In his book, The Woodlands: The Inside Story of Creating a Better Hometown, longtime resident and past president of The Woodlands Corporation Roger Galatas wrote that, “From the beginning, George Mitchell’s plan for The Woodlands was to make it a real town, not just a bedroom community. He wanted people to live and work in The Woodlands, and he has been successful.” Both Mitchell and Galatas would be pleased to know that in addition to living and working here, residents of The Woodlands are very enthusiastically dining out here too.
In the very early days after its founding in October 1974, the pioneer spirit led many beleaguered city-dwellers to move to The Woodlands. Dining options back then were a bit scarce, and the restaurants from the community’s first decades are still cherished in online chat rooms and Facebook groups, where early residents reminisce about places like the long-closed Hyden’s Seafood on Rayford at I-45, the old Ace’s Chinese in Panther Creek, and one of the sole white-tablecloth dining establishments for miles around, Amerigo’s, which is still going strong and this year celebrates the 30th anniversary of its opening in Grogan’s Mill back in 1994.
If you were looking for more (something from the Houston Chronicle’s list of best restaurants, perhaps), then you might end up trekking into the heart of Houston—inside the 610 Loop—to the Galleria area, Upper Kirby, the Heights and other restaurant-centric neighborhoods. But in recent years, there is less need to make that drive. The Woodlands restaurant scene has grown and evolved well beyond the franchise-based offerings that usually make their home in the exurbs. Through a confluence of events—the spotlight brought by national awards placing the community at or near the top for best city to live, to raise a family, and to buy a home; the completion of the Grand Parkway; and the ever-growing hunger of social media food culture—The Woodlands is gaining notice as a vibrant center for culinary activity. The results are a boon for us all.
Kevin Lee, director of operations at Phat Eatery, says the food vibe here is different than might be expected by those who haven’t experienced it. “It’s not suburbia. It has a character profile all its own. This is a serious food scene, so serious. Once they [residents] get a taste of something different, everyone here talks about it,” says Lee. He says there were many places that were considered for the restaurant’s second location, after the success of the acclaimed Malaysian restaurant’s original location in Katy Asian Town, but James Beard-nominated Chef Alex Au-Yeung had his sights set on The Woodlands. Au-Yeung passed away due to cancer just months before the restaurant’s opening, but Lee, along with co-director of operations Marvin He, brought the chef’s vision to fruition, completing a total renovation of an existing restaurant space to open this past summer in The Grogan’s Mill Village Center. (The first shopping center in The Woodlands, GMVC itself is currently undergoing renovation, with completion slated for next summer.)
There may be no other restaurant that has better showcased The Woodlands as a community that takes its food seriously than TRIS, located on Waterway Avenue. Under the helm of Chef Austin Simmons, the nationally acclaimed restaurant has helped to shine a spotlight on The Woodlands as a place to experience exceptional dining outside of Houston proper. “People of different backgrounds are moving here, and they are helping to shape the community’s food scene. They are educated, well-traveled, they have a heart for giving and the arts, and they know good food,” says Simmons. “We have come a long way from the time when there were few chef-driven restaurants. I never thought that someone would travel from Canada—or England—and would stop in The Woodlands to dine, but they are,” he says.
“The Woodlands residents know their food and wine, and they have high expectations,” says Enrique Orioli of Orioli Restaurant Group, a family-owned company that has brought an array of concepts to The Woodlands, including Azzurro, Marcoza, Terra Vino, Costa Fina, and Via Emilia, the family’s original flagship restaurant, which moved from its first location on FM 1960 to make its home in The Woodlands Crossing shopping center of Indian Springs back in 2011. “Back when we were still operating in the 1960 location, we had guests that kept coming from The Woodlands, and they would tell us we needed to open Via Emilia there,” says Orioli. “I cannot say enough about the great support that we got from the community. We felt right at home, old faces and new ones to welcome us.”
Today’s restaurant scene in The Woodlands, now more than ever, has begun to display the individuality, consistent quality, and skill of chef-driven menus--from the lavish, modern Indian cuisine found at Amrina in Waterway Square to the culinary creativity and international flair of Fielding’s Local Kitchen + Bar in Creekside Park, the community has a respect for culinary traditions with an openness to new flavors.
“What I hear from chefs I know is that many of them are looking at The Woodlands,” says Chef Beatriz Martines, owner of Xalisko, and an alum of James Beard award-winning Chef Hugo Ortega’s H-Town Restaurant Group. Last year, Martines and her husband opened Xalisko in an existing space on Lake Woodlands Drive near The Woodlands Mall. Her well-received restaurant specializes in Mexican cuisine inspired by Martines’s childhood in Jalisco. “We’re getting people from Sugar Land, Katy, and many other places,” says Martines. “We appreciate that a lot.” She says that one of her regulars from Houston likes to joke, “’Every time I come here, I have to pack a lunch for the trip!’” Martines believes more creative offerings will continue to spring up in The Woodlands.
Social media, business travel, and live performances at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion are attracting food enthusiasts who end up savoring not only the food scene but the unique character of The Woodlands. “When someone gets off a plane or comes by before a concert at Cynthia Woods because they’ve read about us, they’re struck by the community itself. It’s not suburbia,” says Simmons. “They are surprised at the park-like setting. The food and arts scenes have evolved as George and Cynthia Mitchell wanted,” he says. “Now you have Michelin coming, and that’s a whole new conversation.”
As the vaunted Michelin Guide gears up to present its first Texas restaurant publication later this year, time will tell if the bright food minds that call The Woodlands home might earn some of the spotlight. What’s certain is that the food-obsessed among us will continue to reap the benefits of so many well-conceived restaurants putting down roots and thriving here. Those of us who have lived here for many years and have watched the transformation happen are appreciating every bite of it.