A wise man once said, "tutto finisce a tarallucci e vino."
Most of us probably don't speak Italian. So we'll spare you a Google search and provide the translation: "it all ends with biscuits and wine." This phrase, a foodie's revision of Shakespeare's "All's Well that End's Well," characterizes Italian food as something much more than your typical cuisine; the phrase seeks to capture the essence of Italy.
Like the phrase suggests, Italian food is romance, passion, love, and life all wrapped up in savory blends of basil, mozzarella, olive oil, pasta, capers, and other ingredients from The Beautiful Country. An Italian dinner can certainly work wonders for your general well-being. Lucky for us, Austin is home to many wonderful Italian eateries, each with something unique and unforgettable to offer. In the name of carbs and cheese, here's our list of the best Italian Food in Austin.
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photo via instagram
1123 E 11th St
If you love Intero, you'll need to visit their new restaurant serving all-day Italian fare. Poeta, also located in East Austin, is nestled within The Frances Modern Inn on 11th, right by some of our other faves like Nickel City and Try Hard Coffee Roasters. During breakfast and lunch you can get something more classic like a scramble or benedict, or mix things up a bit and just opt for a pasta. Their dinner menu is a bit bigger, with starters such as Arancini and Crispy Polenta, a variety of pastas, and their take on Italian main dishes like Chicken Cacciatore and Seared Branzino. We recommend making a reservation since they are a newer spot!
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photo via facebook
2612 E Cesar Chavez St.
"Intero" is Italian for "whole" or "complete", and this upscale East Side restaurant really does provide a complete experience. From amaro aperitifs served by knowledgeable bartenders to a post-dinner sampling of artisanal chocolates made in-house, Intero's menu is stellar as well as sustainably sourced. We recommend anything made with their house-made ricotta.
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photo via L'oca D'oro
1900 Simond Ave
L'oca D'oro is the type of neighborhood restaurant that will have you feeling like a part of the community when you leave. Their ingredients are carefully selected, menus are seasonal, and the staff is passionate about serving authentic Italian food. From their hand-crafted pastas to vinegar and bread, almost everything is made in-house to ensure you get the best meal. If you're a true pasta fan, get a subscription to their Pasta Club, which highlights different pastas and noodle dishes from different cities and countries the chef has visited. Your monthly subscription will include fresh house-made pastas and sauces, a fresh cheese or antipasti set, and signature pantry items.
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photo via tock
2215 E Cesar Chavez St
6555 Burnet Rd
Bufalina is known for their Neapolitan pizzas made in wood-burning ovens and topped with the freshest ingredients. You can get these delicious pizzas at both locations (Bufalina and Bufalina Due), however, if you're looking for more Italian goodies, you'll want to try their new location on Cesar Chavez. This dine-in-only spot's head chef is Grae Nonas, known for his work at Olamaie and pasta pop-up Le Cowboy, which means you know he's serving up some of the best pasta in ATX.
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photo via instagram
807 W 6th St
On West 6th you'll find Sammie's Italian, located in the former home of Hut's Hamburgers. This fancy, old-school Italian red-sauce joint is the perfect spot for your next special occasion. Portions are big, so we recommend enjoying them family-style. Some must-try items are their Chicken Parmigiana, Housemade Mozzarella Sticks, and the Mafaldine with Funghi & Tartufo. Make sure you make a reservation ahead of time because it books up fast!
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photo via yelp
7800 South 1st St
6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd
Spaghetti, Casarecce, Gnocchi, Tagliatelle; name the noodle and Artipasta most likely has it. All of their fresh pastas come with an array of sauces, so we suggest just ordering a bunch to see which is your favorite. Their food truck in Thicket Food Park has tons of outdoor seating, with plenty of shade from the huge trees. No worries if you live further up North because they also have a brick-and-mortar in the Linc.
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photo via facebook
408 East 43rd St.
Ahh, good ol' Asti Trattoria. This upscale and trendy eatery offers some of the best Italian cuisine in town, offering dishes from bruschetta and Capellini Napolitano to antipasti and shaved zucchini & summer squash. Located in "Austin's original suburb," Asti Trattoria offers a cozy but elegant eating environment complemented by friendly and knowing waitstaff. On their wine menu, you'll find over 50 bottles of Italian wines like Fanetti and Travaglini Gattinara. In order to keep things fresh, Asti Trattoria seasonally adjusts their menu, offering summer dishes in the summer, winter dishes in the winter, and so on.
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photo via facebook
1239 E 51st St.
When you walk into Gino's Vino, be prepared to meet and greet owner Gino Catanucci who's usually posted up at the entrance ready to dispense handshakes and hugs to hungry customers. It's this warm, everybody-knows-your-name feel that makes Gino's Vino such an amazing restaurant. Well, that and their downright delicious Italian fare, of course. The menu, curated by master chef Luis Reyes, offers tons of mouthwatering dishes like Tortellini di Formaggio and the Torta di Granchio Italiano, a savory blend of fresh crab cake, sun-dried tomatoes, risotto, ricotta cheese, and Pomodoro sauce. With its great eats and welcoming charm, Gino's Vino always comes through.
photo credit: Juniper Facebook
2400 E Cesar Chavez St.
Juniper is an elegant Italian restaurant that fuses premium ingredients and "old world techniques" to create delicious, classic cuisine that is at once inventive and traditional. When Juniper started, the restaurant began with the goal to fuse recipes and ingredients of northern Italy with those of Central Texas—a goal they've certainly achieved. Take the Puffy Potato, for example, which tastes like the lovechild of Italy and the USA. The rest of their menu features similar creative dishes and other more classic options like House Focaccia and Fresh Pastas. With their unique take on Italian and American food, Juniper perfects a balance of two regions that are often tricky to pull off.
photo via facebook
1213 W Lynn St.
Cipollina's name translates to "small onion," a salient ingredient in most Italian dishes. And Cipollina sure knows how to whip up some amazing Italian cuisine. Nestled in a cozy nook of West Austin, this bistro serves fresh food and fine wine inspired by the Mediterranean region. Executive chef David Garrido has curated a creative menu featuring local ingredients, fresh pasta, and handmade pizzas. With a generous happy hour and an extensive wine list meticulously curated by one of the best sommeliers in town, Cipolina is a perfect spot for a romantic evening out.
2307 Manor Rd
1705 Cuernavaca Dr
Don't let this little food truck fool you. The Patrizi family has been cooking from "tried and true recipes" from Italy for over 50 years. And the truck's delicious, mouthwatering eats are a testament to this assertion. The menu offers tons of fresh pastas like Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara Alexandra, and Pomodoro, a savory bowl of roasted Roma tomatoes, olive oil, garlic confit, and house-made ricotta. While Patrizi's may be the small, little-food-truck-that-could, their pastas and small plates prove they're a big player in the Austin-Italian food game. Lucky for us, they also recently opened a brick-and-mortar location over in West Austin.
photo credit: instagram @RabbitCollective
6203 N Capital of Texas Hwy
Tucked away in a discrete villa of West Austin, Siena Ristorante is a beautiful, elegant Italian restaurant that provides exquisite fare and a breathtaking ambiance. With its ornate stone architecture and rustic terracotta roof, Siena is a perfect spot for engagement events, romantic dates, and fancy nights out. Their menu, as you may predict, offers seasonal, fresh dishes of classic Italy, including variations of antipasti like Pappardelle al Cinghiale. If that doesn't sound like an unforgettable dinner, then maybe you should just stick to your Pizza Hut and PB&Js.
photo via facebook
452 W 2nd St
Numero 28 offers flavorful southern Italian food in bustling Downtown Austin, serving fresh pasta, handcrafted pizzas, mouthwatering paninis, small plates, and more. Often misunderstood as a mere pizza joint, Numero 28's menu features tons of classic and inventive Italian dishes like Lasagna Bolognese and Caprese. Numero 28 understands the Italian way of outdoor eating and replicates rustic comfort with its spacious outdoor patio. Whether you're craving an artisanal pizza or some classic Italian cuisine, Numero 28 is a perfect spot to get your Godfather fix.
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photo via instagram
303 Colorado St.
Just because rustic-Italian and modern-chic fusions have been done before doesn't mean they are always done well. The wood-fired grill in the Red Ash Italia kitchen is a crown jewel of Austin's Italian scene, adding an inimitable flavor to the seafood and veggies that pepper the menu. Wonderful wine lists and an in-house pastry kitchen take this spot up that final notch to perfection. This one is hard to get a reservation though, so make sure you plan ahead!
Photo Credit: Mandola's Facebook
Various Locations
Mandola's combines cafe with market, offering a sit-down restaurant menu and a meat, cheese, and pastry market. Cozy and decorated like a traditional European market, Mandola's feels like a quick vacation to the Italian countryside, making it an atmospheric eating experience. The market offers a variety of classic Italian dishes and an array of tasty daily specials like Monday's Chicken Capricciosa, a next-level plate of breaded, browned chicken breast topped with a salad of arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion and homemade mozzarella tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Mandola's is authentic and memorable, a perfect little Italian eatery. It's also a great place to pick up fresh pasta and make your own Italian dinner at home.
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1500 S Lamar Blvd #110
It's Italian Cucina is an award-winning member of Austin's burgeoning Italian scene, and rightly so. Imported ingredients, an impressive wine list curated by owner and chef Al Fin, and superb Northern Italian cuisine all make this bright and airy restaurant worth visiting. We recommend the squid ink pasta with scallops, a decadent seafood dish with a striking presence. Really though, you can't go wrong here.
MORE GREAT ITALIAN IN AUSTIN:
4222 Duval St
S Lamar Opening Soon
800 Brazos St
2521 Rutland Dr.
110 E. 2nd St
3411 Glenview Ave
1610 S Congress Ave
1500 Barton Springs
10000 Research Blvd Building C
13450 North US Hwy 183
1601 E 6th St
Did we miss your favorite Italian spot in Austin?
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