15 September 25 - OctOber 1, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Sauced and Stuffed The 15 best Italian restaurants in Dallas. BY ANGIE QUEBEDEAUX, AAREN PRODY AND LAUREN DREWES DANIELS D allas has come a long way in the Italian food scene. Remem- ber when Spaghetti Ware- house was a big night out? Now there are upscale fine-dining Italian spots dotted around North Texas, along with old-school red sauce joints that are neighborhood gems. Below are our 15 favorites spots around North Texas, from downtown Dallas to Den- ton (yes, Denton has one of the best Italian spots in all of North Texas). Adelmo’s Ristorante 5450 W. Lovers Lane (Park Cities) This beloved neighborhood gem is sadly closing at the end of the year. Owner Adelmo Banchetti, originally from Florence, Italy, opened Adelmo’s Ristorante in 1989, and since then the Park Cities restaurant has epitomized refined Italian dining. From- scratch Italian dishes, including pasta, fresh seafood, and irresistible desserts, along with the cozy atmosphere, make it the perfect setting for a romantic date night. The ambi- ance serves as a true testament to Adelmo’s unwavering commitment to delivering ex- ceptional food and wine. Among the favorite dishes are the veal osso buco and gnocchi dish and the signature veal chop, skillfully seasoned and seared along with roasted po- tatoes and vegetables, all crowned with ei- ther a marsala and mushroom sauce or a creamy brandy Dijon green peppercorn sauce. Avanti Restaurant 2720 McKinney Ave. (Uptown) For more than three decades, Avanti Restau- rant has been an unwavering cornerstone in the Dallas dining scene, with a seamless blend of classic Italian-Mediterranean fare in an alluring Uptown bistro atmosphere complemented by nightly live music. The restaurant offers a variety of pasta dishes, such as three-cheese spinach lasagna, lin- guine pescatore and wild mushroom risotto. Try the crab meat-crusted sea bass or ta- gliatelle Bolognese, crafted traditionally with pork loin, pancetta and tenderloin. Caffe Baonecci 7151 Preston Road This Lucchesi-style Italian restaurant in Frisco, which we wrote a full review of a few years ago and it remains of the best in North Texas. Start with the tordelli lucchesi, a ravi- oli stuffed with house-ground pork and beef Bolognese sauce and parsley. The pasta is perfectly cooked, the meat sauce is full of flavor. The super-thin Maremma Diavola pizza was so good that Hank Vaughn wrote that each bite reminded him of his Italian great-grandmother’s kitchen. Wow. Just like Nonna’s. Some people feel the spot is expen- sive, but they explain on their website it’s the ingredients they use, but mostly “you can’t have both a full carafe of wine and a drunken wife.” Barsotti’s Fine Foods & Liqueurs 4208 Oak Lawn Ave. (Oak Lawn) Barsotti’s, formerly known as Carbone’s, is a neighborhood Italian American restaurant owned by renowned Dallas chef Julian Bar- sotti, whose family lineage and recipes draw from Southern Italy. At Barsotti’s, classic Italian comfort food is served in a convivial family atmosphere. The signature Sunday gravy and meatballs is a quintessential Dal- las meal. Or soak in a rich plate of vodka tor- tellini. A chocolate layer cake topped with a rich ganache tastes like a celebration and shouldn’t be missed. Perch Bistro & Bar 7709 Inwood Road (Park Cities) The interior of Perch (previously Dea) has bistro vibes and is the cozy neighborhood Italian spot everyone needs on their short list. Casual Italian fare, like Neopolitan pizza, is taken up a notch with 100-year- old sourdough starter brought in from San Fran- cisco. Big plates are for sharing, like the Short Rib Bourguignon with tender little carrots, delicate mushrooms, pearl onions, and pommes purée in a red wine reduction. Check out the dine-in special Monday through Thursday: $75 for one pizza, one pasta and a bottle of wine. SOLD! Eataly 8687 N. Central Expressway (NorthPark Center) Eataly is an Italian lover’s dream come true. The 46,000-square-foot, three-story space encompasses 10,000 local and Italian prod- ucts, three restaurants and a cooking school. On the main floor, you’ll find La Pizza & La Pasta, which focuses on authentic Neapoli- tan pizza and pasta. You’ll also find Il Pastaio, a pasta and wine bar. Customers can order fresh pasta and watch chefs make it. The third-floor rooftop holds Terra, a res- taurant with a wood-burning grill offering seasonal dishes, pastas, spiedinis (grilled skewers), smoked cocktails and an extensive wine selection. No time for a sit-down meal? Head to the walk-up counters where you can order sandwiches, pizzas, desserts and espressos to go. Il Bracco 8416 Preston Center Plaza (Park Cities) Nestled among fancy shops like NARDOS and Bachendorf’s in Preston Center is Il Bracco, the perfect place to lunch with the ladies and enjoy a glass of Champagne or rosé while indulging in homemade pasta and other Italian fare. The crispy baby arti- chokes with olive aioli and fresh-squeezed lemon is a perfect start to a meal and is the most popular appetizer at Il Bracco. The pasta is homemade, including five different styles and five sauces. The cacio e pepe is saucy and spectacular, and the pasta al limone is espe- cially refreshing on a hot summer day. La Stella Cucina Verace 2330 Flora St. (Arts District) In the heart of the Dallas Arts District, La Stella Cucina Ve- race shines as one of Dallas’ top-rated fine-dining Italian destinations. Old-world tra- ditional regional Italian cooking blends with re- nowned hospitality to deliver an unparalleled experience. Among the standout dishes, the osso buco reigns su- preme, with slow-braised, cross-cut veal shank that melts in your mouth, accom- panied by risotto alla Mila- nese adorned with gremolata. Lucia 287 N. Bishop Ave. (Bishop Arts District) Situated in the bustling Bishop Arts District, Lucia reigns as a highly acclaimed Italian haven, indisputaby ranking among the city’s finest. Chef David Uygur and his wife, Jen- nifer, founded Lucia in 2010, infusing it with a passion for traditional Italian cooking and a dedication to sourcing the finest local and seasonal ingredients. Such dedication to cu- linary excellence has garnered Lucia nu- merous accolades and widespread acclaim, including a James Beard nomination this year. The menu changes frequently but in- cludes an array of house-made pasta dishes, and meticulously crafted antipasti and secondi dishes. Given Lucia’s intimate set- ting and popularity, reservations are a must. Radici 12990 Bee St. (Farmer’s Branch) Radici was our pick for Best New Restaurant in 2024. It was Texas Monthly’s pick for Best New Restaurant in 2025. Today, it’s very obviously one of our favorite Italian restaurants. There’s influence from across Italy, so fresh pasta is made daily and re- gional cuisine comes together with the wood-fired grill fed with Texas post oak wood. The lasagna bianca is a refreshing Northern Italian take on this layered entree. It’s made with sage, spinach pasta, Parmi- giano Reggiano and nutmeg, and rather than featuring a heart red sauce, chef Derry makes and layers the pasta with a white bo- lognese. It’s one of a few dishes that are stock to the menu here. Others are on rota- tion due to seasonality and what’s available locally, so appreciate current offerings be- fore the end of the season. Nonna 4115 Lomo Alto Drive (Park Cities) Nonna, another Italian restaurant from Chef Julian Barsotti, has been a beloved neigh- borhood dining destination since 2016. Bar- sotti’s passion for regional Italian cuisine and his commitment to high-quality ingre- dients are evident in Nonna’s menu. A wood-burning oven is a focal point for the restaurant, both aesthetically and Hank Vaughn The tordelli at Baonecci is phenomenal. | CITY OF ATE | t Dish Chris Wolfgang Barsotti’s Sunday gravy. >> p16
