This top-flight Italian eatery has been dazzling Austinites for years, and one bite of Chef Carmelo Mauro’s spectacular cuisine will make you a convert as well. Mauro opened the first Carmelo’s in Houston in 1978 and expanded to Austin in 1985. In the three decades he’s been in the restaurant business he has assembled a legion of devoted fans who claim that his place offers the best Italian in Texas, hands down. For appetizers, the beefsteak tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil can’t be beat, as well as the mussels, flavorful and simmered in garlic white wine broth. Entrees that garner special attention are the chicken Parmesan, which is lush and delicious, as well as signature dishes like the tender Ossobucco and fettucine carbonara, which is cooked tableside. In general, the seafood here is beyond reproach, with tender, perfectly-cooked salmon a highlight. Carmelo’s also has an excellent wine selection. For dessert, the lemon cake, served from an old-school three-tiered dessert cart, is some of the best in town.

Carmelo’s
504 E 5th St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 477-7497