Editors note: This article has been updated to include additional happy hour information on the Magnolia location.
Founded on Alba Street in the Heights, owner Daut Elshani said he opened D'Alba in 2021 to bring a modern and timeless eatery with locally sourced ingredients. Years later in 2025, the eatery expanded with a new location at FM 2978 in the Magnolia area.
“The idea really was to bring in a fresh take on all the local ingredients that we have here in Texas, and to deliver fresh cuisine that combines all aspects of what Houston is, a very diverse city,” Elshani said.
What's special about it?
Made with ingredients locally sourced in Texas, Elshani said D'Alba offers cuisine reflecting Houston's diversity.
“Houston is the most diverse city, so we brought the menu together, reflecting that and really elevating it and giving it a modern take,” Elshani said. “You'll notice we have Mediterranean dishes like the hummus, but we have a modern take on it, and then we'll have a Spanish style ceviche with a tomato sauce. And then ... our fresh pizzas, of course, and pastas on the more Italian side.”
With an ambiance representing an everyday, casual atmosphere, D'Alba also offers menu items made with fresh ingredients, Elshani said.
“It's been such a great hit here that we decided to get the second location. And we were looking at several different places, but with Montgomery County having one of the biggest booms and growth that it's experienced in the past few years, we wanted to explore the great location that has that potential,” Elshani said.
D'Alba offers oysters for $1 during happy hour on weekdays from 2-6 p.m. (Courtesy Becca Wright Photography/D'Alba)
On the menu
With 90% of its ingredients sourced from local distributors, D'Alba said its fruit and produce are daily delivered to ensure fresh cuisine. Another locally sourced ingredient is the ground beef wagyu blend sourced from Bryan.
“Everyone that does try our food and our menu, they're blown away by why it is different,” Elshani said. “You know, it tastes so great and you're not over full or bloated but we're still serving a great burger and we're still serving a great salad. The only difference is that we're providing them with fresh ingredients.”
With several favorites offered, Elshani said some of their most ordered menu items are inspired by “happy accidents,” or menu items created during its trial process. One of those includes the balloon bread made from pizza dough in a wood fired oven that balloons up and includes basil pesto and truffle honey.
The alba balloon bread ($10) include basil pesto, garlic and truffle honey. (Courtesy Becca Wright Photography/D'Alba)
“A lot of people kind of have a ‘Wow’ factor with it just by looking at it. But you know, again, the aromas are between the parmesan and the pine nuts and fresh basil out of a pesto, and then you're also getting that fresh truffle and honey, it's one of our happy accidents. So that's what we typically recommend to everyone,” Elshani said.
A few other must-have menu items at D’Alba include its wood oven pizzas, oysters, burgers and salads, Elshani said.
“Every single item that we do offer has a multi-layered flavor profile, where you know you're not just experiencing one flavor by itself,” Elshani said.
D'Alba offers espresso martinis made with finlandia, st george coffee and illy espresso. (Courtesy Becca Wright Photography/ D'Alba)
It's five o'clock somewhere
Along with a diverse cuisine menu, D'Alba boasts a drink menu. Speciality drinks offered include its updated old fashioned made with roasted pumpkin seeds infused with dates for 72 hours.
With happy hour taking place weekdays from 2-6 p.m., the eatery offers half-off craft cocktails, $1 oysters, $5 balloon bread and a $9 cheese board as well as half of all wines by the glass and half of all beers. A few drinks offered on the happy hour menu include the alba red mule, underground blonde and the Maddalena pinot grigio.
Desserts offered include the freshly baked chocolate chip cookie and raspberry sauce cheesecake made with a whipped topping and mint.
