Foodie News

Houston Chef's Table: Benjy Levit is torn between Indika's salads and Hank's IceCream

No one knows Houston restaurants better than the people who run them, own them, and work in the kitchens. In this continuing series, CultureMap is asking our favorite foodie personalities around town where they go for great eats when they're not working.

Benjy Levit has defined the quintessential Houston dining mix of upscale and casual, classic comfort food and global influence since he opened the first Benjy's in Rice Village in 1995. Now with two locations under his belt, Levit spills about his own mix of favorites around town.

He tells CultureMap where he takes his wife, where he lets his kids loose and the meal he seldom gets to enjoy out.

Restaurant for a special occasion: Da Marco. I just went there for my wife's birthday, and had the angel hair pasta with the fresh truffles. It's a little over the top, but delicious.

Restaurant to take out-of-towners to: The Barbecue Inn, for their fried chicken.

Favorite meal: The chaat salad from Indika, a double portion. It's spicy, fresh and healthy.

Breakfast/Brunch favorite: Although it's kinda rare that I get to go out for breakfast, we go to Rustika Bakery or Brasil. The vibe in Brasil feels unlike anything else in Houston, I like its edginess and the people-watching.

Rustika is quick, and it's good for the kids because we make a lot of noise and it just blends in there.

Dessert: Hank's Ice Cream — their butter pecan. I like the banana ice cream with the Nilla wafers, too, and my kids like the vanilla. It's all so good, and they're so nice.

Other articles in the Houston Chef's Table series:

Lee Ellis loves Les Givral

Sugar hooker Rebecca Masson can't get enough of Catalan's Cake

Beachy L.J. Wiley digs the special occasion simple flavors at Dos Brisas

David Grossman goes for Vic & Anthony's crab cake, Yelapa late nights & some Bootsie

Jeramie Robison appreciates Kata Robata's sushi, Beaver's bangin' meatloaf & foodie chicks

Tony Mandola finds breakfast magic at Sunrise Taquitos

Philippe Schmit craves a Picnic romance & Stella Sola's French toast

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on the rise

Love Croissants opens first stand-alone bakery with Heights drive-through

Photo by Mariela Callaway

Love Croissants is known for its flaky, buttery pastries.

A growing Houston croissant bakery will finally have a permanent home. Love Croissants will open its first stand-alone location in the Heights this Thursday, October 1.

Located just off Durham Dr. at 801 W. 16th St., the new Love Croissants location is the latest opening from Omar Pereney, the veteran Houston chef and restaurant consultant who assumed control of Weights + Measures earlier this year and opened Petit Lucie, a French-inspired cafe, in Market Square Park this May. The opening builds on the success of Love Croissant’s original location at Weights + Measures as well as its wholesale business that supplies pastries to more than 60 coffee shops across the Houston area.

Of course, diners will find Love Croissants’ full menu that includes classics such as a butter croissant and pain au chocolat as well as heartier fare like turkey with goat cheese and jalapeno beef sausage with cheddar. It also offers croissant pastries such as the berry lime crumble tart and the strawberry guava tart.

The Heights location will expand these offerings with a new line of croissant-based sandwiches. Choices include a breakfast croissant (scrambled eggs, cheddar, onion jam, spicy aioli, and arugula), the turkey avocado club (Bar-A-BBQ smoked turkey, avocado, gouda, honey mustard, and arugula); and a PB&J made with strawberry jelly.

Pereney worked with Houston’s Gin Design Group to create the interior of the tidy, 1,500-square-foot space. Designed primarily for to-go orders — either via walk-in or its drive-through lane — the cafe only offers eight seats across four tables.

The drive-through lane will also allow Love Croissants to stay open until midnight on Friday and Saturday to satisfy late-night croissant cravings. Regular hours will be 6:30 am-7 pm.

“Love Croissants has always been about creating moments of joy through pastries and hospitality,” Pereney said in a statement. “This new space gives us the opportunity to build on what people already love about the concept while introducing something new and creating a place that feels approachable, welcoming and connected to the Heights.”

Love Croissants will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, October 10. Follow it on social media for more details.

Photo by Mariela Callaway

Love Croissants is known for its flaky, buttery pastries.

news-you-can-eat openings the-heights dessert love croissant chefs