Popular Houston Italian Restaurant to Close and Open in a New Location — How B.B. Italia is Adapting

Ghost Kitchen to Help Fill the Void

By Shelby Hodge // Feb 22, 2021

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Though B.B. Italia is moving to new location, Berg Hospitality's Italian restaurant's favorite dishes are available from a ghost kitchen. (Photo by Kirsten Gilliam)

Benjamin Berg in the upstairs dining room at B&B Butchers where tables have been spread out for 25 percent occupancy. (Photo by Shelby Hodge)

Benjamin Berg is ready to take questions as part of the online #askchefsanything auction fundraiser for immigrant hospitality workers. (Photo by Shelby Hodge)

B.B. Italia Kitchen & Bar (Photo by Kirsten Gilliam)

B.B. Italia adds colorful umbrellas, whimsical overhead lighting and artificial turf underfoot for a pleasant al fresco dining setting. (Photo by Fulton Davenport)

B.B. Italia Kitchen & Bar (Photo by Kirsten Gilliam)

For those who have been regulars of B.B. Italia Kitchen & Bar since Berg Hospitality took over the west Houston iconic Carmelo’s in 2019, the closure of the Memorial Drive restaurant will come as a shock. But fear not, fans of Chef Cesar Chavez’ cuisine. B.B. Italia is moving to a new address just around the corner in the Energy Corridor area and in the meantime the eateries’ most popular dishes are available at the company’s Cloud Kitchen, Fair Food Company. located in The Galleria area.

“While we have loved serving our loyal guests in this location, we can’t wait for everyone to see our new and improved spot, which is just around the corner in the same neighborhood,” says Benjamin Berg, founder & CEO of Berg Hospitality Group. “Over the next few months, we hope to continue to serve B.B. Italia’s food to the Memorial/Energy Corridor residents and all Houstonians from our Galleria-area pickup/delivery location.”

You can order B.B. Italia’s s pizzas, pastas and more from the cloud kitchen here with the menu at thi s link. Orders can also be placed with Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates or Grubhub.

Benjamin Berg at B&B Butchers — Benjamin Berg in the upstairs dining room at B&B Butchers where tables have been spread out for 25 percent occupancy. (Photo by Shelby Hodge)

While the new smaller B.B. Italia location has not yet been revealed, Berg Hospitality shares that the restaurant will open at a new address with a fresh decor within a number of months. For questions, fans can email eat@bbitaliakitchen.com.

The COVID-19 pandemic made the larger B.B. Italia no longer viable.

“Due to the pandemic, most offices in the Energy Corridor are still not at full capacity and companies are not planning private events,” Berg says. “Because B.B. Italia is the second largest restaurant in our company and has more private event rooms than any of our other locations, it just wasn’t a viable business plan anymore.

“I am confident that we will be much more successful in the smaller space in which we plan to reopen.”

Ben Berg’s ever expanding, upgrading, impressive hospitality group also includes B&B Butchers & Restaurant in Houston and Fort Worth, B.B. Lemon, The Annie Café & Bar and Turner’s.