Buca di Beppo
3612 Tudor Blvd., 342-8462 Monday-Thursday, 5-10pm; Friday, 5-11pm; Saturday, noon-11pm; Sunday, noon-9pmThis national chain started serving pizzas and pastas out of a Minneapolis basement more than 10 years ago and now has over 100 locations across the country. Buca di Beppo serves “immigrant Southern Italian” cuisine and offers the gamut of traditional Italian-American specialties, like bruschetto, chicken parmigiana, and spaghetti marinara. Dishes are served family-style, each with enough to feed at least two people, if not three or four, making it a great place for large groups and parties. No need for couples to be intimidated, though – Buca di Beppo offers a personalized dinner for two with smaller portions.
Carmelo’s Italian Restaurant
504 E. Fifth, 477-7497 Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm; Sunday-Thursday, 5-10:30pm; Friday-Saturday, 5-11pmCarmelo’s opened its Austin location in 1985, making this old-guard Italian establishment a true survivor. Located a stone’s throw from the bustling traffic of Sixth Street, Carmelo’s serves a wide selection of traditional Italian dishes along with a few nontraditional ringers. The menu reads like an edible encyclopedia, with numerous entries from just about every Italian food group. It also includes a “Tableside” section for diners who crave more theatrical service or classic flambé desserts such as bananas Foster and cherries jubilee.
Mezzaluna
310 Colorado, 472-6770 Monday-Thursday, 11:30am-10:30pm; Friday, 11:30am-11pm; Saturday, 5-11pm; Sunday, 5-10pmMezzaluna has toed the line between elegant and trendy since the Warehouse District was a distant dream, but the popular Italian establishment wasn’t able to transfer its success to the sister location at Gateway. The closing and subsequent replacement of its northern outpost gave owner Reed Clemons the opportunity to refocus the business on cuisine. Its stylish, quasi-industrial bar and dining area still stays packed with downtown hipsters, but the menu reflects Clemons’ time spent studying the regional cuisines in Italy the last few years. House specialties and traditional dishes run in the moderate to expensive range but always attract an enthusiastic clientele.
Romeo’s
1500 Barton Springs Rd., 476-1090 Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pmPlastic grapes, Chianti bottles, and straight-outta-Mama’s-kitchen Italian food. Romeo’s serves up sizable portions of no-nonsense Italian standards (pastas, pizzas, and various seafood dishes) for surprisingly reasonable prices. Dinnertime winners include Shrimp Romeo – a grilled Parmesan shrimp with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and a light pesto cream sauce – and vegetable ziti. Brunch is served from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with Italian eggs Benedict, frittatas, a BLT omelet, and the Texas staple – migas.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
6406 N. I-35, 419-1220 Monday-Thursday, 11am-10pm; Friday, 11am-11pm; Saturday, noon-11pm; Sunday, noon-9pm 11590 Research Blvd., 345-8232 Monday-Thursday, 4:30-10pm; Friday, 4:30-11pm; Saturday, 3-11pm; Sunday, noon-9pmThis franchised Italian grill sprang from a Houston-based Italian dynasty of the same name and was one of the first Texas restaurants to feature an “open kitchen” atmosphere. Order from the pasta bar, sample one of the wood-fired pizzas, or choose a grilled specialty. The menu also includes requisite manicotti, lasagna, and spaghetti options.
This article appears in May 28 • 2004.