Foodie News

A paws that refreshes: Mayor Parker & friends celebrate opening of firstdog-friendly patio

Mayor Annise Parker pets Lucy along with Paws for Patios founder Patrick Walshand Ziggy's owner Kevin Strickland.
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Photo by Sarah Rufca
Parker's table wasn't the only group on the Ziggy's patio with dogs. Severalcity employees made the trip, and a few brought their pooches, too.
Photo by Sarah Rufca

It was a warm but nice afternoon on Monday when Mayor Annise Parker, Houston city council member Ed Gonzalez and other city employees decamped to Ziggy's Bar & Grill in Montrose to celebrate the opening of the first dog-friendly restaurant patio in Houston.

The mayor was also joined by Paws on Patios founder Patrick Walsh, with Lucy, the French spaniel who inspired his mission to change the ordinance and Ziggy's owner Kevin Strickland with his teacup schnauzer named Beau.

"Paws on Patios did not need to persuade us that it was a good idea," said Parker. "It truly was just a matter of getting it on the agenda and working it into a lot of other activities that had taken priority, and we wanted to make sure we got it done by the end of the year, in time for fall patio season."

Parker said that she grew up with Dobermans, and that though she hasn't had the heart or the time to get another dog after her partner's dog died last year, "there is definitely another dog in my future." She added that for people who dislike or are allergic to dogs, the pooch-friendly patios will be clearly marked and there is always the option to eat inside.

"It's been done in other cities, so we thought it was long overdue here," said councilmember Gonzalez, who credited Walsh for his advocacy. "It's been great to see how government can work, how we can be responsive and review existing ordinances and find ways to make it friendlier for pets."

Ziggy's is hoping to capitalize on its dog-friendly status by holding a special pup event in October.

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a spoonful of sugar

New Mexican eatery sweetens Houston with 150 spirits and bold flavors

Courtesy of Mexican Sugar

Mexican Sugar is coming to Regent Square in December.

A Dallas-based Mexican restaurant is coming to Houston. Mexican Sugar will open its first Houston location in Montrose this December.

Located next to Georgia James in the Regent Square mixed-use development, Mexican Sugar will occupy a two-story, 13,000-square-foot building. All that room offers seating for 375 as well as two private dining rooms with full audio-visual capabilities. Both the upstairs and downstairs patios will have a view of nearby Buffalo Bayou Park.

Its part of FB Society, the Dallas-based hospitality group behind Whiskey Cake, Sixty Vines, and Haywire, the Texas-inspired comfort food restaurant that opened its first Houston-area location earlier this year. Mexican Sugar has three locations in the Dallas area: Plano, Las Colinas, and Uptown Dallas.

In a release, Mexican Sugar touts its use of seasonal ingredients. It also makes its tortillas by hand. Menu highlights include skirt steak, lobster fundido, and a bone-in pork chop. At brunch, look for options such as cajeta French toast, Benedictos Rancheros, and vanilla-cinnamon pancakes.

Agave fans will find plenty of choices courtesy of more the 150 tequilas and mezcals. They’re available in individual pours as well as in flights that allow customers to compare the flavors of the different spirits.

“Our goal is to create a dining experience that blends bold Mexican flavors with our signature style of hospitality that stays two steps ahead,” Justin Beam, Mexican Sugar’s director of operations, said in a statement. “We’re excited to offer Houstonians an immersive Mexican experience in a fresh, light, and approachable way.”

Courtesy of Mexican Sugar

Mexican Sugar is coming to Regent Square in December.

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