“I live in the area, and I spend a lot of time down here,” co-owner Larry Martin said. “I always thought that there was so much potential down here and it was just untapped.”
After a soft launch April 15, the restaurant opened officially April 21 at 908 Ave. B, Katy.
Martin and his business partner, Edgar Carlson, purchased the space after consulting with other business owners in the area—who referred them to the developer of a new building in the square called the Depot, Martin said.
Despite supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued their plan to open Southern Dough Baking Co. in the city’s center—citing Katy’s “immense population growth.”
“We held true to our belief that if you build it, they will come,” Carlson said. “And people are coming.”
The restaurant is marketed as a “country cafe” with southern-style dishes and decor that fit the theme of “Old Katy,” General Manager Tony Grassau said.
“We bake our own bread in-house. We are making pies, cookies, muffins, all of it from scratch,” Grassau said. "We are going to have daily specials that are just down-home food—pot roast, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf.”
Aside from daily specials and bakery items, the restaurant’s menu features soups, salads, sandwiches, quiche and catfish plates.
Grassau said Southern Dough fits with the ongoing revitalization of Katy’s historic town square and the city’s commitment to keeping a small town atmosphere and aesthetic.
“[Southern Dough] will also help all the other small business owners around here just by creating more foot traffic,” Grassau said. “It will be another reason that makes downtown Katy a destination.”
Southern Dough Baking Co.
908 Ave. B, Katy
832-437-1771
www.thesodough.com
Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 11: a.m.-4 p.m.
