wine guy wednesday

CultureMap Wine Guy Chris Shepherd cracks open the must-try wine list at Houston's hottest new oyster bar

Little's Oyster Bar Robert Smith Chris Shepherd

Our Wine Guy with Robert Smith, the designer of Little's wine list.

Photo by Lindsey Brown

Editor's note: Long before Chris Shepherd became a James Beard Award-winning chef, he developed enough of a passion for wine to work at Brennan's of Houston as a sommelier. He maintains that interest to this day. When Chris expressed interest in writing about wine-related topics for CultureMap, we said yes.

In this week's column, he shares his favorite new restaurant for having a glass of wine. Take it away, Chris.

There is a new place that is not too far from my house that I have been patiently watching and waiting to open — it’s so close that my wife and I can ride our adult tricycles and enjoy a meal. That spot is the new Little’s Oyster Bar on Shepherd. (Full disclosure: Shepherd’s wife, Lindsey Brown, is a publicist who represents Little’s Oyster Bar.)

Little Pappas Seafood House was a classic in its time before it closed back in 2020. I’d go for oysters and fried shrimp, and damn, was it good. The city was sad when it left us, but wipe those tears away and move your backside to the revamped spot with a patio with a retractable roof (just like NRG and Minute Maid Park!) for those nice days.

The chef, Jason Ryczek, is already clicking on all cylinders with a stunning menu. Trust me, it’s delicious and very well thought out with some very cool offerings. Make sure you get the caviar service, which Jason himself has helped make at caviar camp (yes, it’s a thing). Don’t miss the seared yellow edge grouper with caper radish brown butter or the chicken fried snapper. Gone are the days of the fried shrimp and some of the classic dishes, but I am a true believer that change is a good thing.

The wine list is impressive. Longtime emerging concept wine director Robert Smith knocked this out of the park. What makes it different than most restaurants? It is overly (in a fantastic way) restaurant-specific. Meaning this list is perfect for this specific restaurant and wouldn’t make as much sense anywhere else. It’s like a love letter written to the food. SO MUCH CHAMPAGNE AND CHABLIS! I got giddy!

The list features bright, crisp, and clean wines to highlight the delicate flavors of seafood. Pierre Moncuit Blanc de Blancs Millésimé Grand Cru Brut and wild Gulf shrimp with pomegranate cocktail sauce. Vilmart & Cie ‘Grand Cellier’ 1er Cru Brut and caviar. Don’t threaten me with a good time with Moussé Fils Spécial Club ‘Les Fortes Terres’ Meuniers Brut. Did someone say SPECIAL CLUB???? I digress.

The list is strong with an abundance of Premier Cru Chablis which pound for pound is one of the best value categories you can have. Clean and crisp Chardonnay at its finest. These wines are what gives the Chardonnay a great name! Did I mention the sheer amount of Emmerich Knoll? This producer makes an outstanding Austrian Riesling and Gruner Veltliner at all sorts of price points.

The wine list also has a thoughtful collection of red wines. Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) and Gamay run through the list like chihuahuas at a dog park — small but energetic with a loud bark! You want a big Cabernet list? They only have four, which confirms my ongoing conversation that it’s not Cab season yet!

All in all, it’s a not a giant list but it’s small and mighty with price points that are good for any budget. I’m really glad Robert put that time and effort into this love letter. We all get to share the love. If you see a couple of tricycles in the valet, stop in and have a glass with LB and me.

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Contact our Wine Guy via email at chris@chrisshepherdconcepts.com.

Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. Last year, he parted ways with Underbelly Hospitality, a restaurant group that currently operates four Houston restaurants: Wild Oats, GJ Tavern, Underbelly Burger, and Georgia James. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a non-profit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $10 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund.

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dough not miss

Hot new Houston pizzeria rolls out wood-fired pies in the Heights

Courtesy of Angie's Pizza

Angie's is now open on 11th Street in the Heights.

Houston’s next great pizzeria has opened its doors. Angie’s Pizza is now open for dinner in the Heights.

Located across from Trattoria Sofia at 1002 W. 11th St., Angie’s is the latest project from chef Angelo Emiliani, his business partner, Alex Dunlevie, and his sister, pastry chef Luciana Emiliani. Angie’s serves the same wood-fired style of pizza that Angelo learned while working for famed pizzaiolo Chris Bianco in Los Angeles. The pizzas combine Neapolitan and New York styles, which results in a thin, chewy crust that’s crispy enough to be eaten by hand.

Angie’s opening menu includes seven pizzas. In addition to a classic margherita, diners may opt for the Piccante (Calabrian honey, Spanish chorizo, fennel, and garlic), the Louie, Louie (provolone, mozzarella, olives, garlic sausage, and miso butter onions), or the Black Gold (mozzarella, Texas sheep’s milk gouda, black garlic, and dried porcini). Toppings include boquerones, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives.

Along with pizza, Angie’s serves small plates and pastas. These include fried olives, polenta “tots,” hamachi crudo with peaches and Jimmy Nardello peppers, Piedmont-style agnolotti filled with Texas wagyu, leek tortellini, and a take on the comfort classic of baked stuffed shells. Desserts include a blueberry and cream tiramisu, made with jasmine tea, lychee cream, and chiffon cake, as well as an ice cream sundae.

Many of the dishes use ingredients sourced from Texas farms — a practice that’s a signature of mentor Chris Bianco's cooking.

“The defining difference in how I build my network of vendors is that it’s personal,” Emiliani said in a statement. “I’ve spent years finding people who are producing great food, and I work closely with them to grow what I want—and what others might get excited about, too.”

Anvil veteran Drew Bennett leads the bar program for both Angie’s and Bar Angie, the restaurant’s 16-seat cocktail bar that occupies the building’s second floor. Sommelier Renato Bringas, a veteran of restaurants such as Chardon and Andiron, leads the wine program.

All that eating and drinking happens in a space that received an external facelift from Texas’ acclaimed Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (Uchi, Loro, Oporto Fooding House, etc.). Emiliani worked with Houston’s Gin Design Group on the interior, using a painting by his grandfather as the jumping-off point for its midcentury modern-inspired design.

Angelo Emiliani first rose to prominence with pizza pop-ups in 2020 and 2021. From there, Emiliani and his sister opened the critically acclaimed — but sadly short-lived — Cafe Louie and Louie’s Italian American. The critical difference between Angie’s and those previous efforts is that neither sold pizza.

“Angie’s has always been about more than pizza for me — it’s about place, people, and process,” Emiliani added. “Houston is home, and this space is the result of years of learning, building relationships, and wanting to create something that feels both personal and shared. Opening in the Heights feels like bringing everything full circle.”

Even before it officially opened, raves are already coming from the restaurant’s invite-only friends-and-family service and a few days of soft opening. “If you know anything about [Emiliani], you know that if he’s at the helm of anything… it’s going to be an out of body experience,” Burger Bodega owner Abbas Dhanani wrote on his houstoneatz food influencer page.

Courtesy of Angie's Pizza

Angie's is now open on 11th Street in the Heights.

“Angie’s is much more than a pizza joint. Not only will it be probably the best pizzeria in Houston, it will also be one of the very best new restaurants to open here this year,” veteran Houston food writer Mike Ricetti raves on his blog.

Angie’s Pizza is open for dinner Monday-Saturday beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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Hot new Houston pizzeria rolls out wood-fired pies in the Heights