One of the Heights area’s beloved Tex-Mex destinations is entering a new era. Superica, the Tex-Mex concept from chef and restaurateur Ford Fry, will close its Houston location at 1801 North Shepherd Drive on Sunday, February 15, to make way for Star Rover, a reimagined concept from Rocket Farm Restaurants inspired by the West Texas–influenced honky-tonk and steakhouse Star Rover Sound in Nashville.
Fry launched Superica in Atlanta in 2015 as a tribute to classic Tex-Mex, opening a second location there before expanding to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Houston native brought the concept home in 2018, debuting Superica alongside sister restaurant La Lucha next door. Together, the two transformed what had been a lackluster corner of North Shepherd Drive and West 18th Street in the Heights.
Much like Superica honors classic Tex-Mex, Star Rover is an homage to Fry’s childhood memories of old-school Texas steakhouses, blending nostalgia and a distinctly Lone Star sensibility for the space’s next chapter.
“Star Rover lets us lean into an everyday, nostalgic steakhouse vibe, something there isn’t a lot of in Houston, and still keep touches of what guests have loved about Superica, like brunch,” said Ford Fry, in a press release.
When Superica permanently closes its doors following Valentine’s weekend, the restaurant will undergo a brief transition before reopening as Star Rover on Thursday, February 26. Guests can expect a menu of shareable appetizers alongside everyday steak dinners, with a choice of cut served with salad, warm buttermilk rolls, and shared fries and onion rings for the table. Dessert offerings are just as comforting, with an assortment of house-made pies in varieties like coconut, chocolate chess, and apple, plus “fancy” soft serve.
Beyond beer, hand-selected wines, and non-alcoholic beverages, Star Rover will showcase cocktails like the “Filthy Martini”, a house margarita, and frozen Jack and Coke, fit for Houston’s countless hot and humid days.
For diners with a competitive streak—and a serious appetite—Star Rover will debut the 76’er Challenge. The over-the-top feat dares guests to conquer a 76-ounce standing rib roast, served with a milk roll, side salad, fries, and onion rings, in under an hour. Those who rise to the occasion will earn more than bragging rights: the meal is on the house, an official T-shirt is awarded, and their name is permanently etched on the restaurant’s winners’ wall.
Star Rover is set to offer nightly dinner service, while the cult-favorite weekend brunch from Superica, including its indulgent buttered hotcakes, will continue.
For now, Houstonians may want to reroute their Valentine’s weekend plans to include one final margarita and a farewell meal before Superica closes its doors.
Star Rover, 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston
