This was my first time at Zanti, and it did not disappoint!!! The atmosphere and ambience set the tone beautifully, and the food was absolutely delicious! What really made the night, though, was our server, Brian -- his energy and attentiveness tied the whole experience together! When you go, be sure to ask for him!! What we had: * Appetizers: Arancini & Eggplant Parmigiana * Entrée: Black Truffle Tagliolini, Braised Lamb Ossobuco, & Truffle Cheese Ravioli * Dessert: Tiramisu & Cherry Mascarpone * Drinks: Bella Vita, Double D (with Mezcal), Guava Twist, Smokey Hibiscus, & The G (with Mezcal) read more

Zanti River Oaks - BRAISED LAMB OSSOBUCO with the Double D drink! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We were here last weekend for brunch for my sister birthday of a group of 12ppl. Everything went well. Service was very nice and food was good. It was good to be back and see the same consistency. read more

Go and pay whatever amount of money they ask you for the food. Holy cow yes it's that good! Lovely ambiance and insanely delicious. Wife and I split everything - a Cacio e Pepe salad (you heard that right), chicken parm (amazing) and a sage/fennel sausage pasta that was mind blowing. We were confused when the waitress brought a moka pot as we didn't order coffee - but that's how they've brought the tiramisu. Whaaaaa... Hurry up and go. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Tiramisu Par - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Zanti is an excellent choice for a special occasion. The service was attentive and welcoming from start to finish, and the interior is absolutely beautiful, creating an elevated yet comfortable atmosphere. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the shrimp risotto and calamari. They also have an impressive wine selection with plenty of options to complement your meal. One of the standout menu items is the tomahawk steak--not just for the flavor, but for the presentation, which adds a fun, memorable element to the dining experience. If you're planning a celebration, Zanti is a great option. They even offer a small private dining room for more intimate gatherings. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Risotto with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have been here several times and it's always been a hit. I ordered the lobster pizza which was a first and I loved how they put more lobster on it so the ratio was really good. Plus the arancini is a classic i get every time. The birthday surprise was sweet although we were trying to get the soccer ball lava one! I think it's a secret menu item. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Lobster pizza - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This place is very nice! The experience is relaxing and very enjoyable! The pizza and other apps are amazing! The tomahawk ribeye on the other hand left alot to be desired. It was cooked perfectly but there was no flavor at all! Very bland for such an expensive steak! If I return it will be for the atmosphere and the pizza! read more

I couldn't recommend this place enough! The food is amazing, but the service truly made the experience even better. My waiter, Cecilio , was absolutely wonderful -- so kind, attentive, and genuinely helpful. You can tell he truly loves what he does, and that warmth really comes through in the way he treats his guests. Such a genuine soul and an absolute pleasure to have as a server. Thank you, Cecilio, for making our experience so special! We'll definitely be back! read more

Zanti River Oaks - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Invited to Zanti for a Bridesmaid proposal! What a wonderful night it was to celebrate the bride and the bridesmaids! The vibe here was nice, very busy on a Saturday night. Our waiter was attentive and made sure we felt comfortable with the menu. The price point is fairly decent but after you order a drink and app and an entree you will easily be at $100. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Gnocchi Al Funghi Silvestri - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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A friend visiting suggested Zanti. We made reservations for Sunday brunch. Valet parking is complimentary. This has a nice ambiance to it. Good for date nights. They have rodeo themed decor this time of year as rodeo is just around the corner. We were seated near the window with plenty of light streaming in. They have rack that can hold your jackets as well as any bags or hats you want to hang beside your table. We started with shrimp ceviche and Fritto misto Mediterreano. Shrimp ceviche came with fried plantains that offset the sourness from the ceviche quite well. Fritto misto is a combination of seafood and vegetables like peppers and artichoke and batter fried. It was pretty good size. It was crispy and tender on the inside. The sauces were great complements to the dish. For mains, we had the Tagliolini Fruitti di Mare and Neapolitan Pork Pizza. As we wanted to try both, they split the pasta into two. I love the sauce on the pasta. Yummy! The seafood were very fresh and tasted sweet. Squid ink pasta was very. good. The pizza was oven baked. Would have preferred it the crust to be baked a little more. They are on the pricier end. To end our meal, we had the crostata al limone. Our commented how delicious it was. Enough said. Service was top notch. They always keep our glasses filled and know not to intrude. Definitely a great place to celebrate important occasions or date nights. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I celebrated my birthday here back in October. The service and food was amazing and they even gave me the little room they have in the back that holds up to 12 guests. I liked it so much that when we wanted to do a surprise for my mom's 75th birthday, we decided to have it here. We rented the cellar room which is semi-private but it worked out perfectly. Stacey was very easy to work with and they were super accommodating. I was able to stop by the day before to take a look at the setup of the area since I was bringing my own decorations I made, flower arrangements and also balloons. We had a set menu for brunch, which we were also able to customize a bit since we had some vegetarians in our group and everything came out perfectly. They helped us pick out bottles of wine to share with our guests and I would definitely keep them in mind for any future events that I plan to have! read more

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Pretty good Italian here at Zanti. Started with the Black Truffle Beef Tartare which was super fresh and delicious. The truffles werent overpowering. There could have been a bit more of the bread. For the main I got the Truffle Cheese Ravioli which again, the truffle wasnt overpowering and I loved the sauce here. For dessert we got the Tortino Di Latte Bruciato which was a dulce de leche lava cake and it was stellar. So freaking good but it does come with an extended wait of like 25 mins or something so make sure to order in advance. I also tried the Smokey Hibiscus drink which came with a bubble which was fun. read more

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I went here on a whim, I wanted PASTA, and I wanted it NOW! Everyone RAVES about this place. It was fairly busy, we got a reservation on OpenTable and was able to snag a reservation for 2 people on a week night pretty easily. The truffle pasta was like $65 gahhhh damnnnn! but someone else ordered it next to us, we were like whoaaaa that's why its $65!!! made table side and they also shave the truffle in front of you, its really a whole vibe and experience. We got calamari and boy oh boy, it came with SHRIMP and ARTICHOKE!!! like who made this?? and was just like yeah, im gonna toss in a lemon slice, and we are just going to throw it on a bed of zucchini... it was v good. V pleasant, would order again. When you walk in, you can really feel the vibe and ambiance of the place, you feel happy, you feel fancy. The chandeliers, the service. I think this place was great and would come back! I definitely spent more money than I intended to, and im pretty sure you'll do the same! read more

Nice ambiance. Great service. Complementary bread of sourdough rolls is a nice start to your dinner. Also, the grilled bread that comes later with the meal is really good. Flambe truffle pizza - it's tasty. It's simple, mild flavor. Crust is very thin & wonderful. I never eat crust & this one I was eating. The flame was a little underwhelming compared to some of the other flaming pizza videos we had seen, but still a cool feature. One of my dining partners ordered the pappardelle al ragu di ossobuco. She thought it was pretty good but it was a small portion, especially for the price. Others at the table had chicken parmigiana & tagliolini frutti di mare. Mixed reviews, but the overall consensus... it was mostly good, it just didn't wow us. We were celebrating a birthday so we received a complementary dessert with a sparkler. Nice touch. Service was A+. Atmosphere is lovely. The food/value left us wanting a bit more. With so many service & culinary experience special touches, I struggle between 3 & 4 rating. I'll round down, due to the overall food/value. But the experience & service are top notch! read more

Updating my review to say I still LOVE this place. Italian food is something where you want it to be intentional, quality, and not overdone. You can taste the quality in the ingredients. And that also goes for their cocktails as well. Honestly my take away from my visit last night, is that I don't come here enough haha. read more

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I had beef raviolis about a hour ago. Unfortunately, it is a baby/toddler portion so I'm at Trill Burger right now spending another $20. For the amount of money you pay they should increase the portion size. Don't expect to be full. read more

Zanti River Oaks - Kid portion size still hungry - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Zanti Cucina Italiana is a great place for Italian dining and a recent choice for a birthday dinner party for five. The restaurant is very attractively decorated with comfortable spacing between tables to avoid feeling over-crowded. Complementary valet parking is recommend by not a must. The staff is friendly and does an incredible job of providing attentive service without pestering. The food was very good and flavorful overall but some dishes like the Pappardelle Al Ragu Ossobuco seemed small. The bread and butter at the beginning was a four star quality. However, the grilled bread delivered later with the meal was a five. My Braised Lamb Ossobuco had excellent flavor but the dish arrived at the table room temp and my side of pasta was cold. I was surprised that the staff let this get past them. This will not stop future visits but the restaurant is too pricey to miss on this detail. read more

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Came for our anniversary and was very disappointed by the food. I should have paid attention to the reviews. Our bill was close to $400 and that was with us ordering off of HRW. The food was a 3 on a scale of 1-10. The dessert was really good and that was about it. The bread had no flavour, my steak had no flavour where I had to ask for salt. The potatoes had no flavour either. I salted everything to death and still did not enjoy it. $400! What a rip off. The service was good, nothing to complain about. read more

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Santiago definitely deserves respect for putting his second location of Zanti in the heart of Houston ! There's so much competition in the restaurant business!!! I believe this unique taste of Italian cuisine deserves much more recognition! Elite status in my opinion! Great parking, excellent fast service and great hospitality! Food got the flavor ! If you around definitely pick this spot to go to !!! Respect earned!!! Super nice inside and out !!! Ciao read more

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My husband and I decided to try Zanti for Houston Restaurant Weeks, and while there were definitely highlights, the overall experience felt meh. First off, complimentary valet is a big plus, since parking in this area can be a challenge. Even for a Sunday evening, the restaurant was very lively and full. Thankfully we made a reservation ahead of time. But once seated inside, it took over 10 minutes before anyone greeted us, and it ended up being a manager, not our server. He kindly stepped in to take both our drink and food orders at once. For starters, we both chose the Cacio e Pepe Salad, made with baby gem lettuce, Parmigiano Reggiano, a drizzle of 25-year-aged balsamic, and a cacio-pepper dressing. This was one of the best parts of the evening: fresh, flavorful, and generously topped with cheese (my love language). Paired with the warm, crunchy bread service, it was an excellent beginning... until I realized bread doesn't come with butter. Oddly enough, when I requested butter, I was told it would be an extra charge and then it never even arrived! For mains, I ordered the flank steak with fries and mustard sauce. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a miss. The steak was underwhelming in flavor, though the fries were piping hot and crispy. My husband had much better luck with his chicken piccata. He said it was perfectly pan-seared, with a flavorful sauce, and served over sage polenta instead of pasta, which worked well for his gluten-free diet. To drink, I ordered a Panoma (their non-alcoholic Paloma) to pair with my entrée. It was just ok and on the tart side. Dessert was another split decision. I ordered the lemon sorbet, but was instead served orange sorbet, which was both oddly neon in color and artificial in flavor. It was definitely not what I was expecting. My husband's hazelnut cake with caramel-salt gelato and Nutella toffee was excellent. Once again, he chose wisely. Service-wise, we finally met our actual waitress about 30 minutes into the meal while we were already on appetizers. I overheard her tell another table that she was new, which explains a lot of the missteps (missed butter, swapped dessert, slow pacing). She was kind, but the fumbles did affect the experience. To try and make up for the shortfalls of the evening she gave us a coupon for a free bottle of prosecco. Unfortunately it's useless as my husband and I don't drink and you can only use it during their brunch service. Not really a good way to make up for the mistakes in my opinion. Overall: the salad, chicken piccata, and hazelnut cake were winners, while the steak, sorbet, and service missed the mark. For Houston Restaurant Weeks, the value was ok, but with so many excellent options in town, I'd try another spot before circling back here. read more

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You're paying for the ambiance and presentation. Gorgeous restaurant, service is great, but the food is lackluster. Started off with some drinks, and both cocktails I had were very good. For appetizers, we ordered the mediterranean hummus, charcuterie board, black truffle beef tartare, and octopus carpaccio. Unsure how to explain the beef tartare, but the truffle didn't do much for it. Not very impressed. It was my first time trying octopus carpaccio, and I guess it was good, but I could've skipped it. I liked the mediterranean hummus. I enjoyed the charcuterie board the most... For the main dishes, we had the Gnocchi Al Funghi Silvestri, Tagliatelle Bolognese, and the tomahawk steak. The pastas were good, but nothing to really write home about. For the tomahawk steak, they came around for us to choose a knife. Unfortunately, a couple of the knives were a bit bent at the tip? Seems that the restaurant does this to give a high-end feel, but it felt pointless... because of the bent knives lol. Loved the presentation; the fire is a nice touch. Cooked perfectly! However, the steak was under seasoned. I don't ever need to use salt and pepper at a high-end restaurant, and I had to here. For $138, I honestly expected better. You're paying for the presentation. For dessert, we were recommended a special where they poured hot chocolate over a chocolate ball to reveal a piece of cake and ice cream. We also ordered the tiramisu. Again, loved the very cute presentation. It's good, but I wish I was blown away to make it up for the rest of the meal. I was very excited to try this place after hearing all the buzz, but was ultimately let down. Just another new restaurant that focuses more on the aesthetic rather than the food. Expensive, and subpar. If I haven't emphasized it enough, I love the effort put into the presentation and plating of the food, but I wish it tasted as good as it looks. I don't think I would return. I would only recommend the drinks. read more

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Service was bad. On top of this the waiter added 20 % for a party of three. His loss because I usually tip more. Not sure if this is standard or maybe something he did on his own. read more

Short and simple: Flavor was very nice. Texture was excellent. Quality of the food was a grand slam. The quantity was a misfire. For a $29 bolognese to be at this price point, I should have been pleased, I was left hungry, it didn't come with bread, the toast that they grilled had a bit of flavor that wasn't too pleasing (somewhat burnt grill lines, that's why I only ate half, of the charged bread), my date was left hungry as well with the branzino fish and crab, which is design uniquely into a bowl filled with crab dish, surrounded by Spanish leaves & cherry tomatoes. And the wine was served in a champagne flute glass, which made me feel like it was little quantity as well. I wouldn't say this was worth the $115 (with tip) or $93. We went to Cocody's for dessert, (which has open their hours to 7 days a week now, they're no longer closed on Monday's!) but unfortunate for us they were closed for a private event for the evening/dinner hours. read more

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Kudos to the owners of Zanti for creating such an impressive space. They've developed a concept that can truly be whatever you want it to be. There's a large, beautiful bar where you can dine comfortably, an enclosed "outdoor" seating area, large tables that accommodate bigger parties with style, and plenty of more traditional dining areas as well. They also offer a happy hour, which lets you enjoy this magnificent place at value pricing -- or you can fully lean in with tableside preparations, including truffles, if you want to do it up. I actually stopped by in the afternoon to scope out the restaurant and snapped a few photos so you can see some of the different seating areas. The place is magnificent! The menu is extensive and thoughtfully put together. Everything we had was excellent -- particularly the tableside pasta and the steaks... really well exectuted and a lot of fun. There's a nice wine list; a bit on the pricey side, but I was happy to see Le Difese, a great offering from the producers of the legendary Sassicaia -- love this wine. Service thoughout our meal was professional and friendly. You don't create a multi-dimentional place like this, on this level, by accident. It's obvious the people behind it truly understand the restaurant business and what I most admire is you can feel their overriding goal is pleasing the customer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read more

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Celebrated my birthday here with friends and had a great evening. Valet parking is complimentary and the dress code is smart casual. They have a really nice patio but our resy was indoors and the interior did not disappoint! The food was delicious and staff were attentive and friendly. read more

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Came on a Friday night with a table reservation made over a week in advance and showed up on time but they said only bar seating was available and would not give us the option to wait for a table. the bar seating was right in front of the pizza oven with smoke blowing onto our faces the entire time. Why allow the choice of table vs bar seating at all if you cannot honor that? Everything else was okay-- food and drinks tasted good but nothing particularly memorable either. Since the place was packed it was also quite noisy but mostly the smell around the kitchen was awful. For the price vs bad ambience I would probably not return. read more

Amazing atmosphere and the service is phenomenal! Very good for date night or even a business meal with colleagues. The menu isn't too big so it'll make it easier to make a selection. I just had to get use to 5 star service lol, I mean I took 2 sips of water and a 2-3 min convo, then BAM glass refilled again I can definitely get use to this type of service. Happy Yelping read more

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday as a group of 11. First off the ambiance of the restaurant is lovely! Dim lights and they have an outside patio that was cute. They gave my friend a private room just for us and that was amazing. I didn't want to eat too much but I ordered the eggplant parmigiana which is actually typically outside of my comfort zone and it was amazing! The limoncello martini was my choice of drink and that was perfect as well! In general everyone was pleased with what they ordered and our waitress was really nice and attentive. They gave my friend a cute birthday treat with sparklers and I thought that was so nice! I believe they even comped our gelato. They have complimentary valet parking right up front but there's also parking in the back by the Kroger. I would definitely return for some cocktails and oysters! read more

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I was pretty disappointed by my experience at Zanti as it was just average but pricy. Service was slow at our table and the food that we ordered was lacking. Food: Fritto Misto - 3/5: their version of calamari but it comes with extra fried thins like shrimp and artichokes. It was average and for its price, it left me wanting more Flambé truffle pizza - 3/5: cool concept but even with the truffle it still tasted just ok Tagliolini frutti di mare - 3/5: decent but nothing special read more

What a lovely Italian restaurant. Let's start first with the Valet, very nice and pleasant. The greet staff was amazing. Bryan was our waiter and what a delight he is. He was so knowledgeable about the restaurant, the food, the wine and drinks. He is a great asset to the establishment. During our time we were able to listen to some live piano music. Great place to meet up with friends and family for a wonderful meal. We met for a girls day out for restaurant week. My friend and I enjoyed the salad and meatballs for appetizer that were delicious! The bread and butter was melt in your mouth delicious! For our entrees we both had the Chicken Parmesan and oh my God it was the best! The fettuccine was delicious! For dessert we had some Orange Sorbet as a palette cleanser. My friend had the Hazelnut cake w/ice cream and I had the this Lava cake w/ice cream, they were both delicious but the Lava cake was the best! I hope to come back again on one of my trips to Houston. Highly recommended!!! read more

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Doesn't get much better than this! Menu is perfect with a little bit of everything and some more non-traditional items in every category. From pizzas to the appetizers to the pastas, it felt as though every item was thoughtfully curated. A beautiful wine menu with very passionate and knowledgeable staff who are willing to share their expertise personally at the table. As to the service; never had to worry about my water being empty, and that should say enough! All very genuine people who are quick to cater a wonderful experience overall. Thank you to Cesar and Sage specifically! Thank you Zanti! read more

Zanti River Oaks - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came here for an event. Food - yum I loved the arachini and the shrimp a lot. Service - awesome the staff were super nice. Ambiance - just classy modern relaxing vibes. Returned for an actual dinner- the truffle pasta was so good, one of the best pasta I've had in houston. I'm back here to change my review from 4 star to 5 star. The wild mushrooms and the octopus were decent, but nothing out of this world. Will definitely return to try other pasta read more

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Service is spectacular; vibe is amazing. But the food? The food just wasn't up to expectations for the rave reviews, or value for the price. The porcini risotto was just flat out bad. Remaking it seemed to have zero effect on the congealed mess on the plate. The ravioli was dense and unevenly cooked. The Brussels sprouts were soggy, over sauced and came late to the table. Stars of the night other than service? The bread, tuna tostadas, and perfection in the form of a lamb chop. I'm not sure we'll give it another try. read more

nothing short of amazing - from the drinks to the oysters + especially the table service tomahawk steak service was great. valet parking is complimentary. read more

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We visited the restaurant during the restaurant week on a Friday. By mistake my friend paid a tip of 180% of the bill. After discussing the error, restaurant management refused to return the amount but promised that the amount will be returned by Monday of the following week. As of Monday afternoon the amount overpaid has not been returned. read more

Always like this place pretty nice to meet friends. Lots of great restaurants on the strip. Came here Friday night for pizza and a cocktail at the bar. As usual the food was amazing and so were the cocktails. Just felt a little rushed from the bar, however, what was bothersome was that they charged my credit card for extra drinks. When I inquired about the incorrect charges the older female bartender seemed annoyed and upset with me. Otherwise love the ambience and will continue going with my friends. read more

Various visits - brunch, dinner, etc. Nicely appointed large setting with various seating options including a patio and private dining. Large bar, open-ish kitchen. Attentive and friendly service. Meats are tender, excellent fry on the fritto misto, Neapolitan style pizzas are properly thin but hold up and have a nice chew to the crust. Apps, entrees, desserts all solid. Perhaps most strangely - the pasta is NOT good. This is not just my singular opinion; I asked at least 6 other people that went there on their own from different groups and all had the same experience. Pasta overcooked, over or under seasoned, etc. So weird. Definitely worth returning, just won't order any pasta. Valet or shared parking lot (which gets full quickly). Park at your own risk next door at Kroger and walk over. read more

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This has been a delightful, delicious, and incomparable experience each time I have been to Zanti (with my husband, bestie, colleagues, etc). It's a relatable experience with quality dishes, incredibly appealing specials, and top notch service with attention to dietary restrictions by kind servers. The vibe is always welcoming (sometimes energetic on the weekends) and great pianists and singers, especially during the holidays. I'm sure I'll be back, it's just a matter of when. read more

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We dined in with a party of 6 for an after engagement celebration lunch. Nestled in the River Oaks area, this Italian restaurant was the best lunch experience. Our server was very knowledgeable and provided great recommendations. The espresso martini was perfectly balanced and smooth. For my entree, the bolognese was the perfect portion and seasoned well. This may be one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to yet. read more

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By far one of my favorite restaurants. Ramona and Carlos are my go to servers and they never disappoint. I can truthfully say I've never had a bad meal here and it's extremely consistent which is probably my favorite thing because no matter the time of day or if they're busy or slow I know that I'm gonna have a good entrée and appetizers from them. I do prefer to sit on the patio because I think the inside is a little too loud for me but honestly, I can't recommend Zanti enough. Favorite menu items Beef tartare Zanti artichoke Truffle pizza Truffle cheese ravioli Tagliolini lobster read more

We were able to spontaneously come to Zanti without a reservation and it was such a treat. You can dress semi-casual or dressy and fit right in. The weather was perfect to sit on the patio. They had a live musician setting a chill vibe. Not sure if that is a Friday night only thing, but we were feeling it. The hummus appetizer was so fresh and tasty, recommended by our awesome waiter Louis. (the best service we've had in a LONG time!) We enjoyed the ribeye and ossobucco pappardelle. Then for dessert, I was craving a classic tiramisu and was delighted and surprised to see it was served in a traditional espresso pitcher. Couldn't have been a more perfect date night. read more

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