Houston’s Most Anticipated New Restaurants, Fall 2018

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As has been true for years now, restaurants continue to open in Houston at a dizzying pace. Throughout the end of the year, the city will become home to a bounty of new eateries, including multiple food halls, award-winning barbecue, and a steakhouse from one of Houston’s most celebrated chefs.

There’s a ton to look forward to, but these exciting new establishments should be at the top of any diner’s list this fall. Browse through this guide below, then stay tuned for more intel on when each of these spots will officially open the doors.

Truth BBQ

  • Who: Leonard Botello IV, the pitmaster behind the original Truth BBQ in Brenham, Texas.
  • What: One of the state’s most-lauded new smokehouses, Truth will expand in a major way when it arrives in Houston. Botello tells Eater that the new restaurant will occupy 6,000 square feet, and he’s building a kitchen big enough to produce a broader menu. Expect top-quality smoked meats, including brisket and beef ribs, sides like corn pudding and tater tot casserole, and the famous cakes in flavors like red velvet and banana caramel, inspired by Botello’s mother Janel’s own recipes.
  • Where: 110 South Heights Boulevard
  • When: October 2018. No official opening date has been announced yet.

Agricole Hospitality’s EaDo Takeover

Who: Chef Ryan Pera, Morgan Weber, and Vincent Huynh, the minds behind Houston restaurants Coltivare, Night Heron, Eight Row Flint, and Revival Market.
What: A gigantic EaDo project that will involve three distinct restaurants — Indianola, Miss Carousel, and Vinny’s.

Scope out details on each individual restaurant below:

  • Indianola — A restaurant named for the Texas town where Weber’s ancestors first arrived in Texas in the 1870s. Indianola will feature classic American dishes, made with painstakingly-sourced, heirloom ingredients. Chef Paul Lewis will helm the kitchen.
  • Miss Carousel — A sprawling 5,000 square foot bar named for a Townes Van Zandt song that will be attached to Indianola. Up to 30 different classic cocktails will be on offer, along with new libations crafted by beverage director Marie-Louise Friedland.
  • Vinny’s — A by-the-slice pizza joint with fast-casual service. Vinny’s will deliver locally, and keep the doors open well into the late night hours.

Where: 1201 St. Emanuel in East Downtown

When: Mid-September

Bravery Chef Hall

Who: Restaurateur Shepard Ross, partnered with Anh Mai and Lian Nguyen, the minds behind Conservatory, Houston’s first food hall.
What: A chef-focused food hall with a seriously impressive line-up of chefs. Scope out the major restaurant players below:

  • The Blind Goat — A Vietnamese restaurant from Masterchef winner Christine Ha, popularly known as “The Blind Chef.” Ha will focus her menu on nhau dishes, or Vietnamese shared plates like banh gio (pyramid-shaped dumplings) made with brisket from Pinkerton’s BBQ.
  • Nuna Nikkei Bar — A Peruvian restaurant from Andes Cafe owner David Guerrero. Guerrero will serve a menu of cevches and other Japanese-Peruvian fusion dishes.
  • BOH Pasta — A new pasta spot from Ben McPherson, who’s been previewing dishes like taleggio and artichoke ravioli served with chanterelles and aged balsamic.
  • Cherry Block Craft Butcher & Kitchen — A steakhouse from sommelier, chef, and rancher Felix Florez.

Where: 409 Travis Street

Georgia James

  • Who: Restaurateur and chef Chris Shepherd and the rest of his crack team at Underbelly Hospitality.
  • What: A steakhouse born of the first iteration of Shepherd’s shape-shifting restaurant One Fifth. Expect steaks cooked in cast iron, and a representative for Shepherd tells Eater that a martini cart is in the works. A number of popular dishes from that temporary restaurant will return, including the beloved uni panna cotta and 1-and-a-half-pound apple pie.
  • Where: 1100 Westheimer Road, in the space formerly occupied by now-shuttered restaurant Underbelly.
  • When: Mid-September

Sing

  • Who: Food writer and chef Cuc Lam and Jerry Lasco, a restaurateur known for popular eateries like Max’s Wine Dive and Boiler House.
  • What: An Asian fusion restaurant that will highlight Malaysian, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Szechuan, Thai, and Indian cuisines. Diners can look forward to dishes like chicken tikka masala, mango-shrimp spring rolls, and char kway teow, a stir-fry made with flat rice noodles.
  • Where: 718 West 18th Street, in the Lowell Street Market development
  • When: October 2018

Finn Hall

  • Who: Operator David Goronkin, plus 10 independently-owned restaurants.
  • What: A food hall featuring Houston favorites like Dish Society and Mala Sichuan Bistro, and newcomers like pizza spot Mr. Nice Pie and Vietnamese street food destination Sit Lo. Popular food truck Craft Burger will also make a home at Finn Hall, along with Goode Co. Taqueria, a seafood restaurant called Low Tide from the owner of Harold’s in the Heights, and Yong, a Korean comfort food spot.
  • Where: 712 Main Street
  • When: Opening date still TBD.

MAD (BCN Taste & Tradition)

  • Who: BCN Taste & Tradition owner Ignacio Torres, chef-owner Luis Roger, and general manager Sebastien Laval
  • What: A Spanish restaurant named for the airport code for Madrid. Look forward to pinxtos, small snacks served on toothpicks, and shareable plates, all inspired by MAD’s owners’ travels through Spain. MAD will be open for lunch, brunch, dinner, and late-night service.
  • Where: 4444 Westheimer Road
  • When: Late 2018

Source: Houston Eater