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    bonjour, sophie

    French-inspired cocktail bar raises the roof at Montrose development

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 6, 2024 | 11:05 am

    Montrose will soon welcome a new rooftop bar and cocktail lounge. Sophie Cocktail and Terrace Bar will open in early July at the Montrose Collective mixed-use development.

    Located above Uchi in the former Idle Hands/Rosemont space, Sophie offers two different atmospheres, both of which are inspired by the South of France. On the first floor, patrons will find Downstairs at Sophie, which is described as an intimate, 20-seat cocktail lounge. Upstairs is home to 2,000-square-foot rooftop patio with room for 80 people.

    Downstairs features red lacquered walls, chandeliers, mirrored ceilings, and fabrics with floral and animal prints. The upstairs terrace features plenty of plant life and a mix of seating options to accommodate both small and large groups.

    Owner Ashley Muncie has worked in the service industry in Houston, El Paso, Odessa, and for Miami’s Groot Hospitality. During her time living in France, she worked for noted fashion brands Dior, Sacai, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Sophie’s location in the heart of Montrose lured Muncie into opening her own project.

    “We decided to open Sophie to give Houstonians a new cocktail and bar experience in a unique and transportive space,” Muncie tells CultureMap in an email. “We are thrilled to be in the vibrant Montrose neighborhood and look forward to creating memorable experiences for our guests.”

    Muncie worked with chef Anthony Anderson (Uchi, Nobie’s) on Sophie’s menu. Options include cheese and charcuterie boards; a burger topped with caramelized onions and gruyere; fettuccine with lemon butter and caviar; and a dessert called The Swan, a pistachio cake with pistachio sable and raspberry confit. Brunch will be served on the weekends.

    Cocktail options include The King’s Lover, an carajillo variation made with vodka, Liquor 43, and Maven cold brew; the Mademoiselle Sophie made with vodka, lime, and Chambord; and the Scent of a Rose made with rose vodka, grapefruit vodka, rose syrup, lemon, elderflower, and sparkling rosé. Both the upstairs and downstairs will serve wines and a selection of shots, while the terrance will feature a seasonal spritz menu with more experiential cocktails available served on the first floor.

    Live music and DJs will add to the overall environment. Muncie writes that she’s looking forward to hosting a diverse array of customers.

    “Just as Houston is a melting pot of cultures and people, Sophie is a welcoming place for all Houstonians,” Muncie added. “Whether you're looking to relax with a good drink on our terrace, enjoy brunch with friends, or take in live music, we have an experience for everyone.”

    Sophie isn't the only new concept coming to the mixed-use development. Októ, a Mediterranean restaurant from the team behind Doris Metropolitan and Hamsa, will open later this summer.

    Sophie cocktail bar

    Photo by Shawn Chippendale

    Sophie is coming to Montrose.

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    fit to print

    New York Times critic awards Houston restaurant 2 stars in glowing review

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 16, 2025 | 5:15 pm
    Chopnblok food spread
    Courtesy of ChòpnBlọk
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    Let’s just call 2025 the year of ChòpnBlọk. In a review published Tuesday, December 16, the New York Times has awarded the Houston restaurant two stars (“very good”).

    Written by chief restaurant critic Tejal Rao, the review touts many of the same qualities that the Times already praised when it included ChòpnBlọk on its list of America’s 50 best restaurants.

    Rao writes that she usually avoids restaurants that serve food in bowls, but she’s impressed by the way that chef-owner Ope Amosu has put a West African spin on the concept.

    “For inspiration, Ope Amosu looked to the kind of chain restaurants that were built to scale, where flavors are often subdued to appeal to the broadest possible audience, focus-grouped to death. But the delight of ChòpnBlok is in its sure sense of self, its lively, multidimensional cooking and clear, delicious vision for modern food from the Black diaspora,” Rao writes.

    She singles out specific dishes, including the Nigerian red stew with short rib, the Black Star bowl with shrimp, and the signature Motherland, made with chicken, greens, and plantains. “It’s utterly simple, but draws you in for more with the mouthwatering twang of not-too-much MSG — an international shortcut to building umami that tends to be used carefully, and layered with other forms,” she writes.

    The review also touches on the way Amosu switched the restaurant from counter service to full service — described as “warm, informal, and quick with the jokes” — and his time working at Chipotle to learn the basics of the restaurant operations.

    A two-star review is only the latest instance of ChòpnBlọk receiving national attention. In addition to the Times 50 best list, Esquire recently named it one of America’s best new restaurants. The Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmand designation for 2025. Amosu earned a semifinalist nomination for Best Chef: Texas in the 2025 James Beard Awards.

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