Atlas Restaurant Group, which owns and operates a number of concepts in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and South Florida, has brought its Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar to Houston. Opening June 17, the dual concepts in River Oaks aim to bring guests closer to Santorini and New England, respectively.

Ouzo Bay, which originally launched in Baltimore, looks to provide an elevated Mediterranean experience that includes fresh seafood (branzino from the Aegean Sea, jumbo prawns from Madagascar), lamb, and dips like hummus and date and goat cheese. Sommelier Evan Turner developed a wine program for Ouzo Bay; guests may want to sip on the restaurant's patio, or inside a dining room that combines modern luxury with Greek influence.

Loch Bar, meanwhile, neighbors Ouzo Bay and focuses on pairing casual seafood fare with a robust cocktail program. Inside a modernized tavern space, Loch Bar will serve oysters, lobster rolls, crab cakes, and as a nod to Houston, crawfish. Look for original cocktails and a deep whiskey selection.

To bolster its staff in Houston ahead of the opening of Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar, Atlas added Ryan Studt (Eddie V's Prime Seafood) as head of operations, and David Hall (Le Colonial) as director of hospitality. Growth in River Oaks is anticipated.

Local developer Pearl Hospitality has been renovating the tower portion of the old Medical Towers Building in the Medical Center. On Wednesday, the developer announced it'll also overhaul the street level of the structure and bring in a host of fast-casual eateries.

Some of those spots are well known to Houstonians: MOD Pizza, Antone's, Poke in the Bowl, and SusieCakes are slated to open early in 2020. They'll join the already-open Halal Guys on the block. JuiceLand will also open a location here, and that's scheduled for mid-2020.

One spot is new to us: Roti Modern Mediterranean, which serves health-forward dishes like pitas, rice plates, and flatbread pizzas—and has locations in Washington, D.C., Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, and New York—will open its doors this fall.  

“We are excited that the first Roti Modern Mediterranean in Houston will be part of the redeveloped Medical Towers project in the Texas Medical Center. It's the ideal location for Roti’s bold flavors, wholesome ingredients and healthy Mediterranean cuisine,” said Carl Segal, CEO of Roti Modern Mediterranean. “With the creative adaptive re-use of a historic building and addition of the Westin Houston Medical Center, the project serves as a unique destination for those who live and work in the area as well as the millions who visit the area each year."