A New Restaurant Will Open in the Iconic Bishop Arts Space That Once Housed Bolsa

In the Bishop Arts District, the restaurant space formerly occupied by farm-to-table pioneer Bolsa will soon become a brand new restaurant.

The new restaurant, called Encina, is a project of former Bolsa chef Matt Balke and partner Corey McCombs, and takes its name from the original moniker of Balke’s Texas hometown of Uvalde. The location holds a particular significance for Balke, who led the kitchen at Bolsa multiple times, along with working at The Rustic and now-shuttered barbecue restaurant Smoke.

Encina’s iconic space at 614 West Davis Street has sat empty since January 2020, when Bolsa owner Chris Zielke shuttered the restaurant after 12 years and Balke and McCombs took over the lease to begin planning their next venture. Details on the menu are scant at this point, but expect a menu of “New American cuisine with Texas, California, and Southern influences,” according to a press release. The restaurant’s interior will also get a revamp, complete with a climate-controlled patio and more seating space.

Expect Encina to debut sometime in late summer or early fall. Stay tuned for an opening date.

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