Houston chef-restaurateur Levi Goode leads Goode Co., which will debut its first San Antonio concept, Otto’s Ice House, in April. Credit: Jody Horton

Houston chef-restaurateur Levi Goode saw the icehouse, a South Texas staple, as the perfect fit for his inaugural San Antonio venture.

Slated to debut this April, Otto’s Ice House pays homage to wily Alamo City brewing magnate Otto Koehler, whose spirit Goode wants to keep alive with his project at the Pearl. Koehler served as president of the San Antonio Brewing Association — later known as the Pearl Brewery — and scandalous liaisons ultimately led to his death.

“It’s been a journey for me, finding out about what a colorful character Otto Koehler was,” Goode told the Current.

A fifth-generation Texan and two-time James Beard Award nominee, Goode’s own culinary story began at his father’s barbecue restaurant in the late 1970s. As Jim Goode kept the mesquite fires smoking, Levi Goode learned the ropes of restaurant operations, working every position he could, from the back of the kitchen to front-of-house.

Now he leads his family business, the Goode Co., as CEO, in addition to his own personal brand, which owns and operates the restaurant Credence and Sidebar, a speakeasy.

“I grew up in this business,” Goode said.

Beyond helping him grow into one of Houston’s most-recognized business leaders, the restaurant industry cemented a deep passion within Goode for bringing people together through food, he added.

So why an icehouse?

Back before refrigerators existed, Southerners needed a way to keep their food cold. Enter the icehouse — a space for locals to obtain block ice and cold water from natural sources. Seizing on the opportunity, entrepreneurs started selling food and beverages at the businesses, evolving a concept bred from basic survival needs into a place for communities to gather over food and drink.

“Otto’s will be an homage to traditional Texas icehouses,” Goode said. “Icehouses were a communal place, and that’s what I always aim for — creating spaces to facilitate human connection in a way that brings people together.”

So, what can locals expect from Otto’s Ice House when it debuts this spring?

“Otto’s is going to be focused on the post-prohibition era,” Goode said. “The world was [at] a slower place, so there was more attention to detail. We’ve had a lot of fun creating the menu — it’ll be casual and comfortable food with freshly baked breads, a wood-fire grill and a rotisserie.”

Ice-cold beer was also a must for Otto’s Ice House, Goode said,

“You can’t have an icehouse without selling the coldest beers in the state,” he added. “We’ll serve up our beers in frozen glasses and schooners. The drink menu will also have a great selection of spirits, and signature drinks like our spin on the ranch water, a couple of frozen options and icebox shots.”

The venture will offer ample indoor and outdoor seating and feature bars both inside and on the outdoor patio. Goode plans to stage live music on the outdoor patio three days a week from the get-go. Sports fans will have be able to catch the latest game on multiple TV screens.

Goode also wants to host rotating events, like steak nights and crawfish boils.

The Houston-based restaurateur isn’t ruling out adding further San Antonio concepts following Otto’s — but at the moment, he’s dedicated to providing the best quality experience at the Pearl-area icehouse.

That appears to be in stark contrast to the project’s namesake, who found the energy to be an entrepreneur and a cad who had relationships with three different women named Emma.

The comic irony of Otto’s Ice House being located within striking distance of the Hotel Emma — named for one of those ladies — isn’t lost on Goode.

“We’re looking forward to weaving in subtle nods to Otto Koehler throughout the icehouse,” he explained.

One clear reference is on the drink menu — there’s a beverage cheekily named, “Otto’s Last Shot.” For those who haven’t followed the history, Koehler died at age 59 after being shot by one of his alleged mistresses.

Historical jokes aside, Goode remains committed to quality.

“I’ve been a longtime fan of the Pearl,” he said. “It’s a very unique and special place in our state.”

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This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2025.