The Nancy’s Hustle team of owner Sean Jensen, chef Jason Vaughn (who is a James Beard Award semifinalist as of last week) and pastry/sous chef Julia Doran are building on their success in EaDo. While details are still light, the group is working on a pizzeria called Tiny Champions a mere three blocks away from their original restaurant at 2716 McKinney. “We will have more info out when we get a little closer, but wanted to at least get something out there,” they said via an emailed announcement.

The name refers to the “tiny champions” of yeast and bacteria (the good ones). Italian pizza makers call this living collection “lievito madre,” and it’s what adds complex flavors and causes dough to rise.

Expect no ordinary take-out joint. Building on its pizza theme, Tiny Champions is also going to offer a “variety of funky fermented vegetable dishes, tasty wine and cocktails.”

Since opening in 2017, Nancy’s Hustle has garnered a respectable collection of accolades. Nationally, that included landing the third spot on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America for 2018. Locally, Houston Food Finder named it a Best New Restaurant of 2017, and in 2018, Eater Houston hailed it Restaurant of the Year in 2018. When Tiny Champions opens, undoubtedly it will do so with immediate fans waiting at the door.

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.