d'alba debuts

Award-winning neighborhood restaurant opens exciting new second location in Midtown

d'Alba has arrived Midtown.

Photo by Becca Wright

An award-winning Garden Oaks restaurant has opened its second location in Midtown. D’Alba Craft Kitchen & Cocktails has begun a quite soft opening in the former Beer Market Co. space at 3304 Milam St.

First announced this summer, d’Alba Midtown brings the first location’s successful formula to a new part of Houston. Those elements include an eclectic menu, an expansive patio, and a welcoming, service-oriented atmosphere. Successful execution helped d’Alba build a following that propelled it to win Best New Restaurant in the 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

Owner Daut Elshani knows Midtown well. Prior to opening both d’Alba and downtown’s Underground Hall food hall, he held a partnership in the group behind bars such as Pub Fiction and Third Floor. In a release, he acknowledges the area is known for its nightlife but sees opportunity for a neighborhood restaurant that will be open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunches.

“I am confident Midtown and Montrose have a much bigger demand and stability for a Modern-American, fresh, local ingredients cuisine which is exactly what d’Alba delivers,” Elshani writes. “The area has the highest residential density, most of whom are young professionals with the hunger and thirst for a casual yet elevated dining experience.”

Elshani’s confidence stems from d’Alba’s diverse menu. Developed by chef-partner Geoff Hundt, a meal at d’Alba may start with shareable items such as spinach and artichoke dip, campechana, or the signature balloon bread — a puffed-up, baked pita served with basil-garlic pesto and truffle honey drizzle. Entrees include pizzas, pastas, salads, and heartier entrees such as blackened salmon, a cheeseburger, and confit chicken thighs. This week the restaurant will open for dinner at 5 pm with weekday lunch service beginning Monday, January 2.

Brunch, which will begin Sunday, January 1, features live music on both Saturday and Sunday. The menu includes a smoked salmon sandwich on rye bread, lemon-ricotta pancakes, chicken and waffles, and a smashed avocado flatbread. Pair those dishes with six different mimosas, craft beers, wines by-the-glass, or classic cocktails like the Bloody Mary and a spicy margarita.

In celebration of both the new year and the restaurant’s opening, both locations of d’Alba will hold a special New Year’s Day brunch with tastings, music, and special dishes.

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another surprise shutter

Coastal-inspired Houston restaurant will shutter after 3 years in Montrose

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

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A Montrose restaurant devoted to fresh and healthy fare will soon serve its final meal. Graffiti Raw will close on December 31.

Located next to Uchi in the Montrose Collective mixed-use development, Graffiti Raw opened in early 2023. It is part of the Big Vibe Group, the hospitality company behind Coppa Osteria in Rice Village and Flora, the stylish Mexican restaurant in Buffalo Bayou Park.

Graffiti Raw took inspiration from coastal destinations such as Big Sur, Mexico, and the Mediterranean. True to its name, the menu included raw items such as tartare and ceviche alongside classic fare such as steak frites, chicken schnitzel, and crab fried rice.

“Since opening, Graffiti Raw has been a place for connection — from shared meals to vibrant

nights that reflected the creative energy of Houston. The Big Vibe Group is grateful to the

guests, team members, partners and the Montrose Collective community who helped shape the experience,” the company said in a statement.

Big Vibe emphasizes that both Coppa Osteria and Flora “remain central to the company’s long-term vision, with an emphasis on growth, consistency, and elevated hospitality.” It made a similar commitment to those concepts when it closed Gratify, a neighborhood bistro in Rice Village, back in 2024.

Montrose has seen a number of openings and closings, with additions such as jazz supperclub Doc’s and wine shop/bar Montrose Grocer. Paulie’s, a neighborhood staple for more than 25 years, will also close on December 31.

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