P. Terry's Burger Stand, 20255 Champion Forest, opens April 7 in Spring, Texas. It is number 36 for the brand overall and the second for the Greater Houston area. The first opened in October 2024 in Richmond. According to Group Vice President Monty Montgomery, there are plans for at least five locations in the Houston market by 2028.
Founded in Austin in 2005, owners Kathy and Patrick Terry (he of the P. Terry name) envisioned a classic burger stand that echoed the long-gone Mack Eplen's that Patrick loved as a kid growing up in Abilene. After reading Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation, Kathy was inspired to shift the focus to high-quality ingredients.
The burgers are made with 100 percent Black Angus beef which is raised with no hormones or antibiotics. The hand-cut fries are made from Idaho Burbank potatoes and the lemonade and orange juice are freshly-squeezed. Much of what shows up in the Houston restaurants comes from P. Terry's Austin-based commissary to ensure the quality and high standards of the products, including the homemade baked goods like banana bread and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Even with fresh ingredients, the prices are still quite reasonable. A regular hamburger is just $3.10 and a cheeseburger is $3.65. Other add-ons include bacon, jalapenos, pickles and onions. Guests can also order the double cheeseburger ($5.25) or try one of its chicken burgers. The veggie burger is made in-house from a special recipe and there are crispy chicken bites, too.
A small breakfast menu offers egg burgers and breakfast potatoes.
Silk Road, 2929 Westpark, opened softly last month and is celebrating its grand opening April 13. What may shock many visitors is its location, tucked inside the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott at Rice University. Owner Siri Lao has brought in Thailand-born chef Thaiwatchai Insingha, whose 26 years of experience include training under Hong Kong master chefs in Bangkok before helping to open Yu Ting Yuan at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, which became Thailand's first and only Michelin-starred Cantonese concept.
The menu reflects not only the Thai-Chinese cultural exchange that has shaped Cantonese cuisine but also the connection between East and West, fitting for the restaurant's team that have made the journey from Bangkok to Houston. Insingha's focus is on the dim sum experience and guests will delight in dishes like cheung fun, especially the chef's signature Crispy Shrimp Cheung Fun. Classic dumpling options include siu mai, har gow and ham sui gok, while the chef gets creative with interpretations of dishes such as spinach dumplings, cordyceps dumplings and Crispy Noodles with Gravy.
An important part of the dim sum experience at Silk Road is its tea service which honors the tradition of yum cha. There is an extensive selection featuring green, white, black and oolong teas. Some of the varieties include Dong Ding Oolong from the northern mountainous regions of Thailand and rare types like Silver needle and Pu-erh (Yi Wu Tiger Mountain Ripe). The tea pairings are done like wine, each one chosen to complement the dishes.
In addition to the teas on offer, there are craft cocktails thoughtfully created for the cuisine such as Sake Lychee Martini, Green tea Rosemary Old Fashioned and Lemongrass Lemon Drop.
Love Croissants, 801 W. 16th, is currently under construction and the foundation has already been laid. This will be the second location for the bakery from acclaimed pastry chef Omar Pereney. The first Love Croissants at 2808 Caroline opened July 2023.
Pereney began his career as a teenage star on El Gourmet's Yo in Venezuela before opening his first restaurant at the ripe old age of 16. After making his way to Houston, he became the executive chef at Peska Seafood Culture, followed by a stint as President George H.W. Bush's private chef. He is also the founder of a culinary consultancy company, Culinary Matters.
In addition to opening a second location of Love Croissants, Pereney is also expected to open Petit Lucie at Market Square, according to an announcement this past September. The press release said that it was slated to open in spring 2025. We have reached out for more information regarding the projected opening date.
Long Weekend, 2042 T.C. Jester, is coming to the Heights this fall. The family-friendly concept is the brainchild of married duo Paige and Andrew Alvis who were inspired by their own passions and lifestyle as parents to two young boys. Andrew Alvis spent many weekends on his family's ranch growing up and the cowboy traditions of cattle branding, campfire cooking and camaraderie influenced the professional couple's decision to create a Western-style space that welcomes kids of all ages. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the community feel in the 20,000 square-foot space that features a nature-inspired playground, numerous televisions for sports viewing and a stage for live music. There are also 800 dedicated parking spots, a happy thing for the Heights area.
The new venue is sited near the TC Jester Hike and Bike Trails, making it a convenient pre or post-activity spot for a wake-up breakfast or a cool-down drink. To start with, there's the early morning cafe with tacos, house-baked pastries and locally-roasted coffee. Its main menu is guided by wood-fired cuisine and bold flavors. Guests will have choices like high-quality steaks, fresh seafood and even game meats like elk and quail. Those with lighter appetites will find fresh salads, seasonal soups and grilled garden veggies.
With a motto of "Saddle Up & Settle In", patrons are encouraged to enjoy handcrafted cocktails in a laid-back atmosphere that offers an elevated dining experience for friends, families and couples.
Recess, 1500 Waugh, is slated to open late 2025/early 2026. Located in River Oaks, the concept is geared toward families and is a children's experience-driven retreat as well as a full-service restaurant.
With 13,000 square feet of space, the two-story complex will offer kids the opportunity to participate in curated activities and to amuse themselves on the fully-supervised playscapes designed by London-based Tigerplay. Parents, meanwhile, can enjoy a relaxing meal from its fast casual restaurant.
Scott Sulma, founder and CEO of May I Speak Hospitality, represents the ownership team, Recess Ventures. Sulma says he sees Recess as a forward-thinking addition to Houston's hospitality landscape. He added, "Our goal is to create a seamless experience where both children and parents can enjoy a premium, thoughtfully designed space."
Urban Bird Hot Chicken, 9990 Almeda Genoa, opened March 31, right on the heels of another new location in the Heights. Owner and founder Brandon Gawthorp and his wife Chantel have taken the Nashville hot chicken concept by the beak with more than 16 restaurants in the portfolio and a dozen more on the way.
The secret lies in the jumbo tenders which are made with halal chicken and are available with different spice levels. We recommend Nashville hot, but for masochists, there's the Fire in the Hole. Guests can order the tenders in a basket with fries, bread, pickles and Bird sauce or opt for the Tenders Sando which features two fried tenders, kale slaw, Bird sauce and pickles. For vegetarians, there is the Meatless Beyond Tenders and for snackers, the Urban Fries are a guilty pleasure.
Its creamy milkshakes are an excellent pairing with the spicy flavors.
HTeaO, 8217 Louetta, opened March 29 in Spring. The iced tea brand has franchises across the country and this newest one has married couple Amy and Spencer Lippincott as owners and operators along with Cade Lippincott as general manager. It held its grand opening last weekend but there's still a day or two to take advantage of its half-price gallons of tea through April 5.
The store offers ultra-premium tea, water and coffee products, using its proprietary water filtration system and all-natural ingredients. Thirsty customers have over 20 different flavors of sweetened or unsweetened tea to choose from like Strawberry Passion, Sweet Coconut, Texas Chai and Unsweet Peach Ginger. Hot coffee options include Caramel Macchiato, Latte, White Mocha and American Dirt Batch Brew. There are iced coffees as well.
The shops offer pre-packages snacks as well.
HTeaO, 1234 E. Broadway, opens in Pearland April 5 with a grand opening. Owners Vanessa Shepherd, Tony Menchaca and Chris Nilsen invite the community to celebrate the very first Pearland store for the company. There will be free cups of tea from 10 a.m. to noon and the first 250 customers will receive limited edition HTeaO t-shirts.
Happy hour pricing will be available April 5 and April 6 with BOGO cups of tea. From April 5 through April 12, there will be half-priced gallons of tea.
Trader Joe's is planning to open a location in Cypress, but a location and opening date are still in the works, according to a spokesperson. However, an eagle-eyed Houston Press reader tipped us off to a TABC wine-only package store permit filing and an architectural barriers project filing that both indicate that Trader Joe's is planning a store at 9715 Towne Lake Parkway. That is all we know for now because the Cypress store is not listed as of yet on the company's website list of upcoming locations.
There is also a plan to build a Trader Joe's at Kingwood Commons.
Craft Pita, 5172 Buffalo Speedway and 1920 Fountainview, has introduced new items for the first time in five years and the entire menu is now halal. While all of the original dishes remain, Craft Pita's new offerings include Chicken Salad Pita and two taco options. The Lebanese Beef Tacos are made with ground beef kofta kabob, tahini, French fries, pickles and parsley while the Lebanese Falafel Tacos feature chickpea fritters toped with tahini, red cabbage, pickled turnips and fresh mint.
There are also new beverages including Mint lemonade and the Habibi Palmer, its take on the Arnold version made with mint lemonade and black iced tea.
Restaurants Reported Open March 2025:
Restaurants Reported Closed March 2025: