Houston native Kirthan Shenoy and his wife, Kripa Shenoy, will head a new restaurant coming to the Autry Park mixed-use development that will offer a vegetable-forward menu with views of Buffalo Bayou Park.

Dubbed Auden, the eatery is slated to open in spring of 2022, according to a Dec. 7 press release.

Kirthan Shenoy will serve as executive chef, while Kripa Shenoy will be Auden's executive pastry chef. Both owners have experience working in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City, including working for Chef Michael White, according to the release.

The menu will feature dishes that pay homage to Houston as a globally diverse city, Kirthan Shenoy said in a statement. The menu itself will be constantly evolving with a focus on sustainability, freshness and seasonalilty, according to the release.

“Auden means ‘old friend,’ and we hope the approachable and relatable dishes we’ll serve evoke feelings of familiarity and comfort in both the hearts and stomachs of our guests,” Kirthan Shenoy said in a statement.




The Shenoys are opening Auden under the Nitecap Hospitality umbrella, according to the release. Houston architect Rodrigo Tovar of rT3 will design the 2,800-square-foot interior as well as the eatery's 800-square-foot patio. Auden will offer 150 seats n total and will feature floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over Buffalo Bayou Park.

Autry Park is a 14-acre mixed-use project developed by Houston-based Hanover Co. and Lionstone Investments. Upon completion, it will feature approximately 1,450 residential units, 350,000 square feet of Class A office space and over 100,000 square feet of curated retail around a central green space.