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Montrose Collective, the hub of retail shops and restaurants on Westheimer Road, will welcome at least six businesses this year, including Dallas-owned Chelsea Oyster Bar, Austin’s diet-inclusive restaurant Picnik, and a new establishment by Clark Cooper Concepts, the restaurant group behind Brasserie 19.
A document obtained by Eater Houston illustrated the layout of the two-level mixed-used development space, highlighting eight food establishments as “executed,” including Idle Hands, a Caribbean-Latin American restaurant, and award-winning Japanese sushi spot Uchi — both of which are already open.
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Steve Radom, managing principal of Radom Capital, the Heights-based real estate development firm heading the project, confirmed that the 180,000-square-foot collective will feature at least 30,000 square feet of restaurant space, and will host staggered openings throughout the year. In other words: by the end of 2022, Montrose’s food choices should be even more plentiful.
- Graffiti Raw, a casual restaurant noted on the layout, will offer light fare with fire-grilled proteins and a vibe reminiscent of both Venice Beach, California and Tulum, Mexico. Though he declined to name the man behind the new spot, Radom emphasized that it’s a well-known Houston-based restaurateur. A certificate of formation for Graffiti Raw, LLC, lists Grant Cooper — behind restaurants Brasserie 19, Gratify, and Coppa Osteria — as the manager.
- Austin-based Picnik, known for its options that cater to various diets, including keto, paleo, vegetarian, and gluten-free, will open a full-service restaurant — with highlights being weekend brunch, pressed juices, and cocktails, which include zero-proof alcohol options.
- Baltimore’s Atlas Restaurant Group will open Italian chophouse, Marmo, by the end of March — offering diners an assortment of salads, fresh pasta dishes, charcuterie and live music by its horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar.
- New York-based ice cream company Van Leeuwen is slated to serve scoops there, too — opening in its third Houston location in the collective within the next month. (Owner Ben Leeuwen told Eater on Tuesday that there’s going to be a special Texas-themed flavor. More on that, to come!)
- Dallas-owned establishments will also claim space. La La Land Kind Cafe, a charming coffee shop known for its festive drinks and heartfelt mission, and Chelsea Oyster Bar, will open later this year. The oyster bar will partner with a well-known local chef, though Radom also declined to name him.
While some details of the project are still to be determined — five spaces on the layout of Montrose Collective are listed as available — Radom said he’s confident that the collective will be an anchor in the city and a
“We’ve said no to a lot of prospective groups that weren’t as interesting or differentiated enough from the offerings in Montrose,” Radom said. “When we try to curate our projects — and we’ll never be perfect — we really do care.”
Radom said his firm’s goal was to invest in a project that would benefit the city, and with the firm’s members being “foodies,” and Montrose with a bustling restaurant scene — a space with quality food options just made sense.
“We’re catering to Houstonians who live within a few miles of the [collective], so the food has to be great. The price has to be reasonable,” he said.