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    four for finn

    Downtown food hall heats up with bento boxes, crafty burgers, and cranky carrots

    Eric Sandler
    Aug 25, 2022 | 4:23 pm
    Craft Burger Pecking Order spread
    Craft Burger and Pecking Order lead the new tenants at Finn Hall.
    Photo by Julie Soefer

    Downtown dining destination Finn Hall has switched things up again. The food hall has welcomed the return of one of its original tenants and made space for three new concepts that replace some that quietly shuttered earlier this year.

    First, chef Shannen Tune has brought Craft Burger back to Finn Hall. One of the food hall's original tenants when it opened in 2018, Craft Burger's new location joins its brick and mortar outpost in Katy. The restaurant is known for its decadent creations like the Truffle Butter Juicy Lucy and rich milkshakes. In October, the Chopped champion will open Pecking Order, a new chicken concept serving fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, grilled jerk chicken, and more.

    Joining them is Maui Bento Box, a Hawaiian-inspired concept that serves combination meals built around proteins such as ahi poke, loco moco, spicy bbq pork, and others. Its lead by chef Henry Hamor, who previously worked at downtown Le Meridien hotel.

    “[Hamor] was ready to revive his Hawaiian concept that he had pre-COVID,” Miranda Cartwright, an executive for Finn Hall manager Midway said in response to CultureMap’s request for comment. “We knew that he had amazing culinary acumen, and it was a great fit to round out the diverse concepts that we like to have in the hall.”

    In addition to Maui Bento Box, farmers market favorite Cranky Carrot Juice Co. will open its first permanent location at the food hall. Known for its cold-pressed and nut-milk lattes, Cranky Carrot will add açaí bowls, smoothies, and toasts to its menu when it opens in October.

    “Cranky Carrot gave us the opportunity to bring in healthy options, which had been feedback we received from our tenants in the building,” Cartwright added. “More importantly it gave us the opportunity to support an up-and-coming local business.”

    The four new tenants join Finn Hall’s existing operators: modern Mexican restaurant Papalo Taqueria, Korean concept Yong, cocktail bar Swallow’s Nest, Pizza Zquare, and Greenway Coffee. Earlier this year, the food hall bid farewell to Lit Chicken and Vietnamese restaurant Pho Binh. They’re the latest changes for a food hall that opened in December 2018 and retooled its structure and tenant mix in March 2020, just before the pandemic emptied out downtown office buildings and temporarily closed the facility.

    Currently, downtown has three other food halls: Underground Hall, Bravery Chef Hall, and Post Market at Post HTX, which has been earning raves for restaurants such as West African concept ChòpnBlọk, upscale seafood concept Golfstrommen, and dessert shop Lucy Pearl’s. The new additions keep Finn Hall in the mix for diners’ dollars.

    “I can't speak for the successes or failures of other food hall concepts in Houston, but I can say how excited I have been to contribute to the culinary culture at Finn Hall,” Finn Hall culinary director David Buehrer said. “Our vendors represent Houston as a whole, and with our new additions we are accommodating diners of all age demographics and income brackets, something I think is particularly exciting for more people.”

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    Montrose restaurant switcheroo

    Soon-to-shutter Houston margarita bar will transform into new Latin eatery

    Eric Sandler
    Jan 15, 2026 | 3:15 pm
    Verde Garden cocktail
    Photo by Joel Ramirez
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    The owners of Bari Ristorante are opening a new restaurant in Montrose’s dining-oriented Harlow District. Exilio Latin Flair will be the latest project from the trio of Pedro Teyuca, Tommy Nally, and Renato De Pirro, who also acquired Houston steakhouse Georgia James in 2024.

    Coming later this year to the Verde Garden space, Exilio will serve dishes inspired by the cuisines of Central America, Latin America, South America, and Spain. That could include everything from Peruvian ceviches to Argentinian steaks and Spanish-style tapas. It will pair those dishes with New World wines from South America as well as select vintages from Spain.

    "Our food 'language' is romance and having a restaurant that serves Latin food is a good marriage," Teyuca and Nally write in an email. "Latin food comes with rich back stories, heritage ingredients, and a passionate soul. It's easy to see why we are excited to bring Exilio to Houston diners."

    Exilio will be open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

    Exilio Latin Flair restaurant rendering A rendering previews Exilio Latin Flair.Rendering courtesy of Castroparedes International, Inc.

    Designer Carlos Castroparedes, who also created the distinctive look of Bari Ristorante, will take the lead in transforming Verde Garden into Exilio.

    Prior to opening Exilio, the partners will unveil a second location of Bari in the former Tris space in The Woodlands Waterway district. In addition to the Italian cuisine served at Bari’s original location in River Oaks District, The Woodlands’ location will offer an expanded menu of steaks.

    The Kirby Group (Heights Bier Garten, Pitch 25) opened Verde Garden in 2023. Scheduled to close this Saturday, January 17, the Mexican-inspired concept featured a menu of Tex-Mex favorites and blended-to-order frozen cocktails.

    “Verde was a special place for us, and we’re proud of what it became and the community around it,” Kirby Group co-owner Andy Aweida said in a statement. “While this location is closing, the brand isn’t going away. This decision allows us to focus on what’s next, and we’re excited about the future of Verde. We’re also pleased that another concept will be taking over the space, further adding to the energy and making Harlow District an even more desirable destination.”

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