How is the Italian food in Austin? (Pittsburg, Italy: restaurants, garden)

[Eastcoasting]

Yep.

No Italians no Italian food.

So either move here and open a joint or rest assured that when you are cooking it's probably the best Italian being served on said evening.

Now lets talk BBQ...

[hornraider]

Originally Posted by Eastcoasting

Yep.

No Italians no Italian food.

So either move here and open a joint or rest assured that when you are cooking it's probably the best Italian being served on said evening.

Now lets talk BBQ...

Yes! Come on down and open a restaurant misterfart.....I didn't realize that was an Italian name.

Or is it Sicilian?

[blakely]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

I grew up in a town where pretty much all restaurant food was Italian. Nearly all family owned. Fabulous.

You will find nothing like that here. N O T H I N G Mainly because there aren't very many Italians here. During the historic period for southern European immigration to the US say, 1830 to 1920, nearly none of them came to Texas. (And there was very little for them to come to, almost no manufacturing in Texas then).

THIS.

There are a few places with some good Italian food.

Think about it- some of the cities with the BEST Italian food are cities that benefited from a large influx of Italian immigrants. That just didn't happen around here. There's no "Little Italy" in Austin! So you just won't find the depth and breadth that you'd find in New York or the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco.

But there are a few good ones!

[homeinatx]

There is ZERO good Italian food in Austin. There is now some mediocre to passable Italian food: a few dishes at Olive & June, Andiamo, Asti, Patrizio's. The cheap Italian food beyond the usual execrable chains: Frankie & Angies, Brick Oven et al is appalling and the expensive Italian food: Carmelo's, Sienna, Vespaio, Lisina is SO bad, that I would rather gouge one of eyes out with a spoon than eat it.

Whenever I want good Italian food and don't want to make it myself, I drive the 79 miles to San Antonio. Il Sogno is superb, and there are a few less fancy places that are also good: Ciao Lavanderia is one of my favorites.

Come on down to Austin. The city is DESPERATE for good Italian food.

[bossh0g]

spaghetti warehouse hahahahahahahahahah. but its busy

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by bossh0g

spaghetti warehouse hahahahahahahahahah. but its busy

Was going to make a 1990's joke out of this, but to my surprise it didn't close until 2010!

Shows you how often I went!

[zakas80]

Originally Posted by misterfart

Friend and I are looking at Austin as a possible relocation destination soon and coming from NY/NJ area, was wondering how the Italian food is?

We have lived other places and know that food options are always a concern. We come from Upstate NY (arguably better Italian than anywhere else in NY) and just wanna know how the experience is with other Italian food there? We already know Tex Mex and barbecue are obvious strengths. What about Vietnamese as well?

Thank you for any help or insight in advance.

What part of upstate NY? Out of curiosity..

[riaelise]

Well I personally prefer Italian-American food over true Italian food. Reale's satisfies my Italian American fix and the owner comes from my home borough of the Bronx, New York. Arthur Avenue. He's the real deal to me.

[bossh0g]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Was going to make a 1990's joke out of this, but to my surprise it didn't close until 2010!

Shows you how often I went!

i did not know they closed down. i finally moved away from austin in 2010. hopefully for good. i hated the spaghetti warehouse, but it was always busy when i was around it.

food is so subjective. i dont even know what good food is anymore.. just food i find good to eat.

i make my own pasta.. i get a lil garlic, red pepper and let them do some magic in some olive oil in my saute pan... then i finish my pasta off in it.. hit it with a dab of the pasta water and then some cheese and maybe some more oil.. to me, this is great Italian food. simple yet hard to do right

[tazbigdog]

Gino's Round Rock is decent, and IMHO better than Reale's!
Gino's Italian Restaurant | Great Family, Great Food