The group behind the recently opened Maven Coffee + Cocktails on Allen Parkway have unveiled plans for an urban dining and cocktail patio concept to open in Sawyer Yards.

What's happening

The new concept, which will be called Maven at Sawyer Yards, is being developed by Rex Hospitality Group, whose cofounders include Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., local entrepreneur Juan Carlos de Aldecoa and attorney Jimmy Doan.

Unlike other Maven, concepts, the new 2,400-square-foot space will function as a full-service restaurant with an all-day dining menu, coffee options and a cocktail bar, according to an Oct. 15 news release. It will open on Silver Street in a building in a renovated commercial trucking station.

What it will offer


The kitchen will produce contemporary American fare with a Spanish touch with a menu created chef Nicolás “Nico” Baizan de Aldecoa, who also serves as Rex's chief operating officer, according to the release.

Starters will include a grouper-forward smoked fish dip, beef tartare, octopus with fingerling potatoes, and deviled eggs topped with Kaluga caviar. Entrees will include a spicy rigatoni with Manchego cheese, steak au poivre, and pork belly with saffron, miso and dates.

On the dessert menu guests will find options such as the melon and basil, made with compressed melon topped with basil ice cream.

The drink menu


In addition to offering classic cocktails, the cocktail menu will include options that spotlight the Maven's cold brew concentrate such as espresso martinis and carajillos. Spirit-free cocktails will include the button buck, described in the Oct. 15 release as a "refreshing, semi-creamy highball."

Also of note

An outdoor, dog-friendly patio takes advantage of the rice silos that epitomize the Sawyer Yards environment with a vintage gas station canopy and locomotive elements, according to the release. The interior and exterior seat 46 and 32 guests, respectively.

What they're saying


“We envision our Sawyer Yards location as a neighborhood destination that lends itself to both daytime and nighttime experiences," said Nina Quincy, president of Rex Hospitality Group, in a statement. "Maven at Sawyer Yards differs from our other concepts in that it offers a complete dining experience, rooted in quality, chef-driven cuisine.”