Bari on the move
River Oaks Italian spot claims shuttered Woodlands steakhouse for new location
Bari will serve dishes such as pappardelle bolognese.
Another inner loop dining favorite has set its sights on The Woodlands. Bari Ristorante will open its second location in the booming suburb’s popular Waterway section.
More specifically, Bari has claimed the former Tris space at 24 Waterway Avenue for a new location that will open in early 2026. Work is already underway to transform the space in line with Bari’s original location in River Oaks District. Think Bari’s signature salt walls and a similar color palette.
“Residents of The Woodlands have long enjoyed a reputation for being wine and food lovers,” Bari owners Pedro Teyuca and Tommy Nally tell CultureMap in an email. “You can see that by attendance in their many culinary events and support of the local food culture. Many of our longtime customers live in The Woodlands and have been after us to open Bari closer to home.”
Just as diners can expect a similar design between the two locations, so too will they find a nearly identical menu. That means fan favorites such as truffle pasta that’s finished in a parmigiano reggiano cheese wheel, branzino baked in a salt crust, and a chateaubriand steak that’s cooked in the pizza oven and flambéed table-side. A press release notes that all dishes are made in-house.
“Diners can experience respect for Italian food in a setting that evokes the stylish glamour of Milan and Rome. Serving classic dishes found from the mountains to the sea,” Teyuca and Nally write. “The menu will include dishes that represent the “Best of Bari” as well as the addition of premium cuts of meat.”
Bari opened in May 2023 under the direction of Teyuca, Nally, and chef Renato De Pirro. It quickly drew crowds for it classic italian fare and lively, see-and-be-seen atmosphere.
The trio acquired Georgia James steakhouse from Underbelly Hospitality in the summer of 2024. Tris, a fine dining steakhouse, closed in January after the departure of executive chef Austin Simmons. In early 2026, Simmons will open Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons, an ambitious new concept in The Woodlands’ Hughes Landing district that will include both a restaurant and a butcher shop.
