Romano's Reborn

Houston's most authentic New York pizzeria serves up reopening date

Artist Eric Martinez painted the mural.

Courtesy of Romano's

Houston pizza lovers rejoice. The city’s most authentic New York slice is back.

Romano’s Pizza will reopen for lunch and dinner service beginning Monday, May 24. The restaurant has been closed since November after a fire at the adjacent nail salon caused significant smoke damage.

After cleaning up the mess, the restaurant decided to use the closure as an opportunity to remodel, manager Francesco Quarto tells CultureMap. Diners will find new floors, bigger TVs (upgraded from 42 to 65 inches), and an Instagram-worthy mural by local artist Eric Martinez.

“We wanted the customers to feel like when they came back to Romano’s they came into a new Romano’s but the same at the same time,” Quarto says.

Keeping things the same applies to the restaurant’s menu. The oversized New York-style slices and other classic Italian-American fare will match customers’ memories — which is good news for people who rely on Romano’s to satisfy their cravings for meat-filled ravioli and chicken Parmigiana (like this author).

Cousins Vincenzo Quarto and Francesco Fragale opened Romano’s in 1998. The restaurant not only serves authentic New York flavors, but it's long, narrow layout also makes it feel like it belongs in Brooklyn. Their sons, Francesco Quarto and Frankie Fragale, maintain the families’ ties to the restaurant.

Quatro acknowledges he’s been corresponding with customers who are eager for updates on the rebuild. People have been stopping by to check on the construction’s progress.

Starting Monday, they’ll be able to stay and eat.

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Romano's Pizza, 1528 W Gray St.; Monday - Thursday 11 am - 9:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am - 10:30 pm, Sunday 12-9 pm; 713-526-1182.

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Austin ramen institution steams into Memorial with new location

Photo by Carla Gomez

Ramen Tatsu-ya is coming to Town & Country.

Memorial’s already red-hot dining scene will soon be home to another inner loop favorite. Ramen Tatsu-ya will open its second Houston-area location in Town & Country Village (600 West Sam Houston Pkwy North, #605).

Scheduled to open in "winter 2025," the new Ramen Tatsu-ya will build on the success of the restaurant’s Montrose location that opened in 2017. Ever since, Houstonians have lined up for steaming bowls of noodles built around the restaurant’s signature tonkotsu broth, which takes up to three days to prepare, according to a release.

The menu also includes small plates such as sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts, karaage, and gyoza. Tatsu-ya recently upgraded the beverage options in Montrose with Maine Root sodas, non-alcoholic sips such as lemongrass-cucumber limeade and strawberry-yuzu lemonade, and new frozen drinks.

“Almost immediately after joining the team in January 2021, I knew there was enough demand to expand the Ramen Tatsu-Ya footprint in Houston,” Houston general manager Todd Patterson said in a statement. “We’re stoked to have found a place to make our ramen accessible to more Houstonians while we continue to bring enhancements to our Montrose location.”

Founded in 2012 by chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto, Ramen Tatsu-ya took Austin by storm. Fans lined up an hour or more to get a bowl of soup, and the restaurant earned a spot on Bon Appetit’s 2013 list of the country’s best new restaurants. Currently, the restaurant has seven locations, including a Round Rock outpost that opened last year. “Many more” will follow in the years to come, according to a release.

The last year or so has been a busy time for new restaurants opening in the Memorial area. Ramen Tatsu-ya will join new eateries such as Bar Bludorn, Credence, Relish Restaurant & Bar, and a second location of Montrose barbecue favorite The Pit Room.

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