Vespaio

Vespaio is as close to a perfect restaurant as it comes. The food is spectacular, the best you will have in Texas. It is very affordable. The atmosphere is great, as well as the service. The only drawback is that the dining room is a little small, and can be a little noisy. Pros: Food, service, price more

I love love love Enoteca. It should be noted that the phone number is 441-7672. The suppli is wonderful & the specials are always amazing. Service is top notch too! It's a great place to go for coffee in the morning, then a casual lunch & then back again for a romantic dinner. Brunch is awesome too! You can eat there every day & have something different. more

Okay! So the wine we ordered wasn't our favorite. That has more to do with my complete lack of knowledge about Italian wine. But the food...Oh My Goodness was it good. The Funghi con Polenta appetizer consisted of fire-roasted (almost smoked) mushrooms in the most amazing gorgonzola cream sauce. I literally said to the table that ""I'd like a little privacy so that I can be alone with my food"". I didn't think they could top the app, but the Kurobuta Pork Short Rib over Risotta was one of the best things I've ever tasted. It was on the nightly specials, so be sure to look for it. The hostess managed the news that we were 9 people on a busy Wednesday evening without a hint of panic. (grace under pressure) Our server, Kenneth, managed our large table consisting of both foodies and several who ""don't get out much"" really well. He made sure that as the specials began running short, we knew it and could get ours reserved. I don't know why I have never been to Vespaio before. I've always been meaning-to-go. Now! I wonder if I'll want to go anywhere else? Pros: Food, Rustic Atmosphere, Lively Cons: The restroom was so cold you could have stored meat in there more

i thought it was ok (food). wife thought it wasn't too great.(food) we thought the server treated us like we should be lucky to be there (sunday night 3/2/08 - figure it out management..). he didn't know wine and was too hip for himself. a turn off for a pricey place - give me some pro's or people that can act the part. because of him, i wouldn't go back or recommend. i mean - i used to eat at italian restaurants in san francisco's north beach all the time and the servers and owners would treat me like their 2nd cousin and they were all young and hip too.\r more

My favorite food in Austin. This place is great! Cost a bit more than I care to spend but you get what you pay for!\r I love it! Pros: FOOD Cons: WAIT more

Enoteca is not only a great place to go to for lunch or dinner, but their Sunday brunch is outstanding week after week. The inside of the restaurant is very similar to a cafe you would find in Italy: small intimate tables filled with great quality food. I would highly recommend this restaurant and also the neighboring one, Vespaio (they share a kitchen). It is definitely worth eating at for any out of town visitor. more

I am normally not a huge fan of Italian food, but Vespaio definitely changed my mind! Their food was prepared just right, whether it was the food temperature or how scrumptuous the calamari was. The service was a little shaky at first because they were extremely busy. It took awhile for us to receive our beverage or for the waiter to take our order, but by the end of the night, I think the manager realized the lack of service and jumped right in and ensured our night ended on a better note. I don't exactly remember the names of the dishes that my date and I ordered, but we were taking a risk in ordering things we normally didn't eat, and we were completely satisfied. If you have not visited this place yet, try going on a week day for less crowds! Pros: fresh seafood Cons: crowded and very noisy more

The perfect place for whatever mood you are in... Sitting at the bar is wonderful. You can do takeout too if you don't fancy waiting. My favorite place in austin. :) more

""I am giving a one star to this place for a terrible take-out service. It is a spendy place and not good for a take out. For some reason they treat you different when you take out food, and they should not. They missed my dressing for a $9 salad and a $26 stake was cold. I had to warm it up on the pan which erased the taste. My dessert was not what I ordered. I had to wait for my order which turned out to be cold. A complete waist of $50."" more

This is my favorite restaurant in town (well equal to the higher priced big brother next door, Vespaio). Everything is delicious. The pasta, the pizzas, the salads...don't get me started on the french fries. It's a little cramped in there but definitely worth it! Pros: everything! Cons: little cramped more

Very cute restaurant, but the inside dining area was small and cramped, so we sat outside. The calamari panini forno was awesome -- very crispy and well seasoned. The aioli was a little plain, but the serving was very large. The lemon tart was big enough for two people, but I loved it so much I didn't share! Pros: Very enticing dessert selection Cons: Small inside dining more

I had my usual margharita pizza. Nothing special. Their tiramisu is just plain bad; I can't figure out what... more

I had my usual margharita pizza. Nothing special. Their tiramisu is just plain bad; I can't figure out what it is though. more

I had my usual margharita pizza. Nothing special. Their tiramisu is just plain bad; I can't figure out what it is though. more

I ""ve come here in several occasions,food is always consistence but service has been a bit random! Steamed mussels is a must ,calamari is always above par (crisp on the batter but tender inside) try their fettucine w/ grilled chicken in a white wine reduction, that was superb ! and for the choices of dessert, ! recommend next door, same ownership ,great place ! For those of you who prefer a dark , cozy ,romantic italian eatery, this is the one!!! Pros: Food Cons: parking more

After reading a shining review in the fearless critic, I was pumped for a fantastic meal at enoteca (esp... more

After reading a shining review in the fearless critic, I was pumped for a fantastic meal at enoteca (esp since I so dearly love vespaio). Unfortuna... more

After reading a shining review in the fearless critic, I was pumped for a fantastic meal at enoteca (esp since I so dearly love vespaio). Unfortuna... more

If you want the true athmosphere of an Italian casual enoteca (wine cellar), then this is the place to go. As a person with 23 years experience of the true Italian lifestyle...the authenticity and quality of the food are excellent, the athmosphere is authentic, the service personnel is very good but not friendly (just like in Italy). Ergo, it's perfect! Pros: TRUE Italian Cons: Service not quite Texan friendly more

I've written about how much I love Vespaio before, but had to respond when I saw the post below. Why is it that the angry, bad reviews all seem to have lasagna in common? But if it's lasagna that you cling to, as you venture out into the realms of fine dining and really try to broaden your eating experience, there is no better lasagna than Vespaio's. To call it Chef Boyardee is baffling-- it's homemade pasta, hand-layered to each order in a rich bechamel sauce. Not the basic frozen glop some may be used to, but without comparison, and topped with a freshly made and ground on-site Italian sausage using the highest quality local pork. If you want cheap, hormone-drenched pork that's trucked in frozen from a factory farm in Iowa... go to Olive Garden. And who complains about their wine being vinegar? That's why you taste it. Yes, wine can go bad, but if you accept it, you accept it. The staff at Vespaio would never let a table drink wine that had gone bad, or even wasn't to a customer's liking. Sorry to sound so snipey, but I love Vespaio, every guest I've ever taken there loves it, every out-of-town friend/family demands to return there each time they visit, and every chance I get I will be there. It is high quality ingredients served in a creative yet humble and back-to-the-basics style. If the veal tastes like ""Luby's chicken fried steak"" to you... stick to Luby's and don't venture out from the mall food court. We're all a little embarrassed for you. Pros: food and service Cons: it's a whole evening's experience of great food and wine more