Cafe Benedicte Makes a Triumphant Comeback One Year After Harvey

Nearly one year after flood waters from Hurricane Harvey forced it to close, Energy Corridor Mediterranean restaurant Cafe Benedicte is making its triumphant comeback.

An update to the restaurant’s Facebook page indicates that it will reopen this week, and it wasn’t an easy road to reopening. Initially, Cafe Benedicte will offer a limited menu and BYOB to allow its staff the “time to master new systems and products” in the restaurant. The menu and the address are staying the same, but Cafe Benedicte is getting a second chance to survive.

A few months ago, owner Vahid Navissi didn’t see the Cafe Benedicte making its comeback so quickly. “Neither my landlord nor I carried flood insurance at the time, and as cooperative as he has been to the extent of his ability, it seems that I am still unable to meet what is required of me,” Navissi wrote on Facebook in April. I have not lost faith, I just want to keep you informed.”

Cafe Benedicte is one of the lucky ones. Some restaurants, including high-profile seafood spot Reef, are still shuttered due to damage caused by Harvey. Others, like Viking-inspired restaurant Ship & Shield, fledgling brewery 160ft Beerworks, and many others were ultimately forced to close due to the storm’s lingering economic impact.

Cafe Benedicte makes its official comeback on Monday, August 6. The doors open at 11 a.m.

• Harvey’s Economic Impact Is Expected To Linger Over Houston’s Dining Scene [EHOU]