The second location of State Fare Kitchen & Bar will open Wednesday at Sugar Land Town Square. This State Fare, which is in a 6,000-square-foot space at 15930 City Walk (formerly a Cafe Express), will have a similar Southern comfort menu to the original in Memorial City. Although the new Sugar Land location will have a Friday and Saturday late-night roster of favorites like hot chicken and waffle tacos and jalapeños stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon. Chef Justin Yoakum will oversee both State Fare kitchens.

Lucille's in the Museum District has begun a pop-up bar program that spotlights bars across the city that have had to temporarily shutter because of Gov. Greg Abbott's June 26 executive order. The program started July 2 with Midtown bar The Alley Kat, owned by Marcus Davis of The Breakfast Klub and Kulture, operating Lucille's patio bar and debuting an original cocktail. The pop-up included a live set from DJ Big Reeks and the Waxaholics. Lucille's will soon announce further collaborations in the bar pop-up program; all sales from the patio bar will go back to the featured bar, and reservations will be required via Resy or by calling the restaurant. Face masks are required. 

According to crowdfunding operation NextSeed, sugar-free sweets startup Chipmonk Baking Company is expanding with a production facility at 3402 Antone Dr in Northwest Houston. The company, established in February 2019, says it has seen an increase in demand since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its lease on Antone Drive will begin in August, and after moving in, it'll ramp up production.

Need some fresh poutine? Riel has extended its July 1 Canada Day celebration into a Canada Week, which will end Saturday. The menu includes that most righteous dish of fries, cheese curds, and gravy, plus a deli dog (loaded hot dog), pizza sub, tourtiere meat pierogi, and nanaimo bar (a famed Western Canada-based dessert). You can get your Canadian delights by ordering online (dine-in also re-started as of Monday with 50 percent capacity).