Houston's newest taqueria

Star Mexican chef's tasty taqueria sets opening date in historic Houston farmers market

The wait is almost over the next restaurant to debut at the Houston Farmers Market. Comalito, a new taqueria that’s inspired by the flavors of Mexico City, will officially open this Friday, November 17 (2520 Airline Dr.).

First announced this summer, Comalito replaces Wild Oats, Underbelly Hospitality’s Texas comfort food restaurant that’s moving to a new location in Spring Branch. It’s led by chef Luis Robledo Richards, an award-winning Mexican chef who has also served as a judge on Netflix’s Sugar Rush: The Baking Point, and his co-chef and business partner Atzin Santos. Their restaurant group Nixt operates a number of concepts in Mexico City including Tout Chocolat, Robledo Richards’ signature chocolate shop.

Courtesy of Comalito

Comalito opens this week.

Robledo Richards spoke to CultureMap about the opening (read on for our interview), and officially noted in a broad statement to the media: “Our vision for Comalito is to create a fun, affordable, and approachable concept where Houstonians can immerse themselves in the vibrant culinary landscape of a traditional Mexico City taqueria. We hope to become a go-to destination for those seeking simple, high-quality food and are excited to bring this unique dining experience alongside Underbelly Hospitality to The Houston Farmers Market.”

Star chef Luis Robledo Richards will lead Comalito. Photo by Fernando Gómez Carbajal

As the chef notes, Comalito is designed to be a casual, welcoming restaurant. Its menu is based on a wide array of tacos, highlighted by pork pastor that’s prepared on a trompo, topped with pineapple, and paired with six housemade salsas. Other taco options include a chile-rubbed beef pastor, bistec (top sirloin), and marinated chicken. Diners will also find traditional braised meats such as beef tongue, beef cheek, and tripe. Vegan and vegetarian options include tacos de hongos al pastor (mushrooms al pastor), ensalada de nopales con quelites (cactus and purslane salad), and quesadillas.

Critically, the tacos are served on tortillas made in-house using heirloom corn that’s imported from Mexico. Santos is leading the restaurant’s masa program, which using a traditional nixtamalization technique to process the corn. The street-style tacos use tortillas that are roughly four or five inches in diameter, meaning it’s easy to eat a few during a meal.

Starters include a crispy chicharron de queso, guacamole, and braised onions. Cazuelas, small bowls filled with melted cheese, come topped with either chorizo or roasted poblano peppers.

Robledo Richards puts his skills as a pastry chef to good use with desserts that include flan, chocolate pudding, rice pudding, and churros. Beverage options include beer, micheladas, and a range of agave-based cocktails made with tequila and mezcal such as the margarita and paloma.

“It’s a simple taqueria. We’re trying to replicate the Mexico City flavors,” Robledo Richards tells CultureMap. “Simple techniques, simple recipes. We’re trying to execute them to the best of our ability.”

The restaurant held a couple of invite-only previews over the weekend to get read. The chef is pleased with his team’s progress but realizes they need a little more seasoning before the doors open officially on Friday.

“I think we’re making great progress. I think we’re maybe 90 percent of what I wanted it to be, especially in the little details of flavors and people executing the recipes,” he says. “It’s such a wide and very diverse team that we have. It’s not easy to make them understand the flavors, temperatures, textures, everything.”

For now, Comalito will be open for lunch and dinner daily from 11 am to 8 pm. Once the restaurant is fully staffed, it will add daily breakfast service featuring the chef’s pastries along with breakfast tacos and coffee. The process of getting to opening has been long, but Robledo Richards is ready for the next phase.

“I feel excited. This project was a long way coming. When we started, it was back in March 2020, right before lockdown. We had to wait,” he says.

“When we saw the first couple come in, I was, like, oh my God, finally. We get to serve someone. It was a big weight off my shoulders.”

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rumor no more

East Coast-style Austin pizzeria confirms plans to open in the Heights

Home Slice Pizza Heights location rendering

Courtesy of the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

A rendering previews Home Slice Pizza's new location in the Heights.

One of Austin’s pizzerias is expanding its presence in Houston. Home Slice Pizza has claimed the former Mapojeong space in the Heights (602 Studewood) for a new location that will open in the fall of 2026.

Founder Joseph Strickland tells CultureMap that Home Slice wanted to add a second Houston location that would build on the success of its Midtown restaurant that opened in late 2022. Unlike Midtown, which is counter service and offers limited seating, the Heights location will offer full service, an expanded menu, and cocktails, which is in line with Home Slice’s North Austin location.

“We saw a lot of synergy in North Austin and the Heights,” Strickland says. “They have a similar feel, a lot of families, a lot of people looking to get together in big groups. There’s also a robust bar scene on White Oak that we’re happy to be part of.”

Strickland says Home Slice had several requirements for a new location, including a larger dining room than Midtown, a decent-sized parking lot, and enough kitchen capacity to serve both dine-in and larger to-go orders. Not only did they find the right building, but they established a productive relationship with the property’s owner, Revive Development, the Houston-based firm that also owns properties that are home to Loro, Squable, Camaraderie, and the Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks.

“It was hard to believe at first. The more we talked with the Revive folks, there was a lot of alignment and opportunity for us to expand what we’re showing Houston,” Stickland says.

Home Slice is working with the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to renovate the building. Strickland notes that it will require some extensive changes, including removing the butcher shop that was installed as part of its iteration as Ritual, a steakhouse that closed in 2021. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the restaurant should open sometime in the fall of 2026.

Home Slice Pizza food spread Home Slice serves New York-style pizza.Photo by Garrett Smith

Once open, Home Slice will serve its East Coast-inspired menu of New York-style pizzas (whole or by-the-slice), hot and cold Italian deli sandwiches, salads, and desserts — all of which utilize dough or bread that’s made in-house. In particular, the restaurant is known for its white clam pizza, as well as classics such as pepperoni and mushroom or sausage with ricotta and roasted peppers. In 2024, the Houston Press awarded “Best Sandwich” to the restaurant’s Italian Assorted, which is made with ham, dry salami, capicola, genoa salami, vegetables, provolone, mayo, and oil & vinegar.

Critically, the Heights Home Slice location will add wings to the New York and Sicilian-style pizzas, salads, and sandwiches that the restaurant serves in Midtown. Inspired by the wings served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Home Slice keeps its wings simple — medium or hot and served with a house made blue cheese dressing. “It goes with our pizza quite wonderfully,” Stickland says.

He hopes that the the wide-ranging menu, flexible menu, and late night hours will appeal to Heights locals, people patronizing the nearby bars on White Oak, and anyone else looking for a slice and a drink. The larger location and full service should make home slice an option for date nights, office happy hours, any just about any other occasion.

“We hope the neighborhood will be happy to have another offering that’s like ours, where you can bring a first date or your office or go by yourself. We offer all those experiences,” Strickland says.

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