Penny Quarter Preview

Better Luck Tomorrow duo uncorks exciting new Montrose wine bar

Two of Houston’s most well-known culinary innovators are putting the final touches on their latest project. Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu will open the doors to Penny Quarter, their new wine bar and all-day cafe, on Monday, August 12.

Located next to Anvil in the former site of the Etro nightclub, Penny Quarter will feature a wine list of approximately 100 bottles selected by Justin Vann, who oversees the wine options at both of Heugel and Yu’s other projects, Better Luck Tomorrow and Squable, as well as for Yu's restaurant Theodore Rex and downtown bar Public Services. Penny Quarter will offer 16 wines by-the-glass.

Vann tells CultureMap in an email that Squable and Penny Quarter’s lists are different in a couple of key ways.

“Squable is a very classic list with no unusual flavors, whereas the list of Penny Quarter contains a small portion of more progressive wines,” he writes. “More than anything, the goal of the wine list is to serve a wide array of palates at a reasonable price.”

Wine, beer, and simple cocktails will be available starting at 7 am Monday through Saturday (slightly later on Sunday to comply with TABC regulations), which is good news for both third-shift workers who want a tipple before heading to bed and people who like a glass of wine with lunch. In addition, Penny Quarter’s baristas will serve espresso drinks daily until 3 pm, with drip coffee available into the evenings. Best of all, partner Alex Negranza’s signature Irish coffee will be available all the time.

Yu and chef de cuisine Natasha Douglas developed the menu, which will be available a couple of weeks after opening; like Eight Row Flint, food will be prepared by an on-site food truck. As at Better Luck Tomorrow, Heugel tells CultureMap he expects food to account for roughly a quarter of the bar’s sales, but the menu has an entirely different focus.

“Justin likes to describe the food as ‘nutritious.’ That’s something he’s been saying quite a bit,” Heugel says. “I think that’s not quite saying ‘healthy,’ I think that [word] carries too much baggage.”

Whatever label one attaches, the dishes listed on a proposed menu certainly look intriguing. Breakfast options include a salad of hardboiled eggs, marinated tomatoes, kale, and sprouts; two eggs with bacon, sausage, and toast; and a spicy fried egg sandwich. In addition to avocado toast, the kitchen will serve sweet pea toast, ricotta toast and pistachio butter toast.

For lunch and dinner, diners will find a spiced avocado with marinated tomatoes, arugula, and pecorino; chilled Gulf shrimp with chili oil; cheese and charcuterie plates; french fries with parmesan and black pepper; and more. Entree options include a burger made with a blended beef and mushroom patty, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a take of classic chicken and rice.

Heugel notes that the kitchen will do its best to accommodate various dietary restrictions. For example, many of the dishes can be made gluten-free.

As noted about, Penny Quarter is Heugel and Yu’s third project. Heugel has had a few different business partners in the 10 years since he opened Anvil, but he’s feeling confident about his current professional relationships with Yu, Vann, and other principals, such as Negraza, Squable general manager Terry Williams, and Tommy Ho, the general manager for both Anvil and Penny Quarter.

“It’s a really good situation, and I think in a lot of ways Penny Quarter is a commitment to keep working together,” Heugel says.

Currently, Heugel says he and Yu are working with a project and development director to organize their operations and help things run more efficiently. They will likely open another business together, but it might not be soon.

“We’ve committed to each other we will not be signing any new leases for at least a year,” he says. “We might do little side things here or there.”

The next couple of weeks will be a busy time for new Montrose restaurants. Chris Shepherd will debut the new One Fifth on Tuesday, and Goodnight Hospitality’s two projects — Rosie Cannonball and Montrose Cheese and Wine — appear to be very close to making their debuts.

How Penny Quarter fits into this evolving landscape remains to be seen, but given the acclaim that’s greeted both Better Luck Tomorrow and Squable, diners and wine lovers will likely be eager to pay it a visit.

A sneak peek at Penny Quarter.

Photo by Bobby Heugel

A sneak peek at Penny Quarter.

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rumor no more

East Coast-style Austin pizzeria confirms plans to open in the Heights

Home Slice Pizza Heights location rendering

Courtesy of the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

A rendering previews Home Slice Pizza's new location in the Heights.

One of Austin’s pizzerias is expanding its presence in Houston. Home Slice Pizza has claimed the former Mapojeong space in the Heights (602 Studewood) for a new location that will open in the fall of 2026.

Founder Joseph Strickland tells CultureMap that Home Slice wanted to add a second Houston location that would build on the success of its Midtown restaurant that opened in late 2022. Unlike Midtown, which is counter service and offers limited seating, the Heights location will offer full service, an expanded menu, and cocktails, which is in line with Home Slice’s North Austin location.

“We saw a lot of synergy in North Austin and the Heights,” Strickland says. “They have a similar feel, a lot of families, a lot of people looking to get together in big groups. There’s also a robust bar scene on White Oak that we’re happy to be part of.”

Strickland says Home Slice had several requirements for a new location, including a larger dining room than Midtown, a decent-sized parking lot, and enough kitchen capacity to serve both dine-in and larger to-go orders. Not only did they find the right building, but they established a productive relationship with the property’s owner, Revive Development, the Houston-based firm that also owns properties that are home to Loro, Squable, Camaraderie, and the Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks.

“It was hard to believe at first. The more we talked with the Revive folks, there was a lot of alignment and opportunity for us to expand what we’re showing Houston,” Stickland says.

Home Slice is working with the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to renovate the building. Strickland notes that it will require some extensive changes, including removing the butcher shop that was installed as part of its iteration as Ritual, a steakhouse that closed in 2021. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the restaurant should open sometime in the fall of 2026.

Home Slice Pizza food spread Home Slice serves New York-style pizza.Photo by Garrett Smith

Once open, Home Slice will serve its East Coast-inspired menu of New York-style pizzas (whole or by-the-slice), hot and cold Italian deli sandwiches, salads, and desserts — all of which utilize dough or bread that’s made in-house. In particular, the restaurant is known for its white clam pizza, as well as classics such as pepperoni and mushroom or sausage with ricotta and roasted peppers. In 2024, the Houston Press awarded “Best Sandwich” to the restaurant’s Italian Assorted, which is made with ham, dry salami, capicola, genoa salami, vegetables, provolone, mayo, and oil & vinegar.

Critically, the Heights Home Slice location will add wings to the New York and Sicilian-style pizzas, salads, and sandwiches that the restaurant serves in Midtown. Inspired by the wings served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Home Slice keeps its wings simple — medium or hot and served with a house made blue cheese dressing. “It goes with our pizza quite wonderfully,” Stickland says.

He hopes that the the wide-ranging menu, flexible menu, and late night hours will appeal to Heights locals, people patronizing the nearby bars on White Oak, and anyone else looking for a slice and a drink. The larger location and full service should make home slice an option for date nights, office happy hours, any just about any other occasion.

“We hope the neighborhood will be happy to have another offering that’s like ours, where you can bring a first date or your office or go by yourself. We offer all those experiences,” Strickland says.

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