Heartbeet, the New Vegetarian Eatery From Hungry’s, Will Open Next Week

Heartbeet, the vegetarian and vegan spinoff of one of Houston’s most-beloved Mediterranean restaurants, officially opens next week.

The eatery, at 14714 Memorial Drive, will open on Wednesday, September 29, right next to sibling restaurant Hungry’s, which has been a Mediterranean staple in Houston for more than 4 decades.

The family behind Hungry’s — Fred Sharifi and Ashkan, Sue, and Nousha Nowamooz — have dabbled in plant-based cuisine before. In 2016, Hungry’s started offering a daily vegetarian dish. Over time, those daily specials grew to including a dedicated section on the menu, a vegan brunch, and even kid-friendly options.

Also in 2016, the family took over longtime Montrose establishment Baba Yega, which was known for its vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes. (Baba Yega closed following a massive fire in 2018, but is expected to reopen soon.)

Both projects showed the Sharifi and Ashkan familes that there was a growing market for plant-based cuisine in Houston. Nousha Nowamooz — Ashkan and Sue’s daughter and a recent graduate from the University of Houston’s masters program in Hospitality Management — even began transitioning to a plant-based diet herself. Now working as the vice president of development for Hungry’s Concepts, she helped develop many of the dishes that will be served at Heartbeet.

Diners can expect dishes like citrus-marinated “ceviche” with plantain chips, gluten-free chickpea pasta with wild mushrooms, faux-meat Philly cheesesteaks, and plant-based tacos, gyros, and burgers. There will also be kid-friendly options, like cashew-cheese mac and cheese, and falafel fingers.

The menu will also feature fresh-pressed juices and juice-forward cocktails like a cucumber martini, and spicy pineapple margarita.

Heartbeet’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. For more information, follow the restaurant on Instagram.

• The Minds Behind One of Houston’s Oldest Mediterranean Restaurants Have a Vegetarian Eatery in the Works [EHOU]