{"id":2186,"date":"2025-10-14T07:04:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T07:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/2186\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T07:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T07:04:10","slug":"veteran-houston-chef-claims-menil-restaurant-for-new-all-day-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/2186\/","title":{"rendered":"Veteran Houston chef claims Menil restaurant for new all-day cafe"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Menil Collection has found a new operator for its campus restaurant. Veteran Houston chef and restaurateur Claire Smith will open a new concept called Chr\u00f4ma<\/a> in early 2026.<\/p>\n

Located in the former Bistro Menil space (1512 Sul Ross), Chr\u00f4ma (styled as the all-lowercase \u201cchr\u00f4ma\u201d in press materials) will serve the global comfort fare that Smith prepared at her Houston restaurants Shade, Canopy, and Alice Blue. Smith will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch at Chr\u00f4ma, which is located steps from the Menil Collection<\/a>, Houston’s world-renowned art museum.<\/p>\n

The menu will feature dishes such as Indian-spiced chicken and waffles with tamarind maple syrup and cilantro butter, ratatouille with crispy polenta, and a Greek Caesar salad. Smith is also reviving dishes from her former concepts, such as soup trip from Shade, Canopy\u2019s crab remoulade, and Alice Blue\u2019s chicken flautas.<\/p>\n

Considered one of Houston\u2019s earliest advocates for using local ingredients on her menu, Smith opened Daily Review Cafe, her first restaurant, in 1994. She followed it with Southern-inspired Shade<\/a>, which debuted in the mid-aughts 19th Street in the Heights. It earned a devoted following for its Southern-inspired comfort food such as the signature shrimp and grits. In 2017, she transformed Shade into the European-inspired Alice Blue<\/a>, with an assist from chef Jason Vaughan and beverage expert Sean Jensen \u2014 the duo who would go on to national acclaim for Nancy\u2019s Hustle<\/a>. She also operated all-day concept Canopy<\/a> on Montrose Boulevard from 2009-2019. <\/p>\n

When Smith chose to close both Canopy and Alice Blue as their leases expired, some assumed she might be headed for retirement. That was never the case, she tells CultureMap. <\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last year and a half I have been exploring options for a new space. When the opportunity arose to open a project on the Menil campus, I jumped on it,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Menil is a unique world renowned destination in Houston, in the Montrose that I have always loved. I am looking forward to Chr\u00f4ma becoming a part of daily fabric of the neighborhood,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n

Houston architect Dillon Kyle is working with Smith on renovations to the Bistro Menil space. Plans include expanding the bar area to facilitate easier to-go service for both neighborhood diners and museum visitors who want to enjoy a meal on the Menil lawn.<\/p>\n

Chef Greg Martin opened Bistro Menil<\/a> in 2014 with a menu of European-inspired comfort fare. The restaurant closed<\/a> in June after more than 10 years in business. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m honored by the trust the Menil Collection has placed in me,\u201d Smith said in a statement. \u201cChr\u00f4ma will be a space that reflects the creativity and warmth of the Menil community \u2014 a place where visitors, neighbors, and art lovers can gather, dine, and connect.\u201d<\/p>\n