"Veramente Speciale" Having spent most of my life dining in the New York City area, I've experienced many excellent Italian restaurants. Still, every time I land in Dallas, I look forward to the drive over to West Lovers Lane for a consistently enjoyable meal at Zio Cecio . Here you'll find a thoughtful selection of Sardinian dishes that are truly amazing .  From their house-made pastas to specialties like maialetto sardo (suckling pig), wood-fired ribeye, and whole fish baked in sea salt, there's something to suit a range of tastes. Be sure to start with the focaccia--whether on its own or with Prosciutto di Parma, it's wonderful!! Pair it with a bottle from their well-curated wine list, and you have a well-rounded dining experience. Each time I head back to New York, I look forward to returning to see Francesco and his team. Unico nel suo genere! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Culinary perfection in a lovely atmosphere with welcoming, professional service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I can't wait to visit again! read more

Zio Cecio - Main dining room - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

We've intended to go every time we're in Dallas. Finally dined there and kicking ourselves for not going before. We MOST certainly will be back. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service excellent - the look, feel and vibe would be called sophisticated comfort and the food oh-so-good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We led with the calamari and ended with a triple-layer chocolate something which was too die for! Zio Cecio WILL be a stop during every visit from now on. Thanks, Jay and Cecio! read more

----- Critics Review ------ GO! GO! GO! Yes, it's that good! I'm going back tomorrow night for another dish - and I have never ever done that!!! NOTE: If you are unfamiliar with fine dining cuisine - this is not for you. Go to Olive Garden. I've read the negative reviews. Pointless and petty ignorance. Ok, I knew it was very popular and a local secret (HP, I'm plugged in), but I had no idea what I was getting into. So it's after work and all I know is it's good Italian food and I have a gift card to spend. Valet parking, cool - but I'm exhausted, so it's going to be To-Go for me. I sit at the bar, look at the menu and I'm not seeing any of the traditional Italian meals. No spaghetti meatballs, chicken parmesan, etc... But as I read on, I'm seeing incredible dishes I've never seen on an Italian menu! WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!? So cool! Then I see the lamb chops and 16oz ribeye. Ok, I'm staying! Forget To-Go!!! Here was my meal: CALAMARI FRITTI: Chickpea flour dusted domestic calamari lightly fried in vegetable oil. Nice for what it was, but I've had better. The calamari was nice size but borderline overcooked. Not rubber yet, but past the delicate state. Coating was ok, not much seasoning and really had minimal crunch - no crispness. Marinara sauce was spot on and a good paring. Score: Calamari: 7 out of 10 Marinara Sauce: 8.5 out of 10 SCOTTADITA DEL LIMBARA: Tenderized lamb chops with thyme crust and red Cannonau wine reduction. Ok... as I took my first bite, I had an uncontrollable outburst saying "WOW!" out loud. That has never happened to me - ever! I ate every bite and used my knife to get more of the crazy delicious reduction on each bite. Yes, licking the plate crossed my mind! Yes it's that good - hands down the best lamb chops I've ever had. You get 3 chops, single cut, 2-1/2 inch wide medallions, 1/2 inch thick. Perfectly cooked med-rare and delicious beyond belief. (It would have been nice if they were double cut, but I'm not sure if the protein to sauce ratio would be thrown off. I'm undecided - but I'll be back for more!!) Score: Chops: 10 out of 10 Cook: 10 out of 10 Reduction: 12 out of 10 (seriously that unique and crazy delicious!) Wine: I tried 3 and choose the Boudreaux - which is right bank and what I prefer. Perfect. Score: 9.5 out of 10 Service: 10 out of 10 (blue chip!) Atmosphere: Charming and layed out so you feel more European relaxed than American "tables touching crowded". Score: 10 out of 10 My Dad always said the best restaurants ever are ones where the owner is there every night running the shop and VIPing guests. Francesco was all over the place with guests and staff making sure everyone had an ultimate experience. It was my first time there. I'm in jeans and work shirt with company logo - but remember I was planning on To-Go!! (I'll never wear jeans there again. Too nice of a place!) Overall Score: 10 out of 10 Although I'm very picky, I will happily become a frequent customer and bring everyone I know. It's that good, that fun, and overall - great! Hope to see you there too!!! And Tomorrow.... COSTATA AL MATTONE: 16oz aged rib eye steak marinated and roasted in a wood-burning oven. read more

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This was the only place we could get a reservation on Valentine's Day - and now we know why... [[HIGHLIGHT]]The two stars are for the friendly staff and the cozy atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Aside from that this is far below Mid for Italian. The salad was great. Focaccia was way too salty. I tried the lasagna thinking it would be a classic staple that is well done - it might as well have been a frozen stouffers lasagna - just tasted like burnt cheese. I couldn't even eat more than a bite - and it took FOREVER. The lamb chops would have been good but they were over cooked. read more

SUCH a wonderful place!! Delicious food and stellar service!! Highly recommend, especially if you are on the Lemon area.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Always great food perfect service and unique Anbience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Parola di Zio Cecio che Se poi volete esprimere la vostra opinione non vi resta che venire a trovarci. read more

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We come here a lot and the good and service always hit the mark. We really like the fish baked in salt for two and the egg plant parm is incredible!!!! read more

Zio Cecio - Pasta, lobster and red sauce......I forgot its name so just call it delicious!!! - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Rude guy on the phone closed even when they had allowed reservations till 9:30 The 9:15 they didn't honor so we can only say their food must be awful cause the staff is rude and waste your time. Just got to Neighborhood Services next door or all the other Italian restaurants near like across from Rise. They treat people kindly unlike this guy answering the phone on. 2/27 at 9:09pm read more

If you're in the mood for pasta, or are looking for an authentic Italian place, this place never disappoints. A neighborhood favorite, the owner, Francesco, clearly knows all of his regulars and makes an impressive effort to get to know them. Cozy atmosphere and plenty of seating at the bar or at the tables. Definitely a relaxing dinner and paced so you can enjoy your food and drink plenty of wine! You have to start with the fresh Focaccia bread. Dip it in the olive oil and sea salt to further bring out the seasoning. I could honestly snack on this all day everyday. As for appetizers, I personally love the calamari and my husband can't get enough of the eggplant Parmesan. The grilled octopus was delicious if that's calling your name. You can never go wrong with the classic Bolognese Pasta where the noodle to sauce ratio is perfect. The branzino is delicious and plated table side. Every dish I've tried here has mouthfuls of flavor without needed anything more. I prefer my food a bit on the saltier side so I am one happy camper coming here! Of course you must end with the tiramisu. read more

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Went here for the first time for our wedding anniversary and it was such an amazing experience. From the time we entered the door, we were greeted by the owner and master chef Francisco. His staff was attentive and friendly, particularly Joel our server. We ordered the recommended pasta specials that included lobster and their own freshly made sausage. It was amazing. The calamari for appetizers is a must. And the tiramisu was as authentic as only an Italian grandmother can make. Francisco cares about his customers as you can tell that most who come in and fill up the restaurant (pretty fast so get there early)are loyal customers for years. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It truly feels like you're going to an old friend's house for dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend and will be back for sure. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food and great service with a nice atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Staff and valet were exceptional. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I decided to celebrate my birthday dinner here (full of regret now). I will start off by saying the food was not bad but not delicious. Our server was a very nice lady who was being accommodating to my toddler son. Out of nowhere, the owner comes behind my son, starts to tickle him...proceeds to attempt to pick him up. My son had a booster seat with a buckle strapped. The owner tells me he's going to take my son to make a drink, after I pulled my son down, he demanded me to unbuckle my son from the booster seat. I told him no he's staying here, THIS MAN SAYS "no he's coming with me". I said NO HE IS NOT and he proceeds to ask me "why not?". After this fiasco, he ended up just walking away. This was the perfect way to make a customer never want to come back. WHAT A CREEP!!!! Even if his intentions were right, you should NEVER do anything the way he did to someone else's child. Don't go here, it's not worth it. read more

I hate to leave a poor review but this place left me feeling nothing but regret. Sat on the patio trying to order a drink for about 25 minutes, when we finally got them, they forgot my lady's beverage. Tough start but nothing the food couldn't make up for. Spoiler, it did not. Got the octopus appetizer, the carpaccio and a few pastas. Octopus - so SO incredibly fishy. Literally almost spoiled my entire appetite. The carpaccio was about 6 pieces of the world's actual thinnest beef. It couldn't have been more than 2oz. It was actually so thin that we thought it was ham from the appearance. Big letdown. The pastas were decent. The pizza was actually good. All in all, we spent just under $200 and were incredibly disappointed. read more

For some strange reason, I've had this itch to visit eateries where I once dined, but for some reason had fallen out of favor. It may have been a problem with service. Or maybe a long wait. In some cases, I may have just gotten tired, and moved on to the newest pretty face. It had likely been close to ten years since I last supped at Zio, and from what I recall, we had been there nearly a dozen times. Quite frankly, I think I stopped going there simply because of the crowds and noise. But on a recent midweek night, it was quite the opposite. At our 8 PM arrival, there were only 2 or 3 occupied tables. We scratched our heads on the sparse crowds since the space is attractive and comfortable. It was just as I had remembered. Matter of fact, I'd easily give them 4 stars for the ambiance. The menu looked enticing and the wine list seemed reasonable (despite the fact that I wasn't imbibing...sigh.) Service was good; our waiter friendly, and attentive with suggestions...however, that's tough to judge since there were only 4 or 5 other guests in the restaurant. I had to give them a demerit for my selected dish, the Petto Di Gallo Ai Funghi (chicken breast with wild mushrooms). The chicken was on the dry side. Thus the reason for my overall rating. It wasn't so dry that I'll never be back dry, but "I'll definitely try Zio again, but select something different next time" dry. On the other hand, my better half enjoyed her selection. But to be truthful, I can't recall what she ordered...and she wasn't available at press time for this review to reignite my memory. I'm still a bit mystified by the small crowds on the night we went. Joints just up the street were pretty crowded and the quality of some of the ambience, food and dishes in those places aren't much different. But then again, Dallas is fickle. For us, Zio is definitely worth another visit. read more

Zio Cecio - Zio's ambience. Very Nice! - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Food & wine were astonishing, owner was wonderful, service was great. It's been maybe 3-4 mos since we went for the first time (date night) & we cannot wait to go back! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We loved the dressy casual Italian ambience as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Not a lot of great choices for Italian Food in Dallas but Zio Cecio is. Great Italian wine list and awesome service.

I decided to surprise my husband for his birthday with a family dinner at this Italian restaurant. This was our first time here. We get there and they have complimentary valet parking which I love! We were received by the owner, I think-based on the website, he was not the friendliest but whatever. He sat us down and we waited a bit and our waiter came. He was ok. I think I would rate a 2/3 stars for customer service. Now the food was another story! We started with the cheese plate- small but delicious. We ate everything on the plate, cheese, meat and the olives. I ask for the focaccia bread (I saw on the photos) thinking it's bread they give to all tables. Well it wasn't- we were charge $7.50 for a plate of the bread. But it was soooo good and cooked to perfection I didn't care to pay for that bread. It was worth it. I had the Bolognese and the fettuccine was perfectly al dente. The sauce was a bit sweet but it complemented the meat and pasta. My husband had the gnocchi. He really liked it but he said he actually had better at another Italian restaurant. My oldest had the mussels and she was pleased and the little one spaghetti and sauce and it was good as well. I think the best part were the desserts. Well and the focaccia bread. We ordered a slice of the cheesecake and chocolate cake with a candle and they gave us the lemon tart on the house. WOW WOW WOW!!! All three pastries were soooooo amazing. That alone will earn a 5 stars!! They know how to make their desserts for sure! Overall I will go back to indulge and feast with some Italian dishes and desserts!!! read more

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Excellent service & the food was reasonable for such great service & quality. A must visit read more

The prices of items on the menu did not equal the quality or portion of food. If you go, ask NOT to sit in Paul's section. He is waiter who clearly does not like his job or pleasing his customers. He was grumpy, arrogant and had zero hospitable traits. read more

Not up to the level arcodoro or pomodoro once had. The Farris brothers used to take pride for their craft in fact it was our favorite spot for years in houston. I was excited to try Zio Cecio, however was disappointed with the lack of care on the service front, the food was simply anemic, pastas were overcooked which was disappointing. The suckling pig was very dry which again, didn't use to be the case. Frankly I rather drive down to eataly for better Italian food. read more

I would give this restaurant 5 stars for the food flavor and quality, but unfortunately our visit last night was dampened by the rudeness and aggression from the outdoor patio waitress. She seemed extremely bothered that we were dining there and was the opposite of welcoming. I understand if someone is having a bad day, but to be consistently snipped back at when asking for something simple like more water or bread is unnecessary. Unfortunately her attitude and inattentiveness ruined the dinner. Also... what's up with not having a wine list? The waitress had 0 recommendations and the prices were unclear. Not sure if we'll be coming back anymore. read more

Zio Cecio - La Bolognese Con Fettucine - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Just a great restaurant experience. Excellent and authentic Italian/Sardinian food & a great wine list. The owner/manager Francesco is a very engaging guy & is happy to answer any questions & share his knowledge of the Sardinian food & culture. I will definitely be going back sooner rather than later & would highly recommend to any & all of my friends. read more

Zio Cecio - Penne Salmone Vodka - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Had dinner at Zio Cecio over the weekend. Our waiter was so incredibly rude and unwelcoming. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant and encountered such a rude person. We split the caprese salad, the tomatoes were flavorless. I ordered the lasagne, it was the BEST I've ever had! read more

Generally solid, but with "special occasion" menu pricing that I'm not fully convinced is warranted for what's on offer. Zio Cecio has a pleasant ambiance and the service is polished and professional. All the food we ordered was tasty and the portion sizes were large. The bottle wine list had some unusual choices but on the whole it really needs to come down to earth -- there are just too many offerings in the mid-hundreds of dollars and not nearly enough in the $50-$90 range. I would be open to returning at some point, but I don't foresee Zio Cecio as being a regular spot beyond maybe a few times a year. They could also use a much more affable host. read more

We saw Zio Cecio on mystery diners and were curious to try it out. I was pleasantly surprised. Here is a recap: Appetizer: We ordered the foccacia bread. This was delicious! Make sure to dip it in the oil and balsamic vinegar. Entree: All four of us ordered the lasagna. It was delicious and had a wonderful tasting and flavorful red sauce. For $20, I was expecting a larger portion, but it was so good I couldn't complain. Plus, it was so rich I could not finish my portion. Dessert: I ordered the chocolate mousse and my husband ordered the creme brulee. Both were delicious and we practically licked the plate. Service: Our server was friendly and attentive. He explained the special menu items and what he recommended. When our server was with another table, the manger came over to clear our plates and refill our glasses. I was blown away by the quality of service. Ambiance: A+. The decor was fresh and vibrant. This would be a perfect place for a date night. Although we loved our experience, this is quite pricey. We would love to return, but, due to limited budget we will have to make this a place for when the in-laws visit or for a special evening. read more

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After eating here last night, all I can say is WOW! Every single thing I put in my mouth was unbelievably delicious! First, we started with some yummy warm focaccia bread. It was served hot and delicately seasoned with olive oil and sea salt. These were also flaky and perfectly thin and proceeded to melt in your mouth. We were then served a caprese salad that was made with deliciously fresh tomatoes and Buffalina mozzarella. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. Our entrees arrived and we were blown away by the spectacular flavors. I ordered the wild boar ragout and my daughter had the seafood ravioli with a Parmesan cream sauce. Both of them were, no exaggeration, out of this world. Needless to say, we cleaned our plates. We rounded out our evening with the tiramisu and limoncello and they did not disappoint. The atmosphere was wonderful and all of the waitstaff was attentive and polite and always refilled our drinks promptly. They were also very careful to follow the CDC Covid-19 guidelines, so we felt very safe while eating. I will without a doubt be eating here again really soon and highly encourage others to do the same. You won't regret it. read more

This is a restaurant my husband and I have visited several times over the past 22 years we have been in the neighborhood. I decided to celebrate my husbands birthday with dear friends last night at Zio Cecio. I was so disappointed! So disappointed I will not return and will not refer this restaurant. I hold the owner completely responsible. I made a reservation early and the 4 of us were seated at a table across from the bathrooms and in front of the kitchen staff. There were plenty of tables as the restaurant was not busy. The server had to be prompted over and over. Can we have bread for the table? Can we order drinks now? When asked about specific menu items lack of information. The whole process felt very chaotic and disorganized. I don't want anyone reprimanded as the owner is totally responsible for chaos and disorganization. And the food and drinks are ridiculously over priced. read more

Back after a few years away and it was a pleasant evening. The Sardinian/ Italian menu offers some interesting dishes in addition to traditional favorites. Service was more attentive than last few times we visited. Nice wine list but dessert menu is just boring; Tiramisu arghhh read more

Had much higher expectations for this place given the reviews. I ordered the gnocchi and it was not very good. The gnocchi was already falling apart before I even began eating. The gnocchi itself lacked any flavor and probably should have been pan seared to add a different texture on top of the boiled pasta texture. The tomato sauce was decent, but I like a plain gnocchi without much sauce; otherwise, I would've just gotten another pasta. The focaccia bread was actually very good. It seemed to be fresh, warm, and full of flavor. To compensate for the small portion size of the gnocchi, I probably ate more than 4 slices of the bread before I was kinda full. The service was good and fast. It seems like you have to valet park (complimentary) because they don't really have a huge parking lot. Overall, I was unimpressed with the food and the portion size, and there are definitely less fancy Italian places around that have equal, if not better quality than here. read more

Zio Cecio - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Also. My friend and I got severe food poisoning. We had a salad and pasta. Got it Sunday night after eating their Saturday night March 11 and it's Tuesday and still sick. Be aware do not go to Zio Cecio. WE HAVE REPORTED TO THE CODE HEALTH INSPECTIONS. looks like they have been reported several times read more

This is probably my favorite Italian restaurant in Dallas. We've been coming here for a year now. I love the ambience, service and food. It has a relaxing, cozy at-home feeling. The owner and waiters are always very nice and welcoming. I really love love love the focaccia bread with marinara sauce. I have ordered the octopus appetizer, which is good and the spicy red sauce is great. I would say it's in my top 5. I like the way the gnocchi is cooked. It tastes so fresh. Since I get it without cheese, I feel that the sauce could use some more seasoning, but I still love it. I always crave pasta in red sauce and it's what keeps me coming back. I can't stand an Italian restaurant with otherwise decent food and a bad red sauce. The bolognese pasta is also very good. From the desserts, the limoncello cake was outstanding! First time I ordered it, it was a table of four and we ordered a couple of desserts. The limoncello cake was the first to go. read more

Zio Cecio - Specials for today, 11/5/17. Specials last 2/3 days. - Italian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Service was really good from server and owner. Owner dissected the whole fish table side. Salmon, octopus and lasagna were good too. I would recommend Zio Cecio. read more

Every meal here has been 5 Stars. They make you feel welcome and provide a fantastic dining experience from start to finish. Favorites on the menu include the bolognese, risottos, gnocchi, and pork chop. Save room for dessert - all are great! Casual and cozy ambience. Great for family, friends or date night. Be sure to make reservations. Zio Cecio is a must try! read more

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Great food and ambiance. Staff is great and very authentic. Nice date spot. Wish I had started coming here years ago.

This authentic Italian restaurant was the best that I have ever had. Real Sardinia cusine with the chef and owner from Sardinia. He makes everyone of his patrons feel welcome and the staff takes time to answer questions about the food. I ask for a local Sardinia favorite and the roasted pig is what I got and MAN!!! Was it delicious! The desserts were amazing . Thanks Francesco for sharing a little of your home isle with us. read more

Great authentic italian cuisine!!Francesco is a great chef,wonderful wine selection,good desserts, the Magdalena s cheescake was so yummy.We had a great night celebrating my husband s birthday.Alina ,our server, attentive and sweet,recommended us a really good wine from Sardegna.We will be back!! . read more

Ruined our evening! Our poor waitress had to serve the entire 8 table patio (clearly no social distancing happening here) and was completely overwhelmed. 45 minutes after being seated, our water glasses empty, cocktails long since drained, we asked to speak to a manager as we hadn't yet ordered. The manager was rude and condescending and not at all helpful. So disappointing, as friends had specifically recommended this restaurant. In short, don't waste your time or money on this MESS of a restaurant. What a pity. read more

I'm not sure how/why this restaurant is so highly rated. Went on a Tuesday night around 7pm. We were promptly greeted and ordered our meals. It literally took over 40 minutes to receive our dinner. The margarita pizza was good but the clam / mussels were mediocre at best. Service was also pretty mediocre and no real apology / explanation for the delay. Unlikely to return. read more

Food, ambiance, and service - this place has got it all. The high-quality ingredients in every dish really come through, because they are not overly sauced or cheesed-up like the Americanized, mass-produced version of Italian food. We started with the baby octopus with squid ink and orzo pasta. The squid ink sauce and the texture of orzo were perfect complements to the octopus. I got the apples, walnuts and porcini mushrooms risotto because it kept calling to me on the menu. It's a creative, delicious spin on risotto, and worth the $22 price tag. My friend's squid ink infused spaghetti with fresh clams was also a hit. It comes with abundant clams and wonderfully chewy spaghetti. The lemon sponge cake wasn't spongy, but was fluffy and light as cake should be. Since my friend's last takeout order here ended in much confusion and mis-communication, they put our dessert on the house. I would definitely recommend Zio if you're looking for creative, authentic Italian food. The indoor ambiance is intimate and romantic, and the outdoor covered patio can accomodate large parties. read more

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