reborn on the bayou

Eclectic Museum District wine bar and restaurant finds new home in buzzy Buffalo Bayou hub

City Cellars has found its new location.

Courtesy of City Cellars HTX

A popular Houston wine bar and restaurant has found its new home. City Cellars HTX will open its new location at East River, Midway’s massive mixed-use development that’s coming soon to the banks of Buffalo Bayou in the Fifth Ward.

Scheduled to open in the spring of 2024, the new City Cellars will occupy just over 5,000-square-feet near East River’s greenspace. That’s up from the 2,000-square-feet it had at its original location in the Museum District’s Parc Binz building that closed in July. Between the more spacious interior and a 3,000-square-foot patio, total seating capacity will rise from 71 diners at the original to over 250.

“There's that saying about ‘go big or go home,’” owner Daniel Wolfe said in a statement. “Houston is my home, where I'm born and raised. The only thing left to do is go big.”

Beyond seating more diners, having more room will allow Wolfe to expand the restaurant’s menu with more dishes and cocktails. It will also have space for a companion “speakeasy concept” that will be announced closer to opening.

Opened in December 2020, City Cellars built a devoted following for its lively brunch service and creative cuisine. Wolfe has a compelling personal story that includes successful treatment for thyroid cancer in 2022.

City Cellars will be located in phase one of East River, which will cover 26 of the development's 150 acres. Previously announced tenants include Broham Fine Soul Food & Groceries, Lick Honest Ice Creams, and URBN Dental. They'll join a 360-unit apartment building, office space, and a shopping district with a 13,000-square-foot greenspace. East River 9, a par-three golf course, and Riverhouse Houston, a family-friendly restaurant, opened last year.

“City Cellars HTX is exactly the type of bold, forward-thinking dining concept that we hoped East River would attract,” Lacee Jacobs, senior managing director of retail leasing at Parkway, added. “We are committed to curating a dynamic mix that enhances the surrounding community, and innovative concepts like these — places you can’t find anywhere else in Houston — are precisely what we are looking to bring to the development.”

Korean fried chicken restaurant Dak & Bop has claimed the former City Cellars space for its return to the Museum District. It is scheduled to open in December.

openings wine news-you-can-eat

Delicious Destinations

Houston dubbed top-10 best foodie city in America by Food & Wine

News_Anvil Bar & Refuge_bar_drinks_cocktails

Anvil Bar & Refuge Facebook

undefined

Houston has gobbled up three awards in national magazine Food & Wine's 2026 Global Tastemaker Awards, including the title as the No. 6 best foodie city in the U.S.

Food & Wine annually surveys its network of judges, which includes more than 400 chefs, travel experts, wine connoisseurs, and more to determine nominees for "the best food-forward destinations" in the world. Winners are then evaluated and ranked by the magazine's Global Advisory Board.

The Global Tastemaker Awards praised Houston's overall food scene among the 10 best in the nation, and local restaurants get to reap the benefits. Acclaimed eateries like Feges BBQ, Theodore Rex, and Tatemó were named must-try spots for locals and tourists to visit.

"[Houston] boasts the most ethnically diverse population of any large city in the country," the report said. "That multiculturalism seasons the city’s dining scene, offering exceptional Tex-Mex/Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Southern/Cajun cuisines alongside classic Texas barbecue."

Anvil, another Houston staple from local restaurateur Bobby Heugel, was crowned the No. 2 best bar in the U.S. Food & Wine dubs Heugel "the architect" of Houston's bar scene, citing Anvil's multiple James Beard Award nominations.

"The high-energy space offers a list of 100-plus classics plus seasonal options, some sure to join the long list eventually," the report said. "Reflecting the zeitgeist, Anvil credits the bartenders who created the drinks, and recently brought back happy hour, starting at 2 pm, at a moment when many patrons are particularly price-sensitive."

Even George Bush Intercontinental Airport won an award as the No. 6 best U.S. airport for food and drink. The Houston airport is widely known for having many local restaurants for visitors to get a taste of the local food scene. Weary travelers can get their burger fix at Hubcap Grill, try Simone Biles' newly opened restaurant Taste of Gold, sip on a margarita at El Tiempo, and much more.

Simone Biles Taste of Gold IAH Find Taste of Gold near gate A8. Courtesy of Houston Airports

Food & Wine also gave a sneak peek at what's to come as IAH continues renovations.

"When Terminal B fully reopens this fall, it will include two additional Michelin Bib Gourmand picks, Blood Bros. BBQ and Rosie Cannonball, alongside B&B Butchers and Pink’s Pizza," the report said. "And the new Terminal D-West Concourse scored Velvet Taco, a Dallas‑born brand with a devoted Houston following."

Other Texas cities, restaurants, and airports that earned awards from Food & Wine include:

Austin – No. 1 Best Coffee City in U.S.; No. 4 Best Pastry City in U.S.; and No. 7 Best U.S. City for Food and Drink
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin – No. 2 Best U.S. Airport for Food and Drink
Canje, Austin – No. 3 Best Restaurant in the U.S.
Hotel Emma, San Antonio – No. 8 Best Hotel in the U.S.

awards restaurants bars food and wine houston iah george bush intercontinental airport