For upscale: Nonna
For well-made standards: Bellini's just off Oak Lawn has good prices, friendly service, and very nice atmosphere.

I would have picked Nicola's in Plano at The Shops at Legacy over Villa-O. I really wanted to like Villa-O but had several "mushy" pasta experiences. Nicola's has great house-made pasta. Nonna is perfect.

This is the best you can do? While several of these have been around a few years, they are all $$$ to $$$$ expense account favorites. That's not Italian that I return to again and again. Nicola's is nice, Arcodoro and Ferrari's great for a special occasions, but there are several in town that deliver flavor and authenticity for good dollar value. Pietro's Bellini's are good examples.

Any list of top Italian restaurants that doesn't include Adelmo's is poorly researched.

First of all, my friends from the NE tell me there is not GOOD Italian in Dallas. I didn't understand that until eating in San Diego's Little Italy this summer.

Also, I agree with Jack, these are mostly chef-driven, high-tone eateries. Where are the lower-priced, family-type places like Campisi's, Prego, Parma, Italian Inn, Cafe Italia, etc. Granted they are mostly Southern Italian and not avant-garde but do offer good, traditional fare. I would like to see them categorized by expense and region (No, So, Sardinia, Sicilian, etc).

Thanks

OH NO! I forgot to say, Taverna doesn't rate?? A travesty!

Bellini's is GREAT. They grow their own veggies and you can't beat fresh food. I had a terrific meal there on Sunday.

kbec: Up until about 6 months ago, I would have agreed with you about Taverna. But the last 3 times I have been there, the service has been absolutely horrible. The menu hasn't changed much (if at all) since they opened. I would always tell my friends to go there, and took family and out of town guests there, but no longer. Alberto needs to get in there and set things right!

Angelo's in Lakewood

I think it is sad to see lists like this that all they can find to list is expensive restaurants. Anywhere where I am paying $20+ a plate for pasta better be a darn good place. Italian food shouldn't have to be the most expensive to be the best. There are plenty of great local places that are reasonably priced and have wonderful food... They shouldn't be excluded just because they aren't expensive, in my opinion that is the wrong definition of "Best of". One of my personal favorites is Covino's in Plano. Great local place.. BYOB with wonderful homemade sauces. On the evenings in the spring and fall people show up and hang out outside drinking their own beer and wine till a table is available. I've waited up to 2 hours... great fun tucked away place that caters to the community!

Andrea's on Gaston. Reasonable prices and good food.

Are there none in Plano, Allen, Frisco and McKinney?????!!!!!

It is a bit ironic that you can get more authentic italian food IN ITALY for less than the price of places on this list.

You guys really dropped the ball on this one. No everyday, inexpensive, neighborhood places. That just shows laziness on your part.

I did not realize that there are only seven Italian restaurants in Dallas. You would think that any best of list would allow readers to write in their favorite instead of having to choose from a company "sponsored" list. In fact, after looking at this list, I may be strange saying this, but Bice looked better than half of these places. Where's Taverna, Avanti, Adelmo's, or Nicola's. Like I said, "sponsored". This is not the first time a DMN best of list or review raises brows. Look back to the steakhouse write up. Neither Chamberlain's nor Perry's were mentioned and why? They are busy everytime I am in there. What about best burgers. Everyone talks about Who's Who Burgers, but they were not listed. For someone that actually goes out, these best of lists are not doing the average diner a service, rather a dis-service. But what do I know, I am not a restaurant critic, I am just a paying customer. Yeah, welcome to Dallas Mr. Addison, you're a real gem.

Sketti Wherehows.

If one reviews food, and is on an expense account, why not go to expensive places where the boss will pay the tab? One can't eat a reputation...nor nibble on expensive ambiance. So, please folks, recommend a few eating establishments where we plebians can masticate.

No disrespect to the places selected, but this list is just terrible. No variety in price level. Just expensive places that anyone can easily rattle off. Lousy work guys. No wonder SideDish Blog easily kicks your butt as the superior blog. I second the Angelo's, Taverna, and Adelmo's recommendations. How about Patrizio's?

What is with these comments? A tad harsh. You guys do realize the reviewers went to more than these 7 places listed, right. Likely to each of the places mentioned that did not make the list. Read Addison's intro to this list again. Just because your favorite didn't make the list doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't given a shot along with the others. I for one am very happy to have Bill in town, finally some some serious criticism AND integrity in this department. Marge's comment is simply insulting. - So there! Now, back to the fun... that's we we read this stupid lists anyway! :^)

Oh yeah, forgot about Patrizio's. They're only a ten million a year operation. Mr Addison probably did not get their check in the mail either ;)

I am sorry, but a list of Dallas' best Italian that does not include Adelmo's, forget about it.

Yep.... I've got to agree with everyone else here. You guys blew it (BA - lazy; this is nothing more than a very short list of where you've reviewed or eaten in your brief time here). What about Bellini's, Pietro's, Nicola's, Taverna, Cafe Italia, MoMo's, etc. I've noticed that most of these were reviewed under the old regime - which is probably why you ignored all of them. Tsk tsk...

BTW... Vill-O? WORST. BRUNCH. EVER. Don't ever try it... you'll be sorry.

I am more partial to Nicola's but that is all I am going to say. It's lunch time. Off to wherever.

Trevi's at the Omni Mandalay in Las Colinas is heaven!!

After traveling to Italy, I totally changed my mind about the Italian food we have available here in the DFW area. Most of our Italian food is nothing like their Italian food. I haven't tried all the places on this list. But, the ones that I have tried I agree are excellent. Nonna is my absolute favorite!

Unfortunately, my name is very similar to the insult slinging contributor above. I'd rather not be associated in any way with someone who needs to be that rude in a public place over something that surely cannot affect them personally.

Keep up the good work here on Eats and Guidelive. As an "average diner" I appreciate your input quite a bit. I'm sure your jobs would all be a lot easier if all you had to do is sit back and wait for a payoff, huh?

@Soonervino – there is a reason for that. Adelmo regards his food as Mediterranean. You got a problem? Take it up with him.

@kbec – What is a travesty is when an “Italian” restaurant offers cheese for a fish entrée. And you could probably guess where that was proffered.

@ chris – isn’t it odd how that is the case?

@ Jacob – You have facts to back up the allegation of laziness? You were on the assignment?

@ Marge – I think the level of discourse that you have driven it down to, in terms of personal attacks, is inappropriate and untimely. Being a restaurant critic is a full time job. Criticizing restaurant critics isn’t.

@ Todd – you don’t seem to know how many places Bill went to. I am sure he was not lazy about this assignment. In fact, a careful reading of his piece explained his tactics. Too bad you have formed a conclusion without caring to know all the facts. Good thing the current restaurant critics don’t operate that way.
* * * * * * * * *
That being said, Dallas has come a long way in the last generation. But it will never be Italy. It would probably be better to denote them as Italian-styled, with a nod to old-school (American Italian) and New School (influenced by Nouvelle and the local/sustainable movement).

There are no Slow Food Italian places in this city.

But really, this is a passionate subject. It’s like talking bad about someone’s mother ( even if she might not be the best mom a kid could have).

So, spew away, just remember it won’t really change anyone’s opinions, including mine.

I like Bugatti on Northwest Hwy by Love Field in Dallas.

Good call on Nonna Tata. However, if this really is a dFW list, then Bella Italia in Fort Worth deserves to be included too. The chef and owner, Carlo Croci, is from Northern Italy. His menu includes exotic game meats, ostrich, fish, as well as as some traditional pasta dishes. No sghetti and meatballs tho. His buffalo filet is the best steak in town.

It's not your same old spaghetti and meatballs. Twice weekly the Italian Club of Dallas in Addison serves authentic Italian regional dishes at their Wednesday "Pasta Night" and Friday "Cena" (dinner) from recipes their members learned at their mother's and grandmother's knees. Coupled with a selection from their reasonably priced extensive Italian wines cellar, eating at the ICD is one of the best bargains in authentic Italian cuisine in North Texas. Non-members are welcome at non-member prices. And if you don't speak Italian the Club offers Italian lessons at the beginner, intermediate and conversational levels. Visit the website at www.itcd.org. Ciao.

if not for the fact cremona is now someplace in a landfill, it would still be one of my favs. also danielle, cafe italia, adelmo's, alessio's, and any hole in the wall place you can think of. not interested in mi piaci, bice, etc. compania pizza close to what you get in italy. food here is no where near the real thing. but who can afford to fly to tuscany for dinner once a week?!?!? so i take what i can get and be happy.

Marge sucks.

Since I've never been to Italy I can't speak for "authentic", but when we want good Italian in a friendly place, Paesano's in Plano is our pick.

Totally agree with Paesano's. Angelos in Lakewood is pretty tasty as well.

Peetzha' Hutt & Dom'eenioes

Porta di Roma downtown has some pretty tasty lasagna and Sal's is great too. I miss Nero's Italian

I miss Nero's too. Nobody has mentioned Scalini's in Lakewood, a neighborhood place with great thin crust pizza.

@Jordan Hamilton - Amazing that you have an answer for everyone. Thank goodness you're here to chastise us about our "assumptions" and uninformed "conclusions" with your own assumptions and uninformed conclusions. But perhaps you should check your own facts. For example, from Adelmo's website: "Serving Italian Cuisine with Accents on France and the Mediterranean"; forgive me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't seem to suggest pure Mediterranean cuisine, as you did.

It's just not possible that they visited all of the places people feel were left off the list in the past few weeks, much less the past 1.8 years that BA's been here. There are just too many places to cover (otherwise, they probably would have re-reviewed more of them). An assumption, yes, but an educated one.

If facts are what you want, let's ask BA to issue a list of the Italian restaurants visited in the "last few weeks" to compose this "Best of..." list (which, of course, they will never do).

If someone gives you a spoonful of crap and tells you that it's the best tasting in the metroplex, do you say "Yummy!"? To me, it's still a spoonful of crap. (This is meant very tongue-in-cheek, btw... ;) )

DaddyJacks in Deep Ellum--authenic Sardinian food from a masterchef from Sardinia--Salvatore is the greatest

As a longtime observer of the Dallas dining scene, I can tell you that we have never ever had the kind of Italian food that you find in cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, Providence or a dozen other cities I could name. We've just never had the critical mass of Italians for an Italian neighborhood, where so much of the best Italian-American cooking has taken place.

The other thing is the whole way Italians on the other side of the pond treat and embrace food. I, too, wish it were possible to do it as inexpensively here, but for a variety of reasons, it is not.

If those of you who think the critic-selected restaurants are too expensive could try just one dish, I would suggest it be Nonna's lasagna. Its thin, al dente pasta, delicate and balanced sauce, with just the right amount (not too much) of meat and cheese, helped me understand why the standard-issue lasagnas here fall short.

Another suggestion (for those of you who think your favorite place was slighted): Rather than leveling groundless personal attacks, offer some specifics in terms of dishes, or experiences, that make a place your favorite.

Alfonso's Italian Restaurant on Buckner. 27 years in business with a great customer base and great food.

Wow, Kim...you know how to bust up a good dogpile.

The best "affordable" Italian is in west Plano, but they're always busy, so I'm not telling. It's well worth the drive from east Dallas.

Get it, Kim!

Brent D. - That's so not fair. You have to tell!

Two Guys From Italy for the family/budget minded.

Nonna
Taverna
Carrabba's
Amore cafe.
That's it for me. In the order of my preference.
Each, although different in style, good in their own way.
I won't bother to bash other restaurant's or, comment on Mr. Addison. Except to say, he's just another (so-called) food writer.
He's not from NY and he's probably not been to Italy.

Best Food Writing 2007 - look it up on Amazon:
Now in its eighth year, Best Food Writing 2007 hosts a literary feast of the finest culinary prose from the past year's books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and Web sites. With eight sections ranging from Food Fights to Fast Food, The World's Kitchen to Why I Cook, this stellar collection features both established food writers and rising stars who serve up their culinary forays, musings, and discoveries.
Contributors include:
• Bill Addison
• Steve Almond
• Matthew Amster-Burton
• Brett Anderson
• Colman Andrews
• Dan Barber
• Anthony Bourdain
• Frank Bruni
(The list goes on...with a bunch of other "so-called" food writers.)

Fort Worth has two very authentic locations: Nonna Tata and Bella Italia. Born and Bred Italians cooking like they do back home.

When did a staple of the Italian family table become a canvas for over-the-top chefs to charge $50 for a plate of pasta? Okay, for those (like me) who want Italian without reservations, without valet parking and without any over-the-top: Two Guys from Italy, Alfonso’s, Amore, and Gordo’s will do you no wrong.

Amore for consistently delicious and moderately priced dining with the family.

Adelmo's for a night out.

And I miss Cremona and can't wait until they reopen as has been rumored.

The DMN list really should include more than just pricey options. I would have no problem with just one restaurant being listed as being the best of the more family-oriented places. I can't take my six-year-old to Nonna and I don't see why wanting to eat out with my child should consign me to Olive Garden. Even she knows better!

I can't imagine that there isn't one place in all of Dallas at a price level of around $15 that can't qualify for that list.

Amici Signature for me. It's BYOB, which cuts down the cost. Great Shrimp Carbonara!!!

My mom was born and raised in Italy, and I have been fortunate enough to have "authentic" Italian food from her, her mom, and many aunts all my life. The best Italian I've had here is Nonna by far. Yes it's not the cheapest, but it is the best.

ITALIAN PASTA RESTAURANT
The best Italian food I have had in all my 72 years. It is a new place in Farmers Branch, TX. so
lets get behind it!

Nonna is great, but I haven't gone in a while b/c of the acoustics.

My "reasonable price" standby is Momo's on Forest Ln in North Dallas. I've been going there for 10+ years, and IMO it is highly underrated. A friend of mine from Australia who bemoaned the lack of good Italian in the US enjoyed it tremendously.

Nothing even comes close to NONNA.
Outstanding. The best.

Piccolo Mondo in Arlington is really great, if you're going to Arlington, of course I'm biased because I used to work there. If you want a delicious Italian meal cheap Two Guys from Italy on Webb Chapel can't be beat!

Per noi che abitiamo à Irving, c'e Bruno's, che offre un belvedere vicino al canale e un menù non troppo costoso. Il cibo è sempre buono e i proprietarii molto cordiali. À Dallas, mangiamo molto spesso da Alessio's, al angolo di Bryan e Fitzhugh. Lo chef sempre prepara speciali che sono deliziosi. È un ristorante che manifesta l'immaginazione e la fantasia.

I'm happy to to see all the positive comments for Nonna. They deserve it! I'm not so happy to see all the positive comments for Nonna. Because, now it's going to be even harder to get a reservation.

Cazzone. Alessio e chiuso.

Angelo's in Lakewood. Decent pricing, service can be a bit spotty at times, but the food more than makes up for it. Their greek salad is perfect with feta, parmesan, olives and i love their vinaigrette. The crab ravioli and seafood manicotti are both standouts...and they have "samplers" so that you get a taste of 2 or 3 of their dishes. They also have a great bread pudding for desert. Go there every chance we get!

Johnny's Carino's Italian Grill in Mesquite

Thanks John Norris for telling us that Bruno's in Valley Ranch needs mention. Wish we could tell what you like about it but I gather it is the owner's friendly manner and a reasonably priced menu. And I will have to try Alessio's too.

Jordan Hamilton - You cannot have parmasean with fish? Since when? Seafood risotto calls for it and many restaurants have parmeasean crusted fish. Don't be such a food snob.

If you want the real deal try Salerno's in Flower Mound and they have another location in Highland Village. True family recepies passed down to Mike and Morris. Morris is an award winning chef and is a master with fish. Large portions, GREAT customer service.Not just another Italian restaurant.Stuffed artichoke is a killer!!!
Tony

I'd easily spend a few more bucks for Arcodoro, Nonna or Daniel over what's been posted. There's no comparison. If you want home-style Italian... try to make it yourself at home.

Mi Piaci definitely belongs on the list. It's maintained a high standard for many years with an excellent menu and wine list. I think the criticism of its prices are unjustified; they have a lot of menu items that are very affordable.

I've also had some great meals at Nicola's in Plano.

As for Bill Addison, you people need to grow up and lose the snarkiness. If you've been paying any attention at all to his reviews since he took the job, you'd find yourself agreeing with him 90% of the time. Moreover, his ability to write well is a huge plus.

Aboca in Richardson at Belt Line and Central gets my vote; it also is BYB.

Mi piace molto "Olivella" per pizza. Non mi piace "Mi Piace". Abbiamo magiato li per "Restaurant Week" e il vino e troppo caro! $6 per un bicchiere del Citra? $6 per una grande bottiglia, forse! Anche, il cibo è troppo ricco, non come il vero Italiano!

Mi Piaci and Andrea's in East Dallas. Overall, Dallas is hurting in this market. We need some great Italian food!

I love Mi Piaci! I'm so glad it made the list. I had my very first date with my husband there. It was fabulous! It's too bad about Il Sole. We used to go there since it is practically next door.

Mi Piaci. Awesome Tuscan style cuisine served in an elegant atmosphere. All Italian wine list. The Risotto con Salsiccia is almost better than sex.

Aboca's in Richardson. It'll remind you of Sunday dinner at your Nana's house.

Being half Sicilian, I adore an authenticc red sauce. Bellini's is one of my favorites. Great fresh sauce. Great bread with olive oil. Also, Siciliano's in Garland is great for low fare Italian. They have a very authentic tasting marinara made with olive oil and fresh garlic! Wonderful! And their homemade garlic rolls are so yeasty and fresh! Can't be beat for for the reasonable cost.

They probably compose the list from the restaurants who advertise with the paper. It's about "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours".

Italian dining in D/FW leaves much to be desired. Having just returned from a trip to Italy, I can say that there are substantial gaps in D/FW Italian dining ... especially for food from Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany. I hope that a chef & entrepreneur will seize the opportunity to fill that void in our local marketplace!

All of that aside, I concur 100% with Arcodoro/Pomodoro and Mi Piaci on the list of D/FW's best Italian. I've not yet tried Nonna and Nonna Tata, but the formal and informal reviews that I've read leave me with the impression that those belong on the list too. It's a shame that we no longer have Bice and Il Sole. Those would've have been shoe-ins too.

When it comes to less pricey Italian food here, I don't think that you can beat Angelo's in Lakewood, Taverna, and Patrizio's. They are reliable and wallet-friendly places which will probably be around for years to come.

Until the recent fire at Cremona, I enjoyed the spaciousness and good food that David and his wife served. Fortunately this bistro will reopen next week at 2704 Worthington. In the interim I found Andrea's in a strip center on Gaston & Fitzhugh.
Alfonso, the chef/owner, made me and my guests feel very welcome and the cuisine was delicious and priced very reasonably.

My vote for great Italian food is Cosa
Nostra Italiano in Rowlett. Small, friendly
family owned restaurant offers terrific food
at very reasonable prices. Located Hwy. 66 at
Dalrock Rd.

Cleanliness and quality of the food it is superb at Villa O. Try the lobster ravioles, exceptional!!!

Piccolo Mondo Rocks!!! You go Antonio and Nicola.

@Kbec

b.t.w., parmasean ( more accurately called Parmigiano_Reggiano in Italy or Parmesan is you must Americanize it): It is not being a snob, it is just incorrect by the ways of proper Italian cooking. If you are talking about the Americanization of Italian food, then the use of cheese with seafood has been adopted. But rarely in Italy.

Yes you can find recipes on the internet for seafood risotto with cheese, but like many things on the internet, that doesn't make it accurate or authentic.

And perhaps you might want to refrain from the use of personal attacks online; it just reinforces the idea of the uninformed American even further.

Adelmos, Taverena , Nonna, Coal Vines, Villa-O - Top Four - actually only Good ones

Bruno's in Valley Ranch is very good. Nice atmosphere, reasonably priced, good service. A nice small bar and good wine list. The food is quite good - with the exception perhaps of the salad which is pretty so-so.

My real neighborhood favorite, however, is Michaels Italian Kitchen. It is on MacArthur just north of 635. My husband was from New Jersey and said the Italian food in Dallas just wasn't very good. Until, that is, Michaels opened up. Very good traditional Italian. I have had pasta, excellent (expecially the puttanesca), chicken again excellent (and I'm not a huge fan of chicken), seafood - very good. Very reasonably priced and BYOB. Atmosphere is great - the only downside is the service which can be brusk - the better to make you think you are back in New Jersey!

Two restaurants to get food that you would find, as prepared in Italy, are not Italian. They would be York Street and Lola's. Before anyone gets confused let me explain: Both establishments source local foods and serve meals in a simple and pure manner, in the way one finds them in Italy. No, you will probably not find red sauce, marinara or garlic rolls. Or Osso Buco made with pork pretending to be veal. You might find a perfectly prepared risotto or a tray of artisanly made salumi. You probably won't find Spaghetti and meat balls, but if they decided to make those items they would find places to source their ingredients besides Roma and Cisco. You'd would be more easily able to find a correctly prepared Carbonara made, most likely, with home made pancetta, not bacon bits. Italian is a state of mind, not some sappy, goopy remnant of a memory from Brooklyn in the late 19th century.

Fresh, local, simple- the Holy Trinity of la Cucina Italiana

I will have to say, I have not eaten at or heard of the choices on the original article. We eat italian at IFratelli's in Irving. Their Sunday buffet is the best! We also eat at Vito's in Irving, both are super, hard to choose between the two. Lets look at where the whole family can go to!

Mi Piaci for sure...Arcodoro has lost a step in both quality and service.

The whole point of "The Best" is...THE BEST! And, friends, the best generally costs a bit more. Welcome to America.

RUGGERI'S is the best in Dallas. I have been a Dallas diner for over 25 years and this is the best for Italian cuisine. Fabulous food, reasonable prices, in an elegant atmosphere with attentive service makes Ruggeri's a hit!!

I can't believe someone even mentioned Alfonso's.... that place is a joke. I could have bought Chef Boyardee and made a better meal than that place. The ONE time I went there, the food was cold, had no taste, the wait staff was rude, and I got sick when I got home. No wonder why you people can't pick a decent Italian restaraunt. Man how I miss the NE.

It is almost impossible to find an Italian restaurant in Dallas with good crusty bread or unsalted butter or good antipasti.

A new restaurant, Capriccio, has an excellent antipasti with salad, but wimpy, tea room bread. The veal however was superb.

Ferrari has a good antipasta selection and great foccacia bread from the brick oven.

Positano in North Dallas is excellent with decent bread, but somewhat underappreciated.

Patrizio used to have excellent bread, but they have gone to tea room style.

Mi Piaci has fine food, with lousy bread at night. And, I miss El Sole, but not their bread.

You left the best italian restaurant in Dallas off the list. Ruggeri's is consistently wonderful and has withstood the test of time unlike some on your list.

The best authentic Italian meal I have had was at a friend's birthday celebration. They hired an Italian chef from a company called Antica Tavola. He came into their home and prepared an amazing 5 course Italian feast. I have traveled to Italy many times and I have tried to find an equivalent in Dallas. This birthday dinner was the most authentic Italian meal I have outside of Italy.

For those in search of quality Italian food and a friendly atmosphere, while not breaking the bank, Joe's Italian Cafe in Addison at the intersection of Belt Line and Surveyor can't be beat. Many of the recipes are from Joe's Italian mother, and those he's added recently, including sausage-stuffed peppers and gorgonzola & carmelized onion pizza, are sure to become favorites. The informal, familial atmosphere ensures many return visits. Ci vediamo presto!

Nicola's in Plano!

My favorite dish:
Bucatini all’ Amatriciana 14
This is the oldest known Roman recipe, featuring “hollow spaghetti” with roasted smoked pancetta, tomato sauce, a touch of cream and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

grace
childsplate.com

I love the sausage pizza at Mancuso's in White Settlement/West Fort Worth.

forgot to add that the cream of mushroom soup at Bugatti's is amazing and the homemade pasta at Ferre in Fort Worth is delectable.

Almost 100 comments later - I'm glad I checked back to see what everyone suggested. I may not have liked the list but I do like Bill, Kim, and others with the News who take the time to create such a lively discussion.

We don't have much true Italian in Dallas or most anywhere else in the U.S. Italian-American has become a style of its own just as Tex-Mex is not from Mexico.

Pietro's Restaurant in East Dallas is a true family run restaurant with old style Sicialian food(there are actually Italians in the kitchen). Everything is made from scratch including their great bread and pizza. They have hands down the best red sauce in town! My family's been eating there since the sixties. We love it.

I have eaten at so many Italian restaurants in Dallas that I can't remember them all, either current or non-existent any longer. Certainly the one outstanding in my mind is Rugerri’s, now at Preston and Royal. Since their Routh Street days, Tom Rugerri has been able to match his wonderful ambiance with exceptional Italian food. His menus have changed over the years but the consistent high quality of his dishes has not. His attentive staff, some of whom I have known since his early restaurant days, have stayed with him over the years to compliment his tasty dishes. I can easily recommend Rugerri's to the most seasoned Italian palates.

Rugerri's is an excellent Italian restaurant. They should definitely be included in the Best in DFW. We keep going back for the good food and the ambiance. It can't be beat!

So Glad that Villa O is listed on there... its my place to "vacation to" away from the typical Dallas Restaurants.

Try a little seafood restaurant called JohnnyG's in Lewisville, The owners mom is from Italy and has her own little italian menu. It is incredible and you know a real Italian is cooking it. She hangs around the restaurant all day and is a character.

Capriccio- Dallas or FloMo....yum. And service that far exceeds most any BIG dollar joint in Dallas.

My wife and I came across Parma Pizza and Pasta In Lewisville.. near Vista Ridge Mall. I have to say that their pizza is very authentic New York, and the pasta is some of the best I have had in town.
It compares and in many cases exceeds the higher end options in Dallas.

For authentic Italian at a very reasonable price, I highly recommend Salerno's restaurant in Flower Mound. Salerno's has been an institution for over 20 years. Nice family atmosphere too!

The absolute best in Italian dining is Paesano's in Plano. The Veal Marsala is outstanding. The owner, Allen, greets you at the door of this quaint restaurant. Best of all the prices are $$.

Ruggeri's and Nicola's should have made the list.

MI PIACI ---

Mi Piaci opened in 1991 .. I doubt it could've been the hot spot of the 80's..

Have you been there lately. This place is definately the most gorgeous restaurant in Dallas. It's still a hot spot.

For tasty, affordable Italian, Joe's in Allen (Bethany & Greenville) would be hard to beat. My personal favorites are the Chicken Genovese, Arribiata and Francese dishes. Even the Eggplant Parmigiana makes me drool ... and I don't even like eggplant! Joe's is very kid friendly I and take my wife and three young children there practically every week. My kids are picky eaters, so they make up special-order dishes for them. Don't tell too many people about this ... it's pretty small and I don't like to wait for tables!!!

MiPiaci is awesome. We had our daughters rehearsal dinner a few months ago there for 150 people and the Sea Bass and osso bucco were out of this world, not to mention that the service was exceptional. I applaud your picks, keep up the good work.

Villa-O is awful. And definitely not worth it

We're happy to have Bene Bene open on Frankford in North Dallas. We had missed the chef, Rino Brigliadori, from his eponymous Rino's up in Plano and later Positano. He's back again and we've already had a number of enjoyable meals there. Forget about the usual fried calamari and instead try the sauteed calamari with capers, tomatoes, and olives. The Gnocchi and Spaghetti Pescatore are also favorites.

Can't beat the garlic rolls and crab claws at Alfonso's Italian on Buckner Blvd in Dallas.

You left out wonderful Urbana on McKinney Avenue in downtown Dallas! With an Italian modernist but warm decor, great service, superb wine suggestions, and reasonable prices, it can't be beat. Recently we had spicy shrimp bruschetta, bay scallop risotto, and pan-seared tuna with asparagus and were in culinary and gastronomical heaven. It's a terrific place for a romantic date, anniversary or birthday celebration. Tell your readers!