Expansion for Ninfa’s in works

After months of speculation about what would replace the failed Peska restaurant at BLVD Place in Uptown comes word that one of Houston’s most iconic restaurant brands will take over the space.

Legacy Restaurants, which operates the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation and Antone’s Famous Po’Boys, has signed a lease at 1700 Post Oak. In late spring 2019, it will be home to the Original Ninfa’s Uptown Houston.

“We have been looking for a premier location for the first ‘new’ Original Ninfa’s, and we have been focused on the Galleria/Uptown area for some time,” Legacy Restaurants CEO Jonathan Horowitz said. “The size of this space and its location are just what we were searching for. As for the restaurant itself, we don’t see the need to make any significant changes to the Original Ninfa’s formula — both the classic items and the exciting new additions chef (Alex) Padilla has made over the past 12 years are extremely popular with our guests. If it’s not broken, we’re not going to try to fix it.”

Horowitz said that the same menu at the Original Ninfa’s will be available in the new location. That means the famous fajitas and tacos al carbon washed down by Ninfaritas.

The 6,300-square-foot restaurant will have seating for about 280 guests with a large patio. Austin-based architect and designer Michael Hsu will redesign the space that will have a tortilla-making station as well as a wood-burning oven and grill.

Legacy also announced that it is launching a fast-casual concept, Mama Ninfa’s Tacos y Tortas, which will feature Mexican street-style tacos and sandwiches (tortas). The first location will go in Understory, the new culinary market in the tunnel system downtown beneath Skansa’s new Capitol Tower. There are plans to open an additional three to four similar restaurants in the next one to two years in Houston.