The River Oaks Crowd’s New Hot Spot?

It seems that the love affair between Houston and steakhouses is as hot as ever. In 2015, B&B Butchers & Restaurant made waves on Washington Avenue, Killen’s Steakhouse (courtesy of Pearland barbecue king Ronnie Killen) expanded and upgraded to new digs, and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse marked its 20th anniversary with the opening of a new location in downtown Houston. Looking to the future, upscale Japanese steakhouse Roka Akor has tapped high-rise building 2929 Weslayan as the location for its first-ever Texas outpost.

And let’s not forget about the city’s established bovine titans (which are always busy) — Del Frisco’s, Ruth’s Chris, Smith & Wollensky, Sullivan’s Steakhouse and Morton’s The Steakhouse, to name but a few. (Not to mention Montrose newcomer Bistecca and others we have surely overlooked.)

But wait, there’s more. Brothers Jeffrey and Michael Maestro are bringing Steak 48 to River Oaks District in 2016. The steakhouse joins the duo’s existing Phoenix-based restaurant, Steak 44 (named for its location on the 44th street in Phoenix), in the family-run enterprise. The new restaurant’s name is a salute to Arizona’s ranking as the 48th state.

“We knew that Houston was a great market, but the more time that Mike, Jeff and I spent here, the more we all realized what a special and dynamic place this is,” says the team’s senior vice president, Oliver Badgio. “We want to deliver something unique that Houston could call its own.

“We’re excited to become a small part of such a great community and River Oaks District.”

Hoping to stand out in a steak-rich city, Steak 48 will evoke a contemporary ambience and sell responsibly farmed prime steaks that are hand-cut in-house and wet-aged for 28 days. The steakhouse will also offer a raw bar and comprehensive seafood selection culled from sustainable fisheries.

In addition to steaks and seafood, expect unique menu items such as ahi poke and burrata with grilled stone fruit, double-baked truffle potatoes, asparagus fries and corn crème brûlée, plus the requisite wine and cocktail lists. Steak 48 is scheduled to open in spring 2016.