Houston’s Local Brewing Group Is Getting a New Name, and That’s Just the Start

Houston brewery Local Group Brewing will operate under a new name starting this fall.

Originally launched in early 2020 at 1504 Chapman Street, the 7,500-square-foot brewery has now rebranded as Gristworkz.

Distincture Hospitality group co-owners Dave Sorrell, Jorge Benitez, and Morgan Green purchased the original brewery in May 2022, rebranding it under its new name, which is derived from the brewing process of grinding malt and cereal into milled grist and extracting the malt from the grains.

The hospitality group is promising “to build something for Houstonians that they’ve never seen before,” according to a written statement by Sorrell, however, the brewery will remain open as it undergoes renovations, according to a release.

Dylan McEwan

Chef Daniel Leal, former chef at the now-closed cocktail bar Night Shift, will lead the charge on new beers, wine, and cocktails, and will incorporate Local Group’s tradition of a weekly rotating menu, including Korean BBQ Steak Night, plus specials on burgers and pizza. Other menu items coming from the brewery's full kitchen include smoked pork belly gorditas, freshly made churros, and jalapeno and cheese kolaches. The brewery has also partnered with coffee company Blue Tile Coffee to host pop-ups on-site at 9 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The restaurant also plans to serve canned cocktails as a to-go option and will feature weekly events for the neighborhood, including gatherings for cyclists and runners, trivia nights, and silent disco parties.

GOOF pub offers beer and cocktails on tap

New Garden Oaks-Oaks Forest area bar the Upside Pub is welcoming its neighbors with cocktails on draft, buckets of bottled beer, and 14 beers on tap.

Located at 3402 North Shepherd Drive, the restaurant and bar opened in August, with pours from local breweries like 8th Wonder, Lone Pint, and Spindletap, bar food eats like its Super Bomb patty melt with swiss cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, horseradish cream and dijon mustard on rye, and a brisket hot dog wrapped in bacon.

Becca Wright

Guests are also invited to stay awhile with its covered outdoor patio (perfect for game days), its shuffleboard table, and a variety of board games on site, according to a release. Hours are from noon to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, but the pub has plans to expand its service to Mondays.

Cajun restaurant in Katy branches out to Fulshear

Katy’s Cajun restaurant, Orleans Seafood Kitchen, will open its second location in Fulshear on Thursday, August 25. The new outpost, located at 6230 FM 1463, Suite 550, will serve up the Louisiana fare Orleans is known for, ranging from seafood gumbo, etouffee, po’ boys, chargrilled oysters, and crawfish, when in season.

Owned by Houstonians Chance Comstock and Marcus Payavla, the 5,400-square-foot restaurant is set to be spacious, fitting 120 people in its dining room, and 48 people at its full-service bar, which will offer patrons an expanded selection of wine and liquor, plus its signature frozen drinks, according to a release. The 1,400-square-foot patio, which seats 48, is outfitted with multiple TVs, prime for watching sports.

Becca Wright

Orleans Seafood Kitchen in Fulshear will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.