Sambrooks Hospitality – the Houston-based group behind live-fire restaurants The Pit Room, Candente and Andiron – will open a second location of its anchor concept, The Pit Room, in Memorial City on April 29. Known for its handcrafted, traditional Central Texas-style smoked meats, The Pit Room Memorial City, 10301-A Katy Freeway, will offer its original, signature barbecue within a much larger indoor and outdoor space that also showcases new specialty menu items, a retail meat market and more.
Embodying a similar rustic, casual ambience of The Pit Room’s original location on Richmond through wood and metal finishes, The Pit Room Memorial City boasts a more expansive 6,300-square-foot interior with seating for just over 100 at high-top tables and classic dining tables. Outside, a 2,610-square-foot covered patio seats an additional 128 guests and includes six picnic tables to accommodate larger groups. Two 26-foot-long bars (made of a concrete countertop and natural Baywood honeycomb mosaic) frame the spaces, with one bar inside the main dining area and the second outside for patio guests. More than 27 flat screen televisions are spread throughout the restaurant for optimal sports game watching, while a semi-private dining room will be available for personalized watch parties for up to 12 people. The space was expertly designed by notable Houston-area firm KT Ventures, with architecture led by Houston’s Philip Ewald Architecture.
“Since opening The Pit Room on Richmond in 2016, we are proud to have served Houstonians and travelers from afar with our authentic, Central Texas-style barbecue,” said Michael Sambrooks, founder of Sambrooks Hospitality in a statement. “Joining the Memorial City community is an exciting next step as we expand The Pit Room’s signature offerings, and we look forward to continuing our legacy of delicious barbecue and memorable experiences for friends and families.”
The Pit Room Memorial City’s larger footprint not only accommodates more barbecue enthusiasts, but it also allows for exciting new additions to operations including a custom homemade ice cream sandwich station where guests can create their own treats by mixing and matching cookies, ice cream, and topping varieties in addition to selecting other desserts. A new in-house retail meat market will be stocked with to-go packaged brisket and sausage – a plus for aficionados who enjoy a second round of smokehouse goodness at home. In the following weeks, a supplemental dinner menu will also be rolled out featuring familiar Southern-style favorites such as chicken tenders, chicken wings, brisket egg rolls, fried pickles, burgers, a T-bone steak and more. A more robust, beverage program led by industry veteran and consultant, Sarah Crowl, will also be available showcasing signature and classic cocktails, plus premium wine and beer options.
In conjunction with its expansion, The Pit Room has recently bottled its signature sauces (BBQ Sauce, House Mustard and Coffee Bourbon) and savory rubs (Poultry, Meat Salt and Pork), which will debut for sale within both locations.
The heart of the operation remains a barbecue menu that has made The Pit Room one of the state’s most respected practitioners of the art of smoked meat. The lineup of expertly sourced and crafted meats includes brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, pulled pork, turkey and chicken. Made daily, assorted sausages (including Czech-style beef, jalapeño-cheddar pork, and black pepper garlic venison) have been a Pit Room hallmark and will remain a key menu player. The barbecue stars enjoy a standout supporting cast of traditional homemade sides: macaroni and cheese, mustard potato salad, elote, charro beans, coleslaw and green beans. Tacos, chips and dips, chili and Frito pies also join the menu.
The Pit Room and Sambrooks Hospitality will also serve the community through expanded catering capabilities. The Memorial City location provides a second, larger operation for to-go personal meals and large party-size barbecues, allowing The Pit Room to continue to be a part of birthdays, wedding receptions, office parties and corporate gatherings throughout Houston.
“We are thrilled to welcome The Pit Room to Memorial City. Their arrival brings an exciting new Texas barbecue experience to our culinary scene and their expanded location brings ‘first’ of its kind concepts,” said Danna Diamond, vice president of leasing at MetroNational.
The Pit Room Memorial City is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
