Membership has its privileges

Take a dip and a grab a drink at new Houston restaurant's cocktail pool

The term “country club” may evoke images of tee times, pearls, and cucumber sandwiches, but the Montrose Country Club in Houston is anything but traditional.

Opening this Friday, March 14 in a newly constructed, multi-million-dollar building at 202 Tuam Street, the venue boasts a chef-driven restaurant, cocktail lounge, and a swim and dayclub with a 65-foot cocktail pool. Guests can relax on custom-designed daybeds before plunging into water that’s chilled in the summer and heated in the winter. No membership is required — and there’s not a golf ball in sight.

“Don’t let the term 'country club' mislead you – this is a casual and welcoming neighborhood restaurant featuring a chef-driven menu, mouthwatering cocktails, and a poolside oasis with spirited day and nightlife all merged into one venue, no membership required,” founder Jeff Harmon said in a statement.

Montrose Country Club is the latest venture by Harmon, known for Halo, Revelry, ReBar, and Rich's Houston. Harmon also announced that Rich’s Houston, one of Houston's most legendary gay dance clubs, will move from its current Tuam Street location back to its original Midtown address later this spring.

"We relocated to Tuam Street as ReBar and later brought back Rich's Houston to broaden the Montrose experience with delicious food, great cocktails, and vibrant entertainment at a singular destination," Harmon said. "With Rich's now returning home to San Jacinto, we are elevating the Tuam space even further with The Montrose Country Club, aiming to create a one-of-a-kind experience that is both relaxed and inviting.

Executive chef Diego Chiarello, a Sicilian native who fuses his Italian heritage with Southern and Cajun flavors, leads the kitchen. Known for his time as the founding pastry chef at Montrose bakery La Sicilia, diners can get in touch with Chiarello's savory cooking at the Montrose Country Club. The menu includes shareables such as shrimp ceviche and crawfish etouffee egg rolls, salads, flatbreads, and handhelds, as well as rotating comfort foods like chicken piccata, bolognese, and meatloaf.

“I strive to create dishes that are not only visually appealing but also leave a flavorful impression on our guests," Chiarello said.

For those looking to swim or sunbathe, dayclub and pool access is available for $20 in the morning and $25 after 12 pm. While annual memberships are not required, they may be beneficial for regular visitors. The $499 Founders Membership provides special event access and 10 percent off daybed rentals, while the $750 VIP Membership offers exclusive access to reserved lounging for the member and a guest.

“The addition of the swimming pool and dayclub is an exciting milestone for the continuing evolution of Montrose," said Harmon. “Not only have we created a unique and beautiful amenity for our guests, but we have also fashioned a menu, vibe, and overall craft-casual restaurant that we think will strongly resonate with locals and visitors alike. If you want to create an elevated space, you must provide an elevated product. I feel confident that our guests will recognize and appreciate our dedication to the neighborhood we serve.”

The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 4-10 pm, and on Sundays for Drag Brunch from 11 am to 5 pm. The dayclub and swimming pool will operate seven days a week from 11 am to 9 pm.

Photo by Becca DeFillippo

The cocktail pool at Montrose Country Club is 65 feet long.

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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