an abrupt departure

Coltivare owners cite I-45 expansion for decision to close 3 EaDo concepts

Agricole Hospitality Ryan Pera Vincent Huynh Morgan Weber

Ryan Pera, Vincent Huynh, and Morgan Weber are closing their concepts in EaDo.

Photo by Ralph Smith

Agricole Hospitality’s time in EaDo is coming to an abrupt end. The Houston hospitality group will close all three of its concepts — live music venue and cocktail bar Lightnin’s Good Times, Tex-Mex restaurant HiWay Cantina, and Vinny’s Pizza — after service on Saturday, September 28.

In a social media post announcing the closures, Agricole partners Morgan Weber, Vincent Huynh, and Ryan Pera cited the upcoming I-45 expansion project as the reason for the closures. The statement continues as follows:

We are incredibly proud of our talented and dedicated team, whose hard work and passion brought great food to all our guests. Our top priority now is to support our staff by connecting them with resources, opportunities, and assistance during this time so that they may prosper.

Thank you to our community for being part of this journey. It has been an honor to serve you and welcome you as our guests over the past 6 years.

As the statement notes, Agricole first opened at 1201 St Emanuel Street in 2018 with three concepts — Vinny’s Pizza, which sells both whole pies and slices; Miss Carousel, a midcentury-inspired cocktail bar; and Indianola, a Texas-inspired comfort food restaurant. Last year, Miss Carousel and Indianola closed to become Lightnin’s Good Times and HiWay Cantina. The Tex-Mex restaurant’s combination of traditional and innovative fare had caught the attention of critics, earning a strong 8.1 rating from The Infatuation Houston (among other accolades).

Although it will close its EaDo concepts, Agricole remains one of Houston’s most prominent hospitality groups. It operates Italian restaurant Coltivare, retro-inspired neighborhood bar EZ’s Liquor Lounge, and two locations of the cocktail-and-taco focused bar Eight Row Flint.

TxDOT is expected to begin work on the I-45 expansion project, formally known as the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), in October with a drainage project on St Emanuel Street. Overall, the $9 billion project, which will reroute I-45 from the current Pierce Elevated to run parallel to I-10 and US-59, is expected to take between seven to 10 years to complete the downtown section. The entire project, which extends from Beltway 8 to south of downtown, is not expected be finished until the 2040s.

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return of the mack

Houston restaurateur steps up with massive River Oaks-area steakhouse

Courtesy of Mack Allen's

A rendering previews the Champagne Room, one of three private dining spaces.

A massive new steakhouse is coming to the River Oaks area this summer. Meet Mack Allen’s, a new project from Rouxpour owner Mack McDonald that’s scheduled to open in July.

While McDonald is primarily known for his casual dining concepts, Mack Allen’s is a step up in terms of design, experience, and quality. To bring the vision to life, McDonald has assembled a team of hospitality veterans, including executive chef Carlos Andrade (The Rouxpour. Brennan’s of Houston, etc.) and general manager Shaun Stockton (Turner’s, Vic & Anthony’s, etc.).

Located in the 5POP office tower at 4400 Post Oak Pkwy, Mack Allen’s will occupy 16,000 square feet on the 28-story building’s first floor. Led by Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design, the space has been divided into a main dining room, a fully landscaped patio with fire and water features, and three private dining rooms

The Boardroom, designed for business meetings with full A/V capabilities
The Champagne Room, designed for luncheons, bridal showers, and other celebrations
The Estate Room, a 60-seat room with its own bar.

Once seated, customers will dine on a menu created by Andrade and regional chef Manuel “Manny” Viveros. It includes prime beef, raw and chargrilled oysters, sushi, seafood, and luxury add-ons such as caviar and truffles. More information about specific dishes and preparations will be shared closer to opening.

“At Mack Allen’s we’ll embrace a guest-first philosophy of always saying yes — yes to anything we can do to make our guests feel welcome and valued,” Stockton said in a statement. “This isn’t just about exceptional food. It’s about creating a place where hospitality leads everything and guests feel a true sense of belonging.”

Courtesy of Mack Allen's

A rendering previews the Champagne Room, one of three private dining spaces.

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