a new leaf

Healthy-eating Houston restaurant sets opening date for new Tanglewood location

The wait is over for Briargrove and Tanglewood residents looking for a restaurant that serves healthy options. Leaf & Grain will open its fourth location this Saturday, April 6, at noon.

Photo by Michael Ma

Leaf & Grain is coming to Tanglewood.

Located in the former Zoës Kitchen space (5779 San Felipe St.) on the border of Tanglewood and Briargrove, Leaf & Grain servers salads, bowls, and sandwiches. Diners may build their own from a range of toppings that include six vegetable or grain bases, 19 standard toppings, 20 premium toppings, and 14 dressings. Preset choices include staples such as a Caesar salad and lemon-caper salmon bowl. Seasonal specials add variety and freshness to the menu.

Leaf & Grain enlisted Houston’s Gin Design Group to design the new location’s interior. It will serve as a template for for future growth.

To celebrate Saturday’s grand opening, the first 50 people through the door will have the opportunity to win raffle prizes from H.E.B., Underground Creamery, Burger Bodega, Street to Kitchen, Balboa Surf Club, Lululemon, Motiv Fitness, Hiatus Spa, Omni Hotels, and Rambler Sparkling Water, as well as tickets to the Astros, Rockets, or Dynamo.

The restaurant opened its first location in the Shops at Houston Center in 2017. In 2021, it opened its first location outside of downtown in West University Place. Leaf & Grain co-founder Deets Hoffman knows the area well.

"I get nostalgia every time I drive up to this location," Hoffman said in a statement. "I played Post Oak Little League right across the street, and my grandparents were just around the block, so I spent a lot of my childhood here. This is a special restaurant for us, and we cannot wait to serve the Briargrove-Tanglewood community!"

Leaf & Grain’s new location will operate with the same hours as the West University store — daily from 10:30 am until 8 pm.

Find more information at the restaurant’s website.

there's the rub

Restaurant known for 'new Houston cuisine' now open in Cypress

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.

A restaurant known for its eclectic “new Houston cuisine” has opened in Cypress. The fourth location of Jonathan’s the Rub is now open for dinner in Bridgeland (20215 Bridgeland Creek Parkway).

First announced last year, the new Jonathan’s is located in Village Green, a 70-acre mixed-use development within the 925-acre Bridgeland Central district. The 5,500-square-foot restaurant includes two patios totaling 2,600 square feet, giving the restaurant plenty of room for private dining rooms, a bar area, and indoor-outdoor areas with fire pits and greenery.

“We were looking for the next frontier — a community with a booming population and a clear vision for growth that aligns with our brand,” chef-owner Jonathan Levine said in a statement. “When we discovered Bridgeland and learned it was a Howard Hughes development, we were immediately impressed. With their reputation for developing generational communities, we felt confident that Bridgeland was the right place for our family and for Jonathan’s the Rub.”

Like Jonathan’s three other locations, the menu at Bridgeland is built around 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.

Village Green is also home to H-E-B and restaurants such as Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café and Crust Pizza Co. Austin-based burger joint P. Terry’s will open there next year.

“Jonathan’s the Rub’s arrival in Bridgeland Central brings a distinguished addition to the culinary scene in both the community and northwest Houston,” said Jim Carman, president of the Texas region, for Bridgeland developer Howard Hughes Communities. “We’re proud to partner with exceptional restaurateurs like Chef Jonathan Levine to bring elevated dining experiences that enhance the lifestyle offerings for our residents and neighbors.”

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.