Restaurant Revival

Celebrity chef taps Houston food whiz to revive restaurants — and it seems to be working

Even in Houston's constantly shifting restaurant world, Bradley Ogden's saga has been a bizarre one.

In 2013, the two-time James Beard Award winner shuttered his concepts in Las Vegas and decided his future lay in the Bayou City. He opened two Houston restaurants at the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014 — fast-casual Funky Chicken and more upscale Bradley's Fine Diner — under the direction of his son Bryan, who moved to Houston to oversee the operations and prepare for a third restaurant called Pour Society that would open that fall in Gateway Memorial City next to sushi restaurant Kuu.

"I think everybody likes a challenge, and this was about the biggest one I could think to take," Lowry tells CultureMap.

Fine Diner, despite its ridiculous "big f-ing deal" acronym, seemed to have some potential. The menu included some of Ogden's classic comfort food like his oak-grilled burger and pot roast along with high-quality akaushi steaks and slightly more adventurous fare like domestic caviar and frogs legs.

Despite Ogden's celebrity pedigree, the restaurant was a major disappointment, the exotic ingredients disappeared and diners stayed away in droves.

Over the last six months, the restaurant has only averaged $8,500 per month in mixed beverage sales, according to data published by the State Comptroller's Office. In contrast, Coltivare, which is located about a mile from BFD and opened a few months before it, averaged over $100,000 in sales each month.

Double down

Rather than abandon his Houston efforts, Ogden has doubled down. In April, he hired Greg Lowry away from his role as chef de cuisine at Triniti to serve as corporate chef for his Texas efforts. Lowry has developed a new menu for BFD and enlisted Matthew Lovelace, formerly of Paul's Kitchen, to serve as chef de cuisine at Pour Society when it opens in July.

"I think everybody likes a challenge, and this was about the biggest one I could think to take," Lowry tells CultureMap. "It was about me stepping out on my own and making a name for myself."

Lowry offers a direct critique of Ogden's initial approach to Houston, which included a quote to Eater Las Vegas about Houston being "starving for great places to eat," as part of his motivation to open restaurants here.

"I think they really shot themselves in the foot with the way they talked about coming to Houston and saying Houston needed a good restaurant," Lowry says. "Houston has awesome restaurants everywhere. I think not having someone who was local to Houston who knows the market and the people really hurt them."

Lowry has introduced a host of new dishes designed to fit the "fine diner" aesthetic while appealing to local tastes.

Ogden signature items like the Yankee pot roast, burger and butterscotch pudding remain, but Lowry has introduced a host of new dishes designed to fit the "fine diner" aesthetic while appealing to local tastes. They include: an updated oyster BLT that uses Gulf oysters and prosciutto; salmon with green garlic pesto and spring vegetables; pork belly with gnocchi; and a show-stopping "low country" burger that's topped with pimento cheese and guanciale and served on a brioche bun.

The offerings are compelling and prices are reasonable. Lowry says the initial response has been positive but he concedes the restaurant has more to work to do to earn a second chance.

"It’s hard for me to come in after all this stuff has happened and try to recover it, but I think we can get it. I’m pretty positive we can," he says. "We just need to be nice to people. That’s the thing. People are coming here and spending their hard-earned money. That needs to be the experience. It needs to evoke childhood memories."

Lowry adds that one thing people shouldn't worry about is whether the company is committed to the Houston market. With the new hirings and a push to finalize Pour Society, he thinks Ogden's ventures are back on track.

"There’s not been any talk about anything negative at all through (Ogden's management team)," Lowry says. "They’re very positive about it. The outlook is really good. From being in my position, dealing with owners like this, they’re committed to it and fully behind us, 100 percent."

Greg Lowry is responsible for reintroducing Bradley's Fine Diner.

Photo by Andrea Weir

Greg Lowry is responsible for reintroducing Bradley's Fine Diner.

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Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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