Critic Loved All-Day Restaurant Reimagined as Italian Dinner Spot — Louie’s Italian American Goes Old School in Houston’s East End

Cafe Louie, the charming all-day restaurant in the East End that has gained quite a following among the gastronomic-minded set (and everyday locals too), is rebranding itself. Christening the new venture Louie’s Italian American, chefs and owners — the brother/sister duo of Angelo and Lucianna “Louie” Emiliani — are going old school Italian. They’re rolling out the red sauce in the historic Houston neighborhood once home to Italian immigrant families at the turn of the 20th century.

Starting this Sunday, December 11, the pair are keeping part of the reimagined restaurant’s former moniker (one that’s an ode to Lucianna’s childhood nickname) while retooling the menu to serve dinner only, five days a week.

Situated in a slice of a 20,000-square-foot converted warehouse dubbed The Plant in EaDo, the idea of a rebrand was hatched after it became apparent that their Red Sauce Sunday pop-up dinners were outselling Cafe Louie’s dinner service despite rave reviews from foodies and food writers alike.

Here the siblings, raised on Italian-American cooking themselves, will elevate the food of their forebearers with their fresh interpretations of classic Italian (by way of America) dishes and drinks.

“My sister and I remain eternally grateful for all the love we received with Cafe Louie, but the all-day cafe concept just didn’t work after we rolled out our dinner service,” Chef Angelo says. “Louie and I grew up with Italian American cooking, and we launched Red Sauce Sundays at Cafe Louie to honor that tradition.

“Little did we know it would resonate so much with seemingly everyone, and we had to take a good look in the mirror when Sundays started to regularly outperform Saturday nights. We poured our hearts into Cafe Louie, but we must be responsible as small business owners and give the people what they clearly want.”

The siblings grew up in the kitchen, where their mother — a private chef — made cooking not just part of everyday life but also a form of self-expression and joy, inspiring them both to take up the trade. Angelo credits his early days at Uchi Houston as a formative experience, preparing him for stops in San Francisco, Austin and Los Angeles, working with giants in the industry like Thomas Keller and Chris Bianco at Nightbird, Ad Hoc, L’Oca d’Oro and Tartine.

Louie began baking late at night, gifting treats to friends and family — until Angelo pulled her into a restaurant kitchen one busy holiday season. Louie thrived and began baking at Tiny’s Milk & Cookies before joining Angelo in California to continue to hone her pastry skills at mainstays Tartine and Lodge Bread.

The Louie’s Italian American Menu

When Louie’s Italian American officially opens, you’ll find a dinner menu featuring handmade pasta like little “rigatonis” ($16) with your choice of tomato vodka sauce or meatballs and gravy in a slow-cooked meat sauce inspired by the like you’d find in Naples. Not to mention a delicious tangle of tajarin ($24) with your choice of mushroom marsala or a classic white wine and clam sauce. Entrees range from chicken parm ($26) to a redfish picatta ($36) topped with a caper and white wine butter sauce to house made garlic sausage and peppers ($26).

Sweet ways to end your evening will include tiramisu ($10) and Meyer lemon posset ($10) with rosemary shortbreads and tangerine marmaletta.

Louie’s Italian American is located in The Plant at 3401 Harrisburg, Suite G. It will be open Thursdays through Mondays from 5 pm to 10 pm.