Update, 8:45 a.m., May 24: This article has been updated to include the anticipated opening dates of the included restaurants, to the correct name of the restaurant Annabelle Brasserie, and note the accurate scenery around the restaurant Auden.
With a handful of diverse new restaurants slated to open this year, Autry Park — the 14-acre mixed-use development at the western edge of Buffalo Bayou Park — is gearing up to be one of the most exciting dining pockets in the city. Anchored by luxury residential tower Hanover Autry Park, the urban village combines upscale dining, retail, and living with the area’s lush natural surroundings, and when fully completed, it’s slated to be home to five residential towers, more than 100,000 square feet of curated retail space, and 350,000-square-feet of office space developed around a manicured greenspace.
Many Houstonians got a sneak peek at Autry Park after it played host to the city’s inaugural Chefs for Farmers event on its grounds last fall, and even more are likely to come pouring in this summer, when the first of many restaurant concepts within the development begin to open their doors. Here’s a breakdown of what’s opening soon at Autry Park, and when.
Auden, Summer 2023
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Husband-and-wife team Kirthan and Kripa Shenoy are bringing a multi-cultural, vegetable-focused Auden to Autry Park this summer. Kirthan, a native Houstonian and hospitality veteran, honed his chops in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City, and will serve as executive chef and Kripa as the executive pastry chef. The 150-seat restaurant will feature floor-to-ceiling windows and is slated to be on the ground-floor level with a patio area, offering plenty of people-watching opportunities.
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Lick Honest Ice Cream, Summer 2023
Austin-based creamery Lick Honest Ice Cream will appropriately open in July, supplying provisions fit for Houston’s dog days of summer. The Austin-based creamery is known for its artisanal ice creams made with ingredients sourced from local farmers. Co-founded by Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier, the shop prides itself on offering creative flavors free of soy, palm oil, and preservatives, including a Texas-centric sheet cake ice cream, a quirky roasted beets and fresh mint flavor, and its signature caramel salt lick.
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Annabelle Brasserie, September 2023
One of two restaurants brought to Autry Park by Houston hospitality pro, Benjamin Berg of Berg Hospitality (B&B Butchers and Restaurant, The Annie Cafe & Bar, Turner’s), Anabelle Brasserie is set to be an approachable, all-day brasserie that will serve as a lively destination for guests to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with an outdoor space looking out to Buffalo Bayou Park.
Turner’s Cut, October 2023
Berg Hospitality will follow up Anabelle Brasserie’s with the opening of Turner’s Cut. The luxury steakhouse will feature an opulent dining room with grandiose design elements and a menu spotlighting the land and sea, including rare cuts of meat from the U.S. and Japan.
Doko, October 2023
Chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee, the team behind Handies Douzo, will launch Doko, a new sushi bar and restaurant.
Duo Cafe & Fitness Studio, October 2023
Part workout destination, part restaurant, Duo will open its second outpost in Autry, featuring a cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating combined with two fitness studios offering Pilates classes and a “spin theater” for groups of up to 42 people. Fuel up with specialty coffee, smoothies, and all-day eats before or after a class, or simply wind down while hanging at Autry Park — Duo will transition from day to night with extended evening hours and a menu of wine and beer.
MF Lobster & Ceviche, November 2023
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MF Lobster & Ceviche is one of two new restaurants chef Chris Kinjo of Museum District sushi restaurant, MF Sushi will open at Autry Park. The seafood-focused restaurant stands out from the rest, featuring a unique buildout in a 2,200-square-foot round pod located on the green space, making it the city’s only fully rotunda-style round restaurant. It’s slated to seat 65 people within its dining room, which is outfitted with an outdoor patio, and will boast an 8-seat bar, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the picturesque grounds, and a menu of fresh lobster dishes, with crustaceans brought in daily from Maine.
Annam, December 2023
Following the opening of MF Lobster & Ceviche, chef Chris Kinjo is set to bring Annam in December — a 56-seat restaurant spotlighting Vietnamese-style tapas with French flair. The ground-level restaurant, which is a stone’s throw from MF, will also give diners options, with an outdoor patio and a 16-seat bar.