Common Bond is serving up some food for thought in one of Houston’s largest innovation and collaborative hubs.

On Jan. 31, the popular Houston-area bakery and bistro opened its Common Bond On-the-Go location in The Ion and has since been serving up flaky pastries, breakfast bites, and salad bowls to hungry entrepreneurs, academics, corporations, and community members.

In addition to the full-service coffee bar and comforting sweets, Common Bond serves boozy beverages like frose (or frozen rose) and mimosas by the glass or carafe, and will debut a vegetarian sandwich, filled with spiced cream cheese, pickled red onions, avocado, cucumber, and arugula on sunflower rye bread.

Though takeout is the major premise, Common Bond offers seating for those who want to stick around. It’s open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays (Breakfast is served until 11 a.m. and lunch items from 11 a.m. to close).

Taylor Odum Cooper

The Ion, which features coworking spaces, classrooms, and more, is housed in the renovated 1930s-era Sears building and is expecting more restaurants within its facility and surrounding areas. Those include:

• Brewpub Second Draught will offer beer from more than 70 area breweries.
• Late August, the brainchild of Lucille’s executive chef Chris Williams, is expected to launch spring, dishing out Afro-Asian cuisine led by Top Chef Season 18 finalist and chef Dawn Burrell.
• Chef David Cordúa is slated to open The Lymbar, a Latin and Mediterranean cocktail bar and restaurant this spring.
• STUFF’d Wings — the first brick-and-mortar rendition of Jarrod Rector’s food truck — will open across the street from the Ion.

In Other Openings News...

Velvet Taco Opens its 6th Location in the Woodlands

The Texas-born fast-casual chain will open its sixth location on Monday, February 7 at 9120 Gosling Road in The Woodlands, dishing out its signature variety of tacos – like the Cuban pig, the spicy chicken tikka, and the chicken and waffle. Though the chain has locations all around the world, the Woodlands’ Velvet Taco will have some local flair – with murals hand-painted by Houston-based Eyeful Art Murals.

Courtesy of Velvet Taco

Beloved Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessan Makes its Move

Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant, known for its towering corned beef sandwiches and decadent milkshakes, opened in its new space — 1743 Post Oak Blvd — on February 2. The 21-year-old Houston establishment’s newest location will boast more seating – including plenty of counter space, 100 additional seats in its dining room and 40 seats in a private dining room – and a full-service bar with its signature drinks.

Noe’s Cafe Opens in City Place

Noe’s Cafe – the third restaurant from owners Wanalee and Adam Gorelick – opened on Jan. 26, in The Market at City Place in Spring. The 1,900-square-foot restaurant, with a patio, is already serving up American fare, with breakfast and brunch items like waffles, French toast, crepes, omelets, and locally-sourced coffee from Spring by Purefi Coffee Roasters. Lunch items range from burgers, pasta, and seafood with frozen drinks to top it off.

Gourmet Mexican-style Popsicle Shop Opens in Sugar Land

Need an ice cream fix? Miami-based Mexican popsicle shop Morelia Gourmet Paletas (also known as Paletas Morelia) held its grand opening in Sugar Land in late January and hosted a giveaway of more than 1,000 paletas. The ice cream shop touts 15 flavors of ice cream pops, including pineapple-mint and banana filled with Nutella, and a variety of dips and toppings, including the s’mores combination, which tops the pop of choice in fluff and sets it ablaze before sprinkling it with graham cracker dust.

Morelia Gourmet Paletas

Tikka Shack Opened its New Location in Houston’s Vintage Park

Indian food chain Tikka Shack – sister to Asian fusion restaurant Masala Wock – opened its 7th location in the country at Houston’s Vintage Park shopping center. The fast-casual restaurant will offer fan favorites like tikka and butter masala, naan, and aloo saag, with more innovative takes on the cuisine, including tikka pizza, kabob bowls, and masala fries.

• Midtown’s Most Iconic Building Will Soon Be Home to an Exciting Latin-Mediterranean Eatery
• Stuffed Chicken Wings and Afro-Asian Cuisine Will Soon Arrive in an Iconic Midtown Building
• Pick, Dip, and Top Your Own Candy-Coated Paletas in Sugar Land’s New Ice Cream Shop