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    Most Iconic Restaurant Closings

    The most iconic restaurant and bar closings in Houston: Shuttered legends that will never be forgotten

    Marcy de Luna
    Marcy de Luna
    Sep 25, 2014 | 3:15 pm

    Anyone who criticized CultureMap's anniversary look at the Biggest Restaurant Closings in Houston for being too focused on disposable trendsters that only obnoxious foodies cared about knows there's another side to the city's restaurant world. One steeped in timeless classics.

    With that in mind, here is a list of departed bars and restaurants that stood the test of time and served at least two generations of Houstonians. These are the fallen icons where Houstonians celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions.

    While they may be gone, they are surely not forgotten.

    Scott Gertner's Skybar

    As though the combination of talented musical acts and a lively scene wasn't enough to keep the crowds coming back for more, the former late-night locale, which opened in 1999 on the penthouse level of a 10-story building in Montrose (the space was home to Cody’s bar before that), also offered a picturesque view of the downtown skyline.

    These are the fallen icons where birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions were celebrated.

    When it was announced that the high-rise would be demolished and replaced by a 30-story residential tower, the club relocated to downtown's Houston Pavilions. Although its stint (2010-2013) at the entertainment, retail and business complex didn’t last long, we suspect there’s a lot more to come from owner and three-time Grammy nominee Scott Gertner.

    Vargo's
    Pre-prom dinners, bridal showers and wedding receptions will never be the same without the lake-front, nine-acre property in Memorial. The sprawling venue, complete with a nuptial-ready white gazebo, tranquil gardens, azaleas, peacocks and swans, opened in 1965.

    By the end, the food was mostly bad country club banquet fare, but the atmosphere made any occasion memorable. It was ordered to close in 2012 for nonpayment of rent and the address now belongs to luxury apartments, Vargos on the Lake.

    Blanco's
    The River Oaks country-western bar saw a steady flow of regular clientele from 1982 until 2013. The site of numerous Rodeo committee meetings, Blanco's served as both a low-key lunch spot and a blow-it-out honky tonk. The beloved neighborhood joint, which was a favorite of CultureMap columnist Marene Gustin, was shut down to make room for the St. John’s School's campus expansion.

    Blanco's served as both a low-key lunch spot and a blow-it-out honky tonk.

    While no place will ever recapture the original's vibe, Lizard's Pub has emerged as River Oaks' unofficial watering hole.

    Cafe Adobe
    The River Oaks area bastion of boozy good times closed in 2013 after a 32-year run to make way for, what else, another luxury apartment building. Always known more for margaritas than food, Cafe Adobe was the site of endless happy hour shenanigans and was a prime gathering spot for Monday gay nights. While the chain still maintains locations in Spring Branch, Clear Lake and Sugar Land, none of them capture quite the same vibe.

    The company promised to find a new spot in the neighborhood, but so far those plans have yet to materialize.

    Ruggles Grill
    The Montrose eatery served up colossal portions of Southwestern cuisine for 26 years until it shuttered its doors and was bulldozed in 2012. A series of poor business moves (from the alleged nonpayment of tip money leading to a staff walk-out to a lawsuit over an alleged trademark infringement regarding the restaurant's moniker) and the bad press that ensued seemingly played a key part in its final chapter.

    Controversial chef/owner Bruce Molzan has since reinvented himself as a devotee of all things Paleo — first at Corner Table and now at newly opened Ruggles Black. Flour may be mostly banished from his menus, but the signature 20-plus item dessert tray lives on.

    Triniti chef/owner Ryan Hildebrand acquired the land for a casual restaurant and bakery called FM 903. However, despite Eater tagging 903 as one of this fall's most anticipated openings, no activity has occurred at the site for some time and it remains a vacant lot.

    Honorable Mention: Felix Mexican Restaurant
    Technically, the retro Tex-Mex joint in the heart of Montrose closed in 2008 after a 60 year run, more than a year before CultureMap launched in the fall of 2009. However, it doesn't feel like quite that long since we lost the famous source of queso and chili gravy, so it's included here.

    Of course, it helps that the space itself still stands, even with Uchi's high-style, Japanese-inspired makeover.

    Chairs and other artifacts from the interior found a home down the street at El Real Tex-Mex. The queso lives on, too, at El Patio on Westheimer, where it provides a nostalgic comfort to people who grew up eating it and baffles anyone who's trying it for the first time. Even the famous sign lives on at the one area restaurant that most closely follows Felix's throwback style: Larry's Original Mexican in Richmond.

    Eric Sandler contributed to this article. CultureMap is celebrating its fifth birthday with a big party on Oct. 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the new JW Marriott Houston Downtown, with a portion of proceeds going to Casa de Esperanza. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online.

    Felix Mexican Restaurant.

    News_Felix_Mexican Restaurant_sign
      
    RoadsideArchitecture.com [https://www.agilitynut.com/signs/txhouston.html ]
    Felix Mexican Restaurant.
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    what's on tap

    Dough-obsessed pizzeria picks River Oaks for first Houston location

    Eric Sandler
    May 22, 2025 | 6:10 pm
    Dough-obsessed pizzeria picks River Oaks for first Houston location
    Courtesy of Pie Tap

    A Dallas pizzeria known for its artisanal dough is coming to Houston. Pie Tap will open its first Bayou City outpost in June.

    Located next to Fielding’s River Oaks in the Novel Residences luxury apartment building, Pie Tap is an endeavor from Dallas restaurateur Rich Hicks and Italian chef Giovanni Mauro. The chef is responsible for the restaurant’s pizza dough, which uses a mother starter and a 96-hour fermentation process that uses natural yeast to achieve a good balance of crunch and chew.

    "Without great dough, you can't have great pizza," Mauro told CultureMap Dallas when the first location opened in 2016. "The idea that the crust is simply a vehicle for toppings is the wrong approach. There has to be a perfect balance of sauce and topping, but you have to have a commitment to the dough. If dough is everything it should be, the pizza is stellar."

    Using Italian flour and natural yeast are essential components of the dough’s flavor, Mauro added.

    "It's the kind of dough our great-grandparents used to eat," he says. "It's a very natural, slow process. We don't use any commercial yeasts. We started a 'mother dough' with a starter that's proprietary to us. It's a five-day process, an absolute minimum of 96 hours, from when we start to when we put the pizza on the plate."

    The restaurant uses that dough to create pizzas that include classics like a margherita, pepperoni, and veggie. Some of the more creative options include the Prosciutto (topped with dates, pistachio, arugula, cheese, and balsamic) and the Salami (calabrese salami, fennel sausage, pepperoni, bacon, and mozzarella).

    In addition to pizza, the restaurant touts its rotisserie chicken, which is served both as a half bird with mashed cauliflower and vegetables and as part of sandwiches, pastas, and salads. Other pastas include pappardelle bolognese, ricotta gnocchi, and the on-trend rigatoni in spicy vodka sauce.

    Having covered “pie,” let’s turn to the “tap” portion of the restaurant’s name. The bar program starts with 30 beers and wines on tap. They’re joined by cocktails, more wines by-the-glass, and non-alcoholic options. Taken together, it’s a compelling package that earned Best New Restaurant in the 2017 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards.

    “Our talented and dedicated team has been anxiously awaiting this exciting entrance to the Houston market as it is the epitome of all things interesting in food and culture and one of the friendliest and most diverse cities in the U.S. When it comes to our brand, if it is not exceptional, it is unacceptable,” Hicks said in a statement. “We are proud that we have one of the most clean, healthy, and delicious artisan pizzas you can enjoy out there because it has no preservatives, fillers, or additives.”

    Pie Tap will be open for lunch, dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch.

    Pie Tap Pizza
      

    Courtesy of Pie Tap

    That's what crust looks like when its dough is fermented for 96 hours.

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