Overall, this year has been tough on the restaurant industry, with many closing their doors thanks to the coronavirus. Happily, this is not one of those articles.
Get ready for some happy news: Uptown Park has welcomed several new, acclaimed restaurants this year, joining a menu of established favorites.
From a space-themed coffee shop to country star Pat Green's newest music hall outpost, there's a flavor for every palate.
Giant Leap Coffee started providing a much-needed caffeine fix to Uptown Park visitors in early September. The cute little kiosk serves coffee and espresso drinks made with locally roasted Amaya Coffee, and the pandemic has given baristas time to develop new specialties like a golden milk latte made with ginger and turmeric.
Of course there are lots of space-themed details, from a model of the lunar lander near the register to the bar front itself, which takes its design from an image of the moon’s surface that's been turned into a depth map.
At a cozy 650 square feet, Giant Leap Coffee isn't designed as a place to congregate indoors (good news for the world as it is now). However, there are several patio tables outside if you'd like to kick back and relax while sipping.
When big gatherings are allowed again, The Rustic will be everyone's go-to spot. The combination bar, restaurant, and music hall boasts tons of outdoor space, making it perfect for socially distanced dining now and the ideal concert venue for later.
Debuting this past July, The Rustic in Uptown Park gives diners a different feel than its location in Post Oak. Major emphasis was put on the kitchen here, with the addition of a new steak program featuring meat from a ranch in Oregon that is graded higher than USDA Prime. Those steaks are even cooked on wood-fired grills that were custom made for The Rustic.
This location’s beverage offerings have been enhanced, too, with 90 taps featuring Texas beers plus 15 wines on tap and draft cocktails.
Both of these new additions join Flower Child, Mendocino Farms, and Merus Grill, which opened at Uptown Park in 2019, and the recently refreshed Uptown Sushi and M&S Seafood, Steaks, and Oysters.
Of course we can't forget about staples like Etoile Cuisine et Bar and Songkran Thai Kitchen, as well as Crave Cupcakes and Araya Artisan Chocolate for dessert.
Most of Uptown Park's restaurants offer outdoor dining, providing a safe way to visit your old favorites while discovering new ones.
The Rustic features a huge outdoor space and patio dining.
Evan LeRoy is coming to Houston this weekend. Photo by Briana Balducci