Montrose Mainstay El Tiempo 1308 Cantina Will Shutter

Montrose mainstay El Tiempo 1308 Cantina has announced that it will close its doors at the end of the month.

The restaurant’s shutter comes ahead of plans to tear down the space at 1308 Montrose Boulevard to make way for new apartments in the neighborhood, according to the Houston Business Journal. The property has been up in the air for at least four years, and owner Roland Laurenzo had been operating the restaurant on a month-to-month basis during that time. “While we are disappointed and sad to lose 1308 Cantina, and we knew this day was coming,” Laurenzo said in a statement. “The landlord has determined that now is the time to build their long delayed mid-rise apartment project on the property.”

Fortunately, Houstonians still have seven other local El Tiempo restaurants to score their margarita fix, including the 1308 Annex location. “Our customers are so important to us, that we built 1308 El Tiempo Annex at 322 Westheimer at Taft in anticipation of this day,” Laurenzo said.

El Tiempo 1308 Cantina will bow out on July 31, and of course there will be a party. The restaurant will auction off the last 1308 Cantina margarita, and all proceeds will benefit the Ninfa Laurenzo Scholarship Fund.

• El Tiempo’s longtime Montrose restaurant to close, make way for apartments [HBJ]