A Ritzy Country Clubstaurant, Plus More Houston Restaurants Openings You May Have Missed
The revival of a little coffee shop, Cajun jambalaya-stuffed burritos hiding in Pearland, and a new brunch spot with mimosas galore
This periodic column highlights notable restaurant openings in and around Houston. Catch up on more news about Houston restaurant openings right here.
Know of a new or soon-to-open restaurant that should be on Eater Houston’s radar? Get in touch by emailing houston@eater.com.
The Montrose Country Club
202 Tuam Street, Montrose
Don’t let the name “country club” fool you. This new multi-million dollar establishment houses a restaurant, a day club, a nightclub, and a 65-foot climate-controlled swimming pool — all in one place. Jeff Harmon, the man behind storied nightlife spots like Rebar and Rich’s Houston, opened the Montrose Country Club on Friday, March 14. Chef Diego Chiarello has shaped the on-site restaurant’s menu to a combination of Italian, Southern, and Cajun cuisines, featuring appetizers such as crawfish etouffee egg rolls, fried goat cheese balls; comforting entrees like Bolognese, chicken piccata, and French onion meatloaf; plus salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches. The country club is supposed to be a “social” retreat for Houstonians, according to a spokesperson. Annual memberships, which cost $499 or $750 a year, are optional and include perks like discounts on day bed rentals and access to special events. Get into the day club and swimming pool for a lot less — $20 before noon and $25 after.
Becca DeFillippo
City Cellars
2850 Riverby Road, Suite 110, East River
After nearly a two-year hiatus following its closure in July 2023, this bar and bistro reopened in a new and much larger spot. City Cellars is in the East River mixed-use development as of early March. It offers all-day brunch with eight different styles of mimosas, a wine menu focused on independent wineries, and dishes like Sriracha macaroni and cheese balls, a 2-pound cinnamon roll, and brunch and “Cajun” boards that come stacked with dishes including fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and cornbread. Owner Daniel Wolfe, who originally opened the restaurant in the Museum District in late 2020, told the Houston Chronicle that the 2.0 version of City Cellars is more refined and will focus on “adult dining,” meaning it’s only for ages 21 and up. It has a variety of seating, with indoor dining and a wrap-around patio, a patio garden, and spaces dedicated to wine drinkers and live music.
Sean Rainer
Little Dreamer Coffee
1953 Montrose Boulevard, Montrose
Matt Toomey, founder of Boomtown Coffee in the Heights, has brought his second coffee dream back to life. Little Dreamer Coffee quietly reopened in mid-March in the former location of the Canary in Montrose. The coffee shop first debuted as a small kiosk in Garden Oak’s Stomping Grounds and closed a couple of years later. Toomey tells Culturemap Houston that the coffee shop will feature syrups and sauces made in-house, including the salted butterscotch fan-favorite, a house blend of Oaxacan beans for the espresso, and sweet and savory pies to pair with the coffee drinks.
What’s Opening in the Suburbs
Kokoro Handroll Bar
24 Waterway Avenue, The Woodlands
Duckstache Hospitality, the group of Handies Douzo and new Houston restaurant Doko and its counterpart Bar Doko, has opened its third establishment of the year in The Woodlands. The sushi restaurant Kokoro, which also has an outpost in Downtown Houston and two locations in Dubai, serves hand rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and crudo. Unlike its sister restaurant in Houston, it will be stacked with a full bar that serves beer, wine, sake, and cocktails. Chef-owners and Uchi veterans Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee launched the first rendition of Kokoro in Bravery Chef Hall in 2019 before debuting the restaurant in Dubai in 2024.
Studio Rivera.
Capital Grille
1155 Lake Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands
Though The Woodlands lost two of its steakhouses earlier this year (Killen’s and Tris), another one has opened that might fill the void. Capital Grille, the fine-dining known for its dry-aged steaks and extensive wine list, opened on Sunday, March 9, on Lake Woodlands Drive, serving its standard menu of favorites, including its lobster macaroni and cheese and its pan-fried calamari served with hot cherry peppers. The restaurant, which is owned by Darden Restaurants (the group behind major chains like Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse), also has a location in Houston’s Galleria area.
Jamburritos Cajun Grille
11710 Broadway, Pearland
Move over, Chipotle: There’s a new burrito in town. This new Pearland restaurant combines some of the Houston area’s favorite cuisines — Cajun and Mexican — and packs those flavors into a burrito. Chef Michael J. Brown and his wife Adrienne, who owned an acclaimed food truck of the same name, opened the burrito shop earlier this year. Similar to Chipotle, Jamburritos slings burritos, bowls, and tacos, using jambalaya rice as a base for fillings and toppings such as red beans and Creole collards, plus proteins like carne asada, fried catfish, pulled pork, and barbecue shrimp. Condiments include Bayou Blaze roasted corn salsa and Cajun sour cream. The restaurant, which also offers gumbo, is currently only open for takeout and delivery.
