This week's roundup is a study in contrasts, with some restaurants quietly closing their doors while others celebrate decades of business. Seasonal flavors are hitting Houston menus, from cocktails to coffee and sushi to enchiladas. Even the kids can get involved with a local barbecue joint inviting them to help paint its newest mural.
Openings and closings
Shoreline Grill has opened at the crystal-clear Angel Lagoon in Dayton (15 River Ranch Blvd.). Open Thursday-Sunday, the 100-seat restaurant serves classic American fare such as pepperoni pizza, burgers, salads, lobster rolls, and citrus-glazed salmon. Shareables include Firecrack Shrimp, fried pickles, Caribbean fish tacos, and loaded fries that are topped with mac and cheese, cheese sauce, and a ranch drizzle.
After 25 years of business, Bistro le Cep has closed its Westchase location, as reported by Chron. No formal announcement was made, but a "for lease" sign has been erected at the 11112 Westheimer Road location and the Google listing is marked as "permanently closed.” The rustic French bistro was known for its traditional fare such as coq au vin, escargot, and wild boar.
East End music venue Black Magic Social Club, known for hosting punk, metal, and rock shows, will close its doors on Wednesday, September 30. The location will undergo a renovation before reopening on Halloween night as La Calavera. According to the venue’s social media account, live music will still be a part of the new concept, but it will be “focusing a lot on the neighborhood going forward.”
The Cypress outpost of The Waffle Bus has closed permanently, as announced by owner and founder Phi Nguyen via a Facebook post. The 10615 Fry Road location opened in August 2025, joining the sandwich shop’s Houston locations in the Heights and Montrose. Both savory and sweet waffle options are on the menu, along with sandwiches, burgers, fries, and “fryders,” slider-sized burgers with waffle fries as buns.
Upcoming food events
October 17-October 18
Gabby's BBQ's 48th anniversary
Bring the kids to Gabby’s BBQ to add their own paint strokes to the restaurant’s newest mural. Stop by on Saturday, October 17, from 10 am to 12 pm, and grab a brush to complete a mural by artist Amy Malkan, paint-by-numbers style. Painting supplies are provided. The festivities continue the next day, Sunday, October 18, when Gabby’s hosts a Backyard Bash to celebrate 48 years. Patrons can enjoy live music, face painting, new food, a new play area, and a full bar with frozen cocktails.
The month of October
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen celebrates 40 years
It’s a celebration this October at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, the French Quarter-inspired restaurant. To mark its 40 years of business, diners can try a new menu item, a crispy shrimp spring roll stuffed with ginger-cilantro cream cheese. Fan favorites make a return, such as the shrimp montage, with shrimp stuffed with jumbo crab in garlic butter and parmesan with Campanelle pasta. The Cat 40, an anniversary cocktail available only in October, is a mixture of Probitas “Green Label” rum, Hennessy V.S cognac, house-made fassionola syrup and fresh lime juice.
Fat Tuesday is every Tuesday in October, with half-price oysters and a free limited-edition keepsake glass with purchase of a Cat 40. Ten diners will win a $400 Pappas gift card.
"For 40 years, Pappadeaux has been a place where families celebrate and friends gather to let the good times roll," Pappas Restaurants CMO Christina Pappas said in a statement. "This anniversary is a celebration of our guests and the generations of team members who have made Pappadeaux the destination it is today.”
Seasonal menu updates
A new seasonal menu from executive chef Rob Castillo has launched at Escalante’s. Diners can dig into dishes such as Modelo-braised carnitas enchiladas, roasted poblano and spinach dip, and a Mexican chocolate tres leches. Behind the bar, cocktails get the fall treatment with flavors like a Texas pecan brown sugar Old Fashioned and a pear and ginger margarita.
Jo’s Coffee in the Heights has released its fall menu. From now through November 30, patrons can enjoy flavors like the pumpkin pie latte, with pumpkin pie sauce, or the Texas pecan latte with butter pecan, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Apple butter chai, campfire cold brew, and Purple Haze Matcha with ube cold foam round out the menu.
Fans of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” can grab a slice of Philadelphia with MOD Pizza's new pizza inspired by the TV show. The Honor Roll is a Philly cheesesteak-inspired pizza with mozzarella cheese, shaved beef, onions, green peppers, roasted red bell peppers, and cheddar cheese. The pizza is available now through November 29.
The black truffle menu is back at Shake Shack for a limited time. Diners can order elevated versions of the burger shop’s menu items with truffle oil imported from Umbria, Italy.
Standouts include the black truffle burger, a made-to-order quarter pound patty of 100-percent Angus beef topped with fontina cheese, crispy sweet onions, and black truffle sauce. For the first time, patrons can also order the Italian truffle sauce as an add-on to sides including new mac & cheese bites, chicken bites, and onion rings. The trademark crinkle fries can also be ordered dusted with parmesan cheese and served with a side of black truffle sauce.
Seasonal produce is the star of the new fall menu at Sushi by Hidden in Rice Village. Dinner menu highlights include the tuna and endive, with bluefin tuna and Asian pears in a sesame ginger vinaigrette, finished with candied cashew and micro Thai basil. The scallop and red apple carpaccio has Red Delicious apples paired with Hokkaido scallops in a wasabi yuzu sauce with micro sorrel and chili oil. For lunch, look for a Prince Edward Island oyster with spiced cherry granita.
“With the fall menu, we wanted to work with ingredients that feel like the season while still allowing the seafood to lead,” chef Marcos Juarez said in a statement. “Pairing scallop with apple and tuna with Asian pear gives us that seasonal sweetness and brightness without overpowering the fish. It’s really about finding that balance while continuing to evolve what we’re doing at Sushi by Hidden.
