A beloved Houston breakfast destination has served its last order of pancakes. Fountain View Cafe announced on Facebook that it served its last meal on Monday, December 3.
Reached by phone, owner Steve Drayer tells CultureMap that the reason for the closure is simple. Business had slowed down to the point that the restaurant could no longer pay its bills. That's sad news, especially at a time when breakfast concepts like Snooze seem to be booming across the Houston area.
Fountain View Cafe's signature thin, crepe-like pancakes earned raves from diners and critics alike. As former Houston Press food critic Katharine Shilcutt explained in 2012: "The pancakes here are impossibly thin, straddling the line between pancake and crepe, with lacy, delicate edges and a rich, buttery taste."
While the cafe may not have been meeting expectations financially, the space likely won't stay empty for long. Located next to the massive H-E-B at the corner of San Felipe and Fountain View, the Fountain View Plaza shopping center has seen quite a bit of turnover in the past couple of years. Longtime tenant La Vista relocated to Shady Acres/Timbergrove and was replaced by Eatalia, a new concept from the owners of Montrose favorite Romano's Pizza. The center is also home to a second location of Michael's Cookie Jar and an outpost of Snappy Salads, the Dallas-based salad restaurant.
Local developer Bernstein Investments owns the shopping center. Partner Brian Bernstein tells CultureMap that he, too, discovered the restaurant had closed on Facebook. Currently, the company doesn't have a specific tenant for the space, but he thinks the area could benefit from either another breakfast concept or a Tex-Mex option.
The crepe-like pancakes are a local favorite.
