This just in

Dynamic Houston duo opening new neighborhood restaurant in Montrose

Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu are opening a new restaurant in Montrose.

Courtesy of Thorough Fare Hospitality

One of Houston’s six James Beard Award-winning chefs has unveiled his next project. Justin Yu, who won Best Chef: Southwest in 2016 for his groundbreaking restaurant Oxheart, will open a new restaurant in Montrose, the chef and his business partner Bobby Heugel announced.

Located in the former Vibrant space at 1931 Fairview, the duo describe the still-unnamed eatery as “an ambitious, full-service neighborhood restaurant.” Heugel and Yu, along with partners Rainier Cockrell, Steve Flippo, and Gary Baumgartner, purchased the property from Vibrant founder Kelly Barnhart. It is expected to open in in the spring of 2026.

Other details, including specifics about what style of food it will serve, are not being shared at this time. If one were inclined to speculate, perhaps Yu will give a fulltime home to Yuston’s, his occasional pop-up that pays homage to classic American fare in the style of Hillstone (formerly known as Houston’s).

Yu is one of Houston’s most acclaimed chefs. In addition to his James Beard Award, he also won a Food & Wine Best New Chef Award in 2014. Theodore Rex, his restaurant in downtown Houston’s warehouse district, earned a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. Along with Heugel, Yu is a co-owner of Thorough Fare Hospitality, which operates cocktails bars Anvil, Refuge, and Better Luck Tomorrow; neighborhood bars Catbirds and Blue Lagoon, and Heights restaurant Squable.

The new restaurant will be the duo’s first food-focused project since Penny Quarter, an all-day cafe and wine bar that shuttered in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This new restaurant isn’t the only project Thorough Fare has in the works. In addition to the Montrose restaurant, Heugel and veteran Houston bartender Jackie Schromm are opening Donna’s, a new cocktail bar in the former Ready Room space in the Heights.

Vibrant, an all-day cafe where every dish is gluten-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO, closed its original Montrose location in February. The restaurant’s location in Memorial Park remains open and is not affected by Heugel and Yu’s acquisition of the Montrose property.

openings news-you-can-eat chefs

that sucks

Parking problems shutter Houston restaurant after less than a year

Succulent Fine Dining/Facebook

Succulent Fine Dining has closed.

A promising Houston restaurant has closed after less than a year. Succulent Fine Dining served its last meal on Thursday, February 5.

Located at the Regent Square mixed-use development, Succulent Fine Dining opened in May 2025. It was a new concept from from Houston restaurateur Shawn Virene, the mastermind behind champagne-fueled River Oaks restaurant a’Bouzy.

In a lengthy statement, Virene cited "ongoing site-related access, parking, and valet limitations that have significantly impacted our guests’ ability to access the restaurant and, ultimately, the overall guest experience" as the reason for the closure. It states that the City of Houston restricted levels two and three of the development's parking garage to residents of its apartment building, even thought they were supposed to be available to employees and customers.

“Succulent was a labor of love, and this was not an easy decision,” Virene said. “It has been an honor to serve our guests, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who supported us. I hope those who loved Succulent will join us at a’Bouzy so we can continue serving you. Offering minimal valet at a $25 minimum per car is egregious. Our valued guests have not been able to access our establishment at a reasonable cost or with ease, and that is simply not acceptable for the level of hospitality we strive to provide.”

For Succulent, Virene took inspiration from California’s Napa Valley, with a wide-ranging menu by chef David Buckley that utilized both West Coast ingredients and some sourced from Texas farms. Its design included an expansive, second-story patio that featured pergolas and antique greenhouses.

“Our culinary and service staff poured their hearts into this restaurant every single day,” Virene added. “Their professionalism, dedication, and genuine hospitality made Succulent special. We are profoundly grateful for each of them, and we are committed to supporting them during this transition.”

While Succulent has closed, other restaurants in Regent Square remain open. They include Flight Club, Mexican Sugar, and Georgia James.

closings news-you-can-eat