Chef and Restauranteur, Levi Goode Announces Two New Concepts Coming Summer 2024

CREDENCE AND SIDEBAR– The new restaurant and speakeasy are Levi Goode’s first concepts under his personal brand

Levi Goode, popular Houston chef, restaurateur and head of Goode Company Restaurants, is excited to announce his first standalone project under his own personal brand – a restaurant and speakeasy concept: Credence and Sidebar. The restaurant and speakeasy will be next door to each other at 9757 Katy Freeway, Suite 170, Houston, TX 77024 in The McKinley at Memorial City. Both are expected to open Summer 2024. 

Credence is a South Texas ranch-inspired, upscale concept serving regional American fare that will pay homage to Texas culinary traditions and live-fire cooking rooted in classic cooking techniques. The restaurant will be an embodiment of Levi’s worldly culinary experiences and Texan heritage. Levi, a two-time James Beard nominated restaurateur, drew inspiration for Credence from family recipes, cooking with his grandmother and father, hunting and live-fire cooking, his travels, his education and his twenty plus years at the helm of the popular Goode Company Restaurants. 

“Credence and Sidebar are unlike any Goode Co. concepts,” said Chef and Owner Levi Goode. “They are reflective of my experiences as a restaurateur and chef and draw inspiration from my family’s heritage. Opening these two new restaurants under my own personal brand has been years in the making. It’s exciting to pull back the curtain and celebrate where we are headed.”

“The development of this new brand and its subsequent concepts adds a new dimension to our company that allows for more sustainability and creativity with the goal of bringing Texas together – communally, culturally and culinarily. I’ll remain president of Goode Company Restaurants and will now have an additional focus on the Levi Goode Brand.”

Levi continues: “My hope is that both Credence and Sidebar serve as local havens where people can come together and enjoy a good meal, a handmade cocktail and a good time. We’re excited to continue to serve the Memorial area of Houston, which has been so good to us, in a brand new way.”

Live-fire cooking will be at the center of the menu at Credence with dishes like the Fire Roasted Seafood Tower, Dry Aged Duck for Two and Hearth Roasted Swordfish on the Bone cooked directly on a custom-made hearth. The kitchen will be curated with seasonal ingredients from local purveyors. From the best the Gulf has to offer, to the finest dry aged prime beef and traditional dishes from Texas ranches and the Gulf Coast, each dish at Credence will be presented in a thoughtful, warm, and elevated style.

Dishes will be Southern in spirit, with some designed to be shared, encouraging communal dining and gathering with family and friends around the table. The cocktail and wine menu at Credence is designed to pair effortlessly with the dishes. Guests will be able to order elevated riffs on classic cocktails such as a seasonal take on a Paloma, a re-tweaked Negroni and a fun take on vermouth and soda. Classic cocktails will be served alongside Credence-specific creations like West Texas Parisa, Hearth Roasted Bone Marrow and Spring Mushrooms & Cornbread Gnocchi. 

Sidebar was inspired by the Texas oil boom of the early 1900’s. This reservation-only restaurant and cocktail bar will feature well-executed classic cocktails, big, bold wines and highly-allocated champagne.

House-infused spirits and garnishes picked and peeled by hand will complement the rich ingredients of every drink. Wines from classic producers, regions and styles and a wider selection of old-world selections will be hand-selected to complement the food at Sidebar. Special cocktails like a classic gin Martini served with a sidecar and garnishes, a Pink Lady, with an elegant Texan twist and reworked Old Fashioneds and Manhattans will be offered on the menu. The food menu will boast classic American fare with luster, featuring items like dry-aged steaks, oysters topped with caviar and more. 

Exceptional hospitality will be the standard at both restaurants, with an emphasis on traditional tableside service for salads, carved meats from the hearth, desserts and more. Credence and Sidebar will both feature indoor and patio seating. Levi Goode has tapped international architecture firm, Gensler, to help design the project.

For more information on the new concepts visit credencehtx.com and follow along on social media at @credencehtx and @sidebaratcredence.

Photo credit: Jody Horton