Your First Taste Look at The Woodlands Area’s New d’Alba Restaurant — Brunch, Creative Cocktails and Patio Fun

D‘Alba Craft Kitchen and Cocktails’ second restaurant location, this one just outside The Woodlands on 2978 just north of Research Forest, is off to a strong start, adding brunch to its offerings. The original d’Alba is in Houston’s Garden Oaks neighborhood, named for the street it’s on. This new Woodlands area location features a small kids’ play area, ample indoor seating, bar seating, a colorful patio and plenty of parking behind the restaurant.

One of the most helpful features of d’Alba’s menu is that it takes some of the guess work out of drink pairings. A suggested beer, wine or cocktail is listed with every dish.

The shareable menu boasts several standouts. The burrata and warm marinated beets with baby arugula ($15) is a well-balanced appetizer, generous enough for two. The textures are perfect with the fork-tender beets sweet and an excellent foil for the arugula. The balloon bread ($10), a puffed pita baked in d’Alba’s wood fired oven, is served with a basil pesto and honey. It’s easy to share too. Seafood fans will enjoy the crab and shrimp campechana ($17) served with chile-lime tortilla chips.

The main menu is expansive with everything from hamburgers to handmade pastas, wood-fired pizza, seafood, salads and desserts.

Vegetarians have several choices, including a veggie burger — quinoa beets cannellini with cremini mushrooms, smashed avocado, watercress, corn and jalapeno relish, plus crispy onions with avocado ranch on a brioche bun. This is one veggie burger loaded with flavors.

At 12-inches, d’Alba’s wood fired pizzas are large enough to share, and come with a variety of toppings, including vegetarian-friendly choices.

The big plate choices make sharing easy — the salmon, short rib and chicken thighs all come with sides.

Several desserts are available, including organic sorbet and homemade ice cream. But it’s the chocolate chip cookie served warm with an optional scoop of ice cream that stands out as the must try.

Unique Drinks

D’Alba’s drink menu is creative — and includes a unique Gin and Jam section with red hot jalapeno jam, blackberry, apricot and other jams paired with four different gin types. Homemade simple syrup and fresh lemon juice are added for the perfect personal drink.

Happy hour runs Mondays through Fridays from 2 pm to 6 pm with half-off craft cocktails, wines by the glass and draft and bottled beers. Raw or grilled oysters cost just $1 during happy hour, and the balloon bread is half-price too.

D’Alba Craft Kitchen and Cocktails is located at 32823 FM 2978, between Woodlands Parkway and FM 1488. d’Alba is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 am to 10 pm, Fridays from 11 am to 11 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 11 pm, and Sundays from 10 am to 9 pm.