Openings and Closings: Traveler’s Cart Arrives, Coffee Fellows EC Opens

Traveler’s Cart, 1401 Montrose, opened October 23. It’s the second restaurant for Thy and Matthew Mitchell, a married couple who also own and operate Traveler’s Table, which first opened on Westheimer in 2019. The globetrotting couple have drawn inspiration from their world travels to create both food and cocktail menus that bring international flavors to a city known for its diversity.

The inspiration for the concept began nearly two decades ago when Matthew Mitchell was a student at Oxford University in England. His time abroad also included traveling as a writer and journalist which meant nights of dining on street food from markets and local food carts. His partner Thy has also been a world adventurer as owner of Foreign Fare, a travel apparel company that was inspired by her travels to Italy, Morocco, Japan and Vietnam. Besides her hospitality experience as an HR professional, her mother and grandmother operate a small Vietnamese restaurant here in Houston.

Matthew Mitchell said in a press release, “Both of our lives have been greatly enriched by our travels and those experiences have shown us how important food can be for learning about other cultures and for connecting with people all over the world.”

And it’s not just the cuisine that is international. The Mitchells say they are lucky to have talented chefs from all over the world at both their restaurants. Executive chef Miguel Torres was born and raised in Puerto Rico while Indonesian chef Adrian Brantoro has worked in kitchens across Europe. Culinary director Stanton Bundy hails a little closer to Houston, coming from the Texas Hill Country then working his way through the New Orleans and South Florida culinary scenes.

The experiences available at Traveler’s Cart are just as varied. Guests can enjoy street snacks like its Arancini all Carbonara or Butter Chicken Samosas at its full-service bar or dine tapas-style with friends on the patio while sharing dishes like Thai Fried Chicken Wings, Puerto Rican Carne Frita and Pan-Fried Lamb Dumplings. There’s also a main dining room for indulging in a unique entree like Khao Soi, a dish of soft egg noodles topped with yellow coconut chicken curry. There are handheld items such as the American Roadside Burger or Churrasco Steak Sandwich plus a range of culinary offerings including Pappardelle with Brisket Ragu, Jamaican Jerk Pork Ribs and Peri Peri Chicken.

The cocktail program is no less globally-inspired. Guests can accompany the pork ribs with Da Jerk Shack Punch, a Jamaican rum punch that gets a kick of jerk spices. Or diners can mix up their cuisines and cocktails whether it’s a Mangonada Margarita or the frozen Pandan Cream Vietnamese Coffee Cocktail.

The counter-service restaurant was designed by Gin Braverman of gin design group, a local firm known for its stunning restaurant creations. Diners will feel the vibe of a night street market with wall-mounted canopies and colorful signs including one that is a re-creation of Thy’s grandmother’s Houston restaurant, Quan Ba Tho.

Coffee Fellows, 1127 Eldridge, opened October 22 in Houston’s Energy Corridor. The European-style cafe was founded in Munich, Germany by Katherin Tewes and is co-managed by her husband Stefan Tewes. The duo have built the family-owned business with franchise partners to more than 230 locations; some stand alone cafes and others located at gas stations across Europe. The newest Houston store is the third for the city with three more expected to open soon.

The cafe is open daily with breakfast, lunch and dinner services. Guests can dine-in or use its convenient mobile pick-up, drive-thru or delivery. It also offers catering options. The signature coffee blends have been developed by its sister company in Germany and the coffee is locally roasted and brewed fresh each day. The baristas go through a comprehensive training program that focuses on hospitality and proper espresso machine operation for the perfect shot or cup.

The interior and outdoor patio have been designed for comfort, mimicking a living room atmosphere which invites guests to linger with friends, read a book or just enjoy a cafe-style meal. Daniel Ogbonna, CEO of Coffee Fellows North America says, “Our ‘Feel at Home’ promise is more than just words – it’s a commitment to making each guest feel like part of the family…”

In addition to its commitment to cultivating local partnerships within the community, the company practices sustainability by serving in-house food and drink on china and using recyclable take-away packaging. It also offers its customers free alternative milks.

Nippon Japanese Restaurant, 4464 Montrose Boulevard, will close its doors for good November 17. Founded by the Yoshida family in 1986, it has been a neighborhood go-to for nearly four decades. While many online speculations have been about the development in the area and the obstacles restaurants face in a city that’s saturated with eateries, the true reason behind the closing is more human. Owners Naomitsu and Emi Yoshida are ready to retire as their son, Naoki Yoshida, told the Houston Chronicle.

Claiming to be the oldest Japanese-owned restaurant in Houston, it was serving sushi to a city that was unfamiliar with the now ubiquitous cuisine, along with a number of traditional and authentic Japanese dishes. It moved to its current location on Montrose in the 1990s and the Yoshidas currently own the building.

Naomitsu Yoshida was, and will remain until closing, the main sushi chef at Nippon. He and wife Emi will continue to be part of its final services with the help of their son Naoki, who is also a chef and the former owner of Shun restaurant which shuttered in June 2023.

The family are currently searching for new tenants for the property, according to the Chronicle.

Andy’s Home Cafe, 2121 N. Main, will open October 30. It’s actually a reopening for the family-owned restaurant which closed its original Heights location on West 11th in late July 2023. The reasons cited for closing the Heights spot included financial issues and lack of parking. It had operated at the original location for 46 years and was known for its late night service.

It began when Thomas Morales’ parents took over the business, then called Home Cafe, in 1977. His parents began introducing more Tex-Mex dishes to the menu. It was renamed Andy’s Home Cafe for the youngest of the Morales siblings, according to the Chronicle.

During the interim between closing and reopening, the restaurant held pop-ups and special events. Unfortunately, the Morales family lost their patriarch David Morales in February of this year. Thomas Morales and daughter Monica Morales are taking up the mantle with the reopening and are excited to see their loyal customers return for the carne guisada and enchiladas that were some of the most popular dishes. According to its Facebook posts, the jukebox is ready to go, breakfast will be served all day and there will still be slices of homemade cake.

It will open with limited hours with extended service as more staffing gets underway. For those who plan to go the first day, be prepared for long lines of Andy’s fans.

Trader Joe’s, 13550 University Boulevard, opened October 24 in Sugar Land. Located in the University Commons, it’s the 6th location for the Greater Houston area. The 10,000 square-foot store has hired over 60 new crew members from the area while bringing in a few from other Houston locations. From our personal experience, TJ staff members are the friendliest around.

Trader Joe’s was founded in 1967 in Pasadena, California but its first Houston store didn’t open until 2012 when it took over the Alabama Theater space which had previously housed Bookstop. It’s still one of the most popular locations and the holiday season is particularly busy. Customers would be wise to pick up a frozen cheesecake and puff pastry before Thanksgiving week.

Trader Joe’s popularity is fueled in part by its snack items and an array of frozen dishes that span the globe culinarily. It offers a variety of pre-packaged salads and sandwiches as well as fresh produce and meats. It also features a number of vegetarian and vegan items as well as organic foods. Its reasonable prices, along with quality namesake brands, are another reason that its fans take to the internet with pleas for stores to open in their neighborhoods.

Haywire Party Barn, 947 Gessner, opened October 21 in Memorial City. Part of Haywire restaurant which opened this past June, The Party Barn offers more than 2,000 square feet of event space that will accommodate 100 guests plus an outdoor courtyard with room for 60 more and firepit seating. There’s an indoor/outdoor bar that seats 18 and the building offers full audio-visual capabilities.

In keeping with its Texas setting, the decor is rustic and warm with Western-style touches. Jack Gibbons,  CEO of FB Society, says the goal has always been to create spaces that feel authentic to Texas. He added, “The Party Barn is going to be a game-changer for memorial City. It’s all about bringing folks together in a laid-back, comfortable setting – whether it’s brunch with friends, a big event or enjoying a drink on the patio. We’re thrilled to keep expanding what Haywire has to offer in Houston.”

Velocity-Sim Racing Lounge, 2110 Edwards, is slated to open in early 2025 at Sawyer Yards. It will be the first premium simulation racing experience for Houston with 16 world class racing simulators set in a fun-filled motorsports, racing-inspired lounge. In addition to options such as simulated racing on world famous tracks such as Circuit of the Americas and Laguna Seca, guests can drive their dream car across a Virtual Interstate 610 thanks to a partnership with Authentic Simulation.

Vietnam-born and Texas-raised, Viet Tran is the founder and owner of the new concept. The 37-year-old is a motorcycle club enthusiast who discovered sim racing while recovering from an on-track accident. Velocity will make racing more accessible to a wider audience with all the thrills and none of the risks.

The 5,000 square-foot space will accommodate guests for both public and private events. The lounge will feature racetrack-themed chandeliers with vintage motorcycles on display. Its cocktail program will celebrate the racing world as well. The globally-inspired food menu will offer the flavors of Japan, Europe and North America.

Paris Baguette, 2501 Research Forest, is shooting to open this December in The Woodlands. The duo behind the franchised project are Mexico City native Armando Cordova and his business partner Jorge Molina. Cordova  moved to the U.S. 11 years ago and has taken on different roles in the restaurant industry since then including as minority partner. Seeing a need for a high-quality bakery in The Woodlands/Tomball area, he realized the franchise opportunity with Paris Baguette was a perfect fit.

Paris Baguette began in South Korea in 1988 and its French-inspired pastries and bread eventually made it the number one bakery in the country. It soon expanded to other countries before coming to the United States in 2005 and there are now more than 180 locations in the U.S. including four in the Greater Houston area.

The menu features cakes such as Maple Pecan and Blueberry Chiffon, by the slice or whole. There are tarts, scones, doughnuts, and, of course, a variety of croissants. In addition to sweet pastries, there are freshly-baked breads, buns and quiches plus coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches and wraps.

Golden Chick, 10966 Grant, was slated to open in early 2025 but a Google listing says November 5, 2024. We spotted crews busy at work and the renovations look to be nearing the end so it may be sooner than expected.

The Texas-born chicken restaurant offers its Original Golden Tenders, Golden Fried Chicken, Wicked Wings, Golden Roast Chicken, Signature Chicken Salad Sandwich and Southern Fried Catfish. It has a number of Southern-style sides to choose from such as mashed potatoes, green beans, fried okra, dirty rice and mac and cheese.

Flying Biscuit Cafe, 12020 FM 1960, is coming to Cypress. A spokesperson told the Houston Press that the grand opening will be announced soon.

Thunapaha Sri Lankan Restaurant, 13337 Jones, has put up signage but that is all we know about it at this time.