As a broad category, Italian food is a perennial crowd-pleaser. Dallas is fortunate to have a number of restaurants that satisfy cravings for hand-tossed pizzas, housemade pastas, decadent cannoli, and every other conceivable classic. Whether you’re looking for a pile of noodles slathered in red sauce and served on a red-and-white checkered tablecloth or an elegant array of Mediterranean classics in a chic, Milan-inspired setting, top notch Italian restaurants across the Metroplex abound.
From old-world favorites to Michelin-recommended spots, here are restaurants to consider when your taste buds deserve a Roman holiday.
Mister Charles
When the Michelin Guide made its first guide for Texas last year, Mister Charles earned a distinction as a recommended restaurant, and fans of the luxurious Italian and French-inspired concept were hardly surprised. Start with a Prosecco-spiked soda fountain lime breeze ($19), a nod to the former Highland Park Soda Fountain building the restaurant is housed in. Then choose between the spicy lumache arrabbiata with tomato conserva and broccolini ($28); fusilli with caviar and fontina ($49), or uni carbonara with pancetta ($32) for a pasta experience you won’t soon forget. 3219 Knox St. Ste. 170, Dallas, themistercharles.com
61 Osteria
This Fort Worth gem provides an upscale setting for traditional Italian dishes made with seasonal bounty from Texas farmers. You could make a meal from sharing multiple antipasti plates, like artichoke bruschetta with burrata ($26); sausage and peppers on polenta ($25); Mediterranean octopus with salsa verde ($26); and pork, veal, and brisket hearth meatballs ($22). But the wild boar pappardelle ($38) and venison osso buco ($65) are worth saving room for. 500 West 7th St., Fort Worth, 61osteria.com
La Stella Cucina Verace
In the heart of the Dallas Arts District, steps from the I.M. Pei masterpiece Meyerson Symphony Center, La Stella Cucina Verace feels like a work of art. Sip on a classic negroni ($22) while perusing the menu, which is packed with pasta, seafood, and indulgent meat offerings. Showstopping choices include the whole lobster in lemon saffron butter sauce on ruffled-edge manfredi pasta ($70); and the 16-ounce bistecca tagliata with a balsamic glaze and Tuscan olive oil atop a Himalayan salt block. If you’re short on time, La Stella is a great place to pop in for a pre-show drink. 2330 Flora St., Ste. 150, Dallas, lastellatx.com
The Charles
Known for putting a Texas spin on Italian design and cuisine, the Charles is one of the major reasons to visit the Dallas Design District for something other than a new settee. Bold flavors dance about in every dish, whether it’s the wagyu short rib fagottini with truffles, cacio e pepe, ricotta, and confit cherry tomatoes ($26); sausage and pepper meatballs with creamy polenta ($21); or wood-fired oysters with parsley and pepperoni ($5). Attention to detail carries through everything, from the service to the wine pairings, making every visit special. 1632 Market Center Blvd., Dallas, thecharlesdallas.com
Lucia
At Lucia, one of Dallas’ smallest restaurants, the menu changes often to showcase seasonality. The chef’s choice salumi ($40), featuring house-cured meats is a great start, while pasta dishes like lobster mushroom cappelletti ($30) and rigatoni with wagyu beef ragu ($30) show off the chef’s top tier pasta-making skills. Every morning at 9 a.m. reservations to Lucia open up for 30 days out, so planning ahead is recommended. 287 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas, luciadallas.com
Via Triozzi
Via Triozzi gained a fast following when it opened in 2023. Diners flock to the Tuscan-inspired dining room for a seasonal menu influenced by various Italian regions. The house specialty lasagne al forno ($35) is a staple, and is wonderful for groups to share when they want to save room for other dishes on the menu. Try the cozze all ’nduja ($22), PEI mussels with ’nduja butter broth, crispy chick peas, and fresh herbs; or Braciola di Maile ($38), a grilled Duroc pork loin chop with braised cannellini beans, mushrooms and agrodolce. Work your way through the rest of the menu on subsequent visits. 1806 Greenville Ave., Dallas, viatriozzi.com
Dolce Riviera
The resort-style decor at Dolce Riviera evokes a sense of sophisticated leisure, transporting diners to the sun-soaked coastlines featured in the White Lotus. With more than 400 wine labels, you can request the perfect pairing for everything from lobster tail scampi (MP) to gnocchi al tartufo ($26). 2950 North Harwood St., Dallas, dolceriviera.com
Palato Kitchen & Lounge
Views of Frisco’s Kaleidoscope Park, intimate lighting, and a tight menu of expertly prepared Italian favorites top the many reasons to visit Palato Kitchen & Lounge inside the Hall Park Hotel. The garlic pesto braid ($12) is a must have for its buttery, flaky layers of fresh-from-the-oven goodness. Pizzas can be shared,or hoarded, so proceed as you wish. The wild mushroom and thyme funghi pizza ($18) stands out among the offerings, as does the wild boar tagliatelle ($30). The Hall family is known for their wineries, so ask for proper pairings with each course and you might discover a new favorite. 3220 Internet Blvd., Frisco, palatofrisco.com
Sister
This intimate Italian-inspired restaurant brings all the flavors of the Mediterranean to life. Request a table under the large tree in the dining room, order a cocktail, and prepare for a parade of delights. Lobster and burrata ($25), charred octopus ($23), and veal and pork meatballs ($17) shine among the small plates, while clams vognole ($27), pepperoni cavatelli ($27), and wild “boarnaise” over rye malfadine ($27) genuinely showcase the pasta prowess in the kitchen. 2808 Greenville Ave., Dallas, sempresister.com
Sassetta
A jewel of a restaurant inside the Joule Hotel, Sassetta is even more popular now since relocating from its former home in the Design District. Request a solo seat by the window for prime Downtown people watching, or stop in with friends for small bites before a show at the nearby Majestic Theater. The prosciutto flight ($24) and Italian cheese flight ($23) work well to share alongside a Smash Di More Italiano ($18). If you prefer a leisurely dinner, try a burnt honey pizza ($21) with a side of housemade buttermilk ranch ($3), followed by a plate of classic carbonara bucatini ($27) or roasted duck breast ($39). 1530 Main St., Dallas, thejouledallas.com/sassetta
Knife Italian
Celebrity chef John Tesar combines two of his loves, steak and Italian food, at this restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas. Begin your evening with starters like “My Mother’s Baked Clams” ($22); roasted Skull Island prawns ($26); and gin-cured redfish tartare ($22). Indulge wholly in a 32-ounce, 240-day-aged ribeye ($215) to experience the breadth of Tesar’s culinary talent; or go for scampi lobster ($58) or the velvety wild mushroom risotto with duck confit ($30) for a more traditional taste of Italy. 4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, knifeitalian.com
Kenny’s Italian Kitchen
Kenny’s Italian Kitchen feels reminiscent of the many restaurants in New York’s Little Italy neighborhood. Straightforward and unfussy, the food brings regulars back again and again. From lasagna ($19) and baked ziti ($18) to bone-in veal parmigiana ($27) and chicken scallopine ($22), the menu honors the classics. And like other Kenny’s Restaurant Group concepts, the eatery is known for its martinis made with below-freezing Grey Goose vodka from a specially designed tap. 5100 Belt Line Rd., Ste. 764, Addison, kennysitalian.com
