now scooping in the heights

Farmers market favorite ice cream maker sets opening date for new Heights scoop shop

Houston’s next destination for frozen treats debuts this week. Honeychild’s Sweet Creams will open its location in the M-K-T development this Thursday, November 18 (600 N. Shepherd Dr. #450, next to Homestead Kitchen + Bar).

Founded by Kathleen Morgan in 2014, Honeychild’s has earned raves for Morgan’s frozen custards that utilize locally-grown and seasonal ingredients from purveyors such as Mill-King Creamery, Plant It Forward, PPF Farming Co. and Lightsey Farms. After years of selling at the Urban Harvest farmers market and making ice creams for various restaurants, Morgan is finally ready to open her first retail shop.

She chose a 1,300-square-foot space that backs onto the Heights hike and bike trail. Windows surround the kitchen, which emphasizes the extent to which Morgan wants customers to know what’s going into their food. It also realizes her goal of having a place where families will feel welcome.

“When I started this venture, I wanted a place families could come and have their kids feel safe while running around,” Morgan says. “This was that. It offers a unique experience in that way.”

Having a dedicated space will also allow Morgan to offer more flavors at one time than she has before. At opening, the menu will feature 13 frozen custards and two fruit-flavored, vegan sorbets. Choices include Honeychild signatures like mint chocolate chip and pecan praline as well as seasonal flavors like sweet potato and grapefruit crunch.

Customers will also be able to sample an all-new honey-cornmeal waffle cone or make a sandwich with freshly baked cookies. Pair a scoop with a warm beverage like hot chocolate or wassail.

“Here, I’ll be able to let people taste things and put flavors together,” she says. “Let customers do things they haven’t been able to do before [at the farmers market]. Eat ice cream the way I like to eat ice cream. I think that will be cool.”

And how does Morgan like to eat ice cream?

“When I eat ice cream at home, there’s two ways. One is totally gluttonous, give me this pint, and I’ll eat it on my couch,” she says with a laugh. “Usually, I’ll make a hot fruit or granola, put some toppings on it.”

While Honeychild will start out with scoops, Morgan plans to add items like sundaes and milkshakes that will help customers realize those goals. She acquired a soft serve machine that will be used for dairy-free flavors.

Those who want to learn a little more about sustainability or some of Morgan’s favorite political causes can consult books from a small lending library. She understands that most people just care that her custards are tasty — years of satisfied customers will attest to the deliciousness of Honeychild’s creations — but also looks forward to diving deeper with those who want to have a more in-depth conversation.

“I feel like Houston is in this moment. Our food scene is growing and people’s interest in food and sustainable food is growing,” she says. “People are getting more interested in causes. I hope this space will be a jumping off point to build those initiatives.”

Honeychild's will celebrate its grand opening on November 26 with buy one-get one free scoops from 12-3 pm. Regular hours of operation will be Tuesday - Wednesday from 11 am - 9 pm, Thursday - Friday 11 am - 10 pm, Saturday 10 am - 10 pm, and Sunday 10 am - 6 pm.

Honeychild's starts scooping on Thursday.

Honeychild's Sweet Creams ice cream frozen custard

Photo by Shannon Waiter

Honeychild's starts scooping on Thursday.

openings the-heights ice-cream news-you-can-eat

the more things change

Houston's essential Jewish diner looks better than ever after refresh

Photo by Sergio Trevino

The dining room has more light than ever.

It’s tricky to renovate a restaurant that’s as essential to its community as New York Deli. A staple of Houston’s Jewish community for almost 50 years, the tiny restaurant near Meyerland will serve as many as 400 people during a busy Sunday brunch.

Still, the time had come, as the tape on the deteriorating banquettes and peeling wallpaper illustrated. With the restaurant’s lease up for renewal, co-owner Michael Saghian saw an opportunity for some updates.

“I couldn’t be the new guy who ruined the place by moving it,” he tells CultureMap. “We worked out a deal with the landlord [to stay] and did a big refresh.”

The most noticeable change is the removal of the restaurant’s front door and vestibule. Instead, diners enter through the restaurant’s companion bagel shop. Separate entrances made sense when the bagel shop was certified kosher by local religious authorities, but now that designation only applies to the Bellaire location that opened in 2020. Not only is the new setup easier for people with mobility issues to navigate, it allows more light into the dining room, brightening the place considerably..

Saghian and co-owner Riana Sherman worked with interior designer Erin Hicks on the refresh. Tables, chairs, and banquettes are all new, but the color scheme remains the same. The process yielded 10 more seats, and the furniture is a little more durable, too.

“People have flipped chairs because they’re so lightweight,” Sherman says. “We got a sturdier chair.”

Behind the scenes, an expanded kitchen allows for the restaurant’s cooks to work faster and more efficiently. An additional egg cooker should cut down the amount of time people wait for their food to arrive.

“The kitchen had one of everything. Now we have two of everything. We can pump out a lot more food,” Saghian says.

Photographs on the walls honor longtime customers such as the “bagel girls,” a group of woman who’ve eaten breakfast at the restaurant since the ‘80s. A piece of old wallpaper has been framed and hung on the wall, too, as a nod to the space’s history.

New York Deli interior changes Photographs on the walls honor longtime customers.Photo by Sergio Trevino

Photo by Sergio Trevino

The dining room has more light than ever.

Saghian says he suffered from sleepless nights as he worried about people’s reactions to the changes, but so far his customers have been effusive.

“It still feels like an old school diner,” Saghian says. “It has pieces you remember. Even the new stuff is old school.”

While the physical environment is new, the staff remains the same. To ensure he kept the same team of cooks and servers, Saghian paid their wages for the two weeks the restaurant was closed for renovations.

Even more importantly, the prices are the same. That’s something that will make even the oldest regulars happy.

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