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Eclectic new restaurant freshens up Garden Oaks with healthy fare

The new Local Table opens next week.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

A popular Houston restaurant known for its fresh, healthy menu debuts in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area next week. Local Table will open its fourth location December 15 at 2003 W 34th St.

The restaurant builds on the legacy of Hungry's, the popular Mediterranean cafe that has two Houston-area locations. Hungry's co-owner Ashkan Nowamooz started the concept with his brothers Arash and Alex and his cousins Shervin Sharifi and Neima Sharifi, who are nephews of Hungry's founder Fred Sharifi. Additionally, Sue Nowamooz, Ashkan's wife, serves as executive chef for both Hungry's and Local Table.

“Our goal is to provide the perfect atmosphere in your neighborhood for you and your family to make memories,” Ashkan Nowamooz said in a statement. “This is the next generation taking the lead and what better way to serve Houston’s tight-knit communities — it’s truly built to fuel everyone in the family with fresh foods.”

The links between the two restaurants mean that diners who are familiar with Hungry's will find a lot to like about Local Table. Its menu covers a wide range of salads, sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, and entrees. Cocktails, wine, and beer join non-alcoholic options to provide customers with a variety of beverage choices.

As one would expect from the Hungry's crew, many dishes include Mediterranean-inspired elements such as a gyro pita, a kebab plate, and hummus. Other selections — including chicken fried chicken, short rib tacos, and a bacon jab club sandwich — takes their inspiration from traditional Southern or Texan fare. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items appear throughout the menu.

At 6,400-square-feet, the new restaurant offers plenty of space for area family's to gather. It also features a private room that will host meeting and celebrations.

Local Table's new location joins outposts in Katy, Fulshear, and Cypress. The owners will open a fifth location in The Woodlands at 4223 Research Forest Dr.

“Over the past five years, our team has been perfecting its operations, tweaking individual details, testing new models, and overall, the customer experience,” added Alex Nowamooz. “Growth and expansion are our next areas of focus after successfully opening Garden Oaks.”

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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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