Outside of hospital cafeterias, dining options in the Texas Medical Center can be pretty limited, but one classic Houston establishment will soon ensure that workers and patients have a new option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Legacy Restaurants announced it will open its third location of Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys in the Medical Towers Building at 1709 Dryden Rd. Best known for its deli sandwiches like the Original (ham, salami, provolone, chow chow, mayo) and the Turkey and Swiss, the new Antone's will also serve breakfast for the first time. In addition to both dine-in and to-go options, the new location will allow the restaurant to expand its popular catering arm throughout the Medical Center.
Local firm Construction Concepts will handle the buildout, which should mimic the look of Antone's two existing locations near the Galleria and in Garden Oaks. If all goes according to plan, the restaurant will open this summer.
“We have been anxious to find the right spot for an Antone’s in the Medical Center, and this location is fantastic,” Legacy Restaurants CEO Jonathan Horowitz said in a statement. “We are excited to launch our updated version of the Antone’s restaurant concept and bring more than 55 years of delicious history to this bustling area of the city. We see this as the first step in continued growth for Antone’s, with new restaurants as well as the expansion of our sandwich and condiment distribution business.”
As Horowitz notes, Antone's is poised for growth. Legacy recently ended the license agreements that allowed other restaurants to operate with the Antone's name; doing so eliminates confusion in the marketplace and ends the debates about which version is the "real Antone's." While plans to open in west Houston have been scuttled due to "timing issues" with the completion of the space, Horowitz tells CultureMap in an email that the company "wanted to focus more on locations inside of town."
The company has also added grab-and-go kiosks in both Greenway Plaza and the downtown tunnels. Last year, it began selling its sandwiches in Austin. Soon, more people than ever will have to make the difficult decision between a shrimp po' boy and a Super Original.
The Nature Boy sandwich.
