In this edition of CultureMap’s look at the latest Houston restaurant news, a sandwich pop-up has opened its permanent home on Washington Avenue and a growing local ice cream chain is helping Bellaire chill out. Plus, Landry’s chefs are getting their annual chance to shine.
Read on for all the food news Houstonians need to know.
Restaurant openings
Sandwich pop-up Yuma has opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant in the former Ninja Ramen space at 4219 Washington Ave. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Mike Hartley and Miriam Leek-Meira, Yuma serves sandwiches that blend Brazilian and Cuban influences, including the Classic Cubano (roasted pork, ham, gruyère, pickles, and mustard), the El Penny Cubano Banh Mi; the Sampa Gallo (chicken sandwich); the A Caipira, a Brazilian-inspired cheesesteak; and more.
Having a permanent location has allowed the couple to expand their menu with bar bites such as pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese rolls), empanadas, and yuca fries, as well as desserts that include Basque cheesecake and grilled banana pudding. The bar program looks to both Cuba and Brazil, with a wide array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic sips.
"This concept is one-of-a-kind but also approachable, much like this amazing city that we live in," Hartley said in a statement. "Miriam and I have set out to create something completely unique, and we're excited to share it with everyone. We love the location and want to strike a balance between something new and exciting while still feeling comforting and familiar."
Yuma is open Wednesday through Monday from 4 pm to midnight.
Modern Mexican restaurant Cochinita & Co. has opened its second location in Lindale Park (4928 Fulton Street). Open daily from 8 am-3 pm, the restaurant serves chef-owner Victoria Elizondo’s tacos that are made with house made corn tortillas and matched with fillings such as cochinita pibil, shrimp, barbacoa, roasted chicken, and lion’s mane mushrooms. Breakfast options include tamales, breakfast tacos, and chilaquiles.
Once the new location is dialed in, Elizondo plans to launch Corimar, a dinner series with guest chefs.
“Corimar is very personal to me. It’s my way of creating space for new ideas without changing what people already love about Cochinita,” Elizondo told CultureMap in February. “By day, we’ll remain the café our community knows. By night, Corimar will become a platform for occasional experimentation, (and sometimes) collaboration, and dishes that don’t always fit into a traditional menu.”
Cosmic Ice Cream has opened its fourth Houston-area location in the Bellaire triangle. The scoop shop serves a range of creative and traditional flavors, including banana pudding, birthday cake, peanut butter brownie, and Cookie Monster, which is dyed blue in homage to the iconic Sesame Street character. Options include scoops, milkshakes, and “Ice Cream Nachos,” two scoops of ice cream served on a bed on waffle cone chips. It’s open daily from 12-10 pm.
Upcoming food events
Landry’s Signature Group has released the 2026 edition of its chef series. Each menu is inspired by a classic movie that will be revealed during the meal. The schedule includes July 9 at Brenner’s on the Bayou, July 16 at Del Frisco’s, July 23 at Grotto Downtown, July 30 at the Palm, and August 6 at La Griglia. See menus and buy tickets here.
Camaraderie will host the next edition of its Better Together bake sale with guest chefs Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar) and Kripa Shenoy (EaDough) this Sunday, June 28, beginning at 10 am. The menu includes a Franklin Barbecue brisket croissant, Basque cheesecake croissant, butter chicken kolache, chai sesame cookies, cardamom buns, golden sesame kouign amann, and many more.
Other news and notes
The Kirby Dr. location of Goode Co. Barbeque has rolled out a bi-weekly features menu that will showcase limited edition menu items every Thursday-Sunday. This week’s specials include a jalapeno-cheddar sausage and slow-smoked beef ribs. Plus, families can order a platter with three pounds of meat and three sides.
Chef Victoria Elizondo has opened a second location of Cochinita & Co.
