Tim Proto, the co-owner of the new Loggia (2248 Texas Dr., Sugar Land, 281-903 7324), may be a newcomer to the restaurant business, but his partner, Alfred Bonilla, more than makes up for his lack of experience — he's the owner of Deco Lounge in Midtown. "We saw a unique opportunity in Sugar Land to open a contemporary, upscale sports bar with very modern, sleek design," says Proto. "Sugar Land really needed something like this. It's like it should be in Miami or Vegas, it has that Euro feel."
Bonilla wanted to bring something to Sugar Land you'd be more likely to find downtown. "I wanted to keep people here, to find it locally," he says. "This is way beyond your typical sports bar, although we wanted people to find things on the menu like nachos, wings and bar food that you would find in any sports bar. We're really proud of the menu. After 10:30 at night, it has more of a lounge feel with a video DJ."
Loggia has a clean, crisp, white ultramodern decor. It has one of the biggest TV screens ever, and yet it does not have a typical sports-bar feel. The enormous outdoor patio is a great place to kick back and enjoy dishes like the Cuban-style burger with Kobe beef and chorizo or the pasta a la vodka followed by a lavender-infused crème brûlée.
