We choose this year’s winner of the Best Heights Brunch.
Best Brunch – Heights: Squable
Squable doesn’t shout about its brunch, but it doesn’t have to — the food speaks for itself. The menu runs from a cloudlike Dutch baby with maple butter to beef-fat tater tots topped with salmon roe. Fried chicken gets a spicy lemon-pepper kick, the confit egg yolk carbonara is rich and savory, and the French cheeseburger might be the best in town. Pair it with a green chile Bloody Mary or a Casablanca Carajillo and settle in. Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
We choose this year’s winner of the Best Midtown Brunch.
Best Brunch – Midtown: Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition
Brunch gets a refined, high-low twist at this Midtown standout. Laidback and welcoming, the spot pairs comfort food with playful surprises – think crawfish boil breakfast skillets with all the proper fixin’s, Rotel dip chilaquiles, and fried catfish and grits with hot sauce and spiced honey. Sip a Café du Lu topped with a micro beignet or a Bloody Mary with pickled okra, and you’ll see why this is the neighborhood’s top brunch pick.
After shuttering its Spring Branch location, Diversión has landed in Montrose’s Harlow District, taking over a night-only perch in the Emma Jane teahouse and quickly winning a new wave of fans. Bold cocktails — tableside-brewed, caviar-topped, flamed, and featuring interesting flavoirs like smoky fig and pineapple-miso — share the spotlight with playful bites like wagyu & shrimp with hot custard and morel sunomono. Sip, nibble, repeat. This is cocktail hour on expert mode.
Sof Hospitality has done it this sultry Montrose Collective stunner, where Mediterranean-Levantine flavors serve serious swagger. Expect emerald-green glam with a menu built for sharing – plump tiger shrimp in an insanely silky arak beurre blanc, spot-on lamb chops with cauliflower skordalia, and Sof’s signature bread service, a Moroccan Frena bread with pistachio butter, pickled peppers, and olives. Pass plates, sip a shishito-infused G&T or Olive Oil Martini, and save room for a rose-kissed kadaif.
Kolache Shoppe, 10321 Katy Freeway, is now open in Memorial, and it’s celebrating with a full week of pastry-packed festivities. Each day brings something new — free kolaches, coffee, gift cards and bonus loyalty points. Highlights include a Houston Food Bank benefit day on Wednesday, buy-one-get-one pastries on Thursday and complimentary coffee drinks on Friday (with a chance to win free weekly coffee for a year).
Wild Game Specials at Ouisie’s Table
Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, is serving up a weekly series of imaginative game dinners now through November 26. This week features seared five spice duck breast with orange glaze, roasted spaghetti squash and almandine green beans.
As families and workers feel the impact of the ongoing government shutdown and rising economic challenges, Comfort Foodies, 8128 North Sam Houston Parkway West, is offering $10 daily meal specials featuring hearty southern soul and Latin-Caribbean dishes — think smothered pork chops, Dominican brown stew chicken, fried wings, and fried catfish baskets, all served with a choice of sides. Kids eat free all day with the purchase of an adult meal (child must be present). The restaurant is also offering a pay-it-forward option for meals at half price to support those in need. Specials are available for dine-in customers Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday, November 6
Oysters, Blues & Brews at Goode Co. Armadillo Palace
Goode Co. Armadillo Palace, 5015 Kirby Dr, hosts its annual Oysters, Blues & Brews, celebrating Gulf Coast flavors and live Texas blues while benefiting the Coastal Conservation Association’s Building Conservation Trust. Guests can dig into mesquite-fired coastal dishes like smoked boudin links, Gulf redfish, and Christmas Bay gumbo, plus Gulf shrimp taquitos, Yellowfin tuna tostadas, and a seafood bar stacked with Campechana, boiled shrimp, and freshly shucked mariculture oysters. The Mighty Orq keeps the night rocking from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets start at $100, ages 21 and up.
Saturday–Sunday
Texas Renaissance Festival
Texas’ largest Renaissance-themed festival continues with the Pirate’s Adventure weekend. Step into a world of fantasy, food and revelry, with turkey legs, mead and themed entertainment ranging from costume contests to live performances. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for kids ages 5–12; children 4 and under get in free.
Saturday, November 8
Piano Brunch at Brennan’s
Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, kicks off its brunch series featuring live piano tunes and half-priced rosé from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Bites & Beyond Festival at Discovery Green
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney, hosts the Bites & Beyond Festival from 1 to 10 p.m., with local chefs, food trucks, drinks, live music across four stages, art installations, and cultural activations. Tickets start at $30.48, with VIP and Party on Stage passes available.
Five-Year Anniversary Bash at Pier 6
San Leon favorite Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, 113 6th, is marking five years with a blowout bash. Executive chef Joe Cervantez will serve an exclusive anniversary menu paired with caviar and Champagne tastings, plus a few surprises to toast the milestone.
Brighter Futures BBQ Fundraiser at The Pit Room Memorial City
Communities In Schools of Houston teams up with The Pit Room for the Brighter Futures BBQ Fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Pit Room Memorial City, 10301 Katy Freeway. Guests can enjoy top-notch barbecue, drinks, live music, and a silent auction supporting CIS programs for local students. The Montrose location will also donate all food and drink sales that day to CIS. Tickets start at $300 per person, with table options available.
Sunday, November 9
Beer & Cheese Pairing at Saint Arnold
Saint Arnold Brewing Co., 2000 Lyons Ave, teams up with Houston Dairymaids for a Beer & Cheese Pairing, offering a curated tasting of five artisanal cheeses matched with five of Saint Arnold’s signature brews. Guests can also enjoy soft pretzels with mustard and receive a token for an extra beer at the Beer Garden & Restaurant. The event runs from 1 to 3 p.m., and tickets are $50.
New and ongoing specials
Fall + Winter Menu at North Italia
North Italia’s new Fall + Winter Menu just dropped, featuring highlights from Sunday Night Lasagna with Italian sausage and braised short rib, Prime New York Steak Tagliata, Salted Caramel Budino and a Morning Market Board (CityCentre and The Woodlands only) for brunch, with caramelized onion frittata, shaved asparagus salad, burrata, heirloom tomato and hearth bread.
CHICAGO — “The dishwasher is the heartbeat of the kitchen,” says Beatrix partner John Economos.
Randy Hall is the head dishwasher at Beatrix in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, washing up to 10,000 dishes daily on a busy day.
Randy was tragically carjacked and shot in the right eye at the age of 23, causing him to lose both his sense of sight and sense of smell.
“Losing the eyesight, I had to change everything. I was starting a job as a welder and you need to see to weld, so I had to figure out something else to do. That’s when I went to the Lighthouse and they said, ‘We’re going to find you what we can,”” says Hall.
Randy has now worked as a dishwasher at Beatrix for 12 years and was recently voted “America’s Best Dishwasher” by Plate Magazine.
“Randy’s the first person here every day. Sometimes gets here before the chefs and managers. Super loyal. Always on time. Just a very hard worker. Just doesn’t finish until the job’s done,” says Economos.
“It made me feel like I was somebody special. I was like ‘How did I beat anybody, you know, there’s other people out there that can be better than me,’” says Hall. “I’m going to stay a dishwasher as long as I can, and being the best dishwasher, you got to share the wealth. Everybody go to step down and let the next one come up. You better come strong, cause I’m still out here!”
Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, is serving up a weekly series of imaginative game dinners now through November 26. This week features Herb Crusted Red Deer Chop with balsamic reduction, mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed brussels sprout.
Monday, October 28
First Responder’s Day
Several Houston restaurants are giving back to the heroes who give so much this First Responder’s Day — including State Fare, where first responders can enjoy a complimentary dine-in meal from a special menu featuring favorites like the State Fare Cheeseburger and Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich; Hachi, which invites first responders to enjoy a complimentary chef’s choice nigiri; Kolache Shoppe’s Greenway location, offering first responders who present proof of employment a free cup of coffee or kolache with any purchase; Molina’s Cantina, offering 50 percent off for first responders; Pier 6, with its daily 10 percent discount for first responders; and PINCHO, where educators, military members and first responders can take 25 percent off in-store orders every day.
Thursday, October 30
Shawn’s Supper Club at PINCHO Memorial
PINCHO is teaming up with local content creator Shawn the Food Sheep for a one-night-only burger omakase experience. Guests will enjoy a seven-course tasting curated by Shawn and the PINCHO culinary team, plus endless fries, sweet potato tots and queso frito. Tickets are $105.96 per person and include non-alcoholic drinks, a surprise gift and interactive photo ops throughout the evening, with beer and wine available for purchase. Seatings run at 6 and 8 p.m.
Friday, October 31
Halloween Frights and Bites
This Halloween, Houston’s food scene is serving up spooky-good specials and events worth carving out of your calendar. From haunted bars and cocktail-filled costume parties to family-friendly treats and trick-or-treat style dining, check out our 2025 Halloween Food and Drink Guide to dig into the bites and bites-worthy happenings for the holiday.
Friday–Saturday
Dinner Service Launch at Jane and the Lion Bakehouse
Jane and the Lion Bakehouse, 4721 North Main, debuts dinner service with cozy, seasonal three-course suppers served Thursday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Expect locally sourced ingredients, rotating chalkboard menus and chef Jane Wild’s signature no-shortcuts style. Soft launch seatings kick off October 31, with regular service in November. Reservations required.
Saturday, November 2
50th Anniversary Celebration at New York Deli & Coffee Shop
Houston’s iconic New York Deli & Coffee Shop, 9724 Hillcroft, is throwing a party to celebrate five decades of bagels, schmears and community love. Held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the free family-friendly bash will feature 50=cent wood-fired pizza slices, deli favorites, cookie decorating, tie-dye and face painting stations, merch giveaways and a live DJ spinning tunes all afternoon.
Saturday–Sunday
Texas Renaissance Festival
Texas’ largest Renaissance-themed festival continues with the All Hallow’s Eve weekend. Step into a world of fantasy, food and revelry, with turkey legs, mead and themed entertainment ranging from costume contests to live performances. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for kids ages 5–12; children 4 and under get in free.
Sunday, November 2
Chef’s Table Dinner with Tobias Dorzon at FRNDS Restaurant & Lounge
FRNDS Restaurant & Lounge, 2411 University, hosts acclaimed chef Tobias Dorzon for a one-night-only Chef’s Table Dinner, with seatings at 7 and 9:30 p.m. The Tournament of Champions and Chopped star will present a multi-course prix fixe menu highlighting his refined, flavor-forward cooking. Seats are $150 to $200 per person.
All month long (October)
Black Lagoon Pop-Up at Nickel City
Spooky season means that Nickel City, 2910 McKinney, will once again transform into acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31.
Pearland Restaurant Weeks
All October long, Pearland Restaurant Weeks is offering curated two-course menus at participating spots (breakfast/lunch $20, dinner $35), and with every meal, restaurants donate to the Pearland Neighborhood Center.
Saint Arnold Beer Dinner at State Fare Kitchen & Bar
State Fare Kitchen and Bar, 947 Gessner, 15930 City Walk, 1900 Hughes Landing, celebrates fall with a three-course Saint Arnold Beer Pairing Dinner ($55), featuring dishes like Cocoa-Chili Braised Short Rib, Brown Butter Pierogi and Texas Pecan Tart, each paired with seasonal Saint A brews.
New and ongoing specials
Tasting Series at Caracol
Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, continues its tasting menu series, as chef Hugo Ortega and team take guests to Tabasco now through November 1. Expect food that reflects the region’s fertile land and waterways: robalo a la tabasqueña, grilled pejelagarto, river shrimp and tamales with chipilín. The four-course menu runs $75 per person plus tax and gratuity, with an optional beverage pairing for $36.
Pan de Muerto at URBE
In honor of Día de los Muertos, URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, is offering handmade pan de muerto through Sunday, November 2, available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders (placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice).
The coastal city of El Segundo is an unlikely location for a massive, new artificial surf park.
Other California surf parks with machine-powered wave pools are inland, far from natural waves in places like Palm Springs and Lemoore in the San Joaquin Valley.
This summer, an owner of one of those parks, Palm Springs Surf Club, bought 10 acres of land on a former aerospace campus in El Segundo. The location is near a bonanza of sports enterprises that have sprung up in recent years, including a Topgolf entertainment complex and the training facility and headquarters of the Los Angeles Chargers football team.
A company tied to billionaire Vinny Smith’s Toba Capital paid $54 million for the site, said Colin O’Byrne, president of Inland Pacific Cos., the development partner of Toba Capital.
Smith, a tech mogul and surfer, and a major investor in the Palm Springs Surf Club, reportedly got involved after testing a wave prototype.
Surfers wait their turn at The Palm Springs Surf Club.
(David Fouts/For The Times)
The El Segundo surf park, which has yet to be named, will hold about 5 million gallons of water in a 2.2-acre lagoon, O’Byrne said. He hopes to secure city approval to start work on the project, valued at $175 million, in about six months.
El Segundo is already a legit surfing town, known for its custom surfboard shapers and waves at El Segundo Beach Jetty.
“El Segundo has been a mecca for surf culture since the 1950s,” City Councilman and surfer Drew Boyles said. “But frankly, the surf out front is consistently poor-to-fair and it’s, like, absolutely crowded. So, this wave pool is going to be incredible.”
Boyles likened the potential appeal of the surf park to Topgolf, which makes a point in its advertising of putting beginners at ease with swinging a club for fun while also appealing to experienced golfers.
“Topgolf basically lowered the barriers to entry for people to get into the game of golf,” Boyles said. “Wave pools are doing the same thing, lowering the barrier to entry for people to get into surfing in a controlled, safe environment that’s not as intimidating as the ocean, that’s predictable and consistent.”
Boyles, a real estate developer, is working on developing a surf park of his own in Phoenix.
O’Byrne, who has been learning to surf in Palm Springs, said the vibe in a man-made lagoon can be more pleasant than competing with other surfers at sea.
“You have the ability to have your own wave, and everybody’s rooting for you to make your wave as opposed to getting yelled at in the lineup as a beginner or intermediate level surfer.”
The wave pool at The Palm Springs Surf Club.
(David Fouts/For The Times)
In Newport Beach, the city is considering approval of the Snug Harbor Surf Park Project, which would redevelop the center portion of the Newport Beach Golf Course with approximately five acres of surf lagoons. It would replace the driving range and downsize the course to 15 holes.
The centerpiece of a typical surf park is a large pool holding millions of gallons of water and a machine that can generate as many as 1,000 waves per hour. Developers also typically add restaurants, shops and other attractions to broaden the park’s appeal.
DSRT Surf, expected to open in summer 2026 at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in the Coachella Valley, is set to offer pickleball courts, a swimming pool, yoga classes, a restaurant and a skate bowl. Future plans call for a 139-room hotel and 57 luxury villas.
Inland Pacific and Smith are also working on a 45-acre mixed-use development around a surf park in Oceanside valued at $275 million, O’Byrne said. It is to include shops and restaurants along with a hotel adjacent to a 2.5-acre lagoon.
In Las Vegas, the company acquired 66 acres of land on Las Vegas Boulevard just south of the airport for a surf-centric development.
Now that engineers have figured out how to create consistent waves in a controlled environment, there is potential demand for many more surf parks in the world, O’Byrne said.
“This has been attempted since the 1980s,” OByrne said. “We’re really at a point where the technology has advanced to be able to do these more economically and allow for more consistency and longer waves.”
Vistors watch surfers from dry land at The Palm Springs Surf Club.
(David Fouts/For The Times)
Inland Pacific acquired the El Segundo site from Continental Corp., a California landlord with millions of square feet of commercial properties along the South Bay coast, real estate data provider CoStar said.
Continental bought the 30-acre corporate campus from Raytheon in 2021 and launched plans to redevelop it into a 600,000-square-foot mixed-use complex with office, retail and media production space.
Los Angeles and Orange counties have the largest concentration of surfers in the world at more than 2 million, according to an estimate by Surf Lakes Socal, which is looking for investors to fund the development of more wave pools.
From pan de muerto to monster cannolis, here’s where to find the season’s best sweets.
This Halloween, skip the tricks and go straight for the treats. Local favorites like Common Bond, Popfancy and URBE are conjuring up everything from festive cakes and cookies to pan de muerto and candy-inspired desserts. Here’s where to find Houston’s sweetest (and spookiest) indulgences this season.
Scoop up limited-time Halloween treats and cozy new soft serve flavors, including the Graveyard Delight and Monster Mash Dasher, plus a Pumpkin Spice Frappe through November 30.
Celebrate Halloween with Common Bond’s limited-time Spooky Candy Bar Cake, a layered vanilla and chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate candy bar filling and finished with silky vanilla buttercream. Available for preorder October 1–27 or in-store from October 1–31 while supplies last. Perfect for parties, gatherings, or a festive family treat.
Available for preorder through November 2, El Bolillo’s Pan de Muerto makes a festive centerpiece for Día de los Muertos altars and family tables. Other seasonal favorites include pumpkin cream cheese conchas and Champurrado for 12, a rich, chocolatey treat and made with toasted corn flour, piloncillo, cinnamon and anise.
Pizaro’s is getting spooky with Halloween treats like the Triple Treat Monster Cannolis ($8) – along with the savory Nightmare on Gray Street white pizza ($24 medium/$34 large – through October 31.
The dessert bar has transformed its Fan Cafe into an immersive “Demon Seoul Café,” a K-pop-themed pop-up experience running now through early November. Admission is free, with reservations encouraged, especially on weekends.
Texas’ favorite cookie delivery service has Halloween packages with colorful cookies and add-ons including spooky bite-size treats from Baked by Melissa.
On Wednesday, October 29, the Katy location invites guests to a hands-on cupcake decorating class hosted by Cakes by Meagan. Guests will enjoy chef’s lite bites and two glasses of red, white or sangria while creating ghoulishly tasty cupcakes. Tickets are $60 per person for a half-dozen cupcakes, with the option to upgrade to a full dozen for $20 more (plus tax and gratuity).
In celebration of Día de los Muertos, URBE is offering handmade pan de muerto through Sunday, November 2, available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders (placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice).
The Waffle Bus transformed its Heights location into a Halloween wonderland complete with over-the-top decorations and a family-friendly vibe. Stop by for festive treats like the Pumpkin Pie Shake.
We take a look at the Houston’s best Halloween food and drink happenings.
It’s officially spooky season in Houston, and the city’s best bars and restaurants are conjuring up festive bites, creepy cocktails and ghoulishly good parties all month long. From pumpkin spice espresso martinis and blood-red cocktails to killer costume parties and even some Dia de los Muertos action, here’s where to eat, drink and celebrate spooky season across the city.
The fun-loving pizza and cocktail bar gets very into the Halloween spirit with decor and a featured cocktail menu. Highlights include the Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini, Monster Smash, and Blood-Soaked Nightmarish Hellscape, available in 10- or 20-ounce servings.
Spooky season means that Nickel City will once again transform into acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31.
Brasserie 19’s Halloween weekend is back with two days of chic celebrations. On Saturday, October 25 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., “The Haunting of Versailles” offers Marie Antoinette–inspired opulence, couture costumes and Moët Hennessy cocktails. On Sunday, October 26 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., “Le Spectacle de Merde” continues with a high-energy day-after brunch, DJ GFunk, Campari cocktails, and seasonal brunch specials. Reservations recommended.
Brennan’s hosts a Witchy Brunch on Friday, October 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., inviting guests to don witchy attire and gather their covens for a festive Halloween feast. Reservations are recommended; $35 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Brenner’s hosts “Boo on the Bayou” on Friday, October 31 starting at 5 p.m., featuring a live DJ, signature cocktails, late-night bites and a costume contest with prizes including a night at The Post Oak Hotel, dinner for four at Grotto and happy hour for six at Cadillac Bar. Free admission; reservations recommended.
Get into the Halloween spirit at Caracol’s Noche de Brujas Party on Friday, October 31 from 7 to 11 p.m., featuring passed bites, food and dessert stations, a live DJ, and a costume contest with prizes. Each $85 ticket includes four specialty cocktails.
Executive chef Ryan Pera is bringing a childhood tradition to White Oak with fresh-baked sourdough pretzels available for diners October 30–November 1, featuring Italian-inspired dips like Mostarda and Pecorino beer cheese. On Halloween night, Pera and the crew are preparing a pretzel stand for passing families to enjoy.
Halloween pop-up The Cursed Cauldron has found a permanent home at Botonica, running through November 2. Guests can explore multiple immersive realms while sipping apothecary-inspired cocktails like Coven’s Calling and Lilith’s Lullaby. Weekly activations include Movie Night with Pumpkin Paint & Sip, Tarot Tuesdays, Bewitched Burlesque and Saturday witch-craft classes. Reservations recommended via OpenTable.
The teahouse hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner on Sunday, October 26 with seatings at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Guests enjoy a three-course Paris Opera–themed Masquerade of Shadows, interactive gameplay with secret character roles and prizes for Best Detective and Best Costume. Tickets are $125 per person plus taxes and fees; reservations on OpenTable.
This gothic tiki speakeasy is transforming into The Haunted Luau for October, serving spooky cocktails like the Be Still My Heart, Doomscroller and Pumpkinhead, each $19. Expect over-the-top Halloween vibes and tiki twists.
Feges BBQ hosts its annual Halloween Spooktacular on Wednesday, October 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. The family-friendly event features a haunted house, costume contest with prizes at 6:45 p.m., candy giveaways, free kids’ meals and half-off select wine for adults. No reservations required.
Goode Company hosts a ticketed Halloween soirée on Friday, October 31 from 7 p.m. to midnight, transforming its River Oaks cantina into a moody, candlelit haunt. Guests can enjoy live mariachi, a DJ, costume contests and door prizes, plus elevated bites like lechoncito tacos and duck tinga memelas alongside craft cocktails including the Damn Goode Margarita and Flor de Muerto. General admission is $50, VIP tables available; 21+ with wristband required.
Step into HalloweenTown with spooky-themed movies, a decadent S’mores Board and playful cocktails like the Blood Bag Cosmo, Grave Digger Espresso Martini and Witches Brew Margarita. Seating is limited, so reservations via Resy are recommended.
This Halloween, kids in costume eat free at Hungry’s, with family-friendly seasonal specials at locations in Rice Village, 2356 Rice, Memorial/NextDoor, 14714 Memorial, and Spring Branch, 5750 Woodway. Adults can join the Halloween Party at NextDoor Memorial at 7 p.m. for themed cocktails, a DJ and costumes.
All October, Jethro’s transforms into Dead Man Manor, a Victorian Gothic Halloween pop-up with themed décor, seasonal cocktails and nightly events from singles mixers and karaoke to movie nights and Tarot Tuesdays. The month culminates with a Halloween Bash on October 30–31, featuring DJs, dancing and festive drinks, followed by a Día de Los Muertos celebration November 1–2 with a community ofrenda. All events are free and open to the public.
The Marigold Club goes full spooky-chic this Halloween on October 31 at 5 PM. Dress to impress for the costume contest, sip on seasonal cocktails, and soak up a night of playful frights and festive surprises.
Over in Bryan, Messina Hof celebrates the season with two spine-tingling experiences on Friday, October 31. Join the “Murder Mystery Dinner: Chamber of Screams” from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. for an interactive whodunit paired with a Halloween buffet and wine. Or, take the “Spooky Cellar Tour” from 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring ghost stories, four wine tastings, and a souvenir glass—costumes encouraged. Tickets required for both events.
The cheese and wine shop is inviting guests to bring their pups in costume for the annual dog costume contest, running from Friday, October 24, through Halloween at 5 p.m. The winner, announced on Halloween, will take home a 6-pack of wine plus a bag of Olympia Provisions dog treats for their furry friend.
Októ, 888 Westheimer Októ hosts its first-ever Vampire Ball this Halloween with a DJ spinning at 8 p.m. and a lively, costume-friendly party atmosphere. Guests can sip on spooky-themed cocktails and enjoy dinner with regular reservations.
Picos celebrates Día de los Muertos with its 2nd Annual H-Town Agave Fest on Saturday, November 1 from 4 to 8 p.m., featuring tequila tastings, cocktails, a DJ, street foods from tacos to elote, face painting and more. The Ofrenda has returned for guests to honor loved ones with photos, and Picos will remain open through the end of the year with more festive events.
Pier 6 brings back its epic Halloween bash on Friday, October 31, rocking spooky décor, all-night happy hour, candy for kids, beats by DJ Ebonix and a cash prize for the best costume. The themed bash is family-friendly and reservations are strongly encouraged.
Pizaro’s is getting spooky with Halloween treats like the Triple Treat Monster Cannolis ($8) and the savory Nightmare on Gray Street white pizza ($24 medium/$34 large). Both locations will serve Halloween specials through October 31.
Zanti celebrates Halloween with themed cocktails and events all month. Pre-Halloween Brunch is Saturday, October 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the “Midnight in Milan” party follows Saturday, October 25 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., featuring roaming entertainers, signature cocktails and a costume contest. Reservations recommended.
A proposed mega-development in downtown Los Angeles, which would replace a cold storage facility with a $2-billion residential and commercial complex, cleared a major hurdle last week when the city Planning Commission backed it.
Commissioners unanimously recommended the construction of Fourth & Central in the Skid Row neighborhood.
The 7.6-acre compound along Central Avenue that would contain apartments, offices, shops and restaurants in 10 distinct buildings of various sizes that would change the city skyline. The City Council will consider final approval later this year.
The project, which would be built near the neighborhood’s boundary with the Arts District, is being proposed by property owner Larry Rauch, president of Los Angeles Cold Storage. His family has operated food chilling facilities at Fourth Street and Central Avenue since the 1960s and plans to move the business to a new location.
In its place would be 1,589 rental apartments with 249 affordable units, along with 401,000 square feet of creative office space and 145,748 square feet of retail or restaurant space. The complex was conceived by Long Beach architect Studio One Eleven.
In response to changing market conditions and reactions from community members, a number of revisions have been made to Fourth & Central since the project was initially proposed in 2021.
Rendering of Fourth & Central, a $2-billion mixed-use development planned to replace a cold storage facility in downtown Los Angeles.
(Tomorrow Inc)
The tallest building, an apartment tower, has been reduced to 30 stories from 44. With housing more in demand than lodging, the hotel originally planned for the project has been replaced by additional residential units, including more affordable housing units.
The open space design has been changed to create better pedestrian connections to the Little Tokyo Galleria shopping center north of the complex. The 2 acres of open space in the project will be accessible to the public, Rauch said.
Denver real estate developer Continuum Partners, which initially launched the project with Rauch, is no longer involved, Rauch said.
“Continuum has chosen to focus its resources elsewhere at this time; the Fourth & Central Project will be moving forward with LA Cold Storage at the lead,” he said in a statement.
If approved, it would probably take a year to 18 months to complete final plans for the project before starting work. Fourth & Central is moving through its preliminary stages at a time when many other developers have put residential projects in Los Angeles on hold because it’s difficult to find viable construction financing at current interest rates.
Many equity investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, are also reluctant to park money in L.A. because the rapidly changing rules make it impossible to predict profits.
Among investors’ concerns are public policies such as the United to House Los Angeles (Measure ULA) transfer tax on large real estate sales, and also temporary limits on evicting tenants that were enacted during the pandemic.
“We’ve spent years working on our plan to transform this industrial property into a mixed-use community, which made it so rewarding to hear city decision-makers agree with our vision,” Rauch said after the Planning Commission vote.
Among the organizations voicing support for the project were the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, the Little Tokyo Business Assn. and the Central City Assn.
“This project represents a significant stride toward addressing the region’s housing challenges,” said Nella McOsker, president of the Central City Assn. “Plus, the new retail and restaurant space will attract business and people to downtown.”
Fourth & Central is not the only mega project being planned on the east side of downtown.
In July, the City Council approved 670 Mequit, a $1.4-billion complex intended to have apartments, offices, a hotel, a charter elementary school, shops and restaurants. It is to replace a cold storage facility on the west side of the Los Angeles River with the mixed-use complex designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels Group.
Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
All week long
Wild Game Specials at Ouisie’s Table
Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, is serving up a weekly series of imaginative game dinners now through November 26. This week features Seared Saltine Crusted Venison Backstrap Chicken Fried Steak ($38) with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, corn pudding and peppercorn gravy.
Wednesday, October 15
Kirkwood x DAOU Vineyard Dinner at The Lymbar
Upcoming Energy Corridor concept Kirkwood is teaming up with The Lymbar for an exclusive multi-course wine dinner featuring the wines of DAOU Vineyard at The Lymbar, 4201 Main, beginning with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the wine-paired dinner at 6:30. Highlights include a decadent Lobster Ballotine, Braised Short Rib and a trio of sweet and savory bites, including Sticky Toffee Pudding with Roquefort blue cheese. Tickets are $110 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.
Wednesday–Friday
Fall Events at Lyric Market
Lyric Market, 411 Smith, hosts Cocktails for a Cause this Wednesday, featuring a special Happy Hour and Silent Auction in partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America – Texas Gulf Coast; followed by a Sip & Bloom Floral Workshop on Thursday and the Tastes & Treasures Pop-Up Artisan Market (Halloween Edition) on Friday.
Thursday, October 19
Dinner & a Show at Brennan’s of Houston
Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, brings back its Dinner & a Show series with live music from P.F. & The Flyers, a four-course Texas-Creole feast, featuring dishes like Snapping Turtle Soup, Creole Roasted Chicken or Gulf Shrimp & Grits, and Brennan’s iconic Bananas Foster for dessert. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner and entertainment starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Saturday, October 18
Grand Opening at The Bell and Crane
Houston beverage industry vet Ashley Bell celebrates the grand opening of her new Old Sixth Ward bar, The Bell and Crane, 908 Henderson. Featuring quality cocktails, nostalgic ‘90s-inspired snacks and a laid-back dive bar vibe, the opening party kicks off at 7 p.m. with live DJ beats and bbq bites from Henderson & Kane. Entry is free, with VIP tickets to elevate the experience with a custom bbq plate, three cocktails, reserved seating, a 10 percent off coupon and swag.
HOPERA Divas at the Deli at Kenny & Ziggy’s
Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, 1743 Post Oak, teams up with Houston’s HOPERA for Divas at the Deli, a one-night dinner of food, song and laughter. The 6:30 p.m. buffet features East European favorites like Beef Mouton Rothchild, Chicken with Cherry Roman Sauce and Snapper Isabelle, plus the deli’s famous cheesecake. Tickets are $75 per person, including tax and gratuity, and must be reserved by Tuesday, October 14, at 713-871-8883.
Saturday–Sunday
Texas Renaissance Festival
Texas’ largest Renaissance-themed festival continues with the 1001 Dreams weekend, October 18–19. Step into a world of fantasy, food and revelry, with turkey legs, mead and themed entertainment ranging from costume contests to live performances. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for kids ages 5–12; children 4 and under get in free.
Saturday–Monday
Diwali Thali at Pondicheri
Pondicheri, 2800 Kirby, is ushering in the Festival of Lights with a festive Diwali Thali, available in-house from October 18 to October 20. For $28 (vegetarian), $32 (chicken) or $35 (lamb), enjoy a platter featuring 7-Vegetable Stew, Rajma Chaat, Carrot Paratha, Fresh Fruit, Besan Mithai, and a choice of Paneer Kebab, Chicken Kebab or Lamb Kebab.
All month long
Black Lagoon Pop-Up at Nickel City
Spooky season means that Nickel City, 2910 McKinney, will once again transform into acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31.
Pearland Restaurant Weeks
All October long, Pearland Restaurant Weeks is offering curated two-course menus at participating spots (breakfast/lunch $20, dinner $35), and with every meal, restaurants donate to the Pearland Neighborhood Center.
Saint Arnold Beer Dinner at State Fare Kitchen & Bar
State Fare Kitchen and Bar, 947 Gessner, 15930 City Walk, 1900 Hughes Landing, celebrates fall with a three-course Saint Arnold Beer Pairing Dinner ($55), featuring dishes like Cocoa-Chili Braised Short Rib, Brown Butter Pierogi and Texas Pecan Tart, each paired with seasonal Saint A brews.
New and ongoing specials
Tasting Series at Caracol
Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, continues its tasting menu series, as chef Hugo Ortega and team take guests to Tabasco now through November 1. Expect food that reflect’s the region’s fertile land and waterways: robalo a la tabasqueña, grilled pejelagarto, river shrimp and tamales with chipilín. The four-course menu runs $75 per person plus tax and gratuity, with an optional beverage pairing for $36.
Pan de Muerto at URBE
In honor of Día de los Muertos, URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, is offering handmade pan de muerto through Sunday, November 2, available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders (placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice).
Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown have proved once again that they know how to use historic buildings in Charlotte to their advantage.
On Tuesday night, the husband-and-wife team that co-owns some of the city’s hottest restaurants — including Plaza Midwood’s Supperland and Dilworth’s Lelulia Hall, both of which are located in repurposed historic church buildings — hosted a premiere of their new PBS docu-series in a most apropos place:
“Welcome to the beautifully restored Carolina Theatre,” Brown said to a crowd of about 800 people gathered in the renovated historic uptown room that reopened earlier this year, after overcoming a parade of construction challenges. “I’m sure a lot of you have never been here before. It’s a fantastic venue; and the two of us, I know a lot of you know, we get into some pretty crazy restoration projects.
“So we could not dream of a better stage for tonight’s event.”
Jamie Brown, left, and Jeff Tonidandel greet guests gathered at Carolina Theatre on Tuesday night for the premiere of their new show, “Fork & Hammer.” JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
That was the segue for a Charlotte screening of Episode 1 of Season 1 of “Fork & Hammer,” a new show that over the course of 10 half-hour episodes will explore how Brown and Tonidandel have built a restaurant empire in Charlotte both figuratively and quite literally.
Indeed, the “Fork” in the title refers to the restaurant aspect, while the “Hammer” is a nod to how heavily construction work plays into the development of their concepts. For example, most recently, the couple has received boatloads of press for heavily remodeling the building that became Lelulia Hall and for saving a 1903 building from demolition by having it picked up and moved 750 feet — onto a lot next to Lelulia, where in the coming year it will become their seventh concept. (Their existing six? Ever Andalo, Growlers Pourhouse, Haberdish, Leluia Hall, Reigning Doughnuts and Supperland.)
We know from watching the premiere that those two projects will serve as focal points for “Fork & Hammer.”
As for how the show came together in the first place, and what else to expect from it moving forward? We got answers from Tonidandel and Brown to those questions and more during an interview on Monday at Lelulia Hall. Here are the highlights from that conversation.
A bird’s-eye view of Tuesday night’s post-screening discussion at Carolina Theatre, which featured former tennis star Andy Roddick interviewing his friends Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
They’d flirted with some semblance of reality-TV stardom for a while.
“We had heard from different agents over the years who were interested in potentially doing some sort of a television series,” Brown says. “But nothing ever panned out with those different groups.”
One of their chief concerns about the potential concepts that had been pitched in the past …
… was that the focus would be on “rifts between chefs and sous chefs and (other staff),” Brown says. “We didn’t want to go that direction with our team.” They felt that, because their concepts are so varied — from donuts to steak — a show about them shouldn’t have to hinge on bickering.
Normally, Tonidandel says, “a restaurant show without drama’s a little tough, because 99% of the time you have one cuisine and you’re making the same 20 dishes over and over again. All you have to rely on is the drama. With us … we have a lot of different things going on. … Moving a building, our constant struggles and growth, and trying to get better every day adds enough layers in there for content.”
So Brown decided to experiment with the medium on her own.
“I had this dream, when we started working on the Leluia Hall space (in early 2022), of doing a documentary around the build-out of the restaurant,” Brown says, “because it’s a 1915 church, it had been a number of different congregations, and then retail businesses, and then, of course, a restaurant, Bonterra. I thought people would find that interesting. So Jeff bought me a really nice camera, and I came in and started taking shots all around … trying to capture some different scenes, like the first time we were up in the attic.”
Lelulia Hall, at right, next to the Leeper & Wyatt building, which Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown plan to transform into a new restaurant concept next year. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Her pet project eventually evolved into a YouTube channel called “Restaurant Road” in 2023 …
… and became more all-encompassing of their restaurant group. “We had some (content on the channel) about Leluia Hall, but not much,” Brown says. “It was mostly about our team and what we were doing, because we wanted to go more in-depth. We were finding social media to be — it’s so flashy, it’s so fast, and you don’t ever get to know the people, or the reasons why.”
“Restaurant Road” featured everything from pastry chef Savannah Foltz walking through how to make Supperland’s carrot jam to Tonidandel talking about business-oriented challenges the couple’s restaurant group faced.
Then in January 2024, they got a call from a producer from Charlotte-based Susie Films …
… who had read an article about the couple and their restaurants in Charlotte magazine that had been published in December. He pitched an idea for a “docu-follow” series, Brown recalls — something “very organic,” and “very educational … more like about that ‘edutainment’-type stuff, as opposed to being people-drama-focused. … This seemed like a great fit. So we jumped on board.”
And PBS jumped on board not long after that.
“I think what we do has so much breadth and it’s so dynamic that getting pigeonholed to any network that’s all about food, or all about design, or all about construction, didn’t really fit for us,” Tonidandel says, “whereas PBS has been an awesome outlet and partner for us because we can just go and tell our story. We don’t have to make it about anything else.” (The main sponsors and funders of “Fork & Hammer” are the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, Trust20, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and the Biltmore Estate Winery.)
Attendees gather in the lobby of the Carolina Theatre prior to the premiere of “Fork & Hammer” on Tuesday night. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Shooting for “Fork & Hammer” began in June 2024 and ended right after Leluia Hall opened on May 6 of this year …
… with a long production pause during the second half of winter and the first half of spring as the opening sat in a holding pattern. Although the run-up to the opening of Leluia Hall is the main thread throughout the 10 episodes, the story will actually begin with the opening of Tonidandel and Brown’s first restaurant — Crepe Cellar (which was replaced by Ever Andalo) — 16 years ago. Episode One’s title? “It Started With a Crepe.”
Brown was relieved to have the professionals take over — “because frankly, I’m not a photographer-camera person …
… or an editor, or any of that kind of thing” — but the production team did use pieces of her original work, including footage shot on her camera and her phone.
The show isn’t set entirely inside their restaurants.
At one point, the film crew follows them 4,000 miles across the ocean to Spain, where they took their three children on a family vacation. Tonidandel says they “were basically just doing what we do when we go on vacation, which is do research for the restaurants, go to cool places, learn as much as we can, go to wineries. … So it was pretty cool. And exhausting. … We had filmed … three days in a row before here (in Charlotte). But we were able to go home and (get a break). There, it was just nonstop.”
They’ve gotten to take a look at rough cuts of episodes, and they’re pleased with what they’ve seen.
“It’s neat to see our team on there,” Brown says, but “it’s also just a very positive showcase for the restaurant business overall. I think a lot of times it gets a bad rap. The most recent show that’s out, of course, is ‘The Bear.’ It shines a really tough light on the business. And it is tough. This business is hard. … But there’s also a lot of beauty in it — people getting to showcase their talent, welcoming people in for a beautiful dining experience, to create memories — and it’s been a lot of fun to put together with everybody.”
Jeff Tonidandel, left, and Jamie Brown chat with former tennis superstar Andy Roddick (a friend of the couple’s and a Charlotte resident) during a post-screening discussion on Tuesday night. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Tonidandel and Brown are the stars, but other strong characters will emerge …
… over the course of the season, too. Among them: Chris Rogienski and Jon Rosenberg, who during the arc of “Fork & Hammer’s” first season go from executive chef and general manager at Supperland, respectively, to the same positions at Leluia Hall; and Courtland Bradford, executive sous chef at Supperland who has worked with Rogienski for many years.
On the other hand, Tonidandel says that out of the more than 300 staffers they employ “we have a few shy people … (who) do not want to be on”; and dating back to the days of the since-discontinued “Restaurant Road,” Brown adds, they’ve always told the staff, “‘If you don’t want to be on camera … that is perfectly fine.’ … Zero pressure.”
While a second season is “not a done deal,” according to Tonidandel, everyone involved seems open to the possibility …
… and there’s definitely good fodder: The concept for the historic building that was moved down the street and placed next to Leluia Hall is currently a secretive work in project that the couple hopes to open next year.
WATCH: How to see ‘Fork & Hammer’
The premiere episode will debut on pbs.org and the PBS app on Monday, Oct. 13, with the initial televised airing in North Carolina set for 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, on the North Carolina Channel (PBS NC, formerly UNC-TV). Check your local listings for details and additional showtimes. New episodes of the show will be released every week thereafter.
Jamie Brown, left, and Jeff Tonidandel are the stars of “Fork & Hammer.” JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
In the Spotlight: Ongoing, in-depth coverage from The Charlotte Observer on the issues that matter most to Charlotteans.
This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
Théoden Janes has spent more than 18 years covering entertainment and pop culture for the Observer. He also thrives on telling emotive long-form stories about extraordinary Charlotteans and — as a veteran of three dozen marathons and two Ironman triathlons — occasionally writes about endurance and other sports. Support my work with a digital subscription
The newest Cajun restaurant in town looks and tastes like it’s been a local favorite for years.
Cocodrie’s Bayou Kitchen, in a timeworn cafe at 5209 Rufe Snow Drive, serves well-spiced and near-perfect Cajun dishes and feels as comfortable as a coastal bait shack.
Owner Jesse Gibson, a Cajun food and seafood vendor for years as the “Wild Cajun,” brought his know-how to a restaurant that combines blackened, grilled and fried fish with gumbos, étouffées, boudin, crab boils and poboys.
Unlike many Cajun restaurants with good platters but weak gumbos and sides, Cocodrie’s excels at everything.
The “Kitchen Sink” platter featueres blackened redfish topped with étouffée, fried shrimp and a boudin ball at Cocodrie’s in North Richland Hills, Texas, Oct. 5, 2025. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
On a lunch visit the other day, the blackened redfish platter with étouffée and a shrimp-boudin ball ($25)was one of the best Cajun dishes here since Louisiana’s sainted Ralph & Kacoo’s moved out of North Texas.
A poboy combo with a catfish half-poboy was made on perfect, pillowy Gambino’s bread and paired with a rich seafood gumbo. It was a solid value at $15.
Poboys start at $8. Catfish baskets cost $15; a fried seafood combo is $20.
Cocodrie’s restaurant replaced a former sports bar in North Richland Hills, Texas, seen Feb. 5, 2025. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
Cocdrie’s offers three gumbos — seafood, chicken-sausage or shrimp-okra, along with jambalaya and crawfish étouffée.
The bar includes Abita beers on tap.
It you like it, you can buy more frozen to take home. Cocodrie’s offers everything for a Cajun feast at home, including hot sauces unheard of this side of the Pontchartrain.
Even the Nachitoches meat pie — a Cajun version of an empanada, filled with either crawfish or beef — excelled.
Cocodrie’s Bayou Kitchen replaced a well-worn sports bar in North Richland Hills, Texas. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
The only drawback at Cocodrie’s is the wait.
You order at the counter and then take a table or booth. The kitchen is doing a lot of great work. But it’s also doing a lot of work, particularly with Cocodrie’s drawing crowds from all over Tarrant County on Loop 820.
Cocodrie’s is in a 40-year-old restaurant location on Rufe Snow Drive just north of Loop 820, across the freeway from Babe’s Chicken Dinner House.
Cocodrie’s in North Richland Hills, Texas, includes a shop with frozen foods, hot sauces and spices. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
If you ever went to Tippin’s Pie Pantry, or Sparks Cafe, or that location of Chef Point Cafe, or Christie’s Extreme Burgers (today’s Beacon Cafe), you know the place.
It hasn’t changed. It has old booths, a junky patio and a shop that still sells a few “Sparks Cafe” caps.
Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the “Eats Beat” dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 — that’s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat. Support my work with a digital subscription
Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
Monday, October 6
Bas’s Cheesesteaks Pop-Up at Burger Bodega
Burger Bogega chef-owner Abbas Dhanani is serving up his take on the Philly classic, featuring halal ribeye piled into seeded hoagie rolls with a choice of toppings, at his Bas’s Cheesesteaks pop-up at Burger Bodega, 4520 Washington, beginning at 6 p.m. until sold out. Orders open for pre-sale Fridays at 3 p.m. with link coming via Instagram @basscheesesteaks for pre-order pickups beginning at 5 p.m.
Tuesday, October 7
Taco Day Deal at The Little Taco Shop
The Little Taco Shop, 3411 Kirby, will celebrate National Taco Day with discounted tacos and cocktails all day long. Guests can enjoy $3 tacos all day and take advantage of buy-one, get-one frozen margaritas and canned cocktails, including house margarita, paloma, blue lychee, and pink guava flavors. thelittletacoshop.com
Wednesday, October 8
Backstreet Cafe Anniversary Dinner at Hugo’s
Backstreet Cafe will host its 42nd Anniversary Pop-up Wine Dinner at Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer, kicking off with a passed bites reception at 6 p.m., followed by a four-course dinner from chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega paired with acclaimed Sonoma wines from Kosta Browne, known for its expressive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Tickets are $140++.
Taste America at The Post Oak Hotel
James Beard Foundation will host its Taste America walk-around tasting at The Post Oak Hotel, 1600 West Loop South, featuring more than 20 Houston chefs, including TasteTwenty honoree Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk. Beginning at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. VIP), guests can enjoy bites like African Palm Butter Chicken, Tuna Tiradito, Coconut-Vanilla Bean Flan, and Pad Thai–Oatmeal Fluffernutter while enjoying beverages and activations from national and local sponsors. Tickets start at $175 and benefit the James Beard Foundation’s mission to support independent restaurants and the broader food system.
Thursday, October 9
Angel’s Envy Dinner at The Annie Café & Bar
Guests are invited to an upscale dinner pairing featuring food and bourbon in celebration of Angel’s Envy at The Annie Cafe & Bar, 1600 Post Oak, beginning at 7 p.m.
Friday, October 10
Jane’s Dine Inn at Jane and the Lion Bakehouse
Chef Jane Wild continues her monthly supper series Jane’s Dine Inn, celebrating seasonal flavors with an intimate, five-course, family-style Harvest Moon Dinner at Jane and the Lion Bakehouse, 4721 North Main. The evening begins with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by the seated supper at 7 p.m. Tickets are $111 per person, gratuity included.
Saturday, October 11
Houston International Festival
The Houston International Festival is taking place at 2509 Alabama, held from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., bringing together global flavors, live bands and DJ sets across multiple genres, family-friendly activities, cultural performances, pop-up art displays and an exclusive VIP section with premium seating. Tickets are $10 GA (free for kids) and $50 VIP.
Oktoberfes at Biggio’s
Biggio’s, 1777 Walker, is bringing Bavarian celebrations downtown with an Oktoberfest bash featuring seasonal bites from the kitchen and brews from Saint Arnold, Karbach, Eureka Heights and more. Admission is free—just bring your beer stein spirit from 12:30 to 4 p.m.
All month long
Black Lagoon Pop-Up at Nickel City
Spooky season means that Nickel City, 2910 McKinney, will once again transform into acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31. https://blacklagoonpopup.com/
Pearland Restaurant Weeks
All October long, Pearland Restaurant Weeks is offering curated two-course menus at participating spots (breakfast/lunch $20, dinner $35), and with every meal, restaurants donate to the Pearland Neighborhood Center.
New and ongoing specials
Tasting Series at Caracol
Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, continues its tasting menu series, as chef Hugo Ortega and team take guests to Tabasco now through November 1. Expect food that reflect’s the region’s fertile land and waterways: robalo a la tabasqueña, grilled pejelagarto, river shrimp and tamales with chipilín. The four-course menu runs $75 per person plus tax and gratuity, with an optional beverage pairing for $36.
Pan de Muerto at URBE
In honor of Día de los Muertos, URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, is offering handmade pan de muerto from Wednesday, October 1 through Sunday, November 2. Baked from scratch in URBE’s on-site bakery, the sweet bread is available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders. Regular pan de muerto is $4.50 each ($25 for half-dozen, $50 per dozen), and cream-filled is $7 each ($40 for half-dozen, $80 per dozen). Large orders can be placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice.
Named for his parents, Agnes and Sherman, chef Nick Wong brings diner-style modern Asian American fare to this buzzy new spot on 19th. Here,the Momofuku and UBPreserv alum turns nostalgia into playful, bold dishes that are better than any diner food you’ve ever had – think savory scallion waffles with sambal honey butter, Taiwanese disco fries with pork gravy and pickled mustard greens, crab randoon dip with crispy wonton chips, and crawfish gumbo smothered egg foo young. Tack on a newly launched brunch and lunch service and the Heights has its new favorite spot.
Brooke Viggiano is a contributing writer who is always looking to share Houston’s coolest and tastiest happenings with the Houston Press readers.
More by Brooke Viggiano
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette, 4224 San Felipe, 963 Bunker Hill, is celebrating fall with a special three-course wine dinner paired with pours from Reynolds Family Winery, available through Sunday, October 5. Seasonal highlights Hokkaido scallops, Alaskan halibut, and an Autumn Empress cocktail.
Monday, September 29
Borrowed Goods Pop-Up at Third Place
Third Place, 420 East 20th, will host Diane and Willet Feng of Burger Chan for a one-day pop-up of their Borrowed Goods concept, this time, featuring coconut curry beef rendang lasagna and and fresh spinach lasagna. Pop in to get a taste from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, September 30
National Olive Oil Day at Craft Pita
Craft Pita, 1920 Fountain View, 5172 Buffalo Speedway, is honoring National Olive Oil Day with a buy-one-get-one-half-off special on its imported Lebanese extra virgin olive oil.
Wednesday, October 1
Chef Battle Royale at Lombardi Cucina Italiana
Lombardi Family Concepts will host its second annual Chef Battle Royale with head-to-head competitions at two Houston restaurants, with two nights each offering a five-course menu, side-by-side tastings paired with Noble Wine and voting to crown the evening’s winner. On Wednesday, October 1, diners can experience the culinary showdown at Lombardi Cucina Italiana, 1745 Post Oak, and on October 22 at Toulouse Café and Bar, 2180 West Gray, where executive chefs Mauro Gianinazzi and Emmanuel Hodencq will swap cuisines to tackle each other’s specialties. Tickets are $250++ per person.
Thursday, October 2
Two-Year Birthday Bash at Balboa Surf Club
Uptown’s coastal-inspired Balboa Surf Club, 1753 Post Oak Boulevard, celebrates two years with a one-day oyster special. Guests can score $2 oysters by the half-dozen, choosing from shucked-to-order North Atlantic oysters on the half shell or crispy oysters with Flower Street vinaigrette and lemon. The deal runs all day.
Saturday, October 4
PAWZtober Fest at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown
Folks are invited to PAWZtober Fest at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown, 1700 Post Oak, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The free Tex-Mex fundraiser benefits Lone Star Pawz, a local animal rescue for cats and dogs; and guests can enjoy live music from The Guzzlers, raffle prizes including Houston Texans and Astros tickets, and 20 percent off their meal with a raffle ticket purchase.
H-E-B Wine Walk at The Woodlands Resort
The 21st annual H-E-B Wine Walk hits The Woodlands Resort, 2301 North Millbend, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring more than 50 wine tasting tents, 40 craft beers and dozens of culinary offerings from top local restaurants and chefs. Tickets start at $79 for general admission.
All month long (October)
Black Lagoon Pop-Up at Nickel City
Spooky season means that Nickel City, 2910 McKinney, will once again transform into acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31.
New and ongoing specials
Low-Calorie Menus at Best Regards
Best Regards, 222 West 11th, debuted its new low-calorie cocktail and food menus, created in partnership with former Houston Texans nutritionist Jacob Mertens and private chef Andre Nieves. Highlights include macro-friendly dishes like Empanadas, Shrimp Campechana and Carne Asada Fried Rice alongside low-cal cocktails including the Frozen Assets (116 calories) and Paloma Payoff (105 calories).
Weekday Lunch at Mayahuel
Mayahuel, 811 Buffalo Park Dr. Suite 130, will debut weekday lunch service beginning Wednesday, October 1, available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef Luis Robledo Richards brings a modern Mexican approach to midday dining with dishes like tortilla soup in a tomato-ancho broth, cochinita torta, and chicken milanese, plus a rotating prix-fixe menu featuring a starter, dessert, and a taco trilogy based on fresh market finds.
Pan de Muerto at URBE
In honor of Día de los Muertos, URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, is offering handmade pan de muerto from Wednesday, October 1 through Sunday, November 2. Baked from scratch in URBE’s on-site bakery, the sweet bread is available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders. Regular pan de muerto is $4.50 each ($25 for half-dozen, $50 per dozen), and cream-filled is $7 each ($40 for half-dozen, $80 per dozen). Large orders can be placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice.
A shooting at a picturesque, seaside town in North Carolina that left three people dead and five others injured was a “highly premeditated” attack, police said Sunday.Police Chief Todd Coring said at a press conference Sunday that Nigel Edge of Oak Island is accused of opening fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at American Fish Company in Southport. Coring said the location was “targeted” but did not elaborate.The shooting, which erupted about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, took place along a popular stretch of bars and restaurants in the historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington. Investigators said Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, stopped briefly, fired, and then sped away.Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.“We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, District Attorney Jon David said. He is being held without bond.Among the five people hospitalized with injuries, at least one “is now clinging for their life,” David said.It was not immediately known whether Edge has an attorney to speak on his behalf. No attorney was listed on court documents.Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning, officials said.Investigators from multiple agencies — including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard — remained on the water and at the scene Sunday collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.Officials did not immediately release the names of those killed.
SOUTHPORT, N.C. —
A shooting at a picturesque, seaside town in North Carolina that left three people dead and five others injured was a “highly premeditated” attack, police said Sunday.
Police Chief Todd Coring said at a press conference Sunday that Nigel Edge of Oak Island is accused of opening fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at American Fish Company in Southport. Coring said the location was “targeted” but did not elaborate.
The shooting, which erupted about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, took place along a popular stretch of bars and restaurants in the historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington. Investigators said Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, stopped briefly, fired, and then sped away.
Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.
“We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, District Attorney Jon David said. He is being held without bond.
Among the five people hospitalized with injuries, at least one “is now clinging for their life,” David said.
It was not immediately known whether Edge has an attorney to speak on his behalf. No attorney was listed on court documents.
Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning, officials said.
Investigators from multiple agencies — including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard — remained on the water and at the scene Sunday collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Officials did not immediately release the names of those killed.
A list of great restaurants in Downtown, Waterstreet, Armature Works, and Ybor.
THE DOWNTOWN TAMPA AREA
Mis-en Place $$$ 442 W Grand Central Ave Website | (813) 254-5373 A Tampa fine dining pioneer blending French technique with creative flavors. Expect refined plates like Smoked Salmon Carpaccio, Vadouvan Scallops, and Filet of Beef.
Edison: Food + Drink Lab $$$ 912 W Kennedy Blvd Website | (813) 254-7111 Modern American dishes crafted with precision and imagination. Flavors are elevated, ingredients thoughtful, and execution exact.
Tori Bar $$ 442 W Grand Central Ave #190 Website | (813) 252-3839 Chic izakaya-style spot known for grilled skewers, sushi hand rolls, and cocktails featuring Japanese whiskies. Don’t miss happy hour.
Oxford Exchange $$$ 420 W Kennedy Blvd Website | (813) 253-0222 A brunch favorite with European flair. Enjoy Eggs Benedict, French Toast, and a curated gift shop/bookstore all under one roof.
Koya $$$$ 📍 807 W Platt St Website | (813) 284-7423 Intimate, minimalist omakase experience featuring seasonal Japanese cuisine crafted with elegance and detail.
The Dan $$ 905 N Florida Ave Website | (813) 318-9719 Located in the Floridan Hotel, this roaring ’20s-inspired spot serves festive fare and cocktails in a vibrant, art-deco space.
Malio’s $$$$ 400 N Ashley Dr Website | (813) 223-7746 A Tampa steakhouse institution. Prime cuts, seafood, fine wine, and river views make it a top pick for special occasions.
Dio Modern Mediterranean $$ 519 N Franklin St Website | (813) 398-4000 Relaxed Mediterranean eatery with dishes like hummus, gyros, and customizable Dio Bowls in a transportive setting.
Sal Rosa Kitchen + Bar $$$ 601 N Florida Ave Website | (813) 999-8214 Located inside Le Méridien. Latin and Caribbean flavors shine in dishes like octopus ceviche, seafood paella, and mole short ribs.
Haiku $$ 808 N Franklin St Website | (813) 644-5787 Asian-fusion restaurant with wagyu, ramen, fried rice, and a lively bar serving sake and cocktails.
Jackson’s Bistro $$ 601 S Harbour Island Blvd Website | (813) 277-0112 Waterfront bistro with a long-standing reputation. Popular for crab cakes, seafood towers, and views of downtown.
American Social $$$ 601 S Harbour Island Blvd #107 Website | (813) 605-3333 Lively waterfront gastropub ideal for socializing. Upscale comfort food and great cocktails with cityscape views.
Bavaro’s Pizza $$ 514 N Franklin St STE 101 Website | (813) 868-4440 Classic Italian cuisine with a family feel. Wood-fired pizza, pastas, and a warm, casual vibe.
Yeoman’s TopGolf Swing Suite 202 N Morgan St Website | (813) 224-9367 British pub-style fare with interactive games like virtual golf and arcade fun. A go-to for groups and casual nights.
Ebbe 1202 N Franklin St Website Chef-driven Nordic tasting menu in a sleek, chef’s counter setting. Minimalist design, Scandinavian ingredients, and artistry on every plate.
WATER STREET TAMPA
Boulon Brasserie $$$ 1001 Water St Website | (813) 768-9988 Chic French brasserie with a Tampa twist. Think steak frites, oysters, and one of the best burgers in town—served in a stylish, buzzy space.
Predalina $$$ 1001 Water St #101 Website | (813) 602-2364 Coastal Mediterranean fare in a bright, stunning setting. Seafood towers, house-made pastas, and fresh flavors by the waterfront.
Anchor & Brine $$$ 505 Water St Website | (813) 204-6390 Inside the Tampa EDITION. Upscale seafood spot with dockside views and artful plates like ceviche, grilled octopus, and lobster rolls.
The Pearl $$$ 823 Water St Website | (813) 709-7776 Rustic yet refined tavern serving oysters, seasonal plates, and a famous burger. Industrial-chic vibes with polished service.
Wagamama $$ 1050 Water St Website | (813) 250-3720 Lively London-based noodle house serving ramen, katsu, dumplings, and fresh juices in a sleek, modern setting.
Small Giant $$ 1050 Water St Website | (813) 773-3804 A neighborhood bar-meets-American eatery with smash burgers, wings, and cocktails in a nostalgic, fun-loving atmosphere.
Wine on Water $$ 1010 Water St Website | (813) 771-1132 A sleek wine and bottle shop with curated selections and charcuterie. Great for sipping and shopping in style.
ARMATURE WORKS
Rocca $$$$ 323 W Palm Ave Website | (813) 906-5445 Michelin-starred Italian where handmade pasta and tableside mozzarella take center stage. Elegant, intimate, and always impressive.
Ulele $$$ 1810 N Highland Ave Website | (813) 999-4952 Native-inspired Floridian cuisine with local ingredients and bold flavors. Try the seafood risotto or chargrilled oysters.
M. Bird $$ 1903 Market St Website | (813) 296-2702 Deco-inspired rooftop lounge with craft cocktails, skyline views, and shareable bites like sliders and steak frites.
Oak & Ola $$$ 1910 N Ola Ave Website | (813) 773-1901 Euro-American eatery with a focus on seasonal, thoughtful dishes and refined comfort. Chic space with a neighborhood feel.
Steelbach $$$ 1902 N Ola Ave Website | (813) 693-5478 Southern-style chophouse serving premium steaks grilled over open flame. Rustic setting in a restored streetcar warehouse.
Graze 1910 $$ 1910 N Ola Ave Website All-day breakfast and modern American comfort food. From waffles to burgers, it’s casual, cozy, and crave-worthy.
Stone’s Throw $$ 304 W 7th Ave Website | (813) 473-6857 Chill seafood spot with patio seating and water views. Rotating oysters and fresh catch specials shine.
YBOR
7th & Grove $$ 1930 E 7th Ave Website | (813) 649-8422 Upscale soul food with a vibrant atmosphere. Southern classics with a twist—perfect for hearty meals and good vibes.
Flor Fina $$$ 412 E 7th Ave Website | (813) 462-9660 Coastal Latin and Mediterranean fusion inside Hotel Haya. Ceviche, live-fire grill, and bold flavors in a sleek setting.
Bernini $$$ 1702 E 7th Ave Website | (813) 242-9555 Italian-American favorites served in a stylish space on historic 7th Avenue. Known for vodka-sauced pasta and happy hour martinis.
LARA $$ 1919 E 7th Ave Website Eclectic and inviting apothecary-style bar and eatery. Creative cocktails, bold bites, and a stylish space to gather and linger.
James Joyce $$ 1724 E 8th Ave Website | (813) 247-1896 Irish pub-style fare with community spirit. Trivia, karaoke, and live music make it a go-to for fun nights.
Barrio Tacos $$ 1822 E 7th Ave Website | (813) 242-2452 Build-your-own tacos, bold flavor combos, and an impressive tequila and whiskey lineup in a high-energy setting.
WTOP has rounded up over 20 recently opened and soon-to-open eateries in the D.C. area that range in price and style.
For diners who may be getting tired of the same old dishes and want to change it up with something new, the D.C. area is chock full of new restaurants and bar openings worth a reservation.
From a Bitcoin-preferred bar that is opening in Penn Quarter, to a selfie-approved restaurant and cafe heading to The Wharf, WTOP has rounded up over 20 recently opened and soon-to-open eateries that range in price and style.
This new Adams Morgan wine bar is headed by the award-winning Popal Group, which is known for well-recognized local restaurants like Pascual, Lutèce and Lapis. Maison Bar À Vins is located in a brownstone with velvet curtains, moody wallpaper and leather chairs. Chef Matt Conroy told WTOP that what he sees as missing in D.C. are late-night places to drink and eat that are upscale. “At night, if you want to still have a bottle of Champagne and some bone marrow or something, you’ll be able to do that pretty late here, which is pretty exciting,” said Conroy.
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What to expect from Maison Bar À Vins, Adams Morgan’s new French-inspired wine bar
Earlier this month, D.C.’s first phone-free bar opened. Heading the venture is Rock Harper, who won the third season of Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen.” Learn more about the inspiration of the bar in this profile by WTOP’s Jimmy Alexander.
This sports bar is a love letter to upstate New York with dishes like crispy wings, cheesy chicken riggies, Zweigle’s hot dogs, and the iconic “Garbage Plate,” which is a mashup of cheeseburgers, mac salad, chili and mustard. Headed by restaurateurs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee of The Fried Rice Collective, Upstate FTW (an acronym for “For the Win”) launched inside the kitchen of Sports & Social with 7,300 square feet of space and a 25-foot LED media wall with 13 additional HD TVs.
Dishes served at El Mercat Bar de Tapas. (Courtesy El Mercat Bar de Tapas)
This new location for El Mercat Bar de Tapas opened earlier this month at West Post at National Landing in Arlington, Virginia. The space features an open kitchen, a 24-seat bar, a seasonal patio and a private dining space for up to 24 guests. The bountiful tapas menu includes a variety of paellas and plates like lamb meatballs, gambas al ajillo and pulpo con patatas. The location also offers tableside service featuring a Jamónero cart.
Not far from D.C., this fast-casual Japanese eatery opened with a menu featuring build-your-own donburi and ramen bowls, plus sides like housemade kimchi and a mochi ice cream dessert.
Now open in Dupont Circle, Selva by Chef Giovanni Orellana takes guests on a journey through Latin America’s culinary landscape through plates like ceviche del pescado, beef empanadas and pollo loco.
For more fast-casual fun, Nuli at The Square food hall opened as a West African-inspired concept that is health-conscious and protein-packed. As reported by Eater D.C., Nuli’s menu covers wraps, bowls and smoothies with jollof rice and spicy prawns or lamb meatballs, among other options.
Michelin-star chef Michael Mina of Bourbon Steak opened his latest Italian concept in the CityRidge development. Acqua Bistecca celebrates modern takes on Italian classics, seasonal crudos and grilled seafood.
Now open in D.C. are two of Argentina’s most iconic bars. Florería Atlántico is ranked among The World’s 50 Best Bars, praised for its contemporary approach. Alongside its sister restaurant, Brasero Atlántico, the hospitality destinations offer guests the opportunity to indulge in the open-fire cooking traditions of Argentina’s countryside.
At Union Market, a new location of Slice & Pie has opened. Slice & Pie was named the second-best pizzeria shop in the nation this past year by the organization 50 Top Pizza. The menu includes more than just pizzas, but also bruschetta and meatballs. The first location of Slice & Pie can be found in the 14th Street Corridor.
Pentagon City just got a little sweeter. Gwenie’s Pastries opened in the neighborhood earlier this month with ube-flavored cheesecake, doughnuts, pies and cakes. Other Filipino goodies offered include hal-halo, cassava cake, buko pandan and sapin-sapin. The products from Gwenie’s Pastries can be found throughout the region as well as on Amazon.
A tablescape of dishes served at Nuli, an African-inspired fast casual concept. (Courtesy Scott Suchman)
Pronounced yoo-NOH-yuh, this new Mediterranean-Mexican restaurant in NoMa is focused on fermentation, scratch cooking and wellness. The menu features dishes like a seaweed mole with potato miso, chicken skin and greens; smoked and pressed striped bass with guajillo adobo, yellow corn tortilla and farmhouse cheese. For dessert they offer kakigori with a cherry kombucha balsamic and churros.
Urban Roast 620 Main Ave. SW, D.C. | Opening September or October
In only a few weeks, the new location of Urban Roast is on its way at The Wharf. Urban Roast is a restaurant, cafe and selfie destination currently located in D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood. The new Southwest location features an indoor/outdoor bar and the largest patio at The Wharf, spanning 1,600 square feet.
JINYA Ramen Bar 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW, D.C. | Opening October
The citywide expansion of JINYA Ramen Bar continues later this year into Georgetown. Already, JINYA has expanded to Logan Circle, Union Market and The Wharf with other D.C.-area locations that include North Bethesda, Maryland and Merrifield’s Mosaic District in Fairfax, Virginia.
Atlas Brew Works is moving into the Bridge District development in Southeast D.C. as an anchor retail tenant at the multi-family development adjacent to Anacostia Park, called The Douglass. Moving into Ward 8, Atlas Brew Works is also bringing along with it the food partner, Andy’s Pizza.
Any Day Now 1100 New York Ave. NW, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
Scallion pancake breakfast sandwiches are on the way to Downtown D.C., courtesy of Chef Tim Ma of Lucky Danger, Tacocat and Sushi Sato. The new location of Any Day Now will be equipped with a wine bar and a new nighttime menu.
Goodie Lounge 222 M St. NE, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
On the ground floor of The Morrow hotel in NoMa, diners can relish in the “Swediopian” flavors of the Marcus D.C. restaurant. Later this fall, a new, sleek cocktail bar is expected to take over the eleventh floor of the hotel. Goodie Lounge is expected to serve small bites, pop-up events and “experiential cocktails.”
Taqueria Xochi 300 Tingey St. SE, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
For those in search of authentic Mexican cuisine, expect Taqueria Xochi to open its doors in the Navy Yard neighborhood this fall. The restaurant has three other locations in the region: U Street, The Square food hall in Downtown and National Landing in Arlington, Virginia.
A cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and truffle and veggie lover pizza at Slice & Pie. (Courtesy Maria Lustre Rebrikova)
Proper Bar 300 K St. NW, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
Later this year, the owners of the sports bar, Proper 21, are opening an upscale restaurant and bar, called Proper Bar. In an interview with the Washington Business Journal, owners Will Strozier and Rob Zahn said it will be “less sports-focused, and more focused on cocktails and food.” The location is inside the Mount Vernon Triangle multifamily building, known as The Crosby.
On Capitol Hill, this restaurant duo is bound for modern takes on Southeast Asian cuisine, led by Chef Santanu Brahmachary. Taki Taki will be located on the first floor with Rumba Rumba on the second floor, exploring global tapas and inventive cocktails in a more relaxed setting.
PubKey Bar and Media Haus 410 7th St. NW, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
Opening later this year in D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, PubKey will be a gathering place for those with a love for technology and new ideas. Bitcoin will be the preferred method of payment at this bar, according to a rep, with speaker events and policy discussions included.
Isla and Goodlove 1100 15th St. NW, D.C. | Opening sometime in the fall
Isla is a globally inspired restaurant with Island roots, while Goodlove is a music-driven cocktail lounge that are both set to open at Midtown Center just a few blocks from the White House.
Detroit Brick Pizza Co. and Electric Jane 1630 14th St. NW, D.C. | Opening sometime in the winter
The Wonder food hall plans to open Detroit Brick Pizza Co. and a speakeasy-inspired events venue, called Electric Jane, in the 14th Street neighborhood later this year. Together, the venues will take up approximately 4,000 square feet of the first-floor space.
Mélange Address unknown in D.C. | Opening sometime in 2026
Earlier this year, D.C. restaurateur Elias Taddesse launched a 96-seat restaurant, called Mélange Foods, Inc. in Shaw’s Atlantic Plumbing Development. The concept celebrated Ethiopian flavors through fried chicken, burgers and tacos. Next year, it’s expected that the James Beard award semifinalist will bring his restaurant to the ground floor of the Bridge District development in Ward 8. The restaurant is also expected to feature a butcher shop.
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