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EXPLORE | | | | | | | 25250 Grogan's Park Dr
Houston,
TX
77380
281-362-0808 | | | | | Description: THE WOODLANDS. Romantic, elegant evenings are a given at this north Houston establishment, and diners regularly make their way to The Woodlands for incredible northern Italian cuisine. Whet your appetite with calamari or beef carpaccio before sampling capellini with crawfish, lobster risotto, or a main course centered on seafood, steak, chicken, or veal. Among the options are seared sea bass with sweet parsnips, veal piccata, a NY strip, and seared rainbow trout with sea scallops and grappa lime citrus jus. The second-floor piano lounge is a weekend mainstay for drinks and dancing.
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| 5000 Westheimer Rd
Houston,
TX
77056
713-621-6888 | | | | | Description: GALLERIA. Whether you dine in Arcodoro's casual grill area or in its white-tablecloth dining room, you can be certain of spectacular Sardinian cuisine. An offshoot of Italian fare, it's the rustic, simple cooking of farmers and shepherds, but it's delicious enough for folks of all classes and inclinations. Homemade pastas enlivened with wild boar, roasted vegetables, and black truffles are wonderful, as are veal medallions, broiled lamb chops, roasted chicken, and a host of gourmet, wood-fired pizzas. Italian wines allow the restaurant's culinary heritage a chance to shine.
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| 1520 Westheimer Rd
Houston,
TX
77006
713-807-8857 | | | | | Description: MONTROSE. For authentic northern Italian cuisine, savvy diners head to chef Marco Wiles's cottage-like Montrose restaurant. Decked out in orange, yellow, and red hues, Da Marco dazzles diners with distinctly Tuscan ambience and gastronomy. Featured entrees run the gamut: chianti-braised pork ribs, roasted Texas quail, braised rabbit cacciatore, sea bass with grapefruit, and raviolo with ricotta, egg, and truffles. Regional Italian wines fit the theme admirably, and desserts range from panna cotta to chocolate Genovese. A wonderful cheese selection also pleases.
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| 3011 Smith St
Houston,
TX
77006
713-522-0439 | | | | | Description: DOWNTOWN. Its pale exterior enlivened by ivy, this romantic restaurant offers elegantly-appointed tables, subdued lighting, dark wood accents, a hand-painted mural, and terra cotta-hued walls. House specialties include lobster tail and lump crabmeat in tomato cream sauce over spaghetti, grilled snapper with basil butter and fresh mint, and a veal rib chop with pine nuts and mozzarella. Nightly specials expand the possibilities further, and the chef's table is a 6-course culinary extravaganza that permits glimpses of the kitchen at work.
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| divino Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar1830 W Alabama
Houston,
TX
77098
713-807-1123 | | | | | Description: MONTROSE. This chic establishment offers a cozy backdrop for drinks or dinner, thanks to an exquisite wooden bar with full views of the wine selection and an array of intimate tables. A favorite with post-work patrons and young-and-in-love professionals, divino offers a menu that never fails to mesmerize. Its fabulous modern Italian fare includes pork medallions in pistachio cream sauce, Sicilian seared tuna with lemon basil risotto, grilled salmon with herbed polenta, and osso buco alla Milanese. The wine bar's selection, nothing short of stunning, gets an added boost with "Papa" Jim McCray ensuring that international vintages are always on hand.
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| Josephine's Italian Ristorante1209 Caroline St
Houston,
TX
77002
713-759-9323 | | | | | Description: DOWNTOWN. When you're downtown and trying to score a quick, tasty lunch, Josephine's should be high on your list. While dinnertime patrons are often regaled with seafood main courses and more elegant sit-down fare, lunch-goers can depend on pastas, pizzas, soups, and salads. A midday cafeteria line guarantees that things move quickly, and affordable prices are especially welcome. The restaurant also serves more than a dozen health-conscious items.
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| 2002 W Gray St
Houston,
TX
77019
713-526-4700 | | | | | Description: RIVER OAKS. Vibrant mosaics, lively murals, bold colors, and a bustling social scene make La Griglia a top destination for dining out. Happily, the food is just as bright and confident as the interior. The shrimp-and-crab cheesecake gets lots of attention, and seared diver scallops are delicious as well. Main-course offerings run the gamut from rotisserie duck with raspberry sauce to honey-glazed pork loin and veal scaloppine. Consider, too, seared baby snapper, the roasted wild boar chop, and romano-crusted trout. The bar offers an animated scene too.
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| 2817 W Dallas St
Houston,
TX
77019
713-522-5120 | | | | | Description: MONTROSE. For more than 20 years, folks in the know have headed to this European-flavored hideaway for homestyle Italian cuisine. Adorning the dining room are Italian-themed prints, imported pottery, and hanging herbs; an Old World-style antipasto table tempts patrons with grilled, baked, and sautéed vegetables. Diners with casual appetites may opt for wood-fired pizzas the zucchini variation with crispy pancetta, tomato, oregano, and mozzarella is a particularly good choice. Pastas and main courses include rigatoni with spicy sausage, sauteed veal, seafood risotto, grilled shrimp, and salmon with caramelized fennel and asparagus tips. A courtyard is available for al fresco dining.
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| 1300 Lamar St
Houston,
TX
77010
713-276-4700 | | | | | Description: DOWNTOWN. Stylish and elegant with a contemporary edge, Quattro couples spectacular Italian cuisine with unpretentious surroundings and service. Famous for its antipasti bar, fantastic wines, and sumptuous seafood tower, Quattro lays out quite a feast. Savory pastas and risottos get a punch from truffles and parmesan cheese while grilled meats and vegetables boast a smoky, earthy flavor. Other menu considerations: free-range duckling, veal chop, red snapper with preserved lemons and capers, and a wonderful cioppino Genovese. Quattro also features a busy bar.
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| 8401 Westheimer Rd
Houston,
TX
77063
713-532-0550 | | | | | Description: GALLERIA. Comfortable, elegant Simposio features the contrast of dark woods and white linens, all punctuated by warm-hued artwork. It's a simple formula but an effective one, and it resonates beautifully with the menu's well-prepared northern Italian fare. Begin with grilled calamari or a salad artfully composed of baby spinach, pancetta, and gorgonzola. From there, move on to grilled trout with polenta, lamb or veal chops, or perhaps a sensuous pasta or risotto, accented with seafood, sausages, or pungent herbs and cheeses. The wine list concentrates on Italian and Californian vintages.
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