The Union Kitchen has quietly turned out the lights at its Katy location, leaving the once-busy Cinco Ranch dining room empty while the company shifts its focus to other Houston-area outposts. Gr8 Plate Hospitality told staff the restaurant would not return and is working to move affected employees to its other concepts.
Katy location closed Jan. 11, owner confirms
The Union Kitchen at 9920 Gaston Rd., Ste. 100 officially closed on Sunday, Jan. 11, according to the Houston Chronicle. The decision surfaced in a brief statement sent to local media, with no extended explanation or drawn-out farewell tour.
Owner: "Deeply grateful" and helping the staff
Gr8 Plate Hospitality owner Paul Miller said the company is "deeply grateful to our loyal guests who made this location such a special place" and that it is "working closely with our team members to offer opportunities at other Gr8 Plate Hospitality locations," as reported by Community Impact. The statement cast the closure as a strategic move for a local restaurant group, with the emphasis squarely on reassigning staff rather than cutting them loose.
Where to find The Union Kitchen now
The Union Kitchen brand still points diners to its other greater Houston locations in Cypress, Garden Oaks, Kingwood and near Memorial City, according to the locations page on the restaurant's official website. The chain is steering guests toward those remaining spots for reservations and takeout while it sorts out staffing shifts behind the scenes.
A quick timeline of the Katy spot
The Katy restaurant debuted in June 2020 as part of Gr8 Plate Hospitality's push into the suburbs, according to CultureMap Houston. The original Union Kitchen on Bellaire Boulevard, where the concept first took shape, opened in 2010 and closed in fall 2020 as part of an earlier round of footprint changes, per Houstonia Magazine.
Gr8 Plate's local restaurant family
Gr8 Plate Hospitality oversees several familiar Houston names, including Jax Grill, Passerella Ristorante & Bar and Vine Memorial. Jax Grill has been around since 1993, according to the Houston Chronicle. For now, the company is nudging longtime Union Kitchen regulars toward its remaining locations while it works internally to place affected Katy team members.
