Austin, Texas is a fast-growing, multicultural city with active art, culture and nightlife scenes. Although Texas might be best known for its big, noisy steakhouses, Austin is also home to many intimate, romantic restaurants perfect for enjoying a quiet meal with your significant other. There are dozens of romantic Italian restaurants throughout the city where couples can drink fine wine and eat delicious gourmet pasta and other Italian dishes. The best romantic Italian restaurants in Austin tend to be very popular so it is recommended to make reservations in advance.
This authentic Italian eatery on East 5th Street has the look and feel of a cozy Sicilian café thanks to Sicilian-born owner Carmelo Mauro's attention to detail. Carmelo's gorgeous dining space, outdoor terrace and understated vintage décor make it a great place for a romantic meal in Austin. Diners can start off with the appetizer-size spinach and ricotta gnocchi, almond crusted brie with fig marmalade, or classic tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. The steak Diane tableside flambé makes for an entertaining entrée, and the Italian mixed grill (lamb chops, sausage and beef) will leave guests speechless. Couples can finish with an authentic Italian dessert like tiramisu with fresh berries or ricotta cheese cannoli.
Carmelo's
504 East 5th Street
Austin TX 78701
512-477-7497
carmelosrestaurant.com
This swanky Italian restaurant in South Austin provides an elegant setting with exposed brick walls and sleek glass paneling. Vespaio may not look especially upscale from the outside, but the combination of great service, well-dressed clientele and expensive wines makes for a romantic evening out. The wood-fired pizzas and seafood appetizers like crispy semolina-crusted Atlantic squid and Texas gulf coast oysters are popular first courses. The wood oven seared veal scallopine, meat lasagna with housemade mozzarella and grilled prociutto wrapped jumbo Gulf prawns are all solid main course options. Guests often finish off with a vanilla panna cotta, fresh peach tart with amaretto gelato, or warm polenta doughnuts with wildflower honey.
Vespaio
1610 South Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78704
512-441-6100
austinvespaio.com
Located in Austin's trendy Hyde Park neighborhood, Asti offers a seasonal menu filled with fresh ingredients purchased from local farms. Asti's cuisine incorporates the diverse culinary traditions of Italy's Piedmont, Sardinia, and Tuscany regions. If guests haven't already filled up on the house-made toasted breadsticks, they should try the semolina fried calamari with roasted tomato aioli, mixed greens with Bartlett pear and gorgonzola or steamed mussels with grilled focaccia. Mains include saffron risotto with seafood in spicy tomato sauce, lamb shank "ossobucco" with braised fennel and polenta and pan-seared rainbow trout with lemon-pistachio salsa verde. Asti's wine list features selections from every region of Italy.
Asti
408 East 43rd Street
Austin, TX 78751
512-451-1218
astiaustin.com
