Anthonyโs New York Italian, 3748 Westheimer, opened May 5 in the former Pie Tap space. The soft opening was first reported by CultureMap Houston. The upscale seafood and steak concept comes from chef/restaurateur Anthony Russo, best known for his pizza empire, Russoโs New York Pizzeria.
The Italian dining establishment will feature prime aged beef and Maine lobster, plus Italian favorites with a contemporary twist like wagyu beef lasagna. Its prime location near Central Market is perfect for the River Oaks crowd and destination diners, offering refined dishes like Mezze Maniche Carbonara, Salmon al Limone Risotto and Lobster Fra Diavolo. However, guests will also find the popular brick-oven New York-style pizzas on the menu as well.
The interior boasts floor to ceiling windows and comfy banquettes where guests can take in views of the bustling Westheimer strip. There’s also an outdoor patio and space for private dining.
Mack Allen’s, 4400 Post Oak Highway, is coming this July to 5POP, a 28-story office tower at the intersection of River Oaks and Uptown. The luxury dining destination comes from Mack McDonald, an oil and gas executive who ventured into the hospitality industry when he founded The Rouxpour in 2010. The Creole concept now has four locations across Greater Houston.
The new River Oaks restaurant is being designed from the ground up on the entire first floor of the tower. The 16,000 square-foot space will offer an elegant main dining room, three separate private dining spaces and a lush patio inspired by botanical gardens.
In charge of the kitchen will be executive chef Carlos Andrade, who spent five years as executive chef at The Rouxpour. His resume includes Brennan’s of Houston, Brenner’s steakhouse, Ciao Bello and more. He’s joined by regional chef Manuel Viveros and the two have created a menu of dishes that showcase prime beef and American wagyu, along with fresh seafood, sushi, sashimi and East and Gulf Coats oysters. In keeping with McDonald’s Louisiana roots, the menu features a signature smoked duck gumbo.
KPโs Kitchen Bellaire, 5427 Bissonnet, will close May 31. Owner Kerry Pauly made the announcement on Instagram after sending out press statements to local publications, including the Houston Press. In the statement Pauly said his decision to close the Bellaire spot was a difficult choice, but he wanted to focus his attention on the original KPโs Kitchen, 8412 Interstate 10, in the Spring Valley neighborhood.
He said, โOver time, I realized that trying to operate two restaurants pulled me away from the part of hospitality I care about most โ being present with guests, connecting with the community, and truly being involved day to day. I canโt be in two places at once, and I ultimately decided I wanted to focus my energy on one strong restaurant and get back to the heart of why I opened KPโs Kitchen in the first place.
The Bellaire location opened in April 2024, just three years after Pauly first debuted his American bistro concept in the Spring Valley/Memorial area. With its popular burger specials, fish and chips and Caymus and Steak nights, it has continued to be a strong neighborhood favorite. Pauly himself is an extroverted owner, taking to social media to welcome guests in or to even muse about current social topics, including mental health, a resonant issue in the hospitality industry as of late.
As for the Bellaire location, diners can take advantage of the daily specials for the rest of the month , deals that are also available at the Spring Valley restaurant like Saturday all day happy hour and Tuesday burger specials + kids eat free. For the last three Sundays at the Bellaire spot, guests will find $5 select cocktails and spirits.
The Ranch Presents Pitch Live, 813 St. Emanuel, will take over the former Warehouse Live space in East Downtown for the craziness that is about to be the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Houston. From June 11 through July 19, the 35,000 square-foot space will be the scene for dining, nightlife and soccer mania. Within easy walking distance of the official FIFA Fan Festival, the space will offer a multitude of television screens, indoors and out, broadcasting global matches. While guests are cheering on their teams, they can enjoy the immersive lighting and sound design while indulging in a craft cocktail or a bite to eat.
The extended pop-up venue comes from Benjamin Berg of Berg Hospitality Group. In addition to operating several upscale dining concepts around Houston, Berg also created The Ranch Steakhouse + Saloon concept that operated for several years at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Now, he has taken The Ranch concept to a whole new level, bringing in industry veterans like Army Sadeghi ( Clarkwood, Montrose, 1111) and former Houston Dynamo legend Brian Ching to help navigate the ambitious venture.
Ching is also the owner of Pitch 25, the soccer-themed sports bar that is located across the street from the Pitch Live experience. The new venue will open at 10 a.m. daily during its run. Serving as a pre-game hangout for soccer-obsessed guests. There will be a grand main stage open to the public with multiple bars and casual dining, a ticketed space with elevated dining options and a private VIP lounge with its own entrance.
Saigon Hustle, 23703 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, opened May 14 in Katy. Itโs the third location for the contemporary Vietnamese concept from owners Cassie Ghaffar and Sandy Nguyen. Both moms and entrepreneurs, the close friends originally wanted to create a concept that honored traditional recipes while serving those same foods in a fast-casual way. They opened the first location in Garden Oaks in 2020.
The success of the first restaurant led to the duo winning the โMillion Dollar Restaurant Launchโ from Savory Fund, a private equity firm. With that backing, they opened a second store in Spring Branch in October 2024. Like its Spring Branch location, the Katy restaurant is modern and bright inside, offering plenty of seating indoors, with a few outdoor tables as well.
The menu features snacks like chicken wings and fried egg rolls, plus a variety of spring rolls, banh mi and vermicelli and rice bowls. There are three different pho options, including a vegetarian choice.
Tacodeli, 19302 Katy Freeway, has delayed its opening until later this month. Originally scheduled to open May 18, as we reported here in the Houston Press, the Katy opening has been pushed back. We will keep readers updated on the restaurantโs timeline.
Burger-chan, 506 Yale, is opening softly this week in the former home of Be More Pacific. We’ve reached out to co-owner Ryan Stewart and we’ll have more information next week.
Charolais, 1900 Hughes Landing Boulevard, is just weeks away from opening, according to chef/owner Austin Simmonsโ Instagram posts. The restaurant held a two-day hiring event last weekend. This weekend, May 17, the Charolais team will be at the H-E-B, 26500 Kuykendahl, doing a burger pop-up from 10 a.m. until sell-out.ย
7 Brew, 10026 Highway 6, will debut in Missouri City May 18, with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Operated by Texas Coffee Partners, itโs part of the franchise groupโs multiple expansions across Texas, led by President and CEO Eric Wollenhaupt.
From May 18 through May 22, the stand will feature a line-up of Community Hours, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., noon to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., with an offer of a free small drink. The stand will also host its Swag Day May 23 in which each customer who orders a large drink will receive a free 7 Brew t-shirt, while supplies last.
Lupe Tortilla, 5482 FM 1960 W., has closed. We have reached out for more information regarding the closure.
Fuhgedaboudit Bagel Company, 6797 Woodlands Parkway and 21460 Kuykendahl, is looking to sell its two locations. Owner Kurt Crowley has posted the details on its Facebook page. Meanwhile, the bagel shops remain open for legit NYC bagels and schmears.
