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A woman in a white dress sits with a plate of pasta, while a serve spins another helping out of a bowl in front of her.
A big bowl of freshly made pasta at Via Triozzi on Greenville Avenue.
Kathy Tran

13 Essential DFW Italian Restaurants

From old-school red sauce joints to sleek newcomers, these Italian eateries have it all

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A big bowl of freshly made pasta at Via Triozzi on Greenville Avenue.
| Kathy Tran

There’s nothing more comforting than enjoying a giant bowl of pasta paired with red wine. A slew of new Italian places have opened in the city over the past year, and there are still plenty of old school spots to satisfy a craving for pasta lacquered in red sauce, towering lasagna, and so much more.

At each of these essential Dallas Italian restaurants, a variety of cuisines and price points await. Go forth, and eat as much lasagna as humanly possible.

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PaneVino Osteria

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Tucked into an Addison strip mall, PaneVino Osteria is a welcome respite from the nearby glut of restaurant chains. In its unpretentious space, find excellent wines, scratch-made rigatoni in spicy pork ragu, and lobster fra diavolo over fettuccini.

The restaurant on top of Eataly in NorthPark Mall has an edge, what with an Italian food market below to supply it. Head in for a slew of Italian classics, including grilled shell-on king prawns, savory spinach tagliatelle served with a mushroom ragu, and several options cooked over its wood-fired grill including a tangy tuna steak.

il Bracco

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This Preston Center restaurant is sharply focused on classic Italian dishes. Don’t miss the housemade focaccia, an old-school Caesar salad made with full leaves of iceberg lettuce, spicy gemelli, and crispy eggplant parm. Note that there is a business casual dress code.

The first restaurant of chef Julian Barsotti’s dining empire, Nonna has served some of Highland Park’s finest Italian fare since 2006. Stunning entrees including white clam pizza, tortellini di ricotta, and options cooked over the wood-fired grill that change seasonally.

Barsotti's

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After a name change at the beginning of the year, Barsotti’s opened with a facelift and a rejuvenated menu of Italian-American favorites. Go for the solid dishes that just scream Italian food: spaghetti with meatballs, chopped antipasta salad, and sausage and peppers.

Via Triozzi

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There are loads of Tuscan and Sicilian influences on this menu, but one must-order is the lasagne al Forno, with it’s layers and layers on layers. Diners should also treat themselves to an order of coccoli, a crispy bread of pizza dough served with stracchino cheese and prosciutto, and the ricotta montata, a house-whipped ricotta served with grilled zucchini. And take advantage of the menu of all natural, organic, and biodynamic wines from Italy.

Jimmy's Food Store

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At this East Dallas legend, score sandwiches, wine, cream-filled cannoli, and more goodness straight from Italy. In addition to the prepared items, find a bounty of Italian groceries and a case packed with enough cured meats to satisfy any charcuterie junkie. Have a glass of wine while you shop.

Carbone Dallas

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All the classic red sauce options are available at this Dallas outpost from Mario Carbone, but there are some adventurous options also. Try the trio of prosciutto with freshly-made mozzarella, the ink squid ravioli with lobster both inside the pasta and in the sauce, and save room for the lemony cheesecake.

The Charles

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The Charles impresses diners with its modern, Italian-influenced seasonal dishes such as a pink snapper crudo in coconut-lime vinaigrette, lemon ricotta gnudi, and a wagyu bavette with roasted potatoes.

Caterina's

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Tim Love’s venture into fine Italian dining in Fort Worth caused quite a stir with it’s no-cell phone policy. Evoking New York’s Little Italy, it offers Lobster ‘Alison,’ veal chop with parmesan, and branzino — all the classics.

Partenope Ristorante

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Partenope is an award-winning Neapolitan pizza spot Downtown with house-made Italian pastas, craft cocktails, and and a panna cotta that is a must order. Do not miss ordering some essential items: the meatballs, the “Mr. T” (a house bread with whipped ricotta sand Calabrian chili honey), and the panzanella salad which is one of Italy’s best secrets for using up odds and ends from the kitchen.

Sassetta

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This downtown gem in the Joule hotel leans towards left of center, with plates of lobster spaghetti and duck bolognese alongside ribeyes and beef short ribs, plus pizzas galore. The wine list is long and impressive, even in the by-the-glass offerings.

Chef David Uygur’s Bishop Arts restaurant has earned a loyal following of devoted diners since opening in 2010. It remains one of the city’s hardest tables to score, thanks to pitch-perfect charcuterie and more rustic Italian fare — and a terrifically intimate dining room. The menu changes frequently, and seeking guidance from the staff is recommended.

PaneVino Osteria

Tucked into an Addison strip mall, PaneVino Osteria is a welcome respite from the nearby glut of restaurant chains. In its unpretentious space, find excellent wines, scratch-made rigatoni in spicy pork ragu, and lobster fra diavolo over fettuccini.

Terra

The restaurant on top of Eataly in NorthPark Mall has an edge, what with an Italian food market below to supply it. Head in for a slew of Italian classics, including grilled shell-on king prawns, savory spinach tagliatelle served with a mushroom ragu, and several options cooked over its wood-fired grill including a tangy tuna steak.

il Bracco

This Preston Center restaurant is sharply focused on classic Italian dishes. Don’t miss the housemade focaccia, an old-school Caesar salad made with full leaves of iceberg lettuce, spicy gemelli, and crispy eggplant parm. Note that there is a business casual dress code.

Nonna

The first restaurant of chef Julian Barsotti’s dining empire, Nonna has served some of Highland Park’s finest Italian fare since 2006. Stunning entrees including white clam pizza, tortellini di ricotta, and options cooked over the wood-fired grill that change seasonally.

Barsotti's

After a name change at the beginning of the year, Barsotti’s opened with a facelift and a rejuvenated menu of Italian-American favorites. Go for the solid dishes that just scream Italian food: spaghetti with meatballs, chopped antipasta salad, and sausage and peppers.

Via Triozzi

There are loads of Tuscan and Sicilian influences on this menu, but one must-order is the lasagne al Forno, with it’s layers and layers on layers. Diners should also treat themselves to an order of coccoli, a crispy bread of pizza dough served with stracchino cheese and prosciutto, and the ricotta montata, a house-whipped ricotta served with grilled zucchini. And take advantage of the menu of all natural, organic, and biodynamic wines from Italy.

Jimmy's Food Store

At this East Dallas legend, score sandwiches, wine, cream-filled cannoli, and more goodness straight from Italy. In addition to the prepared items, find a bounty of Italian groceries and a case packed with enough cured meats to satisfy any charcuterie junkie. Have a glass of wine while you shop.

Carbone Dallas

All the classic red sauce options are available at this Dallas outpost from Mario Carbone, but there are some adventurous options also. Try the trio of prosciutto with freshly-made mozzarella, the ink squid ravioli with lobster both inside the pasta and in the sauce, and save room for the lemony cheesecake.

The Charles

The Charles impresses diners with its modern, Italian-influenced seasonal dishes such as a pink snapper crudo in coconut-lime vinaigrette, lemon ricotta gnudi, and a wagyu bavette with roasted potatoes.

Caterina's

Tim Love’s venture into fine Italian dining in Fort Worth caused quite a stir with it’s no-cell phone policy. Evoking New York’s Little Italy, it offers Lobster ‘Alison,’ veal chop with parmesan, and branzino — all the classics.

Partenope Ristorante

Partenope is an award-winning Neapolitan pizza spot Downtown with house-made Italian pastas, craft cocktails, and and a panna cotta that is a must order. Do not miss ordering some essential items: the meatballs, the “Mr. T” (a house bread with whipped ricotta sand Calabrian chili honey), and the panzanella salad which is one of Italy’s best secrets for using up odds and ends from the kitchen.

Sassetta

This downtown gem in the Joule hotel leans towards left of center, with plates of lobster spaghetti and duck bolognese alongside ribeyes and beef short ribs, plus pizzas galore. The wine list is long and impressive, even in the by-the-glass offerings.

Lucia

Chef David Uygur’s Bishop Arts restaurant has earned a loyal following of devoted diners since opening in 2010. It remains one of the city’s hardest tables to score, thanks to pitch-perfect charcuterie and more rustic Italian fare — and a terrifically intimate dining room. The menu changes frequently, and seeking guidance from the staff is recommended.

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