Khói Barbecue Secures New Heights Neighborhood Location
The acclaimed barbecue pop-up has received a certificate of occupancy for a new permanent space in the Houston Heights.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Barbecue
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Khói Barbecue, a popular local pop-up established in 2017, has secured a certificate of occupancy for a new brick-and-mortar building in the Houston Heights. The restaurant will transition to 201 E. 20th St., the site formerly occupied by Le Café Joséphine.
Why it matters
The move aims to accommodate increased demand following the restaurant's recognition with a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Texas Michelin Guide. Owners Don and Theo Nguyen plan to expand their staffing to support the transition to this permanent space.
Khói LLC received a certificate of occupancy on October 14, 2026, for the corner brick building located at 201 E. 20th St. The business was originally established in 2017 and currently operates its pop-up service at 515 Patton St.
The players
Khói Barbecue
This Houston-based restaurant concept gained recognition for its barbecue and received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Texas Michelin Guide.
Don and Theo Nguyen
They are the founders and owners of Khói Barbecue who launched the business as a pop-up in 2017.
The details
The building at 201 E. 20th St. previously hosted Le Café Joséphine, which was rebranded from Neo Baguette in 2022. This relocation marks the first brick-and-mortar storefront for the popular barbecue concept.
Timeline
Khói Barbecue was first established as a pop-up in 2017.
Le Café Joséphine was rebranded from Neo Baguette in 2022.
A certificate of occupancy was issued to Khói LLC on October 14, 2026.
Culture Shift
The expansion follows a pattern where local restaurants leverage recognition from the 2026 Texas Michelin Guide to scale operations into permanent storefronts. This transition reflects a broader shift toward formalizing high-demand pop-up concepts into established neighborhood anchors.
Residents in the Heights can expect the new brick-and-mortar location to provide more consistent dining availability compared to the current weekend pop-up schedule. Customers should monitor for upcoming hiring announcements as the owners scale operations for the new space.
The takeaway
The move signifies the successful maturation of a local culinary project from a pop-up to a permanent fixture. Diners looking to support local growth should check the current Patton St. schedule while awaiting news of the move to the new Heights location.
Further reading
Find more local dining updates in the Barbecue section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chron.
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