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The 5 Best Fancy Italian Restaurants in Houston

The 5 Best Fancy Italian Restaurants in Houston Homepage

Our Criteria 

Menu: A true Italian restaurant serves only the finest ethnic Italian meals. Thus, we considered the items on the menu when choosing authentic Italian restaurants. 
Ambiance & Service: When selecting fancy Italian restaurants, we considered the overall experience of the ambiance in the service. We looked for a warm, welcoming atmosphere that made us feel at home.
Seasonal Ingredients: Authentic Italian restaurants make use of seasonal ingredients. So we looked for the use of seasonal ingredients in the menu, which adds to the freshness and the quality of the food.
Hours: True Italian places only stay open for a certain amount of hours because Italians are very particular about their meal times. So we avoided choosing restaurants open all day, which means they are not authentic. 

1.  Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino 

Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino Homepage

Menu: Cold Appetizers and Little Dishes, Hot Appetizers and Little Dishes, Soup and Salad, Main Proteins, Vegetable Sides, Pasta Casalinga—Fresh Egg Pasta Made in House, Imported Semolina Pasta, Dolci, & Bevande 

Website: http://www.giacomosciboevino.com

Address:  3215 Westheimer Houston

Contact Details: 7135221934

Operating Hours:   Sunday & Monday: Closed

Tuesday – Saturday: 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Google Reviews Score4.6/5
Yelp Reviews Score4/5
Facebook Reviews Score4.7/5
Total Reviews4.5/5
Score Consistency4.6/5
Menu4.8/5
Ambiance & Service4.7/5
Seasonal Ingredients4.7/5
Hours5/5

Pros

  • Flavorful meatballs
  • Non rushed service
  • Authentic italian ingredients

Cons

  • Limited parking
  • Salty porchetta

Many have told us about Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino being a hidden Italian dining gem amid Houston. We decided to test out their authenticity and upscaleness ourselves. 

The restaurant is in a neighborhood area. So do note that parking is limited, so you might have to park on the street.

Although we did not have a reservation made in advance, we were still able to be seated at a decent time. The waiter was kind enough to go over the specials of the day and the wine selection they were offering.

At first glance, the menu was a little overwhelming and hard to understand because the dishes were written out in Italian. Yet, this only proves the authenticity of their menu items.

For starters, we started off sampling their meatballs and Caesar salad. While we were not impressed with the Caesar salad, the meatballs were flavorful.

We noted that the service here is slower, imitating the true European style of nonrushed service restaurants. Thankfully, we enjoyed a glass of wine while waiting for our main entrée. 

For main courses, we had mushroom-filled tortellinis drenched in a creamy sauce that did not disappoint. Our porchetta, though, was a little too salty, but the brussels sprouts on the side were tender and well-flavored. 

Besides this, the lemon cake and the fresh berry compote we enjoyed were off the charts, truly a delicious way to end our Italian dinner.

2. Flori Italian Restaurant & Floral Boutique

Flori Italian Restaurant & Floral Boutique Homepage

Menu: Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Verdure, Dolci & Bevande

Website: https://fiorihtx.com/#

Address: 4315 Montrose Boulevard Houston, TX 77006

Contact Details: (832)-729-5544 [email protected]

Operating Hours: Monday: Closed

                   Tuesday & Wednesday: 5 PM to 10 PM

        Thursday & Friday: 11 AM to 2 PM; 5 PM to 10PM 

        Saturday: 12 PM to 3 PM; 5 PM to 10 PM 

        Sunday: 12 PM to 8 PM 

Google Reviews Score4.2/5
Yelp Reviews Score3.5/5
Facebook Reviews Score5/5
Total Reviews4.5/5
Score Consistency4/5
Menu4.8/5
Ambiance & Service4.9/5
Seasonal Ingredients4.9/5
Hours5/5

Pros

  • Attentive head chef
  • Private terrace & patio
  • Authentic ingredients

Cons

  • Long wait

Customers who dined at Fiori raved to us about their excellent, friendly, and attentive staff. Others bragged about the fresh, authentic Italian-Roman dishes offered on the menu. 

From my own experience, we can testify these claims to be valid. 

As we sat at our table waiting to be served, we noted the owner going around each table to check that everything was fine. The owner even apologized to us for the long wait. 

We did not mind the long wait, though, because the patio and private terrace were well decorated and brought a calm refreshing aura over us.

Moreover, when our waitress came to our table, she was friendly and made some recommendations based on the chef’s top picks. 

Within our first few bites, the authenticity of the Carbonara and Amatriciana was evident–no cream or chicken in the pasta. The chef used only the finest Guanciale and Pecorino.

The chef came out to greet us, two glasses of Prosecco in hand. He even treated us to a free appetizer, which was delicious. 

From the way the chef spoke to us, it was clear how passionate he is about what he does, as well as his strong love for his home country of Italy. 

3. Potente

Potente Homepage

Menu: Dinner, Wine & Dessert 

Website:https://www.potentehouston.com/

Address: 1515 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002, United States

Contact Details: +1 713-237-1515

Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

           Friday to Saturday: 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM ; Sunday: Closed

Google Reviews Score4.6/5
Yelp Reviews Score4.5/5
Facebook Reviews Score4.9/5
Total Reviews4.7/5
Score Consistency4.7/5
Menu4.7/5
Ambiance & Service4.6/5
Seasonal Ingredients4.9/5
Hours5/5

Pros

  • Extensive pallet of flavors
  • Impressive wine/liquor collection
  • Shaved truffles provided

Cons

  • Parking is $11
  • Routy atmosphere
  • Reservations needed
  • Hard appetizer bread

Our dining experience at Potente was a flavor extravaganza. From the moment we met Chef Danny Trace of Potente, we noted his attention to detail and ability to bring out various levels of flavors in the simplest of dishes. 

Moreover, the staff treated us with utmost attention, quickly leading us to our reserved table amidst the crowded restaurant. Thankfully, we booked a reservation in advance, or else we wouldn’t have been able to get into Potente. 

While the price for parking at Potente was eleven dollars, the pallet of flavors you receive with every dish is well worth every penny. 

We also noted that the atmosphere was romantic, but it wasn’t easy to hear each other talk at our table—we yelled out our order to the waiter due to the routy atmosphere.

Furthermore, we were disappointed with the hard-as-rock bread we received for our appetizer. Thank goodness we did not break a tooth.

On the other hand, the Polipetti Arrostiti with shaved truffles on top filled our stomachs with delight. Additionally, we liked how the waiters brought out everything in tiers, giving us time to savor every dish. 

Besides this, their wine and liquor selection was impressive. Of course, we couldn’t skip out on a slice of chocolate hazelnut cake, bringing out bellies to heaven. 

4. Sorrento

Sorrento Homepage

Menu: Lunch Menu, Dinner Menu, Brunch Menu, $75.00 Set Menu, $85.00 Set Menu, $95.00 Set Menu

Website:https://www.sorrentohouston.com/

Address: 415 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006, United States

Contact Details: +1 713-527-0609

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM 

        Saturday: 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM

        Sunday: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Google Reviews Score4.5/5
Yelp Reviews Score4/5
Facebook Reviews Score4.8/5
Total Reviews4.5/5
Score Consistency4.5/5
Menu5/5
Ambiance & Service4.8/5
Seasonal Ingredients4.9/5
Hours5/5

Pros

  • Live pianist
  • Excellent service
  • Authentic menu 

Cons

  • Location is hard to find

We had a difficult time finding Sorrento. It’s located inside a small strip mall in the less populated part of town. 

Usually, upscale restaurants are independent of other businesses, so we doubted Sorrento’s authenticity and upscaleness. However, the moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere all around transported us back in time to old Italy. 

The live pianist played melodies of classic Italian songs, creating an intimate atmosphere throughout our entire night. Our waiters immediately led us to our seats and didn’t rush us as we browsed through the menu.

The prices on the menu vary in range, but the menu remains consistent in the meals they offer. No plain pizza is served here. 

Rather, the waiter served us various pieces of bread, anchovy paste, roasted garlic, and olive oil to start the evening. 

Because we couldn’t decide what to order, our waiter recommended that we try the escargot. With every bite, the garlic and the butter flavors of the escargot blended together well with the bread and anchovy paste appetizer. 

Moreover, their sage and mushroom ravioli with creminis drizzled with the lightest of truffle oil sent our tastebuds into a frenzy. 

While we didn’t get a chance to try dessert, we appreciated our servers being attentive and contributing to making our dining experience great. 

5. Perbacco

Perbacco Homepage

Menu:  Salads, Casserole, Pasta, Antipasti, Insalate, Carne Meat, Pollo Chicken, Pesce Fish, 

Website: https://www.perbaccohouston.com

Address: 700 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002

Contact Details: (713) 224-2422 [email protected]

Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 11 AM to 2:30 PM 

        Friday & Saturday: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM 

Google Reviews Score4.6/5
Yelp Reviews Score4/5
Facebook Reviews Score4.9/5
Total Reviews4.7/5
Score Consistency4.7/5
Menu4.7/5
Ambiance & Service4.6/5
Seasonal Ingredients4.8/5
Hours5/5

Pros

  • Fresh ravioli 
  • Well-seasoned lasagna 

Cons

  • Salty fish
  • Loud sociable atmosphere 

Perbacco has a reputation among diners for being an authentic Italian gem in the heart of downtown that brings all diners a piece of Italy. Customers raved to us about their amazing service, delicious food and warm atmosphere. 

We had the pleasure of dining at Perbacco and can testify to being taken to Italy through every bite of the dishes served at Perbacco. 

For starters, we found the atmosphere lively and sociable–it was a little too loud for us, though. Regardless, we still were able to focus on enjoying our meal at Perbacco. 

As the owner of Perbacco is from Italy, he understands the flavours and specific ingredients to combine together to create mouthwatering dishes. Yes, the owner himself served us. 

He started off by serving us thinly sliced French bread with olive oil and catered to our request for butter. 

While their fish didn’t meet our taste expectations—it was too salty. On the other hand, the tomato sauce in the lasagna was well seasoned, and the meat was tender.  

Moreover, the ravioli we ate was fresh, hot, and had a generous amount of delicious filling in it. Whereas the salad we indulged in was covered in feta cheese and drenched in Italian dressing. 

The owner recommended to us to try the tiramisu, and it did not disappoint. The tiramisu was creamy, and the cake blended the flavours of roast coffee and vanilla at its finest. 

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