fly, sparrow, fly

London-based Italian steakhouse lands in new Houston mixed-use project

The owners of Toca Madera are bringing an Italian steakhouse to the Galleria area’s newest mixed-use development. Sparrow Italia is coming to Houston.

The new restaurant will join The Henry, a neighborhood restaurant from Flower Child owners Fox Restaurant Concepts, at Central Park Post Oak, a 17-acre mixed-use development located at 2000 Post Oak Blvd. The approximately 6,700-square-foot steakhouse will include a main dining room, a bar area, an outdoor patio, and a private dining room.

As it names implies, Sparrow Italia serves a wide-ranging menu of Italian-inspired fare that includes hot and cold shareable items, salads, pizzas, pastas, and steaks. Highlights include a Calabrian-rubbed New York strip steak, a 34-ounce Prime Fiorentina, wagyu carpaccio, an on-trend spicy rigatoni, and the B.I.G. Meatball, made with a half-pound of A5 wagyu, according to press materials.

Sparrow’s cocktail menu takes inspiration from Italian ingredients and Italian-American flavors. They include the C.R.E.A.M., a clarified milk punch made with basil and tomato juice, mozzarella, tomato, and balsamic crème; and the The O.D.B., a vodka martini infused with Calabrian chilis, housemade spicy pickle brine, Cocchi Americano, and chili oil.

Noble 33 opened the first Sparrow in London’s Mayfair neighborhood in 2022, followed by an outpost in Miami’s Wynwood area in 2024. In addition to Toca Madera, a lively, Mexican-inspired steakhouse that opened last year next to the Thompson Hotel, Noble 33 plans to open Meduza Mediterrania above Toca Madera at some point in 2026, a representative tells CultureMap.

“We’re on track for Houston to become a vital part of the Noble 33 restaurant portfolio,” Noble 33 CEO and co-founder Mikey Tanha said in a statement. “The city’s vibrant culinary scene, dynamic culture, and community engagement make it an exciting market for us to grow and connect with — and the perfect next location for Sparrow Italia.”

Announced earlier this year, Central Park Post Oak will consist of three buildings with a combined 1.2 million square feet of office space separated by a three-acre lawn. Sparrow Italia will be located in one of two new buildings currently under construction. Houston-based real estate development firm Midway, working with real estate investment firms 3Edgewood and Parkway, is developing the property. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026 with the restaurants openings to follow.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sparrow Italia to Central Park Post Oak,” Midway executive vice president Clayton Freels said. “Sparrow Italia’s globally minded culinary program and design-forward experience are a perfect fit for our vision: a dynamic, walkable destination on Post Oak Boulevard that brings together best-in-class dining, retail, and office in a single, connected campus.”

Photo by James Livingston

The B.I.G. Meatball is made with a half-pound of A5 wagyu.

news-you-can-eat openings sparrow italia

say hey to Hypsi

Houston chef's hip new Italian restaurant now open in Heights hotel

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is now open in the Heights. Located within the newly opened Hotel Daphne, Hypsi marks chef Terrence Gallivan’s return to professional cooking in Houston.

Known for his time as the co-execuive chef of The Pass and Provisions and owner of ElRo Pizza and Crudo, Gallivan brings strong culinary credentials to Hypsi. Although he isn’t known explicitly for Italian fare, he has significant experience making pizza, pasts, and other Italian-inspired dishes. After closing ElRo last year, the chef says that working for Bunkhouse Hotels, the Austin-based company that operates the Daphne, had a lot of appeal.

“My wife and I always made it a point to stop at their places whenever we’re in Austin. They know how to make cool stuff,” Gallivan says.

Hypsi’s menu includes updated takes on Italian fare begins with starters such as lamb meatballs, black truffle arancini, and Caesar salad. A selection of house-made pastas include squid ink radiatori with rock shrimp, butternut squash tortellini, and lumache with vodka sauce that gets a little heat from nduja. Entree choices include a roast chicken, pork Milanese, and roasted snapper with salsa verde.

The restaurant is also open for breakfast during the week and brunch on the weekends with items such as a panatone waffle, frittata, and breakfast sandwich. Lunch will follow in January.

“We took inspiration from tradition without being traditional,” Gallivan says. Later, he adds, “For me, it’s about balance. You try to please everybody. I want my mom to enjoy herself as much as a 25-year-old foodie. It’s important to hit as many marks as you can.”

One of the restaurant’s signatures will be the mozzarella cart that rolls through its dining room. Gallivan says he’s sourcing a mix of both American and imported Italian cheeses that will rotate every week or two. The cheese is served with a range of pickled fruit and vegetables, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, focaccia, and more. Of course, seeing a cart immediately grabs diners’ attention, making them want whatever is on offer.

“That’s the beauty of carts,” Gallivan says. “It’s a fun thing to do. I think sometimes we get a little too serious in restaurants. It’s supposed to be fun. People are here to enjoy themselves.”

All that eating and drinking takes place in a dining room that’s inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies, according to press materials. Details include blueberry lava stone on the bar, vintage velvet chairs, and custom Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti. An outdoor patio features brick pavers, mosaic tables, and sculptures.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

news-you-can-eat openings the-heights hotels