product, and after the latest markup, we would have had to charge our guests $25 for a burger and fries. That's not acceptable to us.”

     

    Those who still want a fix will find the product at Hopdoddy for $12 or at Beaver’s West, where it’s available a la carte ($17) or as an option on the Houston Restaurant Weeks menu for both lunch (two-courses, $20) and dinner (three courses, $35).

     

    With One Fifth Romance Languages drawing to a close, attention has begun to turn to the restaurant’s next iteration as One Fifth Mediterranean. Shepherd tells Texas Monthly that diners can expect hummus, shareable mezze platters, and pastry chef Victoria Dearmond’s spin on babka when the restaurant opens in September.

     

    David Chang may not be returning to Southern Smoke, but the Momofuku chef turned multimedia star (his podcast is surprisingly enjoyable) will send two of his most-talented lieutenants to Shepherd’s annual barbecue bash. Matthew Rudofker, Momofuku’s director of culinary operations, and Tae Strain, executive chef of Momofuku CCDC, will join culinary superstars like Chris Bianco, Edouardo Jordan, and Aaron Franklin at the September 30 event. Tickets are on sale now.

     

    Levure is expanding to Market Street.

    Levure bakery cafe
      
    Courtesy photo
    Levure is expanding to Market Street.
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    hola, mayahuel

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 7, 2025 | 6:45 pm
    Mayahuel restaurant
    Photo by Bethany Ochs
    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

    The countdown is on to Houston’s newest modern Mexican restaurant. Mayahuel will officially open for dinner on Friday, July 18.

    Located in the Autry Park mixed-use development, Mayahuel united Culinary Khancepts — the hospitality group behind Liberty Kitchen, State Fare, and Leo’s River Oaks (among others) — with star chef Luis Robledo Richards. Known locally for his short-lived taqueria Comalito, Richards is the pastry chef behind Mexico City’s celebrated Tout Chocolat. His resume includes serving as a judge on the Netflix series Sugar Rush: The Baking Point and being named the Best Pastry Chef in Latin America by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

    At Mayahuel, Richards will feature dishes made with seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn that’s imported from Mexico. At opening, it will be a tidy group of 16 savory dishes — divided into starters, “Tacos y Masa,” and entrees, as well as a separate tasting menu. The restaurant takes its name from the Mexica goddess of the maguey plant, which only blooms once, to emphasize its connection to Mexico’s land and culture.

    “At Mayahuel, we’re not just preparing food — we’re honoring time, place, and process,” Richards said in a statement. “Our ingredients are chosen only when they’re at their best. We don’t force nature to fit our schedule — we follow its lead.”

    Dinner at Mayahuel could begin with dishes such as bread and tortillas served with miso and salsa matcha butters, a bluefin tuna tostada with uni cream and yuzu aioli, salmon aguachile, or a beef carnitas croquette. The “Tacos y Masa” section includes beef cheek and shrimp tacos, a duck confit tamal, and a squash blossom tetela. Entree choices include filet mignon with mole negro, cochinita with black bean puree and tortillas, and sea bass with potatoes and salsa Veracruzana.

    Brunch is a more casual affair built around items such as chilaquiles, French toast, enfrijoladas, and a Mexican take on eggs Benedict topped with salsa roja hollandaise.

    Large format desserts each take inspiration from one of three ingredients — vanilla, coffee, or cacao. Priced at $28 each, the menu describes them as “a thoughtful, interactive finale that honors tradition through technique, seasonality, and imagination.”

    Pairings include cocktails made with agave spirits, fresh juices, and house made syrups. Notably, all tequilas will be additive-free, which means some prominent brands may not be featured behind Mayahuel’s bar.

    The restaurant occupies an approximately 5,100-square-foot space that’s divided into a 16-seat bar, a 40-seat dining room, an eight-seat chef’s table, a 36-seat, second floor dining room, and a 34-seat patio. It joins other concepts in Autry Park such as French restaurant Annabelle Brasserie, sushi spot Doko, fine dining steakhouse Turner’s Cut, Vietnamese restaurant Annam, and a still-unnamed concept from Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality.

    “Mayahuel is about creating a sense of place and story,” Culinary Khancepts founder Omar Khan said. “It’s a natural evolution for our group — rooted in culture, crafted with care, and designed to be as memorable as it is welcoming.”

    Mayahuel will be open for happy hour and dinner Monday-Saturday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    Mayahuel restaurant
      

    Photo by Bethany Ochs

    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

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