About ORG
Crafting remarkable culinary experiences ™
The Orioli Restaurant Group (ORG) is a third generation, family-owned and operated restaurant group with a collection of boutique neighborhood restaurants. Our story begins in 1970 with our founders, Elda and Domenico Orioli, originally from Ravenna, in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. After spending three decades of owning and operating a hotel in a northern coastal town of Venezuela, they decided to shift their focus to restaurants and moved to Houston, Texas.
Our award-winning family of restaurants has expanded to six different concepts with locations spanning across three cities in Texas, each with a unique character but with the same core values. At ORG we love what we do and are passionate about crafting made-from-scratch exceptional culinary experiences with great hospitality.
Meet Nonna Elda
We hope you enjoy our family recipes passed down from many generations as much as we enjoy sharing them. Our house-made pastas, braised meats, fresh seafood, and delicious desserts will transport you to Italy, from which our family emigrated more than eight decades ago. We look forward to serving you soon. Buon Appetito!
Elda Orioli, Co-Owner
Our restaurants timeline
A history of ORG restaurants
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2000
Our flagship restaurant, Via Emilia Italian Restaurant opens in Cypress Creek Parkway in 2000.
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2019
Avanti Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar opens in Creekside Park in December 2019.
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2021
Our second Avanti Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar opens in Research Forest in June 2021.
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2023
Azzurro Italian Coastal Cuisine opens in Hughes Landing, The Woodlands in March 2023
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2023
New Latin-inspired concept with a coastal twist is coming soon to Creekside Park.
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2024
New Italian concept coming soon to Pine Market Plaza at Woodforest!
Executive Leadership
Meet the leaders who continue to raise the bar, develop our teams and the future of the company.

MATTHEW WOLLENBURG
Director of Operations

MICHAEL THOMPSON
Director Of Hospitality

MILEIVY ONATE
Accounts Payable Manager

KEITH HIGHTOWER
Controller

JENNIFER KOCUREK
Executive Administrative Assistant

SHERRI SEGARI
Marketing Director
BRAND LEADERSHIP

Get to know the people behind Via Emilia.

Get to know the people behind Azzurro.

CRISTIAN ARGUETA
Executive Chef

NOE RODRIGUEZ
Executive Sous Chef

CHRISTINE CROTT
Manager

Research Forest - The Woodlands
Get to know the people behind Avanti, The Woodlands.

JOSE ACOSTA
Executive Chef

BRITT WIEGAND
General Manager

ROBERT FULTON
Manager
Creekside Park - Tomball
Get to know the people behind Avanti, Tomball.

LUIS GUTIERREZ
Executive Chef, Tomball
ERIK SANCHEZ
Executive Sous Chef, Tomball