From ‘Fuzzy Balls’ to Barbecue: What’s Hot in the Heights Now

THIS SUMMER, THE Heights has become a literal hotbed for restaurateurs and bar owners opening new doors. Here’s a look at newcomers to try, plus what’s on tap this summer at other favorites in the ’hood.

Southern Decadence: Inside the Opulent New Black-Owned Restos Warwick and Rare

Jeff Gremillion

TWO POSH NEW eateries in the voluptuous style of rich steakhouses, Rare and The Warwick — both Black-owned and led by African American chefs, and influenced by the overlapping traditions of Southern cuisine, soul food and Cajun-creole cooking — have opened in Houston.

From Church Organ to World Stage: Houston’s Hot Khruangbin Trio Hits the Road

Chris Becker

FOUNDED IN HOUSTON in 2010 by guitarist Mark Speer, bassist Laura Lee, and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson, Khruangbin is a rock band Miles Davis would have loved to have played with, for space is the key to their interlocking, antiphonal ambience.

Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

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The patio at Heights & Co.

IT'S ALMOST TIME for summer vacations, but Heights & Co. is offering escapes on its newly redecorated patio in the form of wine and movie nights — no passport needed! Visit France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and more through wine pairings and tasting menus, all complemented by movies set in each location.

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Food

Ally Shell and Martijn van Koolwijk

BLAME IT ON the Moon! Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s 2025 gala at the Thompson hotel — themed “Moonlight Serenade and chaired by Ally Shell and Martijn Van Koolwijk — was a night of glamour and big band vibes, raising more than $350,000 for the company.

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Art+Culture