Honest Mary's, the Austin-born fast-casual grain-bowl chain, has landed in Houston, opening its first local outpost in the River Oaks Shopping Center. The counter-service restaurant has taken over the former La Madeleine space at 2047-A West Gray Street and is now serving the brand’s signature bowls, sipping broths, and aguas frescas to the neighborhood.
According to the Houston Business Journal, the River Oaks restaurant marks Honest Mary's first expansion outside the Austin area and its debut location in Houston. The Journal noted yesterday's report that the opening is part of a broader local rollout that follows the chain’s recent growth in Central Texas.
Menu and hours
The menu at Honest Mary's centers on chef-crafted bowls built on a base of grains or greens, rounded out with sipping broths and a rotating lineup of house-made aguas frescas. The River Oaks shop opened on Dec. 4 and operates daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with dine-in, takeout, and online ordering available, Community Impact reported.
Space and neighborhood history
The restaurant sits in the River Oaks Shopping Center at the busy West Gray and Shepherd intersection, where Honest Mary's is now listed among the property’s tenants. The River Oaks Shopping Center notes that the concept joins a longstanding mix of national and local businesses that have helped anchor the corner for decades.
Before Honest Mary's moved in, the space was home to La Madeleine’s longtime River Oaks outpost. That cafe closed ahead of the grain-bowl chain’s arrival, a change that highlights recent turnover among regional and national eateries in the center, the Houston Chronicle reported. The closure left a high-profile vacancy on one of River Oaks’ most visible corners and cleared the way for the new tenant.
Background and expansion
Founder Nelson Monteith launched Honest Mary's in Austin in 2017. He has described the concept as “life-giving fast food” built on fresh ingredients and scratch-made sauces, according to Community Impact.
Local coverage of upcoming openings suggests River Oaks may just be the start for Honest Mary's in the Houston area. The company has indicated that additional locations are on its growth roadmap, What Now Houston reported. For diners, the River Oaks spot brings another fast, health-focused lunch and dinner option to one of the city’s busiest retail corridors.
