Austin Dining Titans Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole Will Open a Houston Restaurant

Loro, the Asian-inflected steakhouse that’s a collaboration between Austin restaurant icons Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole, is headed to Houston.

The duo is set to open Loro at 1001 West 11th Street in the Heights, according to a press release, but diners will have to wait at least a year for its debut — it’s expected to arrive in “winter 2021.” Austin’s Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is in charge of designing the 5,500 square foot space, which will take over a “former sanctuary” that was originally built in the 1940s.

For those who are somehow unfamiliar with Cole and Franklin, the former is the James Beard Award winning chef behind beloved sushi spot Uchi (among other establishments). Franklin’s also a James Beard Award winner, and the mastermind behind the wildly popular Franklin Barbecue in Austin, known for its ridiculously long lines.

The original outpost opened to much fanfare in Austin in March 2018, blending Franklin’s barbecue expertise and Cole’s experience in Asian cuisine together into dishes like brisket served with nuoc cham and green curry pork sausage. This isn’t Loro’s first expansion, either. Earlier this year, Franklin and Cole announced that they’d bring an outpost of the restaurant in Dallas, and it’s expected to open sometime next summer.

In addition to the garlic rice noodles, pork shoulder char siu, and more smoke-kissed dishes, diners can expect Loro to serve plenty of cocktails to wash it all down, including boozy slushies, batched cocktails, sake, beer, and wine.

Loro is currently slated for a “winter 2021” opening — stay tuned for more details on its arrival.

• Two of Austin’s Best Chefs Will Bring an Acclaimed Asian Smokehouse to Dallas [EDFW]
• More Loro Coverage [EATX]