6 New Venues in Houston/San Antonio for Summer 2022 Meetings and Events

At the C. Baldwin Hotel in downtown Houston, a hidden door near the first-floor lobby bar reveals a new speakeasy-style space meant for private events. Parlour Hideaway debuted in May 2022, with room for groups of up to 65 guests. Designed by Kate Rohrer of Philadelphia’s ROHE Creative with the hotel's namesake Charlotte Baldwin Allen (known as the "mother of Houston") in mind, Parlour Hideaway feels ladylike. The botanical wallpaper, Victorian millwork, and the crystal chandelier in the space are all custom, while the bar is a rosy shade of pink and wingback chairs are arranged around a marble fireplace. Champagne and craft cocktails are on the drink menu, while chef Chris Cosentino serves Italian-inspired snacks like truffle-taleggio crescentine and Texas wagyu tartare.

The hospitality group behind Houston's popular Dish Society restaurants unveiled a new eatery in Houston's CityCentre development in January 2022. With a similar farm-to-table ethos as Dish Society, Daily Gather offers upscale comfort food dishes like smoked brisket French dip and sumac-marinated rotisserie chicken with pistachio and sage gremolata. Gin Design Group created a smart look for the 6,000-square-foot restaurant, which features a brass-back bar with cove lighting (pictured) and local artwork hung gallery-style. The entire restaurant accommodates 150 guests, with room for an additional 100 guests at a 2,500-square-foot patio that overlooks CityCentre's green space. A private dining room called "The Gather Room," nestled in an intimate nook, can accommodate 30 seated or 50 standing guests. A private patio is attached to the Gather Room. There are also two additional patios, The Front Porch and The Back Porch. One accommodates up to 40 guests and the other patio accommodates up to 60. For seated events, choose between full-service dining or buffet-style dining. For standing receptions, Daily Gather includes a buffet-style appetizer table featuring a selection of Chef Brandi Key’s globally influenced, modernized American classics. Either dining format includes a private bar, bartender, and servers.

The completely reconfigured Marriott San Antonio Airport Hotel opened in April 2022. It's located less than five minutes from San Antonio International Airport. The 367-room hotel includes an indoor-outdoor bar and a pool. There's more than 15,000 square feet of flexible event space at the hotel. The 5,147-square-foot La Cantera Ballroom (pictured) can accommodate 650 guests for theater-style events or 343 for receptions or 468 for banquets. The ballroom can be divided into six different salons, with each offering its own HVAC, lighting, and electrical system. The 510-square-foot Pearl Boardroom provides access to an outdoor terrace with views of the hotel's pool and bar, with seating for 43 guests for theater-style events. The Hill Country Conference Center on the second floor offers 10 meeting rooms.

Houston restaurateur Benjy Levit opened an intimate new wine bar called Lees Den in April 2022, tucked above his restaurant Local Foods Market in Rice Village. The sophisticated space is decked out with booths covered in acid green velvet. The wine list focuses on bottles from Napa to the Mediterranean, with a focus on natural wine, small producers, and woman winemakers. Snack on popcorn doused in Korean red pepper salt, trout roe paired with Japanese milk bread, or sesame ginger meatballs. Larger dishes include grilled Gulf shrimp with spring corn pudding. Lees Den can accommodate 50 seated or 75 standing guests.

In Houston's East End, a new wine bar dispenses 56 different varieties in one-, three-, or five-ounce pours. Roots Wine Bar is equipped with fully automated wine dispensing machines, allowing guests to try wines before they commit to a full glass. The 2,800-square-foot space is decorated with spare concrete floors and eye-catching wallpaper. A private dining room is covered with a colorful mural (pictured). The standing capacity at Roots is 120 and the seated capacity is 65. In addition to drinks, a food menu offers everything from cheese platters to burgers, strip steak, and a vermouth-soaked pineapple honey cake.

The $70 million Tech Port Center + Arena opened within a 10-minute drive from downtown San Antonio in May. It is serving as a high-tech venue for concerts, conventions, and more. The 130,000-square-foot facility includes a food hall called "Tech Port Provisions," featuring seven different local eateries from coffee to ramen to barbecue, as well as a full-service bar called "Tech Pour." The facility also includes a LAN Gaming Center with 60 gaming stations and a co-working space for startup companies.