This Italian restaurant was just voted Readers’ Choice winner for best in Fort Worth area
Walking into Italianni’s restaurant in Hurst, you’re immediately greeted by the smell of fresh bread, the sounds of Italian folk music and a warm smile. The old Chicago-style restaurant, with cherrywood finishes along the ceiling and mirrors lining the walls, evokes the nostalgic feel of an old Italian diner.
And then there’s the food — scratch-made Italian dishes that have made this restaurant a local favorite for two decades.
Now Italianni’s on Precinct Line Road has claimed the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Readers’ Choice award for best Italian food in Tarrant County. After starting with 31 restaurants nominated by our readers, we had more than 7,000 votes over five rounds.
We visited the restaurant recently to learn more about why readers love it so much. Before digging in, let’s rewind to 2002.
Joyce Russell and her son bought the restaurant from Carlson Restaurant Group, which was divesting its emerging concepts, including Italianni’s.
“We didn’t have a lot of experience in the restaurant,” Russell said.
Originally a chain, Russell decided to completely disassociate to branch out and explore different recipes and dining concepts. Now, 22 years later, Italianni’s is still standing strong.
From dedication to detail, the menu is always changing but carefully crafted to constantly appeal to their customers. Head chef Louis Castro leads the charge in creating new dishes while keeping the staple Italian classics on the menu.
Italianni’s is a from-scratch kitchen, making each meal from fresh daily ingredients.
Many dishes are served across the lunch and dinner menus, but these five are their most popular: the prosciutto flatbread; the grilled chicken caprese with sliced roma tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil pesto; pasta di amore, with spinach and asparagus sautéed with jumbo shrimp, salmon and pan-seared scallops, tossed with fettuccine in a mascarpone lobster cream sauce; pork osso bucco; and herb-crusted red snapper tossed with spinach, tomatoes, oregano, garlic, jumbo shrimp and lemon-wine scampi sauce.
These dishes are not only aesthetically pleasing but will certainly grace your taste buds with colorful flavors.
“I think that what separates us from a lot of the other restaurants is that we serve our community. We take care of our guests, and most of them are people from around the neighborhood. We’re very consistent with our meals and food quality,” said Castro.
While these entrées appear flawless, the journey to perfection is far from easy. Deep in the kitchen, Russell is constantly perfecting the smaller details.
For example, she noticed that a manufacturer they source from made a change in its Parmesan cheese. Russell called a representative to show them the difference, ensuring the product remained high quality.
“We pay attention to the little details,” Castro said. “We want to know why the process changed and why they changed it without letting us know. We don’t just put anything out. We put out quality products from beginning to end.”
On the last Wednesday of the month, wine dinners feature a fine-dining menu of vibrant flavors and tasteful wines that pair perfectly.
“Just sitting here (in the restaurant) with smiles on everyone’s faces, we laugh and have a good time. We just enjoy going to work,” said general manager Brin Burke.
Italianni’s is also active in the Fort Worth community, supporting local government chapters and high schools, providing top-notch service along with delicious catering.
“I feel a sense of community, like we’re a pillar in this neighborhood,” said manager Nathan Barnes.
The other Italian restaurants that rounded out our Top 5 for Readers choice were Cafe Bella just south of TCU in Fort Worth; Nonna Tata on West Magnolia Avenue; Cafe Italia in Grapevine; and 61 Osteria in downtown Fort Worth.
This story was originally published June 13, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
