6 Things to Know

6 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, closings, and a sizzling Pappasito's deal

Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Openings and closings

Dumpling Haus, a Chinese restaurant in Sawyer Yards, closed at the end of September. Headed by the mother-daughter team of Elaine Won, Ashley Lai, and Amiley Lai, the concept became a favorite of Houston’s restaurant community, earning a CultureMap Tastemaker Awards nomination for Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year. Although the restaurant has closed, Ashley Lai told the Houston Chronicle the concept will continue to pop-up at events and the Urban Harvest farmers market.

Rakkan Ramen will celebrate the grand opening of its fourth Houston-area location in the Westchase District this Saturday, October 7 with buy-one-get-one free ramen bowls all day. Located at 2550 Citywest Blvd., the restaurant is known for its vegan broth made from a combination of kombu (edible algae), mushrooms, carrots, onion, ginger, and garlic. Available with five bases and three kinds of noodles, diners may add pork chasu or chicken to satisfy any carnivorous cravings.

7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee is entering the Houston market with a location in Spring (21420 Kuykendahl Rd.) To celebrate, it will host charity fundraisers on October 6 for Klein Oak High School, on October 7 for Children’s Miracle Network benefitting Texas Children's Hospitals, and on October 8 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. During these days, 7 Brew will take 50-percent off regular menu prices and donate 100-percent of proceeds to the organizations.

With a motto of “If you think it, we can make it,” the Arkansas-based coffee shop offers over 20,000 possible combinations, including sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.

The Highlight at Houston Center will soon welcome two new restaurants. Orange Taco, an Asian-Mexican fusion concept that started as a food truck, and Aloha Poke Co. will join the existing dining options at the recently-renovated downtown shopping destination.

Deal Alert

Tex-Mex favorite Pappasito’s Cantina is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month with a number of specials. Get a beef and chicken fajitas platter for $40 every Wednesday in October. In addition, order two cocktails in a special 40th anniversary mug and finish with a Fiesta Fudge Brownie. Diners can register online to win one of 10, $400 gift cards.

“It’s really incredible to be celebrating four decades of Pappasito’s,” Pappas vice president of marketing Christina Pappas said in a statement. “The first Pappasito's Cantina opened on Richmond and Hillcroft, bringing our famous fajitas and margaritas to Houstonians, and now we have grown to over 20 restaurants throughout Texas and Georgia.”

A Memorable Meal

Four of Houston’s most prominent female chefs are teaming up for a very special meal. Top Chef alums Evelyn Garcia and Sasha Grumman, Masterchef finalist Suu Khin, and James Beard Taste Twenty chef Michelle Wallace will contribute dishes to the Blackwood Educational Land Institute’s annual Skyfarm Harvest Feast. Held on October 19 at Post Houston, the meal will utilize produce grown at Blackwood's Skyfarm on the Post’s roof. The evening includes a farm tour, passed appetizers, a multi-course seated dinner, and a performance by Pecos Hank Schyma along with Jo Bird.

Courtesy of Rakkan Ramen

Rakkan Ramen has arrived in Westchase.

"I love working with Blackwood," Grumman said in a statement. "What they produce is truly incredible and they have even introduced me to new plants and herbs that I love to incorporate into my cooking. Both of the Blackwood farms inspire me to cook in a true farm-to-table manner that represents Houston in such a positive way. We’re lucky to have them in our city and feeding our community.”

Tickets, priced at $325 and $425, are on sale now. Sponsorship packages and tables are available as well. Proceeds benefit Blackwood’s education programming and other initiatives.

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Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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