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Prego, the longtime neighborhood favorite Italian restaurant in Rice Village, has shelved plans to relocate and will close for good next month.
Prego has operated out at 2520 Amherst St. since 1983.
That building, as well as the rest of the Rice Village retail district, is owned by Rice Management Co., the property management and development arm of Rice University.
The restaurant announced in an April 23 Facebook post that its last day would be May 31. Prego will be open for Mother’s Day, the post said.
“We have made the difficult decision to pause our relocation plans,” the Facebook post said. “Despite our best efforts and Rice Real Estate Co.’s generous accommodations, we have decided it is not the right time for Prego to make such a move.”
The Facebook post came just months after Prego said in October that it had reached an agreement with Rice Real Estate Co. that would allow the restaurant to move from its current location at 2520 Amherst St. to 5515 Kelvin Drive, about 100 yards away, this summer.
The move was necessary because Rice Real Estate Co. plans to redevelop 2520 Amherst St. for its own needs, David Cook, Prego’s general manager and operating partner, said at the time.
In a statement, Rice Real Estate Co. said Prego has been an important part of the Rice Village community for the past four decades.
"Many friends and neighbors of Rice Village have fond memories of Prego as a place where families and friends can gather to relax and share a delicious meal," the statement said. "Rice Real Estate Company appreciates the difficult decision Prego has made to pause relocation plans, as the best decision for the restaurant’s future. We will continue to offer our full support to the Prego team during this transition period. We are thankful for the community’s support of Prego and continued support of Rice Village."
Rice Real Estate Co. said it is in the process of a comprehensive site assessment of Rice Village to determine near-term and longterm opportunities for improvements. The assessment will focus on walkability, infrastructure, mobility and programmatic planning, the company said.
"2520 Amherst St., the building which currently houses Prego, was built in the 1950s and is beyond its expected useful life," the company said. "As a part of the aforementioned comprehensive site assessment, we are evaluating opportunities for programmatic improvements to this site. We look forward to sharing further updates as we continue examining further opportunities for improvements to Rice Village."
In an April 23 interview, Cook declined to comment on why Prego opted to shut down rather than relocate.
“Right now, we’re focused on celebrating how lovely it’s been to be here and part of this community for the past 40 years,” Cook told the Houston Business Journal. “It’s been a wonderful run. But it’s gotten more and more difficult to operate the way we have done traditionally. So, we have to say goodbye for now.”
He added that he hopes Prego's loyal customers come in to celebrate their memories of the restaurant.
Like many Houston-area restaurants, Prego was forced to shut down for a time when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in Houston, something Cook acknowledged when announcing the planned relocation last year. He said it was only because of the restaurant's loyal following that it was able to reopen some months later.
Prego built its reputation on providing fresh, modern Italian cuisine. The restaurant offers handcrafted-pasta, house-cured salumi, hand-tossed pizzas as well as a number of gulf seafood dishes inspired by traditional Italian cuisine.
Prego is part of H-Town Restaurant Group, which is led by culinary power couple Tracy Vaught and Hugo Ortega and includes other popular establishments such as Backstreet Café, Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi and Urbe.
Meanwhile, Rice Village underwent a multiphase, multimillion-dollar renovation to update its look and feel within the past decade.
Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co., which managed the property at the time, began the overhaul of Rice Village in 2015. The renovations included new street and façade enhancements, outdoor seating, public art, updated landscaping and improved sidewalks and common areas. The renovation plans also included a new, high-tech parking management system.
In 2019, Rice Management Co. hired Houston-based REIS Associates LLC to replace Trademark.