Dallas’ Newest Italian Restaurant Has A Serious Culinary Pedigree

Much-anticipated Italian restaurant Mille Lire has officially made its debut inside The Centrum.

The new restaurant from TV chef Giuliano Matarese opened its doors at 3102 Oak Lawn this week, bringing a serious culinary pedigree and menu of Italian classics. Matarese comes to Dallas with 20 years of restaurant industry experience. Born and raised in Italy, he got his start in his grandmother’s Naples restaurant before coming to the states and spending time at Convivio and Charlie Palmer’s Aureole in New York City. He’s also made tons of appearances on food TV, including Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.

Mille Lire promises a constantly-changing menu of “regional Italian cuisine.” Matarese said in a statement that the restaurant is his nod to “la dolce vita,” or “the sweet life,” of his childhood in Italy. Diners can look forward to antipasti, along with pizzas fired in an Italian oven and pastas made fresh daily with an imported pasta-maker. Outside of the carb-laden options, entrees include chianti-braised short ribs, diver scallops with cauliflower puree, and barbecue oxtail.

A full menu of beer, wine, and cocktails will keep diners from going thirsty, with theme-appropriate cocktails like the Italiano Mule, mixed with vodka, limoncello, ginger beer, and rosemary. A substantial wine and beer list includes Italian offerings as well as local and domestic brands.

Mille Lire is now open for dinner service, beginning at 5 p.m. daily, with lunch, happy hour and weekend brunch rolling out in the coming weeks.

• Italian Restaurant Mille Lire Coming to Oak Lawn Next Month [EDFW]