Good Vibes

Gift great food, wine, and times this holiday with these delicious ideas

One of the best parts about the holidays is the food and wine — and family and friends you get to enjoy it with.

The Big Vibe Group keeps this spirit going all year long, but its restaurants get especially festive this time of year. Here's how to gift delicious experiences to be savored:

Bottaio Wine Shop
A new dimension has opened inside of Coppa Osteria, and wine lovers will cheer.

Bottaio Wine Shop only stocks wines from small, boutique vineyards, about 90 percent of which qualify as biodynamic, natural, and/or organic wines.

Even better, the retail wines are sold at 10-15 percent below the already low wine list price — that's a major steal. Bottles are also listed online and available for pick up, so just call ahead to order.

Since you can never go wrong with a nice bottle of wine, pick up one (or several) for hosts and hostesses, colleagues, and friends.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam Photography

Host your holiday party in the Frida Room at Flora.

Dining together
Whether you're planning the office holiday bash, a fun family get-together, or intimate dinner with close friends, consider private and group dining at The Big Vibe Group's restaurants.

Each restaurant has to capacity to host a crowd — all you need to do is determine how many.

Enjoy semi-private dining on the patios at Gratify, surrounded by lush greenery, bold wallpaper, and atmospheric hanging lights, or reserve the whole restaurant for an all-out experience.

The Dough Room at Coppa Osteria comfortably fits 20 guests, while the Frida room at Flora can comfortably fit 40 seated and 50-60 cocktail-style. The interior offers stunning chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows for a truly unforgettable meal, or expand the guest count and rent the surrounding patio space.

However long your guest count might be, you'll find the right fit at one of these restaurants.

Gift cards
You know what pairs really well with a bottle of wine from Bottaio Wine Shop, or even on its own? A gift card that can be used at any restaurant in The Big Vibe Group: Gratify Neighborhood Bistro, Coppa Osteria, Flora Mexican Kitchen, and Graffiti Raw.

Plan brunch with a good friend, happy hour with coworkers, or date night with your special someone and give the gift of great food, wine and craft cocktails, and time together.

Mucho merch
Hats off to the holidays with The Big Vibe Group merchandise, which includes T-shirts, hats, and brass keychains. Allow three to five business days for shipping or pick up at one of the restaurants, and then get ready for year-round big vibes.

shopping holidays dinner lunch brunch wine promoted

With or Without Whiz

Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

Photo by Michael Ma

Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwich The cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

“We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

“I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

news-you-can-eat openings bas's cheesesteaks