The main lawn serves as the heart of the Stomping Grounds.

The Garden Oaks-Oak Forest area—colloquially known as the GOOF—has had no shortage of newsworthy restaurant openings in recent years, and with the ongoing development of the Stomping Grounds on 34th near Ella Boulevard, cool concepts keep on coming.

The multi-use complex anchored by an open-air green space is already home to Tulum Wellness Spa, Her & Reese clothing boutique and Flowe hair studio, plus it recently launched its Summer Sundays Yoga series, free to the public on the main lawn.

On the food side, there is lots to explore and even more on the way, giving you plenty of tasty reasons to visit the Stomping Grounds now and come back again later.

The Stomping Grounds is growing to be a vibrant dining hub within the GOOF area.

Becca Pham's namesake bakery specializing in cupcakes, macarons and custom cakes has been slinging desserts at the Grounds for over a year already. Enjoy a single strawberry cupcake in the attractive space, or peruse the custom cake models as inspo for your next event.

One of the longest-standing food vendors at the Stomping Grounds, Fat Cat Creamery's prime location on the main lawn has been open since 2021. The small-batch creamery incorporates quality, locally sourced ingredients in flavors like Mexican vanilla and coffee and cream.

Fat Cat Creamery opened a new location in Garden Oaks at the Stomping Grounds.

This coffee kiosk, built out of a shipping container on the main lawn, serves as a concierge of sorts for the property. Helmed by Matt Toomey, a veteran of Boomtown Coffee, the Little Dreamer menu offers coffee shop essentials and cocktails.

The latest restaurant reeling in diners to the Grounds is California-based Rooster & Rice, which opened this month. The casual counter-service restaurant, with a focus on chicken-heavy Thai street eats, is open daily.

Sunset at the Stomping Grounds in the Garden Oaks area.

A second location of this popular River Oaks pizzeria will open at the Stomping Grounds at the end of 2022. This outpost will be smaller, with a simple menu of pizza and sides, available for takeout only.

Margherita pizza from Bollo Woodfired Pizza in Montrose.

After shuttering at Bravery Chef Hall at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cherry Block Craft Butcher's reopening at the Stomping Grounds is imminent. The restaurant, helmed by Felix Florez, will have a focus on Texas and Louisiana cuisine, offering crawfish, steaks, burgers and sides.

This all-day cafe and bakery from Blood Bros. BBQ and pastry chef Alyssa Dole is set to open in early August. The restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a menu of salads and smoked meats, plus a full bar, while Dole will operate the bakery located on the mezzanine level.

With Fat Cat Creamery nearby, the main lawn at the Stomping Grounds is popular among children.

A local sushi operator that has yet to be named will open a Japanese restaurant this fall. The concept will have a full bar and a mezzanine for private dining.

The owners of Crawfish Cafe will soon open the first full-service location of their Vietnamese concept, Pho Fix, which currently operates as a stall at Underground food hall downtown. Guests can expect a menu of noodle soups and banh mi sandwiches, plus a full bar.

Sonoma Wine Bar closed its Heights location (pictured) and will reopen in the Stomping Grounds.

After 10 years of operating at its location on Studewood in the Heights, Sonoma Wine Bar will make a new home at the Stomping Grounds in winter 2022. Taking residence in an old, free-standing house on the property, the space will be transformed into a relaxed wine bar and patio where visitors can smell, swirl and sip on Sonoma's bounty of fine wines.

Find it: 1223 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018

Check hours for each location on the Stomping Grounds website.

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Megha McSwain is a food writer for Chron.

Prior to joining the Chron team in May 2022, Megha worked as a freelance journalist, contributing to Eater Houston, Houstonia Magazine, CultureMap and The Daily Meal. She previously served as the food editor for luxury lifestyle magazine Houston CityBook for three years, and hosted the food and drink podcast Sip & Savor.

Megha is an Indian-born American who migrated with her parents to Houston in the late '80s and has lived here ever since. She currently lives in Garden Oaks with her husband and rescue pup, and in addition to her work at Chron, she contributes nationally to foodnetwork.com.