Vespaio

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1610 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704

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(512) 441-6100
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Vespaio - Austin, TX
Vespaio - Austin, TX
Vespaio - Austin, TX
Vespaio - Austin, TX
Vespaio - Austin, TX
Vespaio - Austin, TX
Reviews
( 54 )
( 27 )
( 9 )
( 13 )
( 8 )

Best

I used City Search to research restaurants for a recent 5 day stay in Austin. I was impressed with the reviews others gave this restaurant. It did not disappoint. Beginning with...

Worst

On a recent Thursday night, six of us had dinner at Vespaio. The serice was quite good, but the food was inconsistent. Mine was great but other party members had just okay food....

Great Food! Waiter needs refinement 11/30/2005

We had the pleasure of enjoying the fine Italian cuisine on Tuesday night. The atmosphere was relaxing; the diner delightful, the quality of the ingredients was outstanding. We are definitely visiting again in the future. Our table was by the window in the bar area giving it a romantic feel. Unfortunately our waiter was neither attentive nor pleasant to our needs. The lighting in the bar was dim and the print on the menu very small making it difficult to read. Pros: Food Quality , Atmosphere Cons: service, expensive more
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Poor Customer Service 11/29/2005

I went to this restaurant for my birthday a couple months ago and had horrible service from the hostess to the service staff. I thought I'd give it another try last night for a good friend's birthday and again encountered the same hostess as the last time but she was even more challenging than the last time. She so obnoxious and rude that I almost asked for the manager or owner. I then remembered that the management was as rude as the staff when I called earlier in the day to make reservations. The manager indicated that they only accept reservations through 6:30 and that after that time, it was ""first come, first serve"". I've never heard of a restaurant only allowing reservations for one hour (5:30-6:30) a day and not the rest of the day. I will not be returning for a third attempt. Pros: location Cons: staff, darkness, managment more
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Disappointing 11/15/2005

We ordered pasta with clams. No bowl provided to place shells in. Food served in a far-too-small bowl. No spoon to roll spagetti with. No spoon to be able to eat sauce with - the waitress saw us using the iced-tea spoon and didn't think to bring table spoons. In all, price is too high, service is friendly but clueless on what silverware & place setting is required for eating. Pros: Nice ambience Cons: Clueless service, Still pricey more
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Ask Your Server 10/20/2005

Very good overall, fresh mozzarella app. was wonderful and both Caesar and Spinach salads were excellent. Our server was very descriptive and helpful with wine selections. Not as impressed with my lasagna, the table next to us raved about the veal ravioli and the fresh fish special. We were sat promptly on a weeknight. Excellent ambiance and friendly service...will ask for recommendations on the next visit. more
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User review by barb0421 9/22/2005

I think that growing up Italian in New York City and now living in Austin Texas, I've been in search of a good italian restaurant. Vespio does a good job of this, although not as traditonal as what I was raised with. Cons: parking more
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dont' be afraid, it's not trendy, but delightful! 3/20/2005

I've been coming to Vespaio since it opened, and it's always consistently good. A nice long menu to stimulate conversation and curiosity, and plenty of wonderful antipasti while you're deciding. The staff are totally nice and not snooty in the least, especially Aaron, if you ask for a wine recommendation based on something you already like and will give you several options, and often little tasters to make sure their hunch is correct. Definitely get the fresh mozzarella appetizer-- the green pesto on the grilled bread that comes with it is addictive. Pros: delicious food!, great wines!, Aaron the waiter Cons: no reservations, if you have >6pp more
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Great food, great service, be prepared to wait. 2/10/2005

I love this place. Their food is really, really good -- everything we've had is tasty. The tuna tartare is awesome. Their wine list is nice, and the bar is well stocked -- which is good, because sometimes you end up sitting in the bar for a long time waiting for a table to open up. We usually go late, though, which means we get seated within an hour or so. It's a fun date place. Pizzas are pretty good, pastas are great -- but I think the highlight is the antipasto case, which was unfortunately broken the last time we were there. (wah!) Pros: Food, Service, Ambience Cons: Expensive, Long wait more
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Skip the Dessert 7/22/2004

Having been a regular patron of Vespaio for over a year, I must say I love this place and consider it to have the best Italian food next to Cibreo in Florence. The meat platter is superb, the antipasti are excellent, the mozzarella (when fresh) is to die for, and the pizza is the probably the best in Austin. Love it, love it, love it. With that said, allow me a brief tirade on their desserts: the tiramisu came out frozen and frost bitten, the chocolate soufflé was the driest I have ever had, and the coffee is weak and over extracted. What a horrible finish to an excellent meal. My recommendation would be to skip the pre-prepared and dry desserts and head somewhere where they take this aspect of their cuisine seriously. Pros: food, atmosphere, price Cons: , no reservations, over priced wines more
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i love it!!!!! 7/8/2004

food is always great! atmosphere is always fun and upbeat! it's also always good to see all of the old lamberts regulars who refuse to go to 7 (there are many!). best restaurant on south congress. more
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I love Vespaio 6/11/2004

This is definately my favorite place in Austin. When I first moved to Austin a year ago, this was one of the first restaurants I went to. After being in Austin for a year and going to other reaturants, I am still very passionate about Vespaio. Always excellent food (fresh mozzerella, fresh pastas) and excellent service. The wait can be a bit rough on the weekends but well worth the wait. The only thing I don't like about Vespaio is the pizza but everything else is fabulous! Pros: fresh mozzerella, fresh pasta, staff Cons: , no reservations, pizza more
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Great, Great Italian 5/6/2004

My husband and I tried Vespaio for the first time on our 2nd year wedding anniversary. The food was fabulous!! I had the veal ravioli from the standard menu and it was the best ravioli I have ever had. The roasted tomatoes were out of this world. My husband ordered the Gnocchi from the special menu and his too was wonderful. The menu offers a mix of traditional Italian fare and special Italian dishes that you can't find everywhere. The atmosphere was pleasant and the restaurant was definitely alive on a Tuesday evening - impressive to us! The only shortfall was the Tiramisu we had for desert as it tasted like it was prepared too early and had been sitting in the refrigerator too long. We have been to a lot of restaurants in Austin and this by far is one of the best! Pros: variety of menu, food, ambience more
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Worth any wait. 4/19/2004

My husband and I ate at Vespacio tonight for the first time, and apparently there was some sort of mix-up with our order because we had to wait a bit longer than expected. In fact, several other patrons who were seated after us were served first. Fortunately, the food made the wait worth it. The quality of the ingredients and the dynamic flavors of the Oyster Antipasto, the Vegetable Plate, and the Mixed Meat Grill were outstanding. We will be back and look forward to trying many other items from their menu. The service, in spite of the delay, was exceptional. Pros: Innovative dishes, Quality Ingredients, Attentive Service more
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If only the wait ain't so hefty... 2/27/2004

I wouldn't quite call Vespaio's cuisine ""Italian"". That does it so little justice. We have been to Vespaio a half dozen times. It is pricy, for sure, but the food is definitely worth it. I love the inventiveness & cleverness in their use of ingredients and techniques. Unfortuntely, they didn't take reservation for parties of two (don't know if they do now), so Vespaio is not on our short list of Friday and Saturday dining spots. more
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Outstanding 2/21/2004

One of the best restaurants in the country! Should be rated higher than 9.4. On our visit, our waitperson was named Susan. She was the best we've had anywhere. Food was fresh and incredibly good. Pros: Delicious food, Outstanding wait staf, Very nice decor more
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Big City Ambience in the Province 1/25/2004

My boyfriend live nearby and frequent Vespio because of the romantic ambience that lends to an intimacy in this fine Italian eatery. Nice decor, good vibes and I love the feel of the open kitchen in the dinning area. The staff is amicable and experienced. You feel like a regular even as a first timer. Not all patrons are ""Prada-toting"" and ""black clad"". I have seen clientele dress fashionably in varied style. Great bar and bartenders. The wine selection is tasty and varied although an $11 glass of wine should be balanced and ready-to-drink. Order antipasti while you wait for your table. The food is consistent because of the quality of ingredients and careful attention to each creation. The Vespio garden in back demonstrates how important fresh ingredients are to this operation. The mussels in white wine sauce and fresh mozzarella are fabulous. Also try the quail with wild mushrooms. Pros: quality & consistancy, chef has a garden, european patrons Cons: quail dish sells out more
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Best Italian in Austin 12/1/2003

My friends and I had almost given up & resigned ourselves to the Macaroni Grill as the best Italian food in Austin, until we tried Vespaio. Fabulous! The prices are moderately expensive, but not terribly so considering the quality of the food. The food is amazing, I actually ate the leftovers I took home(which I hardly ever do). It's one of the few places I've eaten at around here that does not overcook its noodles! The portions were thankfully not as huge as in many restaurants, but still more than enough to fill us up, although we did have dessert and appetizers as well. This is the place to go for Italian in Austin! Pros: FOOD, service, atmosphere Cons: none! more
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Top 5 places in Austin to Eat 11/11/2003

I have lived here over 20 years and I say Vespaio is worty of such a title. The food is great, the atmosphere is always lively, and the staff is friendly. Compared to other Italian places in Austin, Vespaio takes the cake. Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Friendly staff Cons: Crowded, Long wait more
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Vespaio=Euphoria 8/6/2003

This restaurants makes food fit for the gods and the waitstaff is attentive and patient to boot. Try to go around 7pm on a weekday and you'll be seated promptly. It's worth every penny. Pros: Divine food, great waitstaff, never gets too loud Cons: long wait-weekends more
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Italian? 6/1/2003

The menu looked pleasing. But then I ate there - and frankly, I don't get the hype. The ""seafood grill"" I ordered sounded like it would be enough - it was lacking considering the $28 price tag. The taste was just that - grilled. The best part was the polenta - of which about 1/2 cp was portioned out. The two spears of ""jumbo"" asparagus were good. The fish and crab cake were bland at best. The green dabs of ""sauce"" were questionable. The bread was good. The bread spread was bland - maybe it was roast garlic in basil oil. The cannolli was good - the only part of the meal (+ the water) that filled me up. So...if you want some watered down version of Italian at an outrageous price and lots of Prada purses - enjoy. If you want good Italian food - go elsewhere. Pros: good parking, good water Cons: small portions, pricey, not worth the value more
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Worth the Price 5/25/2003

My wife is off the boat from Italy and for 14 years I have told everyone the only place to get good Italian food was my house; well no more. Dinner was fabulous and our server Chris was fantastic! The noise level was typical for a place where people are enjoying the food and company they are with. 5 stars in our book. Pros: Good value, Service Cons: Don't bring the kids more
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Menu for Vespaio


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Editorial

  • In Short
    With mellow ochre walls, small tables covered with Provencal linens and a deli case beckoning with exotic antipasti, cheeses and house-made charcuterie, the casual Enoteca...

  • 5/26/2008 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. open 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for ; closed at night
  • Payments: American Express, Diner's Club, Discover, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Greater South River City, South River City, Bouldin
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