The Woodlands is getting another major Houston restaurant import this month. Bari Ristorante, the stylish Italian restaurant that has drawn a steady crowd in River Oaks District since opening in 2023, will debut its second location on Wednesday, September 30, at 24 Waterway Avenue.
And Bari isn’t going small for its suburban expansion. The new restaurant spans 9,000 square feet with seating for 250, two private dining rooms, a bar lounge and multiple kitchens—including a dedicated commissary for making pasta, gelato, sauces and breads in-house. Lunch and dinner will be served daily, with weekend brunch launching on Sunday, October 4.
The opening brings Bari’s polished brand of Italian dining north, including many of the dishes and tableside flourishes familiar to regulars at the River Oaks location. Chef Renato de Pirro and executive chef Marcelo Mintz are leading the opening, with Mintz staying on to oversee the kitchen in The Woodlands.
Guests can expect Bari favorites like fritto misto, pappardelle Bolognese, scaloppine and pizzas, along with the restaurant’s theatrical tableside branzino, truffle pasta and Bananas Foster.
But this isn’t simply a carbon copy of the original. The Woodlands menu adds a sizable collection of dishes of its own, from crab fingers “scampi” and fried burrata to potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms and house-made sausage, rigatoni cacio e pepe and lasagna layered with Bolognese and mozzarella.
The tableside treatment is expanding, too. New Chateaubriand and Fiorentina presentations join Bari’s lineup, while the restaurant’s Italian-focused pantry includes European cheeses and cured meats, imported Italian flour for its house-made pastas and fish sourced from Europe.
Visually, those familiar with the River Oaks restaurant should recognize the family resemblance. The new space carries over Bari’s signature design language with lava-rock wallcoverings, Spanish wallpaper and Lladro chandeliers. The two private dining rooms can each accommodate up to 40 guests and can be combined for larger gatherings, while the lounge has room for up to 30.
Bari will also bring its weekday happy hour north, with $10 burgers, meatballs, and individual pizzas among the specials. Beginning October 4, brunch will be served Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The opening adds another established Houston name to The Woodlands’ increasingly busy restaurant scene—and Bari won’t be the only notable arrival that week. Just days later, Bar Bludorn is set to make its Woodlands debut, giving north Houston diners two buzzy new restaurants to check out in quick succession.
Bari, 24 Waterway Avenue, The Woodlands, bariristorante.com
