You may’t go unsuitable with the spaghetti carbonara at Coppa Osteria.
Houston is house to an infinite number of thrilling world cuisines—from West African fare to standout Indian meals, we really have all of it. Whereas Italian delicacies might not appear that thrilling compared, our metropolis provides a stellar crop of crimson sauce–slinging sizzling spots that so completely epitomize la bella vita that they’ll make a real Italian out of you by dessert.
Whether or not you’re on the hunt for a romantic spot match for the proper date evening or a simple solution to carb your self up forward of a evening out in town, Houston’s greatest Italian eating places have you ever lined.
Amore
Montrose
It’s a traditional American Dream restaurant story: Alfredo Mojica left his 20-year tenured place as government chef at Da Marco to open his personal place. Investing his life’s financial savings and with assist from his household, he opened Amore Italian Restaurant in December 2021. The menu performs like his personal biggest hits album, from the decadently scrumptious Spaghetti Harry’s Bar to the crimson wine slow-braised quick ribs with burrata to the merely grilled complete branzino.
Capone’s Oven & Bar
montrose
This hidden spot positioned simply off Richmond Avenue is impressed by the Nineteen Twenties, giving off an old-school speakeasy vibe. The restaurant additionally provides dwell music and karaoke nights, so for those who’re eager to take pleasure in these choices, you’ll want to test both Instagram or Fb forward of time. Though Capone’s is thought for its pizza, don’t depart with out making an attempt the lobster ravioli. It’s so good that after you end it, you’ll already be planning your subsequent go to. Different notable pastas embrace the truffle mac, jumbo shrimp pasta, and lasagna.
Coltivare’s pizza by no means disappoints.
Coltivare
The Heights
Agricole Hospitality proprietor Morgan Weber and chef Ryan Pera’s good-looking Heights restaurant is ideal for each dates and teams. Out of doors tables sit virtually in selecting distance from the raised-bed gardens, the place the restaurant grows most of its herbs and a few of its salad elements. Begin your meal with the cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins appetizer and a few arancini, order a pizza (we love the hen and prosciutto), and don’t sleep on the bolognese tagliatelle.
Internet hosting a cocktail party quickly? Reserve the Dough Room at Coppa Osteria.
Coppa Osteria
Rice Village
Coppa Osteria is the place to go for anybody in Rice Village craving nice Italian meals after a day of procuring. Standouts embrace the tre burri, the tuna tartare damaged arancini, the Coppa caesar, and the spaghetti carbonara made with salumi Toscano and an egg that’s damaged tableside by your server. When you’re on the lookout for the proper spot to host a cocktail party (as much as 20 folks), there’s the personal “dough room,” previously the place pastas and pizzas had been made by hand. However don’t fear, this house moved throughout the road, so that you’re nonetheless assured the identical high quality doughs.
Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino
Higher Kirby
Proprietor and chef Lynette Hawkins has succeeded in preserving her cozy Italian restaurant each informal and high-quality since opening in 2009. Her small plates and accompanying small costs encourage you to order, experiment, and share (don’t miss the eggplant involtini), although Giacomo’s is maybe greatest identified for its exemplary spaghetti carbonara with guanciale, a farm-fresh egg, and Tellicherry pepper. The entire pastas are made by hand on the restaurant. Wash it down with the assistance of the wine listing spotlighting Italy’s many feminine winemakers and loads of biodynamic alternatives.
Il Bracco
uptown
The radiatore cacio e pepe is made with contemporary radiatore, sheep’s milk pecorino, toasted black pepper.
Lulu’s
River Oaks
Palacios Murphy Hospitality might have a stronghold out in Spherical Prime, the place they personal Resort Lulu, Mandito’s, Lulu’s, and Popi Burger, however it’s additionally a pressure to be reckoned with right here in Houston. When the hospitality group opened a second location of fine-dining Italian restaurant Lulu’s in River Oaks in 2021, we had been instantly charmed. This spot’s traditional Italian fare contains must-tries just like the pappardelle bolognese with black Angus beef tip and a great deal of contemporary parmigiano and herbs, and the radiatore cacio e pepe with sheep’s milk pecorino and toasted black pepper.
Costume up or down and luxuriate in a few of your favourite pasta dishes with Milton’s.
Milton’s
Rice village
Mimo
East Finish
Mimo is superb in its simplicity. Opened in 2023 within the colourful Tlaquepaque Market strip, the restaurant serves contemporary meals and handmade pastas that overdeliver, just like the crudo with ahi tuna tartare and the pappardelle with braised lamb and mushrooms. Mimo additionally has a pleasant wine listing of Italian favorites and lesser-known alternatives besides.
Paulie’s
Montrose
Certainly one of Montrose’s most adored spots for consolation meals, Paulie’s remains to be going robust with housemade pasta dishes targeted on distinctive varieties, just like the frilly, U-shaped creste di gallo—tossed with sausage, chile flakes, and pickled onions in marinara—and tiny, chubby, earlike canestri, served with crimini and shiitake mushrooms and a creamy marsala sauce with garlic and sage. Paulie’s additionally makes one of many finer Italian hoagies in Houston, utilizing Genoa salami and ham with provolone in oil and vinegar. Don’t sleep on the shortbread cookies to cap your meal.
Roma’s Osso Buco is a menu favourite.
Roma
Rice Village
In 2019, proprietor Shanon Scott rebranded the eatery Sud Italia, which opened as Roma Ristorante in 2015 serving Southern Italian delicacies. The restaurant now focuses extra broadly on a number of areas of Italy, serving conventional pastas like spaghetti alla carbonara, and recipes distinctive to every area, whereas incorporating proteins of land and sea like octopus, salmon, and osso buco.
Rosalie Italian Soul
Downtown
Prime Chef Masters winner Chris Cosentino’s Houston restaurant, named after his great-grandmother Rosalie, is the chef’s most private endeavor up to now. The trendy Italian spot, positioned inside downtown’s C. Baldwin Resort, serves Italian-American consolation meals with an upscale twist. Standouts on the menu embrace the bucatini carbonara and the black spaghetti made with squid ink and scampi shrimp.
Tiny Champions
East finish
Opened in 2020 by the oldsters behind the acclaimed Nancy’s Hustle, Tiny Champions is small in title however large in attraction. The relaxed hipster hang-out options nice pasta dishes and small plates that rotate based mostly on seasonal availability, in addition to a few of the very best pizzas in Houston, just like the anchovy pie with tomato sauce, garlic, and salsa verde.
Whether or not you are craving pizza or pasta, Trattoria Sofia has all of it.
Trattoria Sofia
The Heights
Trattoria Sofia is a Berg Hospitality Group idea that serves Italian fare in a setting so convincingly Italian you’ll wish to serenade your bowl of cacio e pepe with a spontaneous “Nessun dorma.” Spring for dishes like veal Milanese with castelfranco salad, clarified butter, and lemon; a campanelle lamb ragù with tomato, sage, rosemary, and Parmigiano-Reggiano; and top-of-the-line prosciutto pizzas within the metropolis.
Timothy Malcolm and Emma Balter contributed to this information.
