Little Bird, 1815 N. Durham, opened October 29, bringing the flavors of the Southern Gulf Coast and some well-known names. Leading the pretty restaurant is Graham Laborde, a Louisiana-born chef and restaurateur who earned his stripes in some of the best eateries in New Orleans. After stints at renowned establishments like Commander’s Palace and Boucherie, Laborde made his way to Houston and opened up Bernadine’s, which unfortunately closed in 2017. In 2021, Laborde partnered with local restaurateur Benjy Mason to open Winnie’s, the Midtown Main cafe known for its sandwiches, Southern flavors and creative cocktails.
Opening a restaurant in the Heights is personal for Laborde, since he has called the area home for the past 16 years. He said about the new venture, “This is the food I love to cook and the way I love to host. When guests walk through our doors, I want them to feel as if they are dining in my home.”
And what a lovely little home it is. A former filling station, the building has been transformed by Laborde, his wife Paige Laborde and the restaurant’s general manager Chelsea Thomas. Custom artwork adorns the walls and second-hand treasures are seen throughout. Murals by local artists Whitney-Garrett Yarborough and Dayle Booth cover not only an interior dining room wall but also show up in unexpected places. A hand-carved wooden oyster bar adds to the homey feel and two verdant patios provide a lush escape, one dedicated to dining, the other to cocktail sipping. Thomas created the landscaping for the courtyard with its impressive 60 foot pergola and converted sugar kettle fountain.
Aiding Laborde with the culinary side of things is chef de cuisine Matt Staph whose resume includes One Fifth and Brennan’s of Houston. The duo have created a menu of Creole and Cajun flavors with contemporary touches. Signature items include New Orleans bbq shrimp toast, crawfish bucatini in vodka sauce and roasted red snapper with lemon veloute and charred okra. For non-seafood folks there’s a fancy burger or an elevated take on chicken & dumplings.
On the sweet side, Laborde turned to a longtime friend who was his lead pastry chef at Bernadine’s. Julia Doran joins Laborde again after stints at acclaimed eateries such as Tiny Champions and Nancy’s Hustle. Diners can expect treats like a triple layer chocolate cake, apple hand pie with cajeta and brown sugar ice cream and a hurricane sno-ball.
Drawing on talent still closer to home, Laborde has award-winning mixologist Justin Ware, operations director for Winnie’s, Johnny’s Gold Brick and Starduster Lounge, leading the vibrant beverage program. The list of signature cocktails include a peppery Creole margarita, a freezer pour martini and Orange Marmalade, a blend of gin, Madeira, orange marmalade and lemon. There are frozen drinks too such as the Salted Peanut with mezcal, Southern amaro, peanuts, cola and lemon.
Little Bird is currently accepting reservations for its nightly dinner service. Lunch is served on Friday only and brunch service is Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Uchiba, 3080 Buffalo Speedway, is coming to River Oaks at the end of 2027. It’s a long wait, but the anticipation over a new Hai Hospitality concept in Houston is always strong. Known for other sushi restaurants such as Uchi and Uchiko, plus Loro Asian Steakhouse, the Austin-born hospitality group from James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole has always generated excitement in the Houston market. Hai also opened a boutique sushi omakase, Oheya, next door to Houston’s Uchi in March 2023. It is currently the only tasting room for the group.
Located in the RO Development, the 4,400 square-foot space will offer seating for 125 guests indoors, plus additional accommodation at the sushi bar and beverage bar. Uchiba will also have 36 patio seats. The interior design will be done by Maybe Sometimes Studio, working with Hai’s in-house team, Hai Design Studio. The architect behind the project is Aria Group.
The Houston Uchiba (Uchi Bar) is modeled after the Japanese izakaya, a pub where guests meet for drinks and snacks. Uchiba debuted in Dallas in 2018 and has locations in Charlotte and Austin. Cole’s vision for the bar-forward brand was that of a hideaway where patrons can sip on craft cocktails and high-end Japanese whisky while noshing on yakitori grill items, sushi bites and a variety of buns and bao. Like its other sushi restaurants Uchiba will have both hot and cold tastings.
Town Square Socialhouse, 17125 Tomball Parkway, opens November 12 in the Willowbrook area. The neighborhood “third space” will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the entire food menu from chef Lanar Lykes available all day.
The breakfast items include bowls, omelets, Benedicts and Belgian waffles, plus decadent delights such as butter pecan French toast. Friends meeting for snacks will find nosh like seafood cakes, street corn dip and smoked chicken wings, while the lunch menu features dishes like pesto pulled chicken sandwich, tuna poke tacos and French dip. There are also fancier dinner entrees including maple bourbon blackened pork chops, steak frites and red wine-braised beef.
The bar program at Town Square is also meant to create a fun atmosphere with a variety of beers on draught or by the bottle, plus a great selection on non-alcoholic brews. Its signature cocktails like White Rabbit Paloma and Reboot 43 carajillo join classic drinks plus a choice of flavored margaritas.
The wine list is short and sweet and includes its proprietary house varietals which are exceptionally well-priced. Other bargains include the Social Sodas, hard sodas with different spirits, that are available daily for $7. The bar also has a generous weekday happy hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, with half-price margaritas, half-priced shareable bites and other drink specials.
The space is large, over 7,600 square feet, accommodating up to 220 guests. The warm dining room offers a mix of booths and tables, while the U-shaped bar is set for social gatherings or just game-watching. There’s a semi-private flexible dining space, plus a covered patio with a built-in fire feature for the fall nights that our Houston meteorologists keep promising.
Operating partner Jonathan Lopez said in a press release, “In a world where we spend so much time looking at screens, we built Town Square Social House around the moments that make you want to pull up a chair and stay a while.”
Goodies HTX, 1619 Fannin, is shooting to open downtown November 28. The mission is to bring Southern-style tapas and craft cocktails to the city, served in a sophisticated and stylish atmosphere. The chef plans to add a monthly tasting menu in January 2027.
The concept began as a food truck, Goodies Soul Kitchen, in August 2024 and its instant success led to a second truck in just two months. Owner and entrepreneur Dawon Matthews turned his early adversity as a young man into several successful businesses. With the opening of the brick and mortar Goodies, along with business partner Jessica Ahwash, Matthews will continue to build on that success with a chic destination for Southern bites and curated cocktails.
We have reached out for more information regarding the menu.
BIGFACE, 28550 US-290, is planning to open in mid-November at Fairfield Market H-E-B in Cypress. It’s the first Texas spot for the coffee truck brand, which was founded by NBA star and Tomball native Jimmy Butler. Now with the Golden State warriors, he started the specialty coffee business in 2020, while he was with the Miami Heat in Orlando. Taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic bubble, he stayed at home, putting his espresso machine to good use for himself.
Eventually fellow players and colleagues began to line up for the lattes, pour-overs and cappuccinos at a cool $20 apiece. The popularity led to Butler opening the flagship BIGFACE cafe in Miami’s Design District in 2024, which offers whole bean coffee and merch as well.
The mobile coffee truck in Cypress will offer specialty coffee at a smaller price point than that for NBA players. The espresso drinks, pour overs, cold brew and rotating drinks will range from $4 to $9, hot or iced. It will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
7Spice Cajun Seafood is planning to open five more locations in late 2026 and early 2027. The locations will cover much of the Greater Houston area with openings in Houston, Deer Park, Friendswood and Rosenberg. The new restaurants will bring the brand’s total to 25.
The concept was founded in Missouri City in 2011, serving spicy seafood dishes like blackened shrimp, Cajun fried rice and shrimp etouffee. It’s also known for its variety of Cajun-Asian seafood boils, gumbo and po’boys.
The casual, counter service model allows it to offer generous portions at an affordable price, including its selection of family meal packs.
L’Apero Lounge at Hotel Saint Augustine, 4110 Loretto, has launched at the lounge inside the hotel as a French-inspired happy hour initiative each Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The special ritual will feature its own menu of drinks and bites.
The cocktail lineup includes a Lillet Spritz, the gin-forward Le Midi and Between the Sheets, a sexy blend of cognac, rum, lemon and orange liqueur. There’s also the French Dip, though it’s not a sandwich. Instead it’s a shot of house-made Amer Picon, paired with a Kronenbourg 1664 pale lager.
For munchies, the menu offers homemade potato chips, escargots en croute, pate de campagne and the hotel’s version of pissaladiere, a Provencal flatbread topped with caramelized onions, Taggiasca olives and anchovies.
Restaurants Reported Open October 2026:
Ayla, 6750 Main, opened September 26
Bar Bludorn, 25 Waterway Avenue, opened October 2
The Branch, 5501 La Branch, opened October 1
Bread Boat, 3835 Richmond, opened early October
Bungalow, 909 Texas, softly opened late October
Clutch City Cluckers, 1806 W. Bay Area Boulevard, grand opening October 24
Fat Boy’s Pizza, 3803 Spencer Highway, opened October 22
Golden Chick, 8827 E. Sam Houston Parkway N., opened October 6
Juicy Joint, 1806 W. Bay Area Boulevard, grand opening October 17
Lila’s, 1201 Fannin, opened October 28
Love Croissants, 801 W. 16th, opened October 1
Majestic Kitchen, 16019 City Walk, opened October 17
Pizza Twist, 11004 Grant, opened September 26
PopUp Bagels, 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, opened October 23
Ramen Tatsu-Ya, 4672 Beechnut, opens October 31
The Riot Cafe, 1925 Washington, grand opening October 17
Savvy Sliders, 3803 Spencer Highway, opened October 22
Southern Oak Brewing, 308 Market, opened October 7
Spectator’s Bar & Grill, 1259 Grand Central Parkway, opened mid-October
Trill Burgers, 7616 Westheimer, opened September 25
UH Ramen Library, 4385 Cougar Village, opened early October
Restaurants Reported Closed October 2026
Barbacana, 907 Franklin, closed October 24
Moderno, 10455 Briar Forest, closed October 24
Viola & Agnes, 3659 Nasa Road 1, closed for relocation
