Following a rapid national expansion of MAVEN Coffee Company and the debut of three locales for MAVEN Coffee + Cocktails, a new iteration of the MAVEN experience is being readied in the heart of Houston’s historic First Ward and the epicenter of the city’s thriving Arts District. Houston-based Rex Hospitality Group opened MAVEN at Sawyer Yards, a 2,400-square-foot full-service restaurant flush with a casual, all-day-dining menu and bar with an inviting cocktail ambience, on Friday, October 18.
Rex Hospitality Group co-founders – Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and Houston entrepreneur Juan Carlos de Aldecoa, along with their partner, attorney Jimmy Doan – have positioned MAVEN at Sawyer Yards as the company’s next major step in expanding a portfolio of imaginative, neighborhood-driven new dining and entertainment concepts slated for Houston. MAVEN at Sawyer Yards is in addition to MAVEN’s caffeine and cocktail-fueled portable carts service at Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center and its outpost at the Thompson Hotel.
“The opening of MAVEN at Sawyer Yards – the brand’s fourth outpost in less than 16 months – is a testament to the demand for quality-driven, handcrafted food and beverage experiences,” said Nina Quincy, president of Rex Hospitality Group in a statement. “We envision our Sawyer Yards location as a neighborhood destination that lends itself to both daytime and nighttime experiences. MAVEN at Sawyer Yards differs from our other concepts in that it offers a complete dining experience, rooted in quality, chef-driven cuisine.”
Housed within the steely bones of a former commercial trucking station, MAVEN at Sawyer Yards sits adjacent to the Union Pacific railroad tracks on Winter Street that slice through Sawyer Yards. The new restaurant and patio build on MAVEN Coffee + Cocktails with an exciting addition of a full-service, chef-driven menu of contemporary American fare with a Spanish touch, paired with a robust cocktail program and, naturally, MAVEN’s signature coffee blend, made of 100 percent arabica coffee.
The menu was led by Rex Hospitality Group’s chief operating officer and acclaimed chef Nicolás “Nico” Baizan de Aldecoa, returning to his native Houston after a prestigious career as an international chef and consultant for critically acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs.
For MAVEN at Sawyer Yards, chef Nico tapped into his expertise in open fire kitchens and haute cuisine to deliver an approachable menu with an international flare. For starters, guests can opt for a number of items – ranging from a grouper-forward smoked fish dip and beef tartare, to octopus with fingerling potatoes, and deviled eggs topped with Kaluga caviar. Heartier options include a spicy rigatoni with Manchego cheese, steak au poivre, pork belly with saffron, miso and dates, double cream artichoke, and a classic roasted chicken. For dessert, those craving a sweet treat can indulge in classic fan-favorites with a MAVEN twist such as the s’mores cup or a fresher treat such as the melon and basil, a dish of compressed melon topped with basil ice cream. The mid-day daily menu offers fast favorites such as breakfast tacos and avocado toast, while highlighting chef Nico’s take on classic sandwiches, such as a Cubano (which pays homage to McCullers’ Cuban heritage), truffle grilled cheese or a smoked grouper melt with American cheese.
Consulting on the cocktail program is New York-based cocktail guru, Paul McGee. McGee’s credentials include Three Dots and a Dash, named in the World’s 50 Best Bars list. MAVEN at Sawyer Yards’ cocktail program will, of course, spotlight the brand’s signature cold brew concentrate through its take on an espresso martini, the MAVEN Shakerato, and a carajillo. MAVEN puts its spin on classics like the old fashioned and margarita with fun additions in the form of a Brazilian caipirinha, a tropical whiskey sour, and the Hotel Nacional Special, a pineapple-infused daiquiri with a hint of apricot. MAVEN offers a spirit-free selection of cocktails, including its non-alcoholic take on the Shakerato and the Button Buck, a refreshing, semi-creamy highball.
This approachable, playful menu will be set against an eye-catching buildout by SG Designs Houston. Constructed from a former trucking filling station and car wash, the restaurant and patio are the epitome of industrial/warehouse chic. The restaurant’s boxcar-like interior is softened by expansive use of a marble finish composite, tonal wallpaper and slatted wood paneling, all actuated by ample natural lighting. Brass and milk glass fixtures, along with a mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings, transform the atmosphere into a sophisticated, moody setting for evening experiences.
Outside, a gas station canopy stands as a vintage sentinel over a generous landscaped, dog-friendly patio overlooking the breadth of Sawyer Yards, while a sliding window in the front allows for easy pick-up and to-go orders. SG Design Houston embraced locomotive elements (such as the original lights from the car wash) as part of a design literally built along urban railroad tracks. Surrounded by iconic rice silos and dozens of art studios, MAVEN at Sawyer Yards is the new beating heart of a booming retail/residential community rich in history and art. The interior and exterior seat 46 and 32 guests, respectively.
MAVEN at Sawyer Yards is located at 1501 Silver St. Hours of operation are Sunday and Monday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. From 3-5 p.m., the restaurant will only offer coffee and pastry service as they prepare for the evening dinner service.
