there's the rub

Houston eatery known for lobster tacos picks Cypress for 4th location

One of Houston’s top neighborhood restaurants is coming to Cypress. Jonathan’s the Rub will open its fourth location in Bridgeland, the 11,500-acre residential community on Fry Road south of Hwy 290.

Slated to open in the fall of 2025, the new Jonathan’s the Rub will be one of six new tenants at Village Green, a 70-acre mixed-use development within the 925-acre Bridgeland Central district, developer Howard Hughes Holdings Inc announced in a release. Others, which could open as soon as spring 2025, include:

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, the French-inspired cafe known for its crepes, panini, waffles, and more
Crust Pizza Co., the Texas-based pizza chain that serves thin crust, Chicago tavern-style pies
Venetian Nail Spa, an elevated salon with more than 70 locations across the country
Teal Poppy, a woman’s clothing boutique
Gelato & Co., an Italian-inspired gelato shop with a location in Katy

Courtesy of Jonathan’s The Rub

Jonathan Levine, center, with his family: grandson Jay, daughter Jessica, and son Sam.

Bridgeland is already home to a number of restaurants, including Local Table, the Mediterranean-inspired concept from the families behind Houston favorite Hungry’s.

Turning to Jonathan’s, the restaurant will occupy over 5,500-square-feet indoors, giving it space to host private events, as well as over 2,600-square-feet of outdoor seating on two patios. Like its siblings in Memorial, Spring Branch, and the East End, it will be open daily for lunch and dinner with brunch on the weekends. Expect a menu built around chef-owner Jonathan Levine’s signature “new Houston” cuisine, a kicked-up take on comfort food that includes everything from lobster tacos and blackened shrimp and grits to Italian American classics and steakhouse fare.

"We were looking for the 'next frontier' that aligned with our brand,” Levine said in a statement. “We first looked at Bridgeland in 2021, when development within Bridgeland Central had not started. We did our homework and made the decision when we learned it was a Howard Hughes project."

Village Green will also be home to a 100,000-square-foot H-E-B grocery store and One Bridgeland Green, touted as the Houston area’s first mass timber office building. Slated to open in summer 2025, the sustainability-focused, three-story office building aims to achieve LEED® Gold Certification.

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where there's smoke

Houston's only Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant now open in Bellaire

Photo by Duc Hoang

Don't miss the brisket nachos at Candente.

It didn’t take Sambrook Hospitality Group long to turn Mandito’s into Candente. First announced in September, the restaurant’s second location officially opens today, Monday, December 22, at 5101 Bellaire Blvd.

Speaking on a November episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Sambrooks Hospitality founder Michael Sambrooks explained that, as a Bellaire resident, he saw an opportunity to open a restaurant close to home.

“It was a combination of, this location became available, and we liked the market. I think Bellaire is underserved. As far as Tex-Mex options, I think it’s limited,” he says. “We always struggle with where’s somewhere we can grab a bite that’s five minutes away as opposed to driving to another part of town. I think Candente is that solution. I think it’s going to be pretty well received.”

In terms of design, the restaurant replicates many of the same elements as the original Montrose location that opened in 2019, such as its copper-topped tables and yellow, orange, and maroon accents. Diners will note a mural by local artist Franky Cardona along one wall. Overall, the restaurant seats 125 in its dining room, 10 at its bar, and 24 on an outdoor patio.

While the location is new, the menu is the same. That means the same wood-fired fajitas, brisket enchiladas, nachos, birria tacos, and other fare that helped it achieve a “Recommended” designation in the Michelin Guide for Texas — the only Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston to make the prestigious guide. Pair them with margaritas (both shaken and frozen), as well as agave-based cocktails such as the paloma and ranch water, beers, and non-alcoholic options.

Sambrooks Hospitality also operates The Pit Room, the barbecue joint with locations in Montrose and Memorial City that earned a Bib Gourmand designation.

“It’s a privilege to open in Bellaire and get to know and serve a new clientele,” Sambrooks said in a statement. “We’re excited to introduce our style of authentic, handcrafted Tex-Mex that has made us a Houston dining staple.”

Candente will be open for lunch and dinner during the week beginning at 11 am. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday beginning at 10 am.

Don't miss the brisket nachos at Candente.

Photo by Duc Hoang

Don't miss the brisket nachos at Candente.

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