McAlister’s Deli closes at Avenida Houston

McAlister's Deli, one of the original restaurant tenants at Avenida Houston, has closed. McAlister's Deli, one of the original restaurant tenants at Avenida Houston, has closed. Photo: Yelp Houston Photo: Yelp Houston Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close McAlister’s Deli closes at Avenida Houston 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

McAlister's Deli, one of the original tenants at Avenida Houston's restaurant promenade has closed.

The restaurant, which specialized in made-to-order sandwiches and salads, closed Monday, according to Houston First, the corporation that manages the George R. Brown Convention Center, home to Avenida's collection of restaurants that include Grotto Downtown, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Kulture and The Rustic.

This is the second of the original Avenida restaurants to shutter after Bud's Pitmaster BBQ ceased operations in October. Houston First will announce a new restaurant going into the Bud's space next week, said Holly Clapham, chief marketing officer for Houston First.

The ambitious Avenida Houston, taking in the breadth of Discovery Green and flanked by the Hilton Americas and Marriott Marquis hotels, debuted just before Super Bowl LI in February 2017, was populated by local, familiar restaurants that offered a variety of dining experiences. That two restaurants have closed as Avenida nears its second anniversary should not be considered a failure for Houston First, Clapham said.

"Instead of considering it a setback, I feel like we're now entering the next phase of maturity," she said, adding that restaurant business has become more competitive in downtown and in the neighboring EaDo neighborhood. "There ae such unique concepts downtown and in EaDo. There's a lot of competition for quality. When people make their decision about where to spend their money, there's a competitive ring around the convention center. For retailers, it has to be the best to compete with their neighbors. It's challenging."

Clapham points to The Rustic, a Dallas-based live music dining experience as an example of a unique restaurant concept doing great business at Avenida. She added that the McAlister's space also will be filled but could not say whether it would be with another restaurant.

According to its website, McAlister's Deli operate more than 400 restaurants in 28 states.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.