Food scene is changing in The Woodlands Residents regret loss of Hubbell & Hudson grocery, but all is not lost

Co-owner and chef Edelberto Goncalves works on the wood-burning grill at Fieldings in The Woodlands restaurant at 1699 Research Forest Drive, one of several craft restaurants open in The Woodlands area. Co-owner and chef Edelberto Goncalves works on the wood-burning grill at Fieldings in The Woodlands restaurant at 1699 Research Forest Drive, one of several craft restaurants open in The Woodlands area. Photo: David Hopper, Freelance Photo: David Hopper, Freelance Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Food scene is changing in The Woodlands 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Foodies and gourmands in The Woodlands may suffer a blow when the high-end grocer Hubble & Hudson closes its doors in March.

Still, these aficionados of the finer things on the plate are finding new venues to satisfy their sophisticated cravings.

Maris Blair, a lawyer by day and undercover gourmet cook, was among the many shocked at the news that the market in Town Center was scheduled to close its doors.

"I only live about a block from there, and I've been there since day one," Blair said. "I hate hearing that it is going to close. It's just sad."

With the announcement of the market's closure came the news that the adjacent restaurant would expand.

Blair said she is happy to hear about new dining options. In the meantime, she is preparing a shopping list for Hubble & Hudson's market.

"I'm going to get some of those ingredients that I just don't know where to find anywhere else," she said.

Market spokesman Haydar Kustu said the future will hold enhancements to Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen, Hubbell & Hudson Bistro and Hubbell & Hudson Catering.

More Information At a glance Want to know more about the foodie scene in The Woodlands? 1 For restaurant reviews, visit thewoodlandseats.com/ 1 Join in the discussion on Facebook on the Woodlands Area Foodies page, www.facebook.com/groups/woodlandsfoodies/

"This has been a difficult decision, but as the saying goes, as one door closes, another opens," he said. "We'll continue to share updates and announcements as plans are finalized."

Hubbell & Hudson Market & Bistro opened in The Woodlands in 2008 and branched out to a second location at Black Forest Park, 4526 Research Forest Drive a few years later.

The second location, the Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen, will also remain open.

The original store, located at 24 Waterway Ave., became a culinary destination - with an array of produce, meat, seafood, dry goods and prepared foods.

Cary Attar founded Hubbell & Hudson - using his years of experience in grocery store management and culinary school to create a home for foodies in The Woodlands.

Attar said inspiration struck when he realized that he had to drive from his home in The Woodlands to Houston to shop for gourmet groceries.

He also realized that more people were on sugar-free and gluten-free diets and needed specialty items.

Attar sold his shares in Hubble & Hudson to Black Walnut Ventures in 2012 - with his sights on a new adventure in the culinary scene.

He and executive chef Edel Goncalves created Fielding Culinary Group – opening Fielding's Wood Grill in September 2013.

The business partners plan to open two other restaurants they believe will set a new standard in dining out.

"These will all be craft restaurants," Attar said. "We make everything from scratch."

At Fielding's Wood Grill, the steaks are hand-cut and the juices for the artisan mixology bar are fresh-squeezed. Chefs grind meat daily for the specialty burgers, make their own bacon and prepare sauces and sides from scratch. The restaurant even has a gluten free bun from its in-house bakery.

"We do as much farm-to-table as we can," Attar said. "We use all natural ingredients; we bake our own bread. Even our chicken is free-range and all natural."

He is convinced that the food scene is changing in The Woodlands - and that people are demanding more from menus and want fresher ingredients.

"The Woodlands' foodie scene is really growing," Attar said. "The market has grown and matured. They want something quality, and they want a good value. We're going to focus on quality of food and quality of service. We're going to focus on the experience."

Albert Nurick, a resident of The Woodlands who writes about food for the blog H-Town Chow Down, agrees that things are changing in the local restaurant scene.

He said when he first moved to the area in 2005, Amerigo's was the only good option for dining out.

"They've been here forever," Nurick said.

Now there are several options - including many independent restaurants. There are places for upscale dinner and fun fusion joints as well, he said, pointing out Tandoory Taco.

"We're starting to see little funky places like that - and I think that's when you get a good restaurant scene," Nurick said.

He also recommends trying Capri Italian Restaurant. "It's just extremely well-made, home-style Italian food," he said.

Nurick started a group on Facebook called Woodlands Area Foodies to encourage further discussion of dining options in the area.

"It's been great," he said. "I have 200 people in the group. If they find something cool, they will write about it."

Nurick invites other residents to join the conversation.

"These people are enthusiasts," he said. "And they like food."