Ciro Lampasas
STHS Class of 1951
Attended 1947-1951
Ciro S. Lampasas III, St. Thomas High School class of 1951, was a native Houstonian born October 5, 1933 to Ciro S. Lampasas II and Margaret Mandola Lampasas — connecting him by blood to the Mandola restaurant dynasty. In the early 1980s, Ciro joined four fellow STHS alumni — Damian Mandola ’71, Vincent Mandola ’61, Frankie B. Mandola ’65, and Johnny Carrabba Sr. — as one of the original investors in Damian’s Cucina Italiana, which became a Midtown dining landmark for over 40 years.
In November 1986, Ciro opened his own restaurant, Ciro’s Italian Grill, near the Katy Freeway. As Houstonia Magazine noted, despite looking like a chain from the highway, Ciro’s is a one-of-a-kind independent establishment with surprisingly delicious food. The restaurant moved to a new building at 9755 Katy Freeway in 2017 and continues operating today under the stewardship of his son Ciro Jr. Known for his warmth, humor, and personal connection with every guest — families found refuge at Ciro’s even on the morning of September 11, 2001 — Ciro was married to his wife Ann Abdo Lampasas for 61 years.
He passed away peacefully on March 5, 2020 at the age of 86, surrounded by his family. His pallbearers included fellow STHS alumni Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola.
