A California-based, fast casual Mexican restaurant is returning to the Houston market. Qdoba Mexican Eats will open a location in Humble on October 13. Similar to restaurants such as Chipotle or Freebirds, Qdoba serves burritos, bowls, quesadillas, salads, and more. Protein options include brisket birria, grilled chicken, grilled steak, pork carnitas, and vegetarian. Unlike its competitors, guacamole isn’t extra at Qdoba. Rather, the option to add both guac and queso is included in the pric...| CultureMap Houston
A previously mail order-only Houston barbecue company will soon open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Truboy BBQ will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, October 9. Located in Missouri City at 8035 Hwy 6, the fast casual restaurant serves Truboy’s menu of halal brisket and chicken. Diners have the options of sliced brisket, chopped brisket, or pulled chicken. Unlike a traditional barbecue restaurant, Truboy isn’t serving plates. Instead, customers may choose to have their smoke...| CultureMap Houston
The River Oaks Shopping Center will soon be home to a new restaurant specializing in contemporary Chinese cuisine. Maison Chinoise will open this winter. Located at 1958 West Gray, Maison Chinoise is part of the Dallas-based Lombardi Family Concepts that’s known in Houston for Toulouse Cafe and Bar, its French restaurant in River Oaks District, and Lombardi Cucina Italiana in Uptown Park. “This wonderfully diverse city has embraced our family’s concepts, and we’re thrilled to introduc...| CultureMap Houston
The Museum District recently welcomed a new restaurant devoted to mini burgers, chicken tenders, and milkshakes. Slip Sliders is now open for lunch and dinner daily. Located in the Parc Binz II building at at 1802 Binz St, Slip Sliders is owned by Houston restaurant veteran Rasheed Refaey, whose resume includes Houston’s, Pappasito’s, Le Colonial, and Eddie V’s. With only 22 seats inside (outdoor seating is coming soon), Slip Sliders could appeal to families looking for a quick bite eit...| CultureMap Houston
The owners of Toca Madera are bringing an Italian steakhouse to the Galleria area’s newest mixed-use development. Sparrow Italia is coming to Houston. The new restaurant will join The Henry, a neighborhood restaurant from Flower Child owners Fox Restaurant Concepts, at Central Park Post Oak, a 17-acre mixed-use development located at 2000 Post Oak Blvd. The approximately 6,700-square-foot steakhouse will include a main dining room, a bar area, an outdoor patio, and a private dining room. As...| CultureMap Houston
Houston restaurant group Goode Company is bringing back its Goode Bird fried chicken concept. Now a food truck, the restaurant will make its debut on Thursday, October 16 at Goode Co. Armadillo Palace.| CultureMap Houston
San Antonians bored with the same dinner routine will have two new pop-ups to try in October. The owners of Buddy's Big Trouble and Chi Chi Birds Hot Chicken are making a detour from their regular offerings with brand-new concepts, respectively launching at Wild Barley Kitchen & Brewery and Idle Beer Hall and Brewery. First on the calendar is Porc Slap, from Buddy's Big Trouble chef and owner Javi Gutierrez. The concept will debut on October 5 as part of Buddy's second anniversary celebration...| CultureMap San Antonio
Bulverde may not be what most people think of as a dining destination, but an ambitious new restaurant, cigar lounge, and wine bar might change some minds. Twine at 2471 Bulverde Road will officially open on October 2, offering a swanky hangout for parents and children alike. Owner Kristina Zinna says she came up with the idea when her son was little. With few options in the area for a drink or a quick nibble, she would have to haul her family to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hotel & Spa. The f...| CultureMap San Antonio
The Philadelphia chef who beat Bobby Flay in a fried chicken standoff is back with a new restaurant in San Antonio. Chad Rosenthal of Motel Fried Chicken fame has partnered with Cooper’s Ice House to open Chicken Ranch at 8403 TX-151 #101, a concept devoted to the celebrity chef's famously juicy fried chicken. Chicken Ranch is currently operating as a pop-up inside Cooper’s, which will retain ownership of the concept. The restaurant’s operations manager, via an Instagram message, says t...| CultureMap San Antonio
A cult Wimberley food truck will soon shine brighter as the Hill Country’s newest destination. Neon Armadillo is shedding its wheels to open a 30,000 square foot brick-and-mortar barbecue joint in The Junction development at 9595 RR 12 in November. The kitchen will be under the direction of Adam Puskorius, a veteran of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Austin restaurants Asti Trattoria and Fixe Southern House. Currently, the chef is an operating partner at Neon Armadillo’s sibling concept, Cr...| CultureMap San Antonio
Think of it as a Build-A-Bear Workshop with a little more octane. Ridemakerz, a playful shop that allows customers to build customized toy cars, is revving up its first San Antonio store in the Shops of Rivercenter at 849 E Commerce Street #451. Although a request for further comment from Ridemakerz was not returned in time for publication, a rep for the downtown mall confirmed the new shop. Recent paperwork with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation estimates a December completion...| CultureMap San Antonio
San Antonio's pickleball craze is showing no signs of slowing. The Picklr, a growing franchise devoted to the meteoric paddle sport, has announced plans to build two massive area facilities, one at 16648 San Pedro Ave. near Thousand Oaks and another at 7517 TX 1604 Loop #35 in Live Oak. Former Utah tech worker Jorge Barragan first fell in love with the sport after seeing the enthusiasm of other players. "One winter, we went to a rec center, and I saw two teenagers playing pickleball with 50 p...| CultureMap San Antonio
San Antonio families just scored a brand-new place to play, dream, and move. In late September, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio and the DoSeum officially debuted Imagination Station, a new immersive play environment at the Mays Family YMCA at 8765 TX 151 Access Rd. The first phase of the dynamic installation, funded with support from Community First Health Plans, opened in May. Now the complete Imagination Station is open to the public to inspire creativity, movement, STEM exploration, and me...| CultureMap San Antonio
There's new shoes coming to Tanger Outlets Fort Worth, the outlet mall in far north Fort Worth: Clarks, the globally recognized footwear brand, will open a location at 15853 N. Fwy., with a selection of high-quality, stylish footwear at the best value. The store will occupy a 3,000-square-foot space next to Ann Taylor that was previously home to Book Warehouse, and according to a release, is slated to open in November. “Clarks adds another sought-after brand to Tanger Fort Worth’s retail ...| CultureMap Fort Worth
A coffee shop with a mission on the side has opened in Fort Worth: Called Bread & Better Life Café, it's serving coffee and classes and is now open at 1010 W. Magnolia Ave., in the space previously occupied by Beast and Company. Bread & Better Life Café is brought to the community by the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s regional offices in the Southwest. The Southwestern Union Conference launched this initiative which is made possible through partnerships with local and national Adventist o...| CultureMap Fort Worth
There's a new hotel property coming to the historic Fort Worth Stockyards from White Lodging, an operator that specializes in urban and lifestyle hospitality development, ownership and operations. The privately held company, which operates more than 50 Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt hotels in major urban markets, has acquired a 3.5-acre parcel in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, at 400 E. Exchange Ave. — a patch of land that has been eyed by previous developers — where it is exploring pla...| CultureMap Fort Worth
A pizza chain founded in Louisiana is opening on the far west side of Fort Worth: Rotolo's Craft & Crust, a chain founded in Baton Rouge, is opening a location in Willow Park at 225 Shops Blvd. #106, in cute little complex right off I-30, past Aledo and on the way to Weatherford. According to a spokesperson, it'll open in spring 2026. This will be the second Rotolo's to open in the Fort Worth area; the first is opening in Mansfield this fall. Rotolo’s Craft & Crust offers stone-baked pizzas...| CultureMap Fort Worth
There's a new burger joint in Bedford earning praise from its great burgers at a fair price: Called Taco Burger, it's a mom-and-pop located at 607 Harwood Rd. in a space that used to be Uzy's Pizza & Gyros. The mom and pop are husband-and-wife Carlos and Sherry Gonzalez, Bedford locals and a lovely hospitable couple who have some history with the location, which was once a Subway. In 2022, it became home to Uzy's Pizza & Gyro, which was open afternoons and evenings. Carlos and Sherry forged a...| CultureMap Fort Worth
There's a new roller coaster coming to Six Flags Over Texas: The Arlington amusement park will unveil Tormenta Rampaging Run, destined not only to get one's adrenaline pumping and redefine the thrill-seeker experience but also to change the city’s skyline.| CultureMap Fort Worth
A much-loved homegrown Italian chain is making moves in San Antonio’s Southtown. After months of anticipation, Julian’s Pizza & More, a new concept from the family behind Julian’s Italian Pizzeria & Kitchen, will open at 620 S Presa St in October. A rep from the restaurant says the opening date is not set in stone, but the team is hoping to open by the second week of October. The new spot replaces California hot dog joint Barrio Dogg, which shuttered in February after a brief run. The r...| CultureMap San Antonio
After the Amp Room and Faust Brewing announced impending closures, San Antonio’s bar scene could use a stiff drink on the last weekend of September. Luckily, a hush-hush speakeasy and a bubbly new lounge have popped up to offer some consolation. Elsewhere, a cult pizza chain is making its Cibolo debut, and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is sneaking a few sips on its own. Read on for more essential San Antonio restaurant news. Openings A new speakeasy-style bar has tiptoed into Stone O...| CultureMap San Antonio
Southlake has a new boutique hotel: Called The Elmore Hotel, it's the former Southlake Hotel, now transformed into a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s collection of independent hotels. It's has been given a multi-million-dollar transformation featuring new interiors, vibrant dining, and refreshed guest rooms. There's a pool and 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Two dining options onsite include Sagewind, a refined restaurant; and Social Outlaw, a speakeasy-style bar. it's...| CultureMap Fort Worth
A familiar face in the Fort Worth Cajun restaurant scene is back in the game at a new place called Terrebonne’s Cajun Restaurant & Bar, which opened in the spring at 7914 Camp Bowie West Blvd., in the former Chubby's Sports Bar & Grill. Terrebonne's is from Phil Tullis, who Cajun food fans might recall previously owned a similar Cajun restaurant called The Cajun Market, which he opened with his wife in Colleyville in 2020. The restaurant had an enthusiastic following who appreciated the aut...| CultureMap Fort Worth
Hope springs eternal, especially in the world of Houston restaurants. Despite a recent string of high-profile closures, entrepreneurs continue to see opportunities to open a diner’s new favorite restaurant.| CultureMap Houston
Editor's note: The top Fort Worth news of the week includes a new breakfast joint on the horizon and a salad chain's major round of closures. Plus, where to see live music for free around Fort Worth. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit our event planner for more weekend fun.| CultureMap Fort Worth
Editor's note: The top San Antonio news of the week includes a mysterious restaurant closure and a bakery chain's Alamo City debut. Dig into our most popular stories below, then visit this guide for weekend fun.| CultureMap San Antonio
Ground has broken on a new residential complex in Fort Worth's University District. Called Westbend Residences, it'll be a 321-unit multifamily community located 1701 S University Dr., slated to open in early 2027, according to a release from mixed-use developer-operator Trademark Property Company.| CultureMap Fort Worth
Maybe he has a clone? Less than two months after introducing his raspa stand, Ice Ice Dady, ever-busy San Antonio chef Jason Dady is back with a Lil' Bros BBQ Shack, a pitmaster pop-up on the Frost Plaza at The Rock at La Cantera, 1 Spurs Way.| CultureMap San Antonio
The RIM shopping center will soon have a sporty new addition: Discount chain Sierra, the outdoorsy sibling of T.J. Maxx, is making its Texas debut at 17815 La Cantera Pkwy. #120 on September 20.| CultureMap San Antonio
Virtual reality gaming company Sandbox VR will be opening its first Houston location in 2026, combining the community and physical aspects of laser tag with the immersive environment of modern virtual reality video gaming. The location will open at 797 Sorella Court in CityCentre early next year.| CultureMap Houston
For those who can never get enough of the State Fair of Texas, Adidas has crafted a new sneaker. According to a release, the shoe company is partnering with Hibbett, the athletic-inspired clothing chain, on a blue-and-white shoe dubbed the “State Fair” Superstar.| CultureMap Fort Worth
A pizza chain founded in Louisiana is coming to Mansfield: Rotolo's Craft & Crust, a chain founded in Baton Rouge, is opening a location in Mansfield, at 2411 E. Broad St. #111.| CultureMap Fort Worth
The latest post in our Writing 101 series is all about the dreaded infodump—when the author drops a landslide of information on the reader and the pace (and reader interest) grinds to a halt. These big blocks of text often show up in early chapters when a writer wants to be sure they’ve explained everything […] The post Writing 101: How to Fix an Infodump appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
The classic role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons will come to life in a new way when Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest makes its U.S. debut in Plano on October 15. It'll be located in the same former Buy Buy Baby location at 2712 N. Central Expwy. that hosted the Minecraft Experience in late 2024.| CultureMap Dallas
Hilton announced the opening of Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key. The hotel marks the first property to debut the brand’s refreshed identity.| LODGING Magazine
The buzzy Richardson CityLine complex has signed on two new restaurant tenants, slated to open in the fall: Manny’s Mexican Kitchen and authentic Chinese concept Show Mini Hot Pot.| CultureMap Dallas
The annual dine-out Restaurant Week fundraiser kicks off this week with more than 150 Dallas restaurants offering discounted meals benefitting two charities. This week also gets spicy with a pepper party, and the grand reopening of a longtime restaurant in Dallas' West End.| CultureMap Dallas
Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Sonesta) announced the opening of Red Lion Inn & Suites Blue Springs.| LODGING Magazine
A splashy new park with public art and gardens is finally opening in Frisco: Called Kaleidoscope Park, it's a new green space opening inside Hall Park, the mixed-use development off Gaylord Parkway and Dallas Parkway, where it's being billed as the second-biggest park opening in DFW since Klyde Warren Park opened in downtown Dallas in 2012.| CultureMap Dallas