After setting up on their own on the Houston restaurant scene with Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar in River Oaks District, Atlas Cafe Team founders Alex and Eric Smith are extending their brand name with a new Italian restaurant in the remarkably expected Montrose Collective mixed-use centre. It is the upcoming step in a vision that could quickly include things like restaurants throughout Houston.
The new Italian restaurant will riff a little bit off an existing Atlas Team restaurant in Baltimore, but the restauranteurs promise the restaurant will be uniquely Houston, filling a specialized niche they observed lacking in the marketplace soon after months of investigation. The menu will feature steak and chops, furthermore handmade pasta, charcuterie and other traditional Italian fare.
“It’s likely to be extremely cozy — a put you could consume just about every day,” Alex Smith tells PaperCity. “You can get a chicken parm and Ceasar salad for $30 or you could splurge a very little, but it is not likely to be challenging on the wallet.”
The nonetheless-to-be-named cafe will be awash in earth tones and wooden, infused with a Tuscan farmhouse aesthetic. Anticipate views of historic reside oak trees and an considerable patio in a 5,500-sq.-foot house.
Shut to 100 seats will wrap around the cafe, offering sights of Grand Avenue and the indoor/outdoor really feel will include things like needed creature comforts this sort of as admirers, cooling misters and loads of shade. Are living audio 7 times a week will increase excess leisure flair.
Even though the Smiths have been exploring which design and style of food stuff to characteristic, they have been also on the lookout for just the right locale in destinations throughout the metropolis. Neighborhoods are essential to the brothers, and they see price in Houston’s many nooks and crannies.
“Houston is a town of neighborhoods, substantially like Baltimore. When we open up (a new principle) it will be someplace new and distinct to the neighborhood. Not a chain,” Alex Smith claims.
“Houston is just so exceptional and diverse,” Eric Smith provides.
The duo is fond of the Bayou Town and plans to buy households in Houston and commit additional time listed here with loved ones and pals. The brothers are bullish on the town and have programs for other eating places, so really don’t glance for an Ouzo Bay in Chicago or Los Angeles. Alex Smith tells PaperCity that Houston and maybe Dallas are in which they’ve set their sights.
“We adore Texas and assume Houston is a boomtown,” Alex suggests. “For restaurants that produced it on the other facet of the pandemic, there are persons are eager to get out all over again.” None of the Atlas Team dining places shut through the pandemic.
Montrose Collective Power
The neighborhood draw is a person cause Montrose Collective is an pleasing location for the cafe. The combined-use progress is on Westheimer Highway alongside Grand and Crocker Streets and is composed of five properties, 100,000 square feet of office environment area and far more than 50,000 sq. toes of retail.
Montrose Collective will be house to six new restaurants and 15 new-to-market place retail stores when the Michael Hsu-built challenge opens with preserved experienced are living oak trees perched higher than vast, coated walkways, public artwork and all-natural gathering areas.
“We couldn’t be much more enthusiastic that Alex and Eric have picked Montrose Collective for their first Italian concept in Texas,” Radom Money taking care of principal Steve Radom suggests in a statement. “I was totally blown away by their creativity and consideration to detail on a the latest take a look at to Baltimore, and the high-quality of their ideas speaks for itself. And I’m confident they will make a thing exclusive for Montrose that will resonate with locals and people alike.”
Community architect Tim Cisneros is major the structure of the new house, functioning in tandem with Maryland-primarily based designer Patrick Sutton to provide the relaxed Italian location to lifestyle. The restaurant is slated for an early spring 2022 opening.
“Americans love Italian food and Italian food is eaten nearly every single working day,” Alex states. “We’re seeking ahead to bringing our concept to Houston.”