After establishing them selves on the Houston cafe scene with Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar in River Oaks District, Atlas Cafe Group founders Alex and Eric Smith are extending their brand with a new Italian cafe in the very predicted Montrose Collective blended-use center. It is the subsequent action in a eyesight that could soon include dining places all over Houston.
The new Italian restaurant will riff a little bit off an current Atlas Group cafe in Baltimore, but the restauranteurs assure the restaurant will be uniquely Houston, filling a specialized niche they identified lacking in the marketplace following months of investigation. The menu will element steak and chops, as well as handmade pasta, charcuterie and other common Italian fare.
“It’s heading to be really relaxed — a location you could consume just about every working day,” Alex Smith tells PaperCity. “You can get a chicken parm and Ceasar salad for $30 or you could splurge a tiny, but it’s not going to be tough on the wallet.”
The however-to-be-named cafe will be awash in earth tones and wooden, infused with a Tuscan farmhouse aesthetic. Count on views of historic reside oak trees and an intensive patio in a 5,500-square-foot house.
Close to 100 seats will wrap close to the restaurant, giving sights of Grand Road and the indoor/outside come to feel will include things like vital creature comforts these kinds of as followers, cooling misters and loads of shade. Stay music seven times a 7 days will increase excess entertainment flair.
Even though the Smiths had been investigating which model of food to feature, they have been also hunting for just the ideal locale in locations across the town. Neighborhoods are vital to the brothers, and they see benefit in Houston’s several nooks and crannies.
“Houston is a metropolis of neighborhoods, much like Baltimore. When we open (a new concept) it will be someplace new and diverse to the community. Not a chain,” Alex Smith says.
“Houston is just so exclusive and diverse,” Eric Smith provides.
The duo is fond of the Bayou City and strategies to get houses in Houston and spend much more time right here with loved ones and mates. The brothers are bullish on the metropolis and have options for other restaurants, so never appear for an Ouzo Bay in Chicago or Los Angeles. Alex Smith tells PaperCity that Houston and quite possibly Dallas are in which they’ve set their sights.
“We adore Texas and imagine Houston is a boomtown,” Alex says. “For dining places that built it on the other aspect of the pandemic, there are people are keen to get out yet again.” None of the Atlas Team places to eat shut through the pandemic.
Montrose Collective Power
The community attract is one reason Montrose Collective is an attractive place for the cafe. The combined-use growth is on Westheimer Street alongside Grand and Crocker Streets and is composed of 5 structures, 100,000 square feet of business house and additional than 50,000 square feet of retail.
Montrose Collective will be residence to six new places to eat and 15 new-to-market place retail outlets when the Michael Hsu-created task opens with preserved mature dwell oak trees perched earlier mentioned huge, lined walkways, general public artwork and natural collecting locations.
“We could not be extra fired up that Alex and Eric have chosen Montrose Collective for their to start with Italian strategy in Texas,” Radom Money taking care of principal Steve Radom states in a statement. “I was absolutely blown absent by their creativeness and consideration to detail on a recent check out to Baltimore, and the good
quality of their ideas speaks for itself. And I’m self-assured they will develop a little something distinctive for Montrose that will resonate with locals and site visitors alike.”
Local architect Tim Cisneros is foremost the structure of the new space, doing the job in tandem with Maryland-based designer Patrick Sutton to bring the relaxed Italian location to existence. The cafe is slated for an early spring 2022 opening.
“Americans really like Italian meals and Italian meals is eaten nearly just about every working day,” Alex suggests. “We’re seeking forward to bringing our concept to Houston.”