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Houston's 'Sugar Fairy' reopens popular Heights-area bakery

The Sugar Fairy is back.

Courtesy photo

Houston’s Sugar Fairy is back at the oven. Pastry chef Rebecca Masson will reopen Fluff Bake Bar this Friday, October 23.

“On the 100th day, I’m reopening,” Masson tells CultureMap. “Finally.” (Full disclosure: Masson is a regular guest on CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast)

That’s how long it has been since Masson learned that City of Houston inspectors decided that permits she had been issued for her new location near The Heights had been done so in error, and that Fluff would need to undergo extensive renovations to come into compliance with city codes. A GoFundMe campaign raised $30,000 to help her cover the expenses.

Masson also credits City Council District C representative Abbie Kamin for assistance that ranged from expediting inspection visits to getting a Centerpoint crew to her location at 9:30 pm to complete some necessary work.

“Her team’s biggest concern was getting me open. Now, they’ll investigate why all this happened,” Masson says. As she notes later in the conversation, “Go back all the way where seven city employees said you’re good to go. Then whack, you’re not good to go, because somebody didn’t do their job correctly.”

Still, Masson is moving forward. She’ll be working solo for the first couple weeks until a new pastry cook can join her team. That means Fluff will operate with a limited menu to start, but it will get back to full strength soon. Saturday morning bake sales will also resume after a week or so with breakfast pastries such as kolaches and bagel dogs.

One small benefit from the unexpected closure is that Masson has rediscovered her love for ice cream. Pints of Couch Potato Cookie Dough and Mint Chocolate Chip have been selling out at the pop-ups the chef hosted while Fluff was closed. Expect to see a more diverse selection of flavors in the coming weeks.

“There’s just something about ice cream that makes you happy,” she says. “I get really happy making it.”

Reopening now also means Fluff will offer its full selection of Thanksgiving pies, including the pink-hued Mountain Rose apples that have become one of Masson’s signatures. Pre-orders will go live in early November.

“It might be 24 hours of baking for me and my one employee, but we’ll do it,” Masson says. “Now we can sell pints of ice cream with pie. Apple pie and vanilla ice cream are pretty good together.”

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Fluff Bake Bar; 1701 W 15th St. Wednesday to Sunday 10 am- 5 pm; 713-522-1900

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Sophisticated Houston Italian eatery quietly closes after 3 years

Photo by Brian Kennedy

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An Italian restaurant in Uptown has served its last meal. Tavola has closed, its owner The Bastion Collection announced on social media.

“To our team, who brought heart to every service, and to our guests, who filled our dining room with connection, laughter, and a shared love of Italian cuisine — grazie for being part of our story,” the statement reads in part. “As we close this chapter, we are excited for what comes next and look forward to sharing more about the future of this space soon.”

Bastion Collection COO Deleon Pinto tells CultureMap in an email that closing Tavola is part of Bastion’s long term strategy for Houston. The company also operates two concepts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant Le Jardinier and its casual sibling Cafe Leonelli — as well as Bar Moon and private events space Soleil that are both located above Tavola. All of those concepts remain open and are not affected by Tavola’s closure.

“As The Bastion Collection continues to evolve in Houston, the next phase centers on creative independence. The transition of the Tavola space has always been part of the long-term vision for the property following the development of Moon and Soleil on the second floor,” Pinto writes. “This next chapter reflects a continued investment in Houston and an opportunity to introduce concepts that further strengthen our presence in the neighborhood.”

A Bastion representative added that all of Tavola’s employees, including its chef and general manager, are currently working at either Le Jardinier or Cafe Leonelli and will be involved with the new restaurant that’s replacing Tavola when it’s ready to open. Details on the new concept will be released in the coming weeks.

Tavola opened in December 2023. Originally, Bastion partnered with Berg Hospitality (B&B Butchers, The Annie Cafe, Turner’s, etc) on the concept, but it took full control about a year after opening. The restaurant served upscale Italian fare, including endive salad with tuna, freshly made pastas, and chicken Milanese. It replaced the downstairs portion of La Table, a French fine dining restaurant that closed in 2022.

While Tavola may be gone, Uptown diners still have plenty of choices for Italian cuisine, including North Italia, Lombardi Cucina Italiana, Grotto, and il Bracco. Élephante, a coastal Italian concept from the Los Angeles-based Wish You Were Here Group, is expected to open in the nearby Central Park Post Oak development in 2028.

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