Kevin Gray

🍴 Fleurette opened on December 10 in La Jolla, San Diego. Helmed by chef Travis Swikard, it offers Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the French-Italian Riviera. The restaurant features a Provençal-inspired garden and a 120-seat space with a 24-seat patio. Signature dishes include bouillabaisse with local fish, fresh pastas, and lobster aïoli. Open Tuesday to Sunday, its bar, led by James Roe, follows local and Riviera inspirations. Sommelier Tracy Latimer curates a predominantly Old World and California wine list.

🍴 La Stella Italian Steakhouse and Music Lounge opened in Addison, Dallas in 2025, occupying an 11,000-square-foot space that housed Lawry's The Prime Rib for over 40 years. Designed by Daniele Venenzoni, it blends Old World Italian and Art Deco styles. The venue, hosting over 400 guests, includes a music lounge for 21+ patrons. Signature dishes include a 40-ounce bistecca alla Fiorentina and Japanese A5 wagyu steak. Expansion plans target Fort Worth.

Le Specialità Expands to Miami 🍕 Le Specialità, founded in Milan in 1977, opened in Miami's Design District on November 10. Led by Spicy Hospitality Group, this 100-seat restaurant features a "Milan meets Miami" design by Rockwell Group. The menu includes over a dozen pizzas and classic Italian dishes, while the bar offers a 260-label wine list. Future expansions are planned beyond Miami, along with new ventures like Karyu and Yasu in the Design District.

🍵 Maman, a café brand founded by Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, opened its first Texas location in Dallas on November 20, 2023, at The Plaza at Preston Center. Established in New York City in 2014, Maman is known for its French provincial style and unique offerings, like the Croque Maman and celebrity collaborations. The Dallas spot features Texas-inspired menu items like the cheesy brisket croissant and implements a no-laptop policy to promote social interaction.

🏨 Hotel Daphne, a Bunkhouse Hotels property, opened in Houston's Heights in December 2025. The five-story hotel features 49 rooms and an Italian restaurant named Hypsi, led by chef Terrence Gallivan. Hypsi has 49 indoor and courtyard seats and serves Italian-Gulf Coast cuisine, including handmade pastas and spritzes. With a unique mozzarella cart, Hypsi blends classic service styles. The restaurant is currently open for breakfast, dinner, and room service, with lunch beginning in January.

🍣 Seven Sushi & Robata, launched on November 20 in Houston's Chinatown at Dun Huang Plaza, offers a 4,000 sq ft space seating 160. Guests enjoy all-you-can-eat sushi and robata with two pricing tiers: $37 for core items and $57 including premium additions. Open until midnight, the menu features both Japanese and Chinese architectural elements. Grace and Leo Xia, also known for Duck N Bao and Hongdae 33, manage the restaurant, which includes a full bar with unique cocktails.

🍴 Gavin Kaysen opened three new restaurants in three weeks. Bellecour in Edina, Minneapolis, opened on November 18, offering French-style breakfast and lunch. A North Loop Minneapolis location followed on December 6, adding bistro-style dinners. The Merchant Room, a New American brasserie, opened December 8 at Naples Beach Club, Florida. These expansions are supported by a strong team, including Alexandra Motz, pastry director, and Zachary Byers, head sommelier.

🏖 The Shelborne, located on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, originally opened in 1940. After a $100 million renovation by Proper Hospitality, it reopened in May with 251 rooms. On November 12, Pauline, a seafood-focused restaurant with Latin and Caribbean influences, launched alongside the cocktail lounge Little Torch. Pauline, designed by ADC Tuneu, seats 178 guests and offers dishes like lobster sancocho. Little Torch features original cocktails and live music events, including DJ sets and karaoke.

🍳 Rò Steakhouse launched on October 27 in Coral Gables, Florida, marking ViCa Hospitality Group's first U.S. venture. The restaurant seats 130 indoors, with an outdoor terrace opening soon. Designed with a natural, cave-like ambiance by Arkham Projects, Rò features a menu curated by Chef Marcelo Palacios, including seafood, tacos, and fire-cooked steaks ranging from 8-ounce filets to a 36-ounce tomahawk. The restaurant also offers private wine lockers for guests. ViCa plans further U.S. expansions.