on the daily
Dish Society masterminds gather for new American restaurant in CityCentre
The minds behind Dish Society are bringing a new restaurant to CityCentre. Daily Gather will open this fall in the former International Smoke space (800 Sorella Court, Ste. 940).
Led by Dish Society founder and CEO Aaron Lyons, Daily Gather intends to be a flexible restaurant that serves Memorial-area families and also is elevated enough to be a date night spot. Lyons recruited chef Brandi Key — best known for her time at Clark Cooper Concepts where she opened restaurants such as Coppa Osteria, Punk's Simple Southern Food, and SaltAir Seafood Kitchen — to help develop the menu and refine the overall approach as director of culinary operations for parent company Five 12 Restaurant Concepts.
"I had a few ideas from a menu perspective, and that’s largely why I reached out to Brandi. I knew she was going to understand what I was trying to accomplish and take it to another level," Lyons said in a statement. "She’s been a great fit — from the name and logo to the interior design — Brandi has been involved in all of it. She, along with the rest of our team, have been able to take the concept much further than any of us would have been able to alone.”
Daily Gather's menu takes its inspiration from classic American fare. Meals will begin with a selection of shareable plates such as raw, chilled, and broiled seafood as well as dips, spreads, and deviled eggs. Salads and vegetable sides will usually seasonally available produce. Entrees options will include burgers, steaks, seafood, flatbreads, and pasta. The restaurant will serve dinner daily with lunch during the week and brunch on the weekends.
Like Dish Society, the restaurant will utilize as much locally sourced meats and vegetables as possible. Similarly, the beverage program will feature Texas beers and locally roasted Greenway Coffee alongside wine, cocktails, and freshly squeezed juices.
"With Daily Gather, there are a lot of synergies with Dish Society, including serving much of the same demographic, just in a different way,” Lyons said.
The restaurateur opened the first Dish Society in the Tanglewood area in 2014. Its all-day model, family friendly atmosphere, and affordable prices have allowed it to grow to six Houston-area locations, including Katy, Memorial, and The Heights.
To remodel the space, Lyons turned to Houston's Gin Design Group, who he worked with on Dish Society's Bellaire location. Ultimately, the restaurant will seat 150 people inside plus 100 on an outdoor patio that looks onto CityCentre's greenspace. Lyons expects to hire approximately 60 employees for the restaurant.
