Openings & Closings: Two Houston Classics Plan to Expand

By Katharine Shilcutt Fri., May 18 2012 at 12:15 PM

This big fish is getting even bigger.

The big news this past week was that two Houston classics are about to get even bigger, starting with word from CultureMap that Carrabba's Italian Grill on Kirby -- the original location of the chain -- is set to expand for the first time in 25 years. Carrabba's will be moving out of its old space into a brand-new restaurant right next door, which will be slightly renamed as Carrabba's Johnny IV. But that's not all.

Carrabba's also plans to open two additional restaurants alongside the new Johnny IV: Mia's, which CultureMap calls "a casual, Texas-style approach to the Carrabba's brand," and an upscale Italian restaurant called Grace's. Mia's is set to open first in June, with Johnny IV and Grace's to follow.

Meanwhile, Goode Co. Seafood is also set to expand its original location on Westpark. "[W]e've decided to expand next year," Jim Goode told CultureMap's Marene Gustin. "We're going to add onto the Kirby side, move the entrance over there and increase parking in the area between the seafood and the taqueria restaurants."

In closings news, Swamplot has more information on the death spiral that led Vargo's to close this month. And Albert Nurick at H-Town Chow Down has the sad news that Coal Burger, the experimental burger joint from Grimaldi's in The Woodlands, has shut its doors (although another Grimaldi's looks set to move into the space).

Last but not least, CityCentre in West Houston has proven to be among the most successful and popular of the mixed-use developments built all over Houston in the last few years. But downtown's Houston Pavilions have not, having declared bankruptcy last year after defaulting on a $120.6 million loan. Good news for downtowners, though: The same company who runs CityCentre -- Midway Companies -- has purchased the Pavilions out of receivership. According to Swamplot, the Pavilions are already 66 percent leased, which may mean the turnaround that the development has long needed is finally here.

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Location Info

Venue

Map

Carrabba's Italian Grill

3115 Kirby, Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

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Goode Co. Seafood

2621 Westpark Drive, Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

Vargo's

2401 Fondren, Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

Houston Pavilions

1201 Fannin St., Houston, TX

Category: General

CityCentre

803 Town and Country Blvd., Houston, TX

Category: General

Tags:

Carrabba's, CityCentre, Downtown, Goode Co. Seafood, openings & closings

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Jalapeno

Good news about Goode Co. seafood. Their parking lot is treacherous.

Texmex01

I don't see how Goode Co is going to expand on the Kirby side unless they are planning on tearing down the building between the Seafood and Burgers ...

Bayou619

Hope Goode Co seafood works on serving better food. Expanding should be the lest of their worries.

Guest

You and swamplot were scooped on Carrabbas story back in 2010.

THE OWNERS OF the original Carrabba’s Italian Grill on Kirby between West Main and Branard plan to demolish the restaurant, rebuild it, and construct 2 more restaurants on adjacent blocks. First

http://swamplot.com/carrabbas-...

Rabelais2

Carrabba's also plans to open two additional restaurants alongside the new Johnny IV: Mia's, which CultureMap calls "a casual, Texas-style approach to the Carrabba's brand,"

Not sure if CultureMap is calling it this. More like the press release that CultureMap is recycling calls it this.

Matthew

here's hoping the coal burger gift card we got from them still works at grimaldi's. we only went to coal burger once shortly after they opened, and it was a disappointment from the food to the service. it resulted in a gift card from the manager, but we never made it back. (nor really made an effort to)