Spend the night in Italy at Andiamo Ristorante which has some of the best authentic Italian cuisine in Austin. 

Tucked away in a shopping center, you will find some of the best Italian food in Austin at Andiamo. Once you open the doors to the restaurant, you will be greeted with the smell of fresh garlic bread you would find in Grandma’s Italian kitchen. 

Start off by ordering a bottle of their Tuscany red wine, Ciacci Piccolomini Rosso, and enjoy their mouthwatering bread while you peruse the menu. Take your time with the menu as they have seasonal delights and regular favorites. But don’t take too much time, because there’s a high possibility you will fill up on the delicious bread before you even order.

Order the antipasti Fagioli Verdi e Prosciutto for a savory start which has fresh green beans wrapped in prosciutto di Parma and topped with gorgonzola cheese. If you’re between that and the Involtini di Melanzane, which includes housemade rolled eggplant stuffed with ricotta and goat cheese in a tasty sun-dried tomato sauce, your best bet is to get both.

But in honor of saving what room you have left for the main course, you could start off on the lighter side with Insalata del Bosco which has greens mixed with juicy tomatoes, fennel, red onion topped with croutons, Romano pecorino cheese, garlic and basil vinaigrette. Another light meal you could order is the Insalata di Finocchio which comes with shaved fennel, walnuts and goat cheese covered in lemon truffle olive oil. Either way, you can’t make a bad decision with the menu.

When it’s time to order your main course, their gnocchi is always amazing. Try out their Gnocchi al Pesto which comes with their basil pesto sauce and mini heirloom tomatoes. Another Italian favorite is the Spaghetti alla Carbonara which is tossed with crispy Guanciale, cream, egg yolks and topped with Romano pecorino cheese. The carbonara is deliciously heavy so make sure you’re hungry or prepare yourself to leave with a to-go box.

If you’re more of a meat eater, you need to try their Filetto di Manzo alla Griglia which is grilled top sirloin served with mushroom brandy sauce and green beans. If you want something sweeter, there’s the Vitello all’Arancia which is veal scallopini with orange zest, capers and rosemary with orange brandy sauce.

Live la dolce vita. They’re known for their Tiramisù but their Crema Caramellata is a creme brûlée that will never disappoint. 

Andiamo means “Let’s Go” in Italian and now you must. 

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Cover Photo courtesy Andiamo

Maddie Rhodes is a graduate student at Syracuse University. She aspires to work for a travel magazine when she graduates.