5 things to know about Vibrant 2.0, reopening this week in Montrose

The wellness-focused Houston restaurant has gotten a refresh, refined its menu and added a retail section.

Photo of Megha McSwain
The new Vibrant boasts an expanded coffee program.

The new Vibrant boasts an expanded coffee program.

Vibrant

Vibrant, the ultra-hip Montrose cafe and coffee house that has remained dormant since September 2021, reopens with new energy and a new look on Nov. 16. The visually striking restaurant, tucked among the residences on Fairview Street, opened in the spring of 2018 with an attractive space and a meaningful approach to wellness foods and drinks—think no dairy at the coffee bar and a thoughtful menu made up of superfoods and plant-based eats.

After taking some time to regroup and add to the existing concept, Vibrant is finally rejoining Houston's busy food scene with a new, elevated version of itself. Here are five things to know about Vibrant's reopening.

Vibrant opens Wednesday, November 16th with a completely revamped menu.

Vibrant opens Wednesday, November 16th with a completely revamped menu.

Vibrant
The addition of retro chairs to the dining room are among Vibrant's subtle design changes.

The addition of retro chairs to the dining room are among Vibrant's subtle design changes.

Vibrant
Vibrant

1. Vibrant 2.0 boasts an entirely new menu, but its chef talent remains the same.

Chef Patti Delgado helmed the kitchen at Vibrant before it temporarily shuttered, and she's back with a completely new menu for its current iteration. The vision behind the menu was to create a more refined version of the health food Vibrant was known for, by putting an emphasis on functional foods and anti-inflammatory benefits, with all dishes made fresh in-house. New menu items include sorghum waffles with coconut yogurt probiotic cream and elderberry syrup, braised beef tacos on housemade sweet potato cassava tortilla, and activated pecan amaranth granola with blue spirulina milk.

2. Come to caffeinate and eat, stay to shop.

When Vibrant reopens, it will operate as both a restaurant and a store, with the launch of its own small-batch retail line designed to introduce the experience of dining at Vibrant into the home. The retail section will be stocked with items like nut and seed breads, almond-cassava and sweet potato tortillas, chocolate chip cookie dough, coconut yogurt, bone broth, spinach-cauliflower pizza crust, and other prepared kitchen essentials, all made from scratch and packaged onsite. The retail section won't be limited to perishable goods: Products with a focus on wellness, like sage, mineral essence and supplements will be sold, along with T-shirts, tote bags, candles and more.

3. The restaurant's coffee program is bigger and better than before.

Vibrant's coffee program has expanded beyond offering only organic espresso from Panther Roastery, to now include adaptogenic lattes, featuring power boosts like moringa, astragalus and chag. The lattes, which are also available caffeine-free, are made to order, and are bottled in the retail section for grab-and-go convenience, too. The program is further complemented by the addition of a new pecan-cashew milk made in-house.

4. Along with revamped interiors, the kitchen has been upgraded.

Visitors who were fond of Vibrant's simple and sleek interiors can breathe easy, as renovations to the restaurant's interiors have been minimal. The space has transitioned to showcase a more primary color palette throughout its dining room and patio, and boasts new art, plus retro '70s-inspired chunky wood chairs. A redesign of the kitchen includes new toys for the kitchen staff, including dehydrators and a tortilla press.

5. The restaurant's reopening is just the beginning.

With the addition of its retail line, Vibrant appears to be becoming more of a lifestyle brand in Houston, and it's not stopping there. Plans are underway to host pop-up dinners, speaker series, and other activations in the renovated space, as Vibrant aims to be a hub for all things wellness.

Vibrant

Find it: 1931 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006; (832) 409-6423
Hours: Daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

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