(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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(From April 2012)

Although we usually relish our meals at this bustling, dimly lit Washington Avenue hot spot, our recent dinner was a bit erratic. Blistered Neapolitan pizza with addictively crispy edges was overwhelemed by a sweet tomato sauce. That same sweetness marred foglie di carciofo, coin-size disks of artichoke-flavored pasta with delicious crumbled lamb sausage, eggplant, and roasted peppers. Best of show: the precisely cooked and beautifully represented redfish and roasted vegetables in parchment paper. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

If you're a fan of Neapolitan-style pizza, this no-frills San Antonio import should be your next stop. We made a fine Italian lunch out of spiedini of warm mozzerella wrapped in prosciutto di Parma and a pizza swathed with fontina cheese, oak-roasted mushrooms, and carmelized onion. The thereal polenta cake was delectable, as were the Nutella panini, and the silky panna cotta ringed with balsamic sauce and macerated berries was dessert indulgence to the hilt. Bar.

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(From January 2011) An eclectic group of diners, live music on some nights, and a rather magical setting (think lighted faux trees) add up to a unique experience. Pizza, as one would expect, is the centerpiece of the menu, and we loved a micro-thin-crusted version with garlic, basil, anchovy, tomato, ricotta, and mozzarella. But we reserved our highest praise for an orzo dish with local sausage, Parmesan, and a flavorful fennel broth lightly binding all of it together. Opting out of ordering a gooey dessert, we chose fresh figs stuffed with goat cheese and candied pecans. Bar.

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(From March 2012)

With an authentic forno crackling away, the Fireside guys serve artisan pizzas with thin, crisp crusts and unique toppings. The Peta Pie, with Montchevré goat cheese, slices of balsamic-marinated portobello, arugula, roasted red peppers, piñon nuts, and a charred-tomato vinaigrette drizzled around the edge, was magnificent; we rounded our meal out with a Fireside Cheese Salad of mixed greens, chopped hearts of romaine, tomatoes, and a blend of four cheeses. Bar.

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(From July 2011)

As far as we’re concerned, “Café” could be left out of the name, because the food here is mainly deli. Never would we have guessed that stuffed cabbage could be such a delight: The tender leaves were crammed with beef and rice and served in a tomato broth studded with raisins, onions, and celery. The beef stroganoff was surprisingly bland, but we did like the flavorful side of carrot and zucchini slivers. The cheesecake seems to be the dessert of choice, but chocolate cannoli come in a close second. 

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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 May 2012)

Applying simple logic we deduced that if lunch here was as tasty as dinner then we were in for a treat. And the noontime menu of salads and sandwiches proved us right. We loved the vegetable wrap with roasted red peppers and grilled portobello mushrooms and the house burger with a smattering of fennel-spiked Italian sausage blended into the meat. On the lighter side, a couscous-based salad with fresh feta, artichoke hearts, zesty peppers, and kalamata olives also received raves. Bar.

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(From March 2011) Cheers to the Vincent Mandola family for featuring a small-plates menu and a wide range of Italian libations in their West Dallas backyard patio-bar, one of our town’s most pleasant alfresco spots. A friendly waiter said we’d love the warm arancine (fried risotto balls with a core of melting cheese), and he was right. Same for the crab claws in garlic-lemon butter. The Mini Vinnie, a portion of veal par-migiano, plus mezzaluna pasta stuffed with chicken and ricotta, completed our meal—save for a digestivo, of course. Grappa, anyone? Bar.

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