Primizie Osteria Italian Caf?? & Wine Bar

Sadly, this gem of a restaurant has closed. more

We decided to try the restaurant when in the area during lunch time, and it was a very nice surprise! We had the soup of the day (creamy pesto with pureed vegetables), a panini rustico, and a lemon cheesecake. The prices are slightly higher than some lunches, but the flavor and quality of the food are well worth it. The service was attentive, and subsitutions were fine. We also took some soup to go. Parking was easy and free behind the building. You will be back! more

I was so impressed with this Cafe. We love to try new restaurants\r and we had heard many nice things about Primizie. Our waitress\r was very efficient and polite. Even on a Friday night it did not take\r long to be served and the food was perfect. I highly recommend \r this place for dinner !\r more

We are from Italy and have been wanting to try this restaurant out. We have an 18 month old, so showed up early at 5:30 for a weekend dinner to avoid the crowds. Not one employee in the restaurant acknowledged us when we walked in (very un-Italian). I went to the bar to request a high chair and was not offered one. The atmostphere was so snobby and we did not feel welcomed at all. Our child has a very refined palatte and pasta and marinara is not her cup of tea. After looking over the menu for 10 minutes we requested a half portion of one of the dinner items for our child and they refused. When I asked what my daughter should order, I was then offered a kids menu. It just seemed more and more ridiculous the longer we stayed.\r \r If you're going to call yourselves and Osteria - then act like one. Osterias in Italy are warm, inviting and love families. P.S. They should hire me to proofread their menu's - 1/2 of the Italian words are misspelled. Good try, but they missed the train. Pros: Cute place Cons: Rude staff more

I've been to Primizie 3 times over some months, once for lunch, twice for dinner...ample time for them to get things together, rotate staff, etc. The food has always been fresh, original, but oy, the service! They're always well meaning enough, but between things forgotten and just being abandoned all together, it's like having to pay a penalty for your meal. Last night was the last straw -- took the waitress 15 minutes to come to our table to take drinks (wasn't terribly busy at this point). Drinks delivered by the bus boy (no sugar or spoon brought for the tea...had to swizzle with my fork all night), and she finally wandered over after another 15 minutes to get our appetizer order, saying she'd return for the main course selection. ANOTHER 15 minutes before she reappeared to take our dinner menu. By the time we ordered our dinner, the place was buzzing and I just knew this was going to get worse. Sure enough, 20 minutes later our food arrived...and she'd brought me the wrong dish. Returned to the kitchen with the mistake, left my husband's on the table, so that he ate alone, finishing his ravioli before I even received my Gnocchi. To make it worse, it was clear they'd ""rushed"" to fit mine in, and it was like eating a plate of fried, underseasoned potatoes -- boring, greasy, overcooked. Awful (though my husband's ravioli was wonderful). She was pretty quick about bringing the check, though, and had plenty of time to chat us up before we wrote in our tip amount. They were definitely understaffed that night, but even taking that into consideration, she wasn't meant for this type of position...and clearly management isn't..well..managing. Simply enough, I won't be back...three strikes and you're out, no matter how pleasant the food. more

Dinner started out with one of the best Nero d'Avolas I have ever tasted--deep, dark, and plush. The appetizer of the day sounded interesting, so we tried it. What showed up was vanilla and red chile-infused grilled barracuda over perfectly al dente carnaroli rice with a bacon, plum, and mint salsa that may have been made by Mario Batali as part of an Iron Chef competition. What an amazing dish!!! A perfectly balanced symphony of flavors on the palate. Wow! Our pasta entrees were as good as the best trattorias in Florence, Sienna, or Montepulciano--the rigatoni with salsiccia pork sausage, sweet red peppers, and a spicy arrabiata-style tomato sauce simply melted in my mouth; the taglitelle with Bolognese sauce was very light and delicate, somewhat surprising since that pasta tends toward the heavier side most places.\r I'll definitely have to come back and try the pizza and try out the desserts...\r Primizie is nothing short of amazing food at a ridiculously affordable price! Loved everything I tasted here! Pros: Amazing pasta at a ridiculously low price! Great wine by the glass. Great service. Cons: I honestly couldn't find any... more

We had an excellent dinner with friends. We started with a nice wine selection and an appitizer. We each ordered different salads and all were excellent. I then had the local special lamp & quail. Followed this with the cheese dessert plate. Somewhere along the way be met Mark, the owner and drank a second bottle of Pinot Noir.\r We arrived early at 6 PM and beat the crowd. They were almost full when we left at 7:30PM.\r We will definitely go again to Primizies. Pros: New with an excellent menu selection Cons: Almost drove past it on East 11th Street more

I took my wife to Primizie for her birthday the other night. She had been wanting to try it out since hearing recommendations from coworkers. So we go and get seated right away which is great anymore on a Wednesday night. The waitress was very helpful at first. She let us taste a couple of wines before purchasing full glasses and was very patient with us while we made our decisions from the appetizer menu. \r We ordered the fried shrimp and calamari. The shrimp were flavorful while tepid. The calamari were bordering on the inedible and COLD. If we had wanted rubber bands I think we would have been better served going to Office Max. Bread came with the plate and it was very salty, which I didn't think bread really should be. Oh and did I mention that everything on the plate was overly SALTY? Well, it was.\r We ordered our entrees. Whomever earlier in these reviews said that the gnocci was the best they'd ever had either had really good gnocci or didn't know what they were talking about because all we could taste of our gnocci was SALTY. Do they not have any other seasonings in Italy besides salt?\r Back to the waitress. When we told her that the dinner was really not very good the response from her could be equated to the sound of crickets on a quiet summer night. In other words, no response. And nothing taken from our bill, either. \r If you like taking chances on quality of product and service this is your place. Good luck, suckers. This is one place that is off our list. Pros: It's really modern and pretty. Wine selection was good. Cons: Everything else. more

Because we got the last available table, we were seated immediately. They seemed to be understaffed, so it took quite a long time for someone to acknowledge our table. The spinach salad was great, and my lasagna was amazing. I also tried the other dishes: Caprino e Balsamico Pizza, Orecchiette all Checca con Scamorza, and Spaghettoni Aglio e Olio con Gamberi. They were all delicious, and the portions were perfect for dinner (sadly, no leftovers). The tiramisu was basic, but the chocolate torte was delightfully rich. We did try to order drinks at the bar while we were waiting, but unfortunately they wouldn't allow us to add them to our table's bill (they required separate tabs even though the bar/restaurant area is small & combined). Given that the wait was so long, it would've been nice if we were offered bread to munch on. I also think that a small salad should be included with the meal. Our waitress was very sweet, and our overall experience was a nice one. Pros: amazing taste, vegetarian options Cons: long wait, slightly overpriced more

A group of friends and I go out to dinner every Friday and we were all excited about trying Primizie. There was about an hour wait when we got there (8pm on a Friday) so we waited at the bar. The bar was packed but there wasn?t anyone behind it serving drinks. For the 45 min we gathered around the bar we managed to flag someone down for one drink. After being seated at our table, we sat for about 15 min before our drink orders were taken and another 10-15 min after that before placing a food order. We kept thinking they had forgotten about us. The food took 45min+ and by that time it was 10:30 or so.. it was almost comical.\r \r Primizie has a good atmosphere but it's VERY loud. \r \r They have good food, but it's not worth the lack of service. Pros: Menu, atmosphere Cons: Service more

I sooo wanted to love Primizie. I live on the east side and we are lacking in fabulous italian restaurants so when I heard a new one had opened up on our side of town -- I was ALL over it! \r 've been twice and here's a rundown of what we observed on the 2 occasions:\r \r Food:\r 1st time:\r Husband and I went with 2 friends and ordered an appetizer and 4 meals. The food was good all around -- I had the citrus marinated vegetables which, I thought were particularly good, everyone else said their meal was good.\r \r 2nd time:\r I came a week later with 2 girlfriends and told them they should try the citrus marinated vegetables -- and found that they were different! The first time had lots of greens -- green beans and broccoli along with eggplant etc. The second time was cauliflower, sweet potatoes and a lot of starches...they didn't taste citrus marinated and frankly they were WAY WAY oversalted and gross. I was shocked at the inconsistency. My friends weren't impressed either.\r \r Service:\r Both times the service was reallllly lacking -- tea refills were non-existent -- our waitress (2 different ones) would disappear for 10-15 mins ata time. Further to that, the 2nd time we ate we were given a menu by the waitress and she said 'here is our happy hour menu -- you can order off of that'. We noticed it was the same menu for apps with a cheaper price so we ordered an app from that menu. When we got the bill it was the full price -I pointed it out, she left and returned and said ""oh, well, we can't adjust it because I ordered you the full price appetizer and it's bigger - so you got more""...I was quite appalled. She made a mistake and we got to pay? Wow. \r \r Too, the 2nd time we went, when we ordered that infamous app, it was supposed to come with bread -- it didn't - we asked and she said 'no this doesn't come with bread' we showed her the menu where it did indeed come with bread. She looked puzzled.\r \r Maybe they need some time to work out their issues?? Pros: Has a lot of potential to be a great east side eatery Cons: REALLY NOISY -- you have to yell to be heard, Terrible Service, inconsistent quality of food more

I visited Primizie Osteria with a friend for lunch last week. It?s nestled into this wonderful area in east/central Austin that has experienced a renaissance since I had last been there. The decor is very modern, although still warm and inviting, and allows you to focus on the food instead of being distracted by random things on the wall like many other Italian restaurants. I ordered a grilled vegetable salad, the perfect item for someone who isn?t big on traditional cold lettuce and house dressing. It was made with roasted potatoes and green beans that were surprisingly fresh and crisp, with the tastiest sweet grilled onions I have ever enjoyed. The flatbread served with it was soft and full of herbs; I could have eaten it for days. The wait staff couldn?t have been more attentive, I never had a minute without iced water. I?m looking forward to returning to try more new dishes, I wish I lived in the area so I could have hot cappuccinos and the baked goods I saw in the case in the morning before work! more

I have never walked out of a resturant before tonight when we visited Primizie for the first time. The space is beautiful and I was anxious to try the cheese plate, a glass of wine and a salad but we couldnt get anyone to even give us water! \r \r After being told to seat ourselves we waited over ten minutes before we decided to leave. I can understand if they were slammed but there were four people standing behind the counter and only one appeared to be doing anything. I think we left mainly because all the employees kept looking over, could see we had not been helped yet no one came over. The manager/owner or someone might want to run a tighter ship. I'll never go there again. Pros: The space is very pretty Cons: Horrible service more

Finally I found a restaurant that serves great gnocchi! It simply melts in your mouth. The Ravioli was excellent too, and the insalata caprese is a wonderful appetizer. But I think that the star of the night was the service: by mistake, and my husband and I assume part of the fault, our dinner order didn't go through, only the appetizer and the wine. When we realized it, my husband went to talk to the staff and re-order the dinner. They not only apologized as they pampered us the whole night. Not to mention that anything else that we order that night was in the house. What could have been a reason for us to be unhappy became a reason for us to not stop recommending the place. A friend said that she also couldn't believe how great the service is. Way to go! Pros: Food, service, price Cons: Order at the counter, a bit noisy more

I was sooo happy with all of the hearty vegetarian options. The Panzanella salad was actually a salad that satisfied unlike so many other places. They had several vegetarian pastas and paninis as well that I will definitely be going back for. I would agree that is was a little noisier than most, but I kind of liked the ""buzz"" it created. Great place for large groups that don't want to feel like they have to whisper. Pros: Vegetarian Options, Vibe, Easy Parking more

When this place opened, my husband and I knew we had to try it because the Spedales had catered our wedding, and the food was wonderful (we got lots of compliments from guests on it). We were not disappointed. We tried the spinach salad, which had the same great dressing that we remembered from our wedding (that my husband has been craving ever since)! We also tried the Primizie crisps with the 3 different pestos, and all were very good. For our entrees, my husband had the goat cheese ravioli, and I had the gnocchi. Both were perfectly cooked and delicious. We didn't try the desserts, but probably will next time, as they all looked very tempting. The staff was super friendly & helpful. You have to order at the counter, but the staff informed us that they would soon be switching to full table service. Even so, the staff still brought out all of our dishes in a well-timed manner, so the counter ordering process was not a problem at all. The only (small) issue for us was that the place was pretty noisy, even without every table being filled. We could hear each other, but there was a fairly loud roar in the background. The prices were cheap to moderate for dinner, but might be considered a bit expensive for lunch. Overall, we thought it was excellent. We will be returning soon! Pros: Food, dinner prices, staff Cons: a bit noisy more

Finally! A great place to eat in East Austin! The cafe was perfect! The decor was light and airy, the service phenomenal! Everyone was very knowledgable from the wine and spirits to dinner and dessert. I highly recommend you give it a shot! The chef even came to our table to check on us and answer any questions we may have had! Top notch! \r We had insalata caprese for an appetizer. Wow! Best I ever had. The mozzarella was outstanding and the tomatoes were oven dried, which I am now struggling to quit craving. Dinner, ragatoni- delicious! Dessert, Ohhhhhh, dessert! It was a HANDMADE chocolate cake with layers of melted truffle topped with vanilla gelato. It was the most heavenly experience I have had this year! And it was all very affordable. Clearly, I am a new, huge fan! If you're in the area and crave authentic Italian, you must stop by! Pros: Atmosphere, food, service Cons: haven't found one more

Exactly what we?ve been waiting for! An innovative menu, appropriately stocked bar and reasonably priced delights in an atmosphere fit for the most discriminating Austinite. Primizie Osteria fills the void for authentic yet modern Italian food in a casual setting most deliciously. The uniqueness and freshness of the ingredients is reason enough to come try it out, however, the attention to detail for less cost than other high quality Italian spots is a reason to keep coming back ? regularly. On our visit we ordered the brushcetta where we were blown away by the inventiveness of the red and golden beets on top of goat-cheese smothered crostinis. We also ordered the arugula salad ? finally a salad that will truly fill a person up! The addition of butternut squash really makes it something special. Lastly, our order of ravioli was fresh, satisfying, and just the right olive flavor without being too overbearing or rich. The melted goat cheese filling left us wanting more? so we got dessert. Both desserts, the lemon cheesecake and the chocolate torte, were handmade. And one of the best parts for this young couple is that we didn?t have to break the bank! The counter service and stylish environment is perfect for a weekend evening out or a weekday lunch with co-workers. The local beers on tap and the wine list at a beautifully constructed bar also makes for a great happy hour or after dinner drink location. As you can tell, I?m very excited about this restaurant. more

My family and I were at Primizie Saturday night and the food was excellent! Before our dinner we enjoyed the stuffed artichoke appetizer with a wonderful dipping sauce. I judge all new Italian restaurants on their gnocchi and Primizie's surpassed my expectations. One of the best in town by far! I really liked the atmosphere - very inviting. more

What a great addition to Austin! Primizie Osteria is so good I went twice in three days. The panini with grilled chicken and avocado was amazing. It was in this delicious homemade bread that was still warm. The vegetables are a nice option as a side dish and served cold like a salad. The service was great and the excitement of a new restaurant opening was contagious. I took goodies from the pastry case back to my office and my coworkers literally fought over them. On my second visit I had the Rustico Panini which was a marinated grilled chicken salad with toasted pine nuts and arugula. It was just as good as the first!. This time I ordered the Primizie Crisps as my side dish and they were amazing. Even better was the basil pesto dipping sauce. The portion of crisps was too large for me so just a warning for a light eater. I also had a latte with this meal and the espresso was amazing. My next visit will be in the evening because I noticed they had a great beer and wine selection that I would like to try with a pasta dish. \r \r more