au revoir

Memorial-area French brasserie quietly closes after 5 years

White Elm Brasserie has closed.

Photo by Shannon O'Hara

A Memorial-area French restaurant has quietly served its last meal. White Elm Brasserie closed after service on Sunday, January 26, co-owner Christopher “Chico” Ramirez tells CultureMap.

Ramirez cited a downturn in business as the primary reason for the decision to close the restaurant. White Elm’s customer counts declined after both the derecho and Hurricane Beryl, including a more than 30-percent decline during Houston Restaurant Weeks, Ramirez said. The slow sales continued into the usually busy holiday season, when only one group chose the restaurant for a holiday party — down from eight in 2023. With the restaurant’s lease expiring in February, Ramirez says that he and his wife made the difficult decision to move on.

First opened in 2020 as White Elm Café Bakery, the restaurant united Ramirez — a hospitality veteran whose resume includes both The Boot and Field & Tides — with Chez Nous owners Stacy and Scott Simonson. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant combined an extensive selection of pastries made in-house with a French and Mediterranean-inspired menu from chef Stacy Simonson. In 2022, the restaurant changed its name to White Elm Brasserie as it moved to a slightly more upscale experience that included full service and cocktails.

While Ramirez will miss his time in the Memorial area, he’s already working on his next project, a Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant called Johnny Rita’s that’s coming to the north Houston neighborhood of Lindale Park later this year. White Elm chef de cuisine Jesus Salinas will lead the kitchen. Expect more details as its opening becomes more imminent later this year.

French-inspired restaurant have had tough luck in Houston over the past several months. Last May, Benjy Levit shuttered his short-lived French concept Eau Tour and replaced it with Italian concept Milton's. In September, Philippe Schmit quietly closed his French bistro PS-21 after approximately a year-and-a-half in business.

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a family friendly destination

New Hill Country distillery pours its first whiskey flights this month

Photo by Hayden Walker

The distillery aims to make all visitors feel welcome.

A new family-owned distillery is joining the vast landscape of breweries, wineries, and other spirit-makers in the Texas Hill Country. Briggs Distilling Co. will start serving cocktails, mocktails, and more at its spacious facility at 121 Brownson Ln. in Driftwood on Saturday, October 17.

The 9,000-square-foot distillery is owned and operated by the Briggs family. It was founded by R.S. Briggs with longtime family friend Davis Tucker serving as its president. Master distiller Colton Weinstein is in charge of production and distilling operations.

The distillery has developed three expressions for whiskey drinkers to try neat or in a cocktail. Each is made with Texas rainwater and bottled on-site. From a press release, look out for the following flavor profiles:

Straight Rye Whiskey: spice and bright herbs with lingering sherry notes to finish
Heritage Reserve Bourbon: caramel, candy, and leather notes with hints of spice and cherry and a medium finish
Wheated Bourbon: described as "sweet and fruity, with tobacco notes that coat the mouth and a medium-short finish"

Briggs Distilling Co. whiskey and bourbon products Patrons can buy a bottle of Briggs whiskey or bourbon on-site to take home. The Wheated Bourbon is $44.99, the Straight Rye is $49.99, and the Heritage Reserve is $55.99. Photo by Hayden Walker

The spirits will be available to try in individual tastings ($10 each) and flights ($15), as well as draft, frozen, and house cocktails priced from $10-$14 each.

Briggs Distilling will also serve mocktails, a frozen Texas Two-Step (lime, orange, and house cane syrup with a choice of strawberry, mango, coconut, or passion fruit), and other non-alcoholic options like soda, ginger beer, and coffee from neighboring Driftwood café Sonder Coffee Lounge.

Beyond the whiskey-making operations and the tasting room, the property will feature a treehouse-inspired children's area, family- and dog-friendly amenities, and an on-site food truck. Live music from local musicians will also be a regular occurrence on Fridays and Saturdays.

Above all, the Hill Country distillery is envisioned as a "community gathering place" that aims to make all visitors feel at home.

"For generations, this part of Texas has brought people together around good food and conversation under wide-open skies," R.S. Briggs said in the release. "We wanted Briggs Distilling to carry that spirit forward while adding one crucial component: good whiskey."

Briggs Distilling Co. interior The distillery was designed by Texas-based M. Elliott Studio with contemporary furniture that visitors can rearrange as they see fit for their gatherings.Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling will host community events throughout the year, engage in sustainability initiatives such as recycling bottles through local businesses, and pursue additional giveback opportunities to demonstrate a commitment to the Hill Country area.

Bailey Briggs, R.S.'s daughter and vice president of marketing, said the land the distillery stands on has been in their family for generations, and their "family-first philosophy" is the heart of their business.

"Briggs Distilling was born from family and built for families," Bailey said in a release. "For more than twenty years, our family has called the Texas Hill Country home, spending holidays, birthdays, and long summer days on the river together. Those memories shaped our lives and inspired us to create a place where other families could make their own."

Following the grand opening on October 17, Briggs Distilling Co. will be open from 4-10 pm Wednesdays through Thursdays, 11 am to 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am to 7 pm Sundays. Happy hour will run from 3-6 pm Wednesdays through Fridays. Kid-friendly specials will also be offered on Sundays.

Photo by Hayden Walker

The distillery aims to make all visitors feel welcome.

distillery whiskey driftwood hill country travel cocktails