CultureMap Exclusive

Inside the Carrabba's on Kirby expansion: Details on three new restaurants,including the casual Mia's

Mia's, the first of three upcoming Carrabba's near the corner of Kirby andAlabama, is set to open the first week of June, according to company officials.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
The newly-built Carraba's at the corner of Kirby and Main will take the nameJohnny IV, after the owner Johnny Carrabba's son.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Carrabba's has already placed flags on Argonne Street, heralding the arrival ofits three upcoming restaurants Mia's, Grace's and Johnny IV.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
A large open kitchen sits at Mia's main entrance; a retro tin ceiling covers thefirst floor, along with antique-styled fans and lighting fixtures.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Live oaks and a relaxing porch will meet guests at Mia's, the Texas-style takeon the classic Carrabba's brand.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
A peak inside the new Mia's . . . sorry, camera strap got in the way.
Photo by Tyler Rudick

As it celebrates its 25th year as one of the city's most beloved family eateries, the original Carrabba's Italian Grill in River Oaks has embarked on a bold expansion project the will yield three new restaurants in three new structures near the intersection of Kirby and West Alabama.

After serving Houstonians for a quarter century, the popular restaurant will move into freshly-built digs yards to the south this fall and take on the slightly modified name of Carrabba's Johnny IV. Just north of the original building will be Grace's, an upscale version of Carrabba's that will open in February 2013 according to company officials.

"We'll have a smoker and serve up things like pulled pork and ribs," Tom Watkins says of Mia's, a casual, Texas-style approach to the Carrabba's brand.

For the moment, however, all eyes are on the nearby shaded corner of Branard and Argonne where Mia's — a casual, Texas-style approach to the Carrabba's brand — will open in early June. Named after the owner's daughter, the restaurant takes the shape of a rather peaceful multistory home with a welcoming front porch and a pair of live oaks. Offices for the company will be located on the second floor.

"We'll have a smoker and serve up things like pulled pork and ribs," Mia's managing partner Tom Watkins tells CultureMap. "There will be sandwiches made using items and recipes from the original Carrabba's as well, like meatballs and sausage."

With this project nearly five years in the making, Watkins says city inspections are now only days away.

"We may get in the building in the next 10 days," he says. "Once we're in, we'll continue training, set up some mock services and plan for opening the first week of June."

Like Johnny IV and Grace's — named for the owner's son and mother, respectively — Mia's has been realized with the help of Eubanks Group Architects, Mission Construction, Matrix Structural Engineers, Judson Design and Moss Landscaping.

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The Starling shall rise

Houston developer reveals first details of transformative Montrose project

Starling Mixed-Use Development in Montrose

Courtesy of Skanska

A new mixed-use development is slated for Montrose, and will include 30,000 square feet of retail space.

Starling, a new mixed-use development featuring multifamily living and retail, is slated to rise in Montrose at the southwest corner of Westheimer Road and Montrose Boulevard. Colliers is leading the pre-leasing of the 30,000-square-foot retail portion on behalf of Skanska USA Commercial Development.

“We are seeking a mix of services, including food and beverage tenants, that we believe will complement the Montrose and Lower Westheimer neighborhoods,” a Colliers representative told CultureMap via email.

Notably, no timeline has been set for when construction will begin.

Skanska purchased the nearly three-acre property in 2020 for $27 million, razing a former shopping center that housed retailers such as Spec’s, Half Price Books, and Kroger. Since then, Montrose Live has set up shop on the lot, bringing food trucks, vendors, live music, and events to the area.

Once Starling's construction start date is finalized, Skanska will work with Montrose Live creator and operator Jessica Ivins to determine the future of the open-air market

But while Houstonians may have to wait an undetermined time for Starling to rise, Skanska has plans to grow Montrose Live in 2025.

The first step will be growing Container Galleries, where shipping containers have been transformed into pop-up spaces for local artists and vendors. Floral design studio Sunbi Studio and resale shop Trusted Kicks are current tenants, with plans to add a coffee shop, record store, bookstore, farm stand, artist spaces, and an information booth. Even without the expansion, Montrose Live is a destination with food trucks such as HoustatlantaVegan, Yummy’s Hot Chicken, and Just Smash, along with a four-tent shop collective featuring environmentally sustainable products.

The growth of Montrose Live and the future Starling align with other development efforts in the area, namely Radom Capital’s announcement to redevelop the historic Tower Theater and its adjacent buildings at 1111 Westheimer and the Montrose Collective development that includes restaurants such as Uchi, Marmo, and Okto.

Courtesy of Skanska

A new mixed-use development is slated for Montrose, and will include 30,000 square feet of retail space.

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The Starling shall rise

Houston developer reveals first details of transformative Montrose project