Dallas’ 10 Best Italian Restaurants — From Local Staples to Fresh Newcomers Led by Top Chefs

Opened in downtown Dallas in 2019, this Naples-inspired Italian spot was founded by Dino and Megan Santonicola. It serves some of the best pizza in Dallas. Partenope has also been consistently ranked in the top 100 pizzerias in the world over the past few years. 50 Top Pizza named the concept (which recently expanded to Richardson) as the 12th-best pizzeria in the country this year.

Apart from the award-winning Montanara (a flash-fried then baked, cheesy masterpiece), the SF Il Socio is another perfect pie. Made with smoked mozzarella, soppressata, brisket conserva, and barbecue sauce, it’s a solid balance of spicy and sweet. Also, don’t leave without trying the rigatoni alla genovese with beef ragu and tiramisu for dessert.

In Bishop Arts, this Italian staple from Chef David Uyger was one of our predictions for a possible Michelin star this year — and readers agreed by voting it No. 2 out of several Dallas options.

Since its opening in 2010, Lucia been nominated for several James Beard Awards. Everything is made in-house including perfectly baked bread, house-cured salumi, and handmade pasta with farm-fresh accompaniments. Dishes rotate seasonally, always giving guests something new to look forward to.

A new addition to the Dallas area Italian restaurant scene, the second Farmers Branch concept from Chef Tiffany Derry is a must-visit at Mustang Station.

Located just a few doors down from Derry’s Roots Southern Table, Radici (which means “roots” in Italian) serves up dishes like a 14-ounce Rosewood ribeye “Florentina style,” Lasagna Blanca with white bolognese, and an eggplant involtini fire-roasted in the restaurant’s centerpiece: a wood-fired grill inspired by Derry’s time in Tuscany.

Opened by Duro Hospitality in 2018, this Design District gem is a go-to for Italian food in Dallas. Like all Duro concepts, the space was designed by brothers Corbin See and Ross See and features chandeliers, the tops of Italian columns, and a mirror encompassed by a gold snake.

The menu boasts a raw bar of crudo and carpaccio, seafood, and meat, but the pasta is what we ultimately dine in for. Favorites include the spicy creste di Gallo, fusili pesto, and veal ragu.

One of Chef Julian Barsotti’s several concepts in Dallas (he also owns Italian favorites Nonna and Barsotti’s), Fachini offers an elegant Italian dining experience in Highland Park. The lobster ravioli, 100-layer lasagna, and rigatoni alla vodka are a few favorites. You also can’t miss desserts like the tiramisu and molten chocolate cake.

This Italian spot debuted in Preston Center in 2019 and became a classic hit. From Western Addition, the concept has since expanded to Houston as well. It’s known for its spicy Gemelli pasta, chicken piccata, and great vibes.

Also, don’t miss their signature cocktail — a frozen Greyhound with Aperol, New Amsterdam, and fresh grapefruit called The Bracco.

Opened in Lower Greenville in 2023, this new authentic Italian spot comes from Chef Leigh Hutchinson. After growing up in a Sicilian-American family and studying (and staging) in Florence, she decided it was time to open her own restaurant in Dallas.

The menu is seasonal, but some staple items include coccoli, Ricotta Montana, and lasagna. You’ll also find Bistecca alla Fiorentina —a Texas-raised Porterhouse for two. A cocktail menu also boasts the Damiano (a twist on an espresso martini), and barrel-aged Negroni and Manhattan.

Tricolore Pride LLC debuted this new upscale Italian restaurant in the Dallas Arts District in 2022.  Start with one of the ten cocktails like the Fuoco with tequila, Aperol, Triple Sec, lime, and Calabrian chili. Favorite dishes on the menu include fresh pasta like Cacio e Pepe, Branzino, and veal Milanese.

Each meal ends with a complimentary Limoncello.

Opened in 2022, this newer Italian spot in Oak Lawn is the first-ever solo venture for chef Alban Besiri’s (formerly of Chicago’s Davanti Enoteca). The family-friendly concept offers dinner and lunch in a contemporary and stylish space that housed Mille Lire until 2020.

Must-try bites include the foccacia, veal meatballs, whipped ricotta, and seafood linguini. There are also a few pizzas like proscuitto and wild mushroom, as well as current specials and dessert.

Founded in 2007 by Chef Julian Barsotti, Nonna is a classic Italian spot tucked off Lemmon Avenue at the edge of Highland Park.

Standout pasta like the lobster ravioli, Cacio e Pepe, and ricotta tortellini, and the white clam pizza are not to be missed. After dinner, head next door to Barsotti’s new tapas joint Bacari Tabu for a nightcap and live music.