Houston’s Burger Bodega Is Coming to Katy

The Houston-born burger joint that is inspired by New York bodegas is bringing its unique smash burgers, chopped cheeses, and chef collaborations to Katy

Houston’s popular smash burger restaurant Burger Bodega is opening a second location in Katy after a successful two-year run at its flagship on Washington Avenue.

Chef-owner Abbas Dhanani, who initially launched Burger Bodega as a pop-up, says he was inspired to open a Katy outpost following some of his travels to the city for work. Of all the suburbs, he says, “Katy always stood out to me” as a dining destination and cultural hub. “I always felt that it was very strong and had a lot of support from the neighborhoods. If you take all the major cities in the U.S. and put it against Katy, Katy has such a strong food scene,” he says. The suburb’s large Muslim community was also a draw for Dhanani and Burger Bodega, which serves halal food.

Diners will be able to score Burger Bodega’s signature items, including its double smash burger, with two beef patties topped with American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and bodega sauce on a potato bun, plus its rendition of the chopped cheese — a mashup of chopped patties with American cheese, onions, bell peppers, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and bodega sauce on a hero roll, plus loaded fries that can be “chopped” or “screwed,” and milkshakes coming in flavors like mango lassi, Vietnamese coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

The Katy menu will largely remain the same, reflecting any changes at the Washington Avenue flagship, and Dhanani says that while the overall design will offer some fresh accents, it will still pay homage to Harlem and New York City bodegas, where the chopped cheese originated. And in true Burger Bodega fashion, Dhanani says there will be plenty of chef collaborations to follow.

The restaurant, though still in the planning phase, is slated to open this summer at 21904 Franz Road.