(From March 2011) Attached to its own upscale grocery, the bistro gets fresh fare right on site and prepares it well. Add a sleek, wood-accented setting, good service, and convenient hours (especially for the nearby concert venue), and it’s no surprise that the crowds keep coming. One of us ate lightly with a luscious tarte flambée (think smoked bacon and crème fraiche) and a crab cake with cayenne rémoulade, while the other went for an oak-grilled 12-ounce strip with a green-peppercorn rub and sides of frites and asparagus. Bar

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(From January 2012)

Giorgio’s is downtown lunch at its best. We’re enamored of the Italian awning, the no-frills tables and chairs, the old-fashioned red-and-white-checkered floor, and, of course, the food. Hearty meat, gooey cheese, and tomato sauce are tucked into the flaky, homemade crusts of the calzones as well piled on the pizzas, which you can get by the slice or the pie (New York–style, with a crust so delicate it folds right up in your hand). Lunch specials are a good bet, like a slice, a salad, and a drink for only $5.50 or lasagne, garlic toast, and a drink for $6.25. And with prices so low and food so beloved, you can expect a line out the door. Thank goodness it moves fast!

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(From December 2010) Peach-toned walls give a flattering glow to the interior of Arturo Boada and Bill Sadler’s Uptown Park restaurant, but its columned porch beckoned us on a mild evening. Two great salads kept our attention: a caprese of yellow and red grape tomatoes, mozzarella, capers, oregano, and basil and an inspired mix of baby greens, walnuts, pancetta, orange slices, and goat cheese. Sonia’s Ravioli, stuffed with chicken and porcini mushrooms and served with white wine–basil sauce, proved delicious and beyond rich, but it didn’t preclude our sharing a slice of tiramisu. Bar.

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(From November 2010) Loosely translated as “Joe’s Basement,” this lively Italian joint serves up family-style food (“small” on the menu serves 4, “large” serves 6) in perhaps the most relaxed place in town. Two good first-round offerings were the Caesar salad (alas, no anchovies) and a large bowl of dense, filling minestrone soup. Guaranteed to satisfy the heartiest appetites was an entrée of chicken limone adorned with capers, plus a huge helping of fettuccine Alfredo. House-made New York style cheesecake was gilded with toasted hazelnuts and raspberry sauce. This is definitely the place to have after-soccer parties. Bar.

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(From December 2010) The warm brick walls and large French doors remain, but the Vallone family operators have added some art and new paint and generally spiffed up the old La Strada location. Happily, the food meets new standards too. We liked our pale green heirloom tomato gazpacho, which benefited from a nice pile of crabmeat in the middle, and a lovely salad with cherry tomatoes, watermelon, arugula, and goat cheese. Our meat eater approved charred lamb T-bones with mint vinegar, and our vegetarian enjoyed the pappardelle with tomatoes and burrata. One cavil: The breads could use improvement. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

In a college town, restaurants come and go. But for three decades, Cenare—hidden in an unassuming shopping center—has beaten the odds with super food and a charming atmosphere. We started our meal with two antipasti items: spicy cheese ravioli (breaded and toasted—a Midwestern American specialty) and crab-stuffed mushrooms topped with a zesty Creole mustard sauce. For the main course, we tried two distinctly different dishes: gnocchi (potato dumplings) in a thick, rich pesto cream sauce and spaghetti alla vongole (clams with a white wine and garlic sauce, a lighter option). Even though sangria originated in Spain, Italy and other countries love it too. Cenare’s refreshing fruity version went well with almost everything.

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(From January 2012)

What happened? This friendly spot, long known for serving Italian fare far more exalted than the modest prices suggest, seems to have slipped back to just a notch or two above mediocrity. Bow tie pasta with smoked salmon had an unpleasant intensity of flavor that was most un-Italian, while the polenta with goat cheese came with an overbrowned crust that robbed it of its delicacy and lightness. We fared better with the shrimp and tomato risotto, whose flavors melded admirably. The specials (see the board on the wall) are often a good bet, and if the crew can right the ship, Ciao should regain its standing as a local favorite. Beer & wine.

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(From November 2011)

Bright and airy, this new Italian cafe features Sicilian-style cooking (and they make their sausage in-house!). For a light appetizer try the margherita pizza, with its papery-thin crust, fresh tomato sauce, and dollops of mozzarella. Pasta is made fresh daily, but the star is the veal limone, the meat delicately sautéed and topped with a not-too-tart lemon sauce. Be sure to leave room for the homemade gelato. BYOB.

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(From February 2012)

Without fanfare, the Hotel Valencia’s Citrus restaurant has been making a name for itself among downtown restaurants. Within walking distance of the Majestic Theater, this second-floor dining room and terrace presents mostly locally grown fare in impressively polished guises. A crab cake with avocado and pumpkin seeds impressed all who tasted it. Tender roasted antelope with “Texas peppers” and outstandingly flavorful mashed potatoes with chipotle was a big hit, but so was the impeccably cooked black grouper with quinoa pilaf. An able and well-informed waiter took good care of us, but allow plenty of time if you are going to a performance after dinner. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

Yet another Dallas import has hit the Seconf Street District. Cool and dark, Coal Vines' interior is complemented by a wall of glass doors that open onto the street-side patio. We came for the thin-crusted pizzas cooked over hot-hot coal fires and immediately fell in love with the bolognese and bechamel versions. Branching out, we found an American-Italian penne with vodka sauce pretty predictable, but the seafood risotto cake was an addictively tasty surprise. Beer & wine.

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