feeling winsome

Southern-inspired steakhouse rebrands to grow beyond Houston

A globally-inspired Houston steakhouse will soon have a new name. Beginning March 3, The Warwick will be known as Winsome Prime.

Photo by Karim Saleh

Along with a new name, Winsome Prime will soon add sushi to its menu.

The restaurant’s owners, veteran restaurateurs Rob Wright, Mazen Baltagi, Steve Rogers, and Kurt-Ogechi Agomuo, created the new name to pave the way for expansion. They’re already planning a location in Dallas with more to come.

“When we first opened Warwick, we were thinking local. With the success we’ve had, we’ve had people calling who are interested in franchising,” Wright tells CultureMap. “We decided to do a complete rebrand for national expansion. We’re ready to take our show on the road.”

As they began to brainstorm new ideas, they settled on the name Winsome, which means “generally pleasing or engaging.”

“What does winsome represent? Something attractive in appearance and character,” Wright explains. “We feel our brand, our culinary experience, the look and feel of our venues falls right into the definition of what ‘winsome’ is.”

Open since 2022, The Warwick/Winsome Prime adds both Southern and global flavors to the classic American steakhouse. In addition to staples such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, and garlic mashed potatoes, the restaurant also offers crab beignets, truffle-lemon pepper wings, and blackened snapper over collard green risotto. Diners will find traditional steaks served a la carte as well as a Hawaiian ribeye that pays homage to the location’s history as an outpost of the popular Houston’s restaurant chain.

“We like that our menu isn’t just steaks,” Wright says. “We have traditional steak options, but we have other fare that pays tributes to other cultural influences.”

Chef Jabril Riddick serves as the restaurant’s culinary director. Wright notes that Riddick is a “team player” who works with the restaurant’s owners to develop new dishes and keep things fresh. As seen in the picture above, that will soon include sushi rolls.

Another part of the restaurant’s appeal is that its owned by men of color who have achieved success in the restaurant industry through concepts such as Prospect Park (Wright), Bar 5015 (Rogers), Slowpokes (Baltagi), and more.

“We all travel a lot. When we go to other markets, to be perfectly honest, we see voids in the market in minority-owned restaurants that are ran properly from A-to-Z,” Wright says. “We get calls from people who are impressed by how we run our operation. We realize if we come to a market, we could be one-of-one in some of these cities.”

news-you-can-eat the warwick winsome prime

there's the rub

Restaurant known for 'new Houston cuisine' now open in Cypress

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.

A restaurant known for its eclectic “new Houston cuisine” has opened in Cypress. The fourth location of Jonathan’s the Rub is now open for dinner in Bridgeland (20215 Bridgeland Creek Parkway).

First announced last year, the new Jonathan’s is located in Village Green, a 70-acre mixed-use development within the 925-acre Bridgeland Central district. The 5,500-square-foot restaurant includes two patios totaling 2,600 square feet, giving the restaurant plenty of room for private dining rooms, a bar area, and indoor-outdoor areas with fire pits and greenery.

“We were looking for the next frontier — a community with a booming population and a clear vision for growth that aligns with our brand,” chef-owner Jonathan Levine said in a statement. “When we discovered Bridgeland and learned it was a Howard Hughes development, we were immediately impressed. With their reputation for developing generational communities, we felt confident that Bridgeland was the right place for our family and for Jonathan’s the Rub.”

Like Jonathan’s three other locations, the menu at Bridgeland is built around Levine’s signature “new Houston cuisine,” a kicked-up take on comfort food that includes everything from lobster tacos and blackened shrimp and grits to Italian American classics and steakhouse fare.

Village Green is also home to H-E-B and restaurants such as Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café and Crust Pizza Co. Austin-based burger joint P. Terry’s will open there next year.

“Jonathan’s the Rub’s arrival in Bridgeland Central brings a distinguished addition to the culinary scene in both the community and northwest Houston,” said Jim Carman, president of the Texas region, for Bridgeland developer Howard Hughes Communities. “We’re proud to partner with exceptional restaurateurs like Chef Jonathan Levine to bring elevated dining experiences that enhance the lifestyle offerings for our residents and neighbors.”

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.