Most of us love some hearty Italian food, especially as the weather gets a bit cooler! We’re bringing Italy to you with this delizioso roundup of some of Central Texas’ best cocinas. 

Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine, North Austin

One menu, 5-courses, one price – $24.95 per person (less for kids). Enjoy exceptional wines at a great value, craft cocktails, bossa nova and a continuous variety of savory and dessert pizzas, all served rodízio-style. It’s an endless pizza experience perfect for a fun date night or group celebration. We bring all courses directly to the table. Turn the card to green when you’re ready for pizza, and red when you need a break. 

With a new location in north Austin and a few in the Dallas area, this Brazilian pizzeria is one of the most unique concepts we’ve come across. Much like a Brazilian steakhouse, where they keep coming by your table all night bringing you meats, this upscale pizzeria will provide the same experience with everyone’s favorite pies! 

Go in with a strategy here. Order wine upon arrival so that you can receive your vino by the time the food starts coming (and coming!). They’ll bring you three appetizers (these are one-time dishes, not all-you-can eat, but pace yourself.) You’ll enjoy savory meatballs, arugula salad and creamy lobster bisque in a sippy cup, great for dipping crust, too. 

After these, the friendly pizza pushers (in the very best way!) will start coming around with various selections of their signature pies. A few of our favorites are the Four Cheeses & Truffle (Traditional), Mexican Elote (Specialty), Portuguese (Brazilian), and Nutella (Dessert). This is an experience, so slow down and enjoy; the pizza isn’t going anywhere! 

Andiamo Ristorante, North Austin

With beautiful lights hanging and authentic Italian music, we are big fans of this small (third generation) family Italian bistro as you can see from our previous articles. Located about a block from the new Austin FC stadium, this tasty jewel will transport you across the pond to Italy. They had us at their three choices for Italian beer and a stellar list of Italy‘s finest wines (you can even order your favorite bottle of wine to go and enjoy a 50% discount!). We chose to pair our dinner with a delicious pinot noir from the Candoni family.

Their special fall menu included standouts like Gnocchi a la Romana and antipasto Insalata (chopped romaine hearts, salami, mozzarella, pearls, artichoke hearts, peppers, olives and a red wine vinaigrette), followed by a Ravioli Di Zucca (housemade ravioli stuffed with roasted butternut squash purée, sautéed with brown butter, sage, and pomegranate molasses). 

You might also choose from their standard menu featuring Linguine Di Zucchine (fresh zucchini, linguine, sautéed with mini heirloom tomatoes, green peas, basil and mixed bell peppers in a garlic olive oil), Fettuccine Di Spinach (homemade spinach fettuccine sautéed with a meat ragu, topped with feta), or, if you’re craving more protein, Pollo Álla Saltimbocca (sautéed chicken breast, layered with prosciutto di parma and served in a brandy shallot pan sauce). Wrap up the dining experience with a beautiful red bow of tiramisu or gelato.

North Italia, Austin’s Domain or Downtown

With locations in The Domain and Austin’s downtown plus six other Texas locations spanning Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, North Italia has been one of our fave spots for a while! North Italia is dedicated and proud to serve an authentic Italian experience with their homemade pasta dishes– from their sauces to their pasta. North also serves a variety of pizza that are also made entirely from scratch. With that being said, North Italia is featuring some special fall/winter menu additions and updates.

For those looking for a little kick, check out their Frittaine, made with bucatini, speck, mozzarella, provolone, and English peas, topped with a spicy vodka sauce, that is sure to give you a bit of BAM to linger on your taste buds. 

Not a fan of spice? We recommend their seasonal standout, the Anolini, the chef’s vegetarian pasta now includes wild mushrooms. If you’re in the mood for pizza, North has also added their Naples’ White Pizza, made with house ricotta, pecorino romano, wild oregano, EVOO, and red onion, that is sure to make you crave more. 

Quench your thirst and try their new line of cocktails and mocktails! Start with their Tranquilo, chamomile infused lemon vodka, campania liqueur, honey, and lemon. Or if you’re into a fruity drink, try the Roman Holiday, made with coconut infused rums, aperol, pineapple, fresh lime, and black walnut.

North’s Seasonal Butter Cake, a pumpkin spice cinnamon roll butter cake with caramel sauce, cinnamon cream cheese frosting, vanilla gelato, and crumbled pecan oat streusel is sure to put you in the seasonal mood and satisfy your sweet tooth. 

Make sure and get a reservation because both locations can fill up on any given evening. The full fall/winter menu can be found HERE.

Palermo Pasta House, Round Rock

Our favorite Italian restaurant in Round Rock, Palermo Pasta House on Main Street, opened in 2015 with Argentinian chef and owner Antonio Giner at the helm. He created a menu of “everyday food” from his homeland—fresh pastas cooked in a pan with a unique sauce and other Italian works of art. The bread is flown in from New Jersey and crisps up in the oven to perfection. (I could seriously fill up on bread and wine if needed.) 

You get to choose from seven homemade pastas (like ravioli, rigatoni, fusilli and fettucini) and then pick from a large selection of savory sauces. You can’t go wrong with the chicken alfredo sauce, the caprese cream, a pesto cream with pine nuts or even a simple bolognese meat sauce that does not taste simple. They use the best possible plump tomatoes full of natural sweetness. Note that their full portions are big enough for sharing. Oh yeah, you have to try the flatbread with sausage—it’s what dreams are made of! 

Juliet Italian Kitchen, Georgetown

After successfully serving at their branch located in the longstanding Barton Springs Austin location, Juliet Italian Kitchen has now branched out to Georgetown’s famous square. Juliet Italian Kitchen is ready to wow its newest customers with its enchanting patio overlooking the beautiful square (we’re pretty sure it’s the only dining patio on the square). Juliet’s carefully crafted 265 authentic recipes are all made from scratch, bringing you a slice of Little Italy (our server was even named Tony!)

Juliet’s menu has a variety of dishes to choose from– house-made pastas (the cheese and sausage ravioli was all sold out the night we visited) to pizza to antipasti dishes, all carefully crafted by Chef Dante Grogg. For those interested in pasta, start with the Wild Boar Ravioli, made with slow-braised wild boar-stuffed ravioli, topped with a savory red pan sauce and goat cheese drizzled on top. And for dessert, why not try a cannoli, made of three fried shells filled with hand dipped sweetened ricotta, cinamon, and orange zest finished with dark chocolate pieces and topped with powdered sugar.

And don’t miss out on their upcoming Wine Dinners, pairing delicious chef-made entrees with the perfect wine!

Cena Deliziosa!

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Cover photo courtesy Juliet Italian Kitchen

Marika Flatt, Outstanding Austin Communicator 2021, is the Travel Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. She began her travel writing career in 2002, and can be seen as a contributor on TV shows across Texas, such as KVUE, Daytime (FOX), San Antonio Living, Good Morning Texas, and KXAN!  Marika spent five years as the voice of the “Weekend Trip Tip” on NPR’s Texas Standard pre-Covid. She adores all things Italian, including her exchange student, anniversaries in Florence, gnocchi, risotto, pizza and chianti.