A pop-up cafe featuring an iconic video game character is coming to the Houston area. Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe will make its Texas debut on Saturday, May 4.
As its name implies, the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe is an immersive dining experience set in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog. Restaurateurs Andy Nguyen, Kevin Seo, and Phillip Huynh of the Secret Sauce Society collaborated with gaming brand SEGA to develop the concept, which debuted in 2023 at San Diego Comic-Con. Nguyen is also one of the founders of Trill Burgers, Houston hip hop legend Bun B’s smash hit smash burger restaurant.
The menu features dishes inspired by the video game, such as
- Sonic’s Classic Chili Dog
- Knuckles Sandwich (spicy fried chicken)
- Piko Piko Tenders
- Sides include Golden Ring onion rings, Fast Fries, and the Green Hill Vegan Chili Cup
Drinks get a similar treatment. Choices include the Blue Blur blueberry slush (Sonic); Smashing Echidna fruit punch slush (Knuckles); Team Dark mocha milkshake (Shadow); Sweet Amy strawberry milkshake (Amy Rose); and Tails Spin Tea (Tails).
The Team Dark and Sweet Amy milkshakes.Photo by Dylan McEwan
Photo by Dylan McEwan
All of the dishes reference Sonic and his friends.
For three months, the Speed Cafe will operate in Craft Burger’s location at 348 S Mason Road in Katy. When the pop-up ends in August, the restaurant will resume operating as Craft Burger.
Craft Burger chef and founder Shannen Tune tells CultureMap he's excited to be hosting the pop-up. Before agreeing to the partnership, he spoke to the owners of the Speed Cafe’s recent pop-up in Chino Hills, CA and confirmed it’s a financial win for the participating restaurant.
While the menu is mostly set, Tune did contribute a couple of dishes to give the pop-up a little Texas flavor. The Chaotix Hot Dog is topped with chopped brisket, crispy onions, and barbecue sauce. It is joined by the Ultimate Fearless Hot Dog (cheese, pepperoni, and marinara sauce) and the Zomom’s Hunger Buster Fries that are topped with chopped brisket, cheddar cheese, and green onions.
Along with the menu, the restaurant has been given a comprehensive makeover with a turf floor, Sonic graphics on the walls, and video games. Of course, diners also have the opportunity to buy plenty of merch to commemorate their visit.
“They completely redecorated my restaurant. If you’ve never been to Craft burger, you’d never know there was another restaurant,” Tune says.
“It’s amazing. I know it’s going to be a big deal with families,” he adds. “They wanted to bring this downtown. I said, I understand why you want to be downtown, but the family aspect, you want to be in the suburbs.”
