8 things to know

8 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, closings, and gluten-free pizza

Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Openings, closings, and coming attractions

A second location of Greenway Plaza-area favorite Kolache Shoppe is now open in The Heights. Located at 1031 Heights Blvd., the cafe features 30 flavors of kolaches, both traditional fruit-topped and meat-filled varieties, along with a full range of brewed and espresso coffees from Boomtown Coffee. Best of all, a drive-thru makes ordering extra convenient. Currently, the shop is open from 7 am to 2 pm Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays).

Speaking of the Heights, Lee’s Fried Chicken and Donuts is now Sam’s Fried Chicken and Donuts. The change reflects the restaurant’s acquisition by Sambrooks Management Company, which purchased the concept along with Star Fish and Pi Pizza from Cherry Pie Hospitality back in September. Along with a new name, Sam’s features new menu items from culinary director Lyle Bento, including chicken and waffle wings, collard greens, and the pork cracklins’ Bento served at Southern Goods.

The changes at Sam's are only the first manifestation of the Sambrooks takeover. Coming up, Star Fish will close for some mild renovations after which it will reopen with a new name. Diners can get a sneak peek by visiting the restaurant and trying the new menu created by Bento and executive chef J.D. Woodward.

The Westchase location of better burger joint BuffBurger has begun a quiet soft opening of its third location (10550 Westheimer Rd.). Named because it serves its burger “in the buff,” i.e., without unnecessary adornments, the better burger concept features 44 Farms beef, scratch-made sauces, and locally sourced products. In addition to its burgers, all three locations now feature a new cocktail menu created by star bartender Laurie Harvey (Triniti, State Fare).

Now open in the Galleria area, Pacific Poke brings the popular Hawaiian dish to a new neighborhood. In addition to all the usual combinations of the raw fish salad, the restaurant features hot dishes such as grilled shrimp, blackened honey-ginger salmon, and a Hawaiian burger topped with a slice of grilled pineapple. Located at 5549 Richmond Ave., Pacific Poke is open beginning at 11 am Wednesday through Monday.

Is Sterling House closed for good? Swamplot reports that the bar has been shuttered since early December. General manager Tate Drennen tells PaperCity the bar will reopen next month, but the odds of that actually happening seem slim. If it were going to reopen, why would real estate website LoopNet list the property as available for sale or lease?

Popular Mediterranean restaurant Island Grill will open its fifth Houston-area location in the CityPlace mixed-use development that’s part of Springwoods Village. When it opens in mid-2019, Island Grill will occupy an approximately 3,600-square-foot space in CityPlace 2. The fast casual restaurant is known for serving a wide array of dishes that includes both classic American fare and dishes created with a nod towards owners Maria and Faysal Haddad’s native Syria.

Other news and notes

B.B. Lemon has a new executive chef. Emily Trusler replaces original executive chef Eric Johnson, who has parted ways with Berg Hospitality. Trusler brings lots of experience to the role, including time as executive sous chef at Fleming’s Steakhouse and chef de cuisine at Emmaline. Open since November, the casual restaurant and patio bar has become known for its straightforward cheeseburger, blue crab beignets, and fish and chips.

Cane Rosso now has a gluten-friendly dough option. Made with gluten-free flour and prepared on separate sheets to avoid cross-contamination, the new pizza is topped with hot soppressata, bacon marmalade, and hot honey. While the pizzeria probably has too much regular flour around for the pizza to be a viable option for those with a serious allergy, it is available for people with a more mild gluten sensitivity or who are just looking to cut out the protein as part of a diet.

Kolache Shoppe is now open in the Heights.

Kolache Shoppe heights kolaches and coffee

Photo by Carla Gomez

Kolache Shoppe is now open in the Heights.

openings news-you-can-eat closings

Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

italian cuisine wine fredericksburg hill country openings news-you-can-eat