Italy meets Miami at a new restaurant in Uptown Park that turns from day to night with an expansive patio and speakeasy-esque back room. Lombardi Cucina Italiana opens its doors on Friday at 1101 Uptown Park, the second location from Dallas-based restaurateur Alberto Lombardi.

The owner of 11 restaurant brands in his namesake restaurant group, including Toulouse in Houston, he told the Chronicle that this concept was the perfect next step because of the excellent location among other high-end restaurants and shops. "I'm really starting to like Houston because it is a very international city, more than Dallas," Lombardi said. "This location became available and I said, 'Wow, let me do something really special."