6 things to know

6 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, Goode news, and a Chef Evelyn showcase

Fusion59 is now open in Southwest Houston.

Photo by Ibrahim Halawa

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

Crust Pizza Co. has opened its first Inner Loop location in the Heights. Located in the former Mellow Mushroom space at 1919 N. Shepherd Dr., the restaurant serves Chicago-style thin crust pizza. In addition to serving signature pizzas like the Big Don's Meat & Cheese (Canadian bacon, pepperoni, sausage, salami, beef, and bacon with mozzarella and cheddar) or the Carl's King (Italian sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mixed bell peppers, red onions, fresh mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella), the restaurant will offer an extensive beverage selection with 36 beer taps plus wine and a full bar. Other favorites include pepperoni rolls and garlic knots. Crust opens daily at 11 am.

Fusion59 has opened in Southwest Houston at 11786 Wilcrest Dr. Described as a “globally minded restaurant,” the menu covers a wide range of cuisines, including Indian, Italian, and Caribbean. Start with dishes such as samosas or chicken wings. Entree choices include butter chicken, steak, seafood, and lamb bolognese made with braised lamb leg and pappardelle. Cocktails include variations on classics such as the margarita, French 75, and a smoked Old Fashioned. The restaurant opens daily at 3 pm.

Salad chain Salata will open its 44th Houston-area restaurant in Spring Branch this Thursday, August 25. Located at 1014 Wirt Rd., the restaurant serves build-to-order salads made with five salad bases, over 50 toppings, and 11 gluten-free dressings.

The first 100 customers in line will receive a free custom T-shirt designed by Texas artist Alli K. In addition, Salata will donate a portion of Thursday’s proceeds to Houston Children’s Charity, a non-profit organization “dedicated to improving the quality of life for Greater Houston’s underprivileged, abused, and disabled children who have been otherwise left behind.”

Houston-based shawarma food truck, Abu Omar Halal, will celebrate the grand opening of its Spring location at 16350 Stuebner Airline Rd. with specials including 50-percent off all menu items on September 2 and 25-percent off on September 3.

Abu Omar puts a Texas twist on Jordanian-style street food. The restaurant serves chicken, beef, lamb, and falafel in a variety of wraps and plates. Chicken shawarma Arabi, the restaurant’s signature dish, features spit-roasted chicken, pickles, and garlic sauce wrapped in a tortilla and toasted on a griddle. An Italian-style version swaps the tortilla for a sesame seed-covered sandwich bread and adds a healthy dose of gooey, melted cheese.

Other news and notes

Goode Co. Barbeque’s location on Hwy. 290 will resume full operating hours on Labor Day. After closing in 2020, the restaurant reopened for weekend service in April. First opened in 1977, Goode Co. Barbeque is known for dishes such as beef brisket, Czech sausage, Austin baked beans, jalapeño cheese bread, and of course, the company's signature Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie.

Upcoming food event

Asia Society Texas will host a food event curated by Top Chef finalist Evelyn Garcia and her business partner, chef Henry Lu. Titled Homegrown Houston, the event features nine restaurants presenting signature dishes, including CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Restaurant of the Year winner Street to Kitchen, Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year winner Click Virtual Food Hall, Best New Restaurant nominee ChòpnBlọk, and Pastry Chef of the Year nominee Vanarin Kuch of Koffeteria.

The event takes place this Saturday, August 27 from 7-10 pm. Tickets start at $100 for members and $120 for non-members. See the event’s website for details.

Goode Company Barbeque returns to full service in Cypress next month.

Courtesy of Goode Co

Goode Company Barbeque returns to full service in Cypress next month.

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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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