Pauly opened his namesake, or abbreviation-sake, restaurant at 5427 Bissonnet St. in 2024. The decision, according to him, came after sustained growth at the first KP’s Kitchen in Houston’s Spring Valley neighborhood at 8412 I-10.
“After a great deal of thought, I’ve decided to consolidate operations and focus fully on our original Memorial/Spring Valley location moving forward,” Pauly said in a statement. “This has not been an easy decision because I’m incredibly proud of what we built in Bellaire and deeply grateful for the staff, guests, and community that supported us there.”
Pauly said most of the employees at the Bellaire KP’s Kitchen have already picked up shifts at the Spring Valley location. Assistance will be provided to any who can’t be relocated.
KP’s Kitchen opened in March 2021 in Town & Country Village. A year later, it moved to its current location off I-10. Before opening his restaurants, Pauly previously worked with fellow restaurateur Benjy Levitt at Local Foods Group. The restaurant serves American comfort food with a bistro-like sensibility.
Pauly’s restaurants are popular, and he’s an avid poster on social media
and on Houston’s various foodie groups. In his email to Chron, he said operating both restaurants had pulled him away from being more present with guests and involved in the day-to-day business.
“I can’t be in two places at once, and I ultimately decided I wanted to refocus my energy on one strong restaurant and get back to the heart of why I opened KP’s Kitchen in the first place,” Pauly said.
Pauly is encouraging guests to continue visiting the Bellaire KP’s Kitchen before it closes. He’ll be running daily specials at both restaurants. Every Sunday, the Bellaire location will offer select cocktails and spirits for just $5.