Downtown Houston to get new sky-high restaurant

Strato 550 is a new lunch restaurant and conference center on the 43rd floor of 1415 Louisiana in downtown Houston. It is expected to open in spring 2019. Strato 550 is a new lunch restaurant and conference center on the 43rd floor of 1415 Louisiana in downtown Houston. It is expected to open in spring 2019. Photo: Courtesy Rendering Photo: Courtesy Rendering Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Downtown Houston to get new sky-high restaurant 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Houston is about to get a new power lunch spot that wants to reach new heights in downtown dining.

Strato 550, on the 43rd floor of 1415 Louisiana (the building known as Wedge International Tower, formerly Unitedbank Plaza and Southwest Bank of Texas), is expected to open in spring 2019 as a weekday lunch restaurant and conference center.

Strato 550 will replace 43rd Restaurant & Lounge at the building that is capping a $10 million renovation by Houston-based real estate firm Hines. Conceived and operated by Compass Group, the restaurant will offer Mediterranean-inspired fare in a 104-seat dining room, afternoon cocktails and meeting rooms (that can accommodate groups of up to 12 people) named after cloud formations: Cirrus, Cumulus, Nimbus and Stratus.

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The dining room, with floor-to-ceiling windows, will offer views of downtown from all sides. According to a press release, no other restaurant in Houston open to the public has a higher vantage point. Stato 550, designed by Houston-based Abel Design Group, will feature a seasonally driven menu sourcing Texas farms and purveyors.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.