Asti Trattoria Reviews

This restaurant always has a terrific 'buzz' and after 10 years (I think it is) I haven't had a meal there that I did not enjoy a lot! Its not cheap but not really expensive either. One of my favorite places and one I always bring visitors to from out of town.

After air travel all day, we arrived at our hotel exhausted and the manager recommended a little local Italian place. Upon arriving, ASTI looks from the outside like a family diner, but inside is another story. Not only was the wait staff terrific, the food was great. We ordered Caesar salad that was fresh, crunchy and spiced just right, followed by a Bianca pizza with Parma ham. Incredible. Light, tasty, fresh. The ham was salted just right off set by the fontina cheese and Parmesan. For dessert, we couldn't help ourselves and got the tiramisu and the almond orange cake with homemade coco sorbetto. OMG! Absolutely wonderful. And to add to it, the owner, Emmet, heard we were from out of town, and took the time to make us a list of sights to see. Don't miss this place. You won't be sorry.

We started off with what looked like a promising evening. Two of us in the group ordered the mushroom rissotto, after being assured that it could be made without meat. Halfway through the meal, we found out that they had served us the dish with meat. This is deeply disturbing- considering that I have been a vegetarian all my life - until now. Yes, the wait staff and the owner apologized for the error. Sure, they sounded sincere. Yes, they did not charge us for the 2 dishes out of 10 that were questionable. Disturbing, none the less.

Consonantly good food and service. Enjoy the variety in the menu. It's one our favorite places in town.

Really good, but the entrees are too little

A visit to Austin and the highlight was eating at Asti Trattoria. A new deck on the side of the restaurant was ideal as was the weather. All the dishes arrived together and were piping hot. The Capellini Neopolitano, with meatballs made of chicken and mushrooms...yes, that is what I said. I didn't want to share them but had to cut a few in half to give a taste to the other guests. Fabulous meal. Also ordered was the Seafood and Safron Risotto, and Chicken Marsala. Each dish was presented well and we all savored each mouthful. Our waitress Sam was a delight as was the other servers. If only there were six stars to give.

Asti's owner's presence greatly improved our lunch experience. Although the menu is the same as before they apparently have upgraded their preparations to make salads with a particularly delicious dressing and added ingredients that were not in the salads before. Several months ago the place was almost empty and now is so busy that it has a very different atmosphere - almost too loud but still doable to have a conversation. Our waiters have always been thoughtful and courteous. Whenever I visit Austin it is our favorite go-to!

Solid Italian offerings, wine, and delicious bread sticks. Can be a touch pricey.

We had an amazing dinner here. We had the shishito peppers and stuffed mushrooms to start that were delicious. Then we had a special lasagna with fresh vegetables and a seafood risotto that were fresh and delightful. I would highly recommend this lovely restaurant for a lovely meal with great service.

My wife, family and I have been coming to Asti for years - since 2001. It is just a great neighborhood restaurant that always pleases. Years ago they had on their menu "pinch and twist" garlic sauteed spinach, which we occasionally still ask for, off menu now, but that we still make at home. Great atmosphere, great food. The bread before the meal is great, but save room for the main course!

I come here regularly for the linguine and clams. It's sooooo good. They also make excellent risotto. It's a great quiet place to frequent. Pricing is great so you'll get an excellent meal and not empty your wallet out. They also have a great wine selection so pop in for a glass of bubbles and some linguine and clams. You won't be disappointed!

We popped in for dinner following an early evening concert on a beautiful Friday evening. We expected a long wait, but we were pleasantly surprised to be seated shortly after arriving. It was serendipity. This small restaurant tucked away in the neighborhood was absolutely delicious and authentic Italian food. With each course, we fell further in love with this place. The bread, the wine, the stuffed mushrooms, the salads, the pastas, all fantastic. We can hardly wait to return.

I've only been once, but had a great experience. NIce atmosphere, very good food. You could split the personal pizza & order salads They take reservations. My mom is hard-of hearing & this was a great place.

Asti was an out of the blue find. Being from out of town, we had a hard time finding a reservation on a Saturday night. I came upon Asti through an internet search. It was the BEST! Our server was knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Our meal was delicious: all 4 entrees were cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was great for conversation, even though the restaurant has an industrial type ceiling. All I can say is that the food was perfection. I wish I lived in Austin!!

Very nice small Italian restaurant. First time visiting. We had the soup & Caesar salad to start. Minestrone Soup was good, but salad lacked Caesar dressing & tasted more like some olive oil mixed with lettuce. Main courses were the Grilled Salmon Salad & Spaghetti Carbonara. Salad was standard, nothing special. For the Carbonara, the chef needs to visit Italy and understand how Carbonara should be served. This version was more like fettuccine alfredo with pieces of pancetta. Very disappointing. The highlight was the Garlic Bread, which was one of the best I have ever had being grilled & flavorful. Probably won't return since don't live/work around the area.

We had a great experience at this resturant on 7-15-16 for dinner. The staff was very attentive and helpful. We did not make reservations, but we were taken care of while we waited. The food was inventive and very tasty. 5 out of 5, would eat here again .

Five of us had an excellent dinner at Asti Trattoria on a busy Saturday night, but the kitchen never wavered. A chef's gift of a snack was a new touch, and it was delicious. They also provide wonderful focaccia for the table. We started with a couple of appetizers for the table. The blanca pizza was delicious as always, but the beet cured salmon was a new treat for all of us, and we loved it. The only other dish for sharing we had was a side of well roasted brussel sprouts - very nice. Everyone loved the entrees, which included gnocchi that was remarkable for everything else in the dish as much as for the gnocchi itself. It was a melange of different flavors that worked together quite well. The rigatoni was equally appreciated; these people know pasta. I had the caprese salad with burrata instead of mozzarella. It was very pretty, but nothing out of the ordinary. We finished with chocolate cannolis, affrogato and tiramisu. Opinions of desserts at our table varied between good and very good. Our bill for the six of us came to just over $250 with the mandatory tip and tax.

I was taking my son to look at UT this spring. He has multiple food allergies. So, we let the restaurant know ahead of time of our numerous limitations. When we arrived, they had clearly gone over the information with everyone from the hostess, to server, to sous chef, and the chef (this is rare for a restaurant to do). My son doesn't usually love to eat out because he doesn't want to make things complicated for others. But, the team at Asti Trattoria made him feel more welcome than we have felt anywhere. The chef brought his meal to the table and had clearly spent the time to make it as special as possible as well as presenting it with enthusiasm. We felt that it was important to THEM for my son to feel the Asti Trattoria love. Mission accomplished! The food was incredible and we loved every minute of the experience. If you don't have a need for special accommodations, I can assure you that the food is amazingly delicious, innovative and fresh!

Excellent proportions, fresh ingredients, exceptional staff, great owners, talented chef.

Wow, we have enjoyed this restaurant for years. And yet they stepped it up even another notch. Chef Evan served up a flower-shaped ravioli filled with carrot mousse and topped with nasturtium and sunflower petals. Summer yum. Two nearby tables also devoured this special entree. Other favorites for us are the Rigatoni, Lasagna Rotolo, thin crust pizzas, and seasonal salads. The service is always friendly, and the setting sparkles with an easy ambiance.

Wonderful wine, the carmenere merlot blend was bold and peppery. Very smooth. Nice retro atmosphere. I'm having the tomato basil pizza.

I love carbonara, but it is very difficult to find the real deal in the US. They do it right here--no cream. My wife had amatriciana that had a fiery kick and she was pleased. We also split the Nizza salad and it was very well done. The service was excellent. The wines are mostly Italian and very good, but overpriced. We had a tasty nobile. I was very satisfied and look forward to a future visit.

Been going downhill for awhile

I was in Austin for a class and ate here Sunday night. Wonderful service, great food, not nearly as full as it should have been! Everything tasted homemade and was perfect. I love carbonara and this is some of the best I have ever eaten. And I agree about the great bakery across the street for coffee after dinner. Or to take a sweet home for later.

Went here for dinner and it did not disappoint. Capellini with Shrimp and the special of Tagliatelle with sausage were great. We also had the special bruschetta with ricotta cheese, honey and lemon. Portion size was small - only 2 pieces - but very tasty. Upper prices on the wines in my opinion and a few more from Italy would have been nice. Dinner for 2 with a glass of wine and one beer ran $74.

Four of us were here for dinner on a recent Saturday evening, two new to Asti and two old hands having dined there many times before. We had a reservation and found parking right outside on the street (there is also a lot a half block away). The restaurant is small in size, but the menu is large and everything we tried (including the day's special) were very good. Wine is a bit pricey (approx. $12 a glass) but also available by the bottle. The service was excellent and non-intrusive and helpful. The newbies loved it and as for the vets, we'll be back again.

Fortunately, I wasn't paying when my relatives took me to dinner here. An appetiser of a few stuffed mushrooms was $9, a glass of wine was about $10, and the main dish I had my eye on -- pumpkin ravioli -- was $16. $16 for ravioli with nothing else. That's not the say the food wasn't delicious. It just didn't seem to be good value for money. Add to that the fact that a full restaurant is a noisy, noisy place, my poor dad couldn't heard a word any of us said, and I gave up trying to have conversation. There are so many choices in Austin for good restaurants -- tasty, value for money, and good atmosphere -- that Asti would not make my short-list against the competition.

Locals have run the place for 12 years. Salmon, seafood risotto, capellini with meatballs, and pizza. Don't forget to save room for the tiramisu. The bet we've ever had!

Last night we had a marvelous dinner at Asti. We started with the mussels which are perfectly seasoned and among the best I have had. My wife had the Grilled Trout with spinach while I had the Chicken Breast Piccata on bed of Capellini with artichokes, capers and lemon. These were wonderful as well. For desert we had the Panna Cotta which was very good but unremarkable. The service was very knowledgable and attentive. I love this place which continues to be one of me favorite Austin restaurants.

very good choice for italian food in Austin. great neighborhood feeling, if you don't want to go to downtown area. I love this place! been there twice already and both times the food was great! I will definitely go back!

Great place in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The food is always fabulous. Great wines, many reasonably priced. Love to share the antipasta to start. The white bean dip with truffle oil and homemade breadsticks are my favorite. Entrees are good sized, not 'art food' as my husband says, and won't leave you hungry. He enjoyed the pumpkin gnocchi with a side of sauteed chard. I had a lovely salad with poached egg as I was saving room for dessert! I love that Asti offers a savory dessert rather than all sweets. I had the cornmeal cake with olive oil gelato sprinkled with sea salt and finished with candied rosemary. Oh my ! My husband ordered his favorite, the tiramisu, which of course I tried. Beautiful! The lady fingers were soft and fresh and the chocolate sauce was dark and delicious. Don't hesitate to try this place, make reservations as it is usually crowded.

We had been to Asti before, but it had been a couple of years. Although the restaurant has been there for many years and the menu probably does't change all that much, we thought the meal tonight was better than in the past. It was excellent. The focaccia bread, the wine, the lamb pappardelle and the chicken piccata were all so so good. We also bought the 3 vegetable combo and the spinach and the carrots were so good. The fries were good too! but with my pasta I didn't eat a lot of them. Highly recommend the carrots and the spinach. We had a great night, the waiter was attentive but not intrusive. We will go back soon!

Our whole meal was great - my husband's pasta included a delicious duck sausage. Next time, I would order only the antipasto sampler and a salad. The service was excellent and we thought the value was very good as well. At dinnertime, the restaurant is dark and noisy, so try to get a table away from the kitchen and bring along a flashlight or book light to read the menu and the bill. Highly recommended!

No wonder this restaurant is so highly rated. Wonderful friendly service. Caesar salad is the best I’ve had anywhere. The carbonara was done perfectly as were other dishes. The affogato was very good although the the donuts were a little over done. It’s a vibrant atmosphere in Hyde Park. The only recommendation is ask for a table for 2 along the wall. The tables for two are placed way too close to one another for intimate dining.

Went here for lunch on a quiet Wednesday, around 1:30pm. About 5 occupied tables, 2 servers and about 4 people in the open kitchen. Of course we were seated promptly, right next to a party of 4 (the tables are very close together) while the whole restaurant was empty. Next, our server asks if we want still or sparkling water, we ask for still, she brings us an OPENED bottle of "nature" water and says that usually there is a cost for this, but not today (how lucky for us). We split a small ceasar,there was nothing wrong with this. We try their fries, remember those ones in a can? Our server never asks how things are going, or do we need anything. She was much too busy chatting with the other staff. We watch our food sitting on the counter waiting to be picked up (where is the server? No one else can bring us our food?) honestly, I was inclined to get it myself.. The capellini and meatballs were edible, certainly nothing outstanding or memorable. The dessert of ice cream topped with espresso and served with "beignets" (which were really just cakey donuts) was ok. All in all, the food was okay, but the service was NOT!

Four of us had dinner here following a work meeting. The service was excellent and everyone enjoyed their entrees. The Raspberry Meyer Lemon Sorbet was worth every penny and a perfect ending to a good Italian dinner. My entree was chicken eggplant parmesan which was good, but not served quite warm enough. Since I was with my boss, I didn't ask for it to be warmed. But this is something the kitchen can easily correct. Most likely lots of orders were being finished at once and mine sat too long. The sorbet offset anything lacking in my entree and I would recommend this restaurant.

Modern Italian

Great little restaurant right around the corner from the Elisabet Ney museum (well worth a visit). They have a small menu but it's very creative and the food well prepared. We ordered the salad with grilled salmon and the baked eggplant parmesan special to share. Both were very tasty. Waiter was very personable and even brought my wife a gorgonzola crostini to try when she commented on another diner's lunch.

Excellent food, exclusively Italian wine list, all done with great attention to taste and detail. Room is small, reservations recommended, great spot to see and be seen.

Eating alone on a busy Friday. Immediately seated and served. Very personable waiter. Had Ceasar salad and mushroom risotto. Both perfectly done. When I started looking at desserts and waitress saw I was reaching capacity, she offered a half portion of a knock-out dessert. Great dinner.

We've just moved to Austin and several friends recommended Asti as a nice, neighborhood restaurant. The owner, who took our reservation that afternoon, welcomed us and treated us like family. It was a very family, neighborhood Italian restaurant. The service was friendly; the menu was very simple, but the meals were ample and delicious; and after having the Affogato, our friends are now special friends!

As we were driving home this Friday after dinner at Asti, both my spouse and I stated that we wished we lived within walking distance because this would be a perfect casual option to enjoy on a regular basis. We have dined here 2x in the past 3 months and were really impressed both times across the board. The preparation of some of the more simple dishes - like the white bean dip with grilled crostini or the capellini neopolitano - is spot on and really lets the freshness of the ingredients shine through. The portions are a decent size and well presented. This was almost a 5 star review, and if it were just for service, it would be. The main dining room was full so we opted for the bar seating. Mitch took great care of us. He is passionate about the food and knowledgeable about the wines. Definitely a standout example of a service professional. The one drawback I have, which is nitpicking - relates to the lighting of the restaurant. The dining room is a bit too dark for my preference. However, the bar is definitely too bright. I realize the staff need light to work back there, yet maybe not that much. Food is a solid 4 stars. Service 5. We look forward to our return trip to try some of the more adventurous items on the menu. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g30196-d437659-r723802567-Asti_Trattoria-Austin_Texas.html#

A neighborhood place with cafe atmosphere and a diverse menu. We sampled a wide range including the Portobello Panini, Capellini w/ mussels, Grilled vegetables on polenta and Grilled Salmon salad. All were excellent. Nothing fancy here, just good food .

The bread was delicious. I had the Stuffed Mushrooms, which were very good. The Caesar Salads were good. It appears that they use anchovies in the dressing (which is what is called for but a bit of a surprise these days). Capellini Neopolitano was very good good. Casareccia & Baby Octopus Puttanesca was salty, I thought about sending it back but the saltiness was inconsistent, which was strange. "Straw & Hay" Housemade Spinach & Egg Tagliolini was very good without the meat. Made reservations through OpenTable and said it was wife's birthday. Nothing said at all. Why ask if you are going to ignore what is said? We will likely go back and try some other dishes and dessert.

This place uses fresh, local ingredients as much as possible, and their dishes - even those made with cream - feel lighter and healthier as a result. Great wine selection, too.

Walked down from our B&B and were pleasantly surprised by the food here. We only had appetizers and salads, and wish we had room for the interesting choices on the menu. They had just changed their menu which they do often, which is always fun to come back to and try new items. I loved my melon and prosciutto salad and my husband loved his Caesar salad with anchovies. Really cool atmosphere too!

Our B&B recommended Asti and it did not disappoint - great food! Get reservations as the word has gotten out about how good this place is and locals flock to it. Great service, decent wine list.

this is a fabulous price conscious neighborhood eatery. located in central austin - hyde park. worth the walk and/or ride.

This is a nice little family owned Italian restaurant. Our group of 6 had several different items and all were good. I really enjoyed my duck breast. Very knowledgable waitstaff.

My husband and I ate dinner here and we both said this is the best Italian I think I have ever eaten, the portions were big enough that we had leftovers for the next night and it was still delicious, we couldn't wait to eat it.

The food is some of the best Italian in Austin, and it has a very hip atmosphere. The chef's specials tend to be very good. Not as expensive as Vespaio on South Congress.

Asti is in our regular rotation for a nice dinner. The cuisine is 'modern Italian', with everything from small pizzas and great salads to pasta, duck and fish. Bistro-style ambience, with the kitchen very much part of the atmosphere and counter seating available along with the tables. Asti features very good service and a nice selection of Italian wines. The homemade breadsticks and cannoli for dessert are standouts, too. The Hyde Park location may not be on your regular beat, but it's worth finding and there's no downtown hassle.

Much loved for it's location in Hyde Park, but nothing to write home about for my tastes.

It is not Italian Restorant or Italian food but they tried their best for so many years. We moved from Italy long ago and loved this place for the great service, many choices and healthy cooking. In the last years we noticed that you don’t have so much to chose anymore but we still loved the place until tonight. Unfortunately the quality of food was inferior. The Trout we always ordered was swimming in butter and the beans uncooked. The waiter already knew about our horrible experience and didn’t do anything to make our experience better. Sorry but we won’t go back anymore.

This is an appealing Italian restaurant with good food. Not a white tablecloths type. The waiter was engaging and efficient. My wife's quail with demi-glaze balsamic vinegar reduction over puréed sweet potatoes was excellent. My capellini with meatballs was less showy but still very tasty. Tiramisu and gelato were enjoyed.

You can catch Robert Plant and his new squeeze Patti Griffith here a lot.

I am snooty about restaurants. I don't care what it looks like on the inside if the food is stellar. Not only was the interior attractive but the food was memorable. I was tired but the server was very kind in helping me make a selection. I cook well enough that I don't care to eat out often, but Asti is one of the few places I'd return to, if only because I can't make balls duck confit!

Sophisticated Italian!

Came here Friday eve w my wife and her friend. I ordered the calazone, and we had some great white bean dip spread and fried artichokes too. My wife and friend ate one of the pasta dishes though I can't remember which...she was carb-loading gor a half-marathon. Descent wine selection, great service, and Peroni on tap with a nice outdoor patio for eating. We'll be back to try more for sure.

Business meeting with two associates, the staff let us linger before ordering without feeling rushed. Once we decided the two appetizers were delicious, stuffed mushrooms were tender fungi filled with ricotta, goat cheese, Parmesan and a hint of sage and truffle oil. The ricotta and cherry bruschetta were two large pieces of bread covered in homemade ricotta,black pepper, fried rosemary and fresh and pickled cherries. The spaghetti carbonara, had a velvety, creamy texture due to the farm egg and was wonderful. The trout was cooked perfectly, the slight imperfection was in the grilled chicken thighs as one of them was a tad burned, but not enough to keep me from finishing them as the peach mostardo that accompanied them was excellent. All in all a very good dining experience. Will go back!

This italian restaurant is typical of alot of austin eateries, happening, hip and fun. The food was great and the wine list affordable but good bottles. Service perfunctory and the room was loud but that is to be expected on a sat night in Austin. Overall, very good!

I went here on a yoga trip with my friend. We wanted risotto and it offered two types. The carbonara my friend ordered was good, but he wanted a gin and tonic and they didn’t offer liquor. I wanted salmon also and I emphasized well done. I had to send it back twice, but they made it right by not charging for it or my glass of wine and apologized. Cute atmosphere and friendly staff. I’d give it another shot because of their concern for the cooks issue.

My husband I ended up here after the first place we wanted to go was closed. What a nice suprise. I had a delicious cesaer salad and risotto. My husband had a great pizza with sausage.

My hubby and I went here for dinner before heading to the theater. It's a small little modern, bright Italian place that has been in Austin for decades. There's a open kitchen with dishes etc...stacked all around so you can't actually see into the prep area. The service was excellent. My hubby ordered the Caesar salad and while the server asked if he wanted anchovies he didn't mention the Caesar was whole leaves of romaine lettuce. Not a problem for me but my hubby cannot cut his food so I had to cut it for him. (He hates when I have to do that for him in pubic.) We both ordered the carbonara. It had these odd grey/black what tasted like deep fried lumps of pork skin sprinkled all over it. Well that's when my hubby gave up. Took 2 bites and said never mind. He didn't like the dish at all. I quite liked the pork but not the spaghetti at all. My plate was very liquid and rich/creamy. My hubby's plate was cheesier and not so runny. Not what we expected at all. It wasn't noisy when we were there but the tables are very close together so when it's busy noise could be an issue.

Emmett and his staff do a wonderful job of serving terrific food in a cozy atmosphere that makes diners feel welcome and at home. The dishes are both classic and well executed. The service is attentive without being overbearing. I would not describe it as "inexpensive", but well worth it for the food and experience.

This is a wonderful neighborhood Italian restaurant that is both upscale and comfortable at the same time. Food and service is excellent. Very friendly staff, Reasonable prices. I always wind up asking for something that's not exactly on the menu. They don't even blink, they just take the order and make it. While it's not a full-on kids/family restaurant there were kids there and it worked just fine. They serve pizza, but it's not a pizza joint. It's much more. I have never had pizza there.

Anytime there are fresh artichokes on the menu, they must be mine. These were lightly lbreaded with semolina and fried. They were excellent. Also a very fresh minestrone. Dining companions had the seafood rissotto and tomato rissotto were also wonderful. The only downside was the even with a reservation we had to wait 25 minutes. However, they comped drinks while we waited. I think it was an overbooking situation.

Creative, varied menu, and excellent quality food. We hard a large table, and everyone seemed quite happy.

We have been about 10 times. Sometimes good and sometimes disappointing. With a little work - this could be a great local place. There are several dishes which are usually good - the mussels, bread and the pasta with sausage. The main dishes change... the trout was great tonight and the chicken and eggplant parmigiana was terrible ( tasteless and served cold ). They consistently use too much salt on everything...as if this is the miracle cure. The waitress stayed away as much as possible - I assume because she knew there were problems. So when your food is cold and tasteless do you sit for 10 minutes waiting for someone to show up....or take the dish back to the kitchen yourself. We took the quiet route this evening...which I regret. It did not get any better. They just can not lay off the salt. Maybe this disguises the first bite or two but it make a dish hard to finish and then your are drinking water all night to get the taste of the salt out of your mouth. The size and atmosphere are really pleasant. It would take just a little more supervision and a little more skill in the kitchen to move this place from a mixed bag to a great little place. Maybe I'm underestimating the level of difficulty here but this seems like a missed opportunity. We will try again in a few months.....an hope that they read this and a few of the other reviews.

I like Asti for lunch--when *I'm* paying.

The menu was small but had a great variety of interesting dishes. We started with an appetizer of corn and lump crabmeat fritters. This was fabulous. Only problem was it was kind of pricey and we asked if it was an appetizer for the table. Our waiter said yes, but It was very small, so was for 1 person. The dinners were very good, and we each got something different. The atmosphere is nice, and would accommodate couples, friends, almost any diners except small children. All in all a very good dining experience.

the meal was overall very good. I had trout, my guest had salmon. The dessert was spectacular, a multilayer pastry called a chiobust. Beer and Wine, no full bar. good value. attentive service

The sort of place that has regulars, who know the staff and are treated like family. Great staff. Can be busy. Great wine manager. Even the famous go there - such as Robert Plant

The location of this restaurant is great! It's away from downtown so parking is easy and it's fun to park a bit away from the restaurant and enjoy a walk through this charming part of Austin. Oh ... there is a great bakery right across the street for coffee and treats after dinner. Ok enough of that ... now for the place itself. It's moderately priced (about $40.00 including tip for two adults) and the food is tasty and presented well. The service was spectacular though we did dine early. A reservation is recommended on weekends. A charming place for a romantic date. I'll be back

We've eaten here many times, hoping that the kitchen would rise to the level of excellence at the Fox's other restaurant, "Fino." But it is just 'okay'. Best thing is the Caesar salad with grilled chicken that is warm and flavorful.

We enjoyed excellent food and service at an early NYE dinner with friends. Caesar salad with white anchovies was delicious. Grilled trout excellent. Others judged the salmon to be superb. Job well done.

Located just a little bit north of the University in the heart of Hyde Park at 43rd & Duval, Asti has excellent pasta, risotto, interesting salads, small tasty pizza, and a rotating selection of entrees including duck, lamb, trout and occasionally osso bucco -- all very good. Nice list of quite drinkable Italian wines: we like the Aglianico and the Coenobium.

Wonderful small Italian restaurant just north of the University of Texas in Hyde Park. Don't be fooled by the exterior, the inside is nice and serene. The staff is very friendly, helfpul and knowledgeable. They have a nice wine list at reasonable prices. We had the beat salad, octopus, and shisito peppers with salami for starters. For mains we had the capellini neapolitano with shrimp and the linguine with clams. For dessert, we had the coffee gelato. All were excellent. While not the absolute best Italian in Austin, Asti is certainly a close second or third to Vespaio and perhaps one or two others. Asti is also easier to get a reservation, less crowded, and the noise level is conversational. Great place for a nice meal.

Using OpenTable is fairly easy to actually get a reservation for one. The restaurant Decour was nice very open kitchen and open atmosphere and offer pleasant service upon arrival. The menu seem fairly well price. It offered everything from salads to pizza to pastas the full dinner selections to include eggplant and trout with an Italian theme. One unique item was in regards to there sparking water, the actually had rainwater distilled and bubbly added and called happy water. I started the course with a the trio which consisted of mozzarella balls, almonds and olives. The texture was unique and the flavor a of the olives with the oil was amazing. The seafood risotto was good the clams were tiny, but the flavor was good. Overall would recommend this place as a quite first date location. Fairly quite good food and two exits :-)

Asti has all the standards on a fine Italian restaurant. Their chefs don't take a standard approach with the ingredients or the flavors, so each dish has a pleasant and rewarding surprise. The wait staff were very well trained and generous with wine and information.

My husband and I went for the first time We had a Saturday reservation. The hostess sat us immediately and the waitress was at our table within 1 minute of sitting down. She was very professional and made us feel welcome. We ordered the appetizer - hot spinach and artichoke dip, which was incredible. Our main course was the neopolitina with shrimp and the chicken piccata. Both dishes were full of flavor and proportions were not small, but not mega size. We finished with dessert of tiramisu and chocolate crepes. These were excellent! All in all, this place has great service, great ambiance, and excellent food. We will be back!

We've never been disappointed at Asti and it held true once again. This time I had the off-the-menu special - lobster cannelloni - and it was fantastic. As always, the service was attentive and our waiter was very helpful on every question - from wine to dessert. The menu is so unlike the "chain" Italian spots... What I imagine "home cooked Italian" is really like. Don't go for atmosphere - it's all about food and service at Asti.

My son and I were in town for the F1 race at Circuit of the Americas and had one of his friends recommend Asti. One of the best Italian restaurants I have dined at. Had a reservation and we were promptly seated. The atmosphere reminded me of a New York restaurant. Waitstaff was friendly, attentive, and suggested excellent items. Their pick for a red wine paired well for our meal. Stuffed mushrooms appetizer were perfect. Calamari was cooked perfectly also. I ordered linguine with clams and a white wine sauce. Little neck clams in shell melted in my mouth. The pasta was made there and was wonderful. Great meal! Espresso and Beignets were the ending to the meal. Beignets were as good as New Orleans Cafe Du Monde. Strongly recommend running up to Hyde Park for a great dinner.

Not great for the money, always seem to run out of their specials by 7pm.

Solid pasta.

Excellent food, excellent service (we were catching up with old friends for a good three to four hours, and never felt pressured to hurry, even though the restaurant was busy), and reasonable portions (not so big that you don't have room for dessert). Don't let the ordinary-looking exterior (it used to be a drugstore) deter you from eating here...it's lovely on the inside.

My wife and I had dinner with friends on the patio. what a treat! Caprese salad was extremely fresh, the mozzarella had to be homemade. Fried calamari was served hot, lightly fried, and among the best calamari I’ve ever eaten. Really! Seafood risotto was full of seafood, and the tomato-based sauce with the right amount of garlic was perfect. Trout was pan fried, I think, and fresh tasting. Fresh and perfectly seasoned would categorize every dish quite nicely. Server was friendly but not ingratiating; genuine, in other words. Patio has a really nice vibe, even though the view is pretty ordinary. There’s something cozy about the patio and I am not sure I can put my finger on it. I’m fairly certain I could’ve ordered everything on the menu, which is very varied, oriented toward classic Italian with lots of nuances/a little something to set each dish apart from the ordinary. Except the calamari, which I mentioned above, and which is worth mentioning twice. My wife and I have only been here once in the past three or so years, and that will change. Truly an excellent neighborhood restaurant, with the emphasis on excellent restaurant. Nicely done!

In 4 yrs. in Austin, our experience at Asti ranks as the worst dining experience we have had here. I do not mind paying a lot for food - what I do mind is being ripped off. We ordered the cheese board ($12) as a starter and a microscope was needed to find the 6 miniscule (bite-sized for an infant) pieces of cheese that were on the board. I made the mistake of ordering a special for the night - a pork ragu. It was delicious - I'll give you that, but in the center of a large white plate was maybe 1/2 cup of ragu. Maybe not even a 1/2 cup. It was ridiculously small. We chose not to eat dessert there than night - paid out $100+ tab, left hungry and went a few blocks away to Mandola's Market for dessert where we did not feel ripped off. High prices - portions that wouldn't fill up a 3 yr. old. We'll never go back.

This place is small but well worth a visit. The food was fantastic. we could tell that each item was designed and prepared by a chef. The staff functioned like a well oiled machine. We lacked for nothing. I know nothing about New York, but I imagined the place to be like a very lively local eatery in a New York neighborhood.

Well-prepared spaghetti carbonara with fresh al dente pasta, a nice taste of fresh egg, fresh pancetta and an acid that was not quite sweet enough to be lemon but added such a great zest to the dish made this a really worthwhile meal. The Northern Italian minestrone was just not quite up to my taste and I will skip it next time. The quite homey atmosphere make this a place I will come back to with my wife to sample the rest of the menu.

I've been here for dinner, but only recently was there for lunch. I like the vibe inside, quasi NYC. Must be in a carb friendly mood or don't bother...one person had the special rigatoni and another got a blt with fried egg piano panini. I opted for pizza with caramelized onions pancetta and...a fried egg. Crazy yum. The whole menu was enticing.

I've been to Asti 3x for lunch and am always happy and full leaving. I've had the pizza, the polenta, and the veggie panini. All delicious. Service is not the quickest, so do not expect to have a quick 30 min lunch and get back to work. I will definitely go for dinner when I have more time to relax and enjoy.

My family and I experienced a fabulous lunch complete with dessert. We chose three different items to share as well as delicious garlic bread. We began with the Nizza Salad and Blanco Pizza which was unbelievably good. We then shared the Chicken Parm. We finished our magnificent lunch with in house made Chocolate Cannoli. It was a delicious dining experience. I definitely recommend ordering different items and sharing to have the pleasure of tasting many dishes.

We were very pleased with the food. The cold corn soup with smoked cherry tomatoes was delicious. The linguine Lombardi was excellent - parmesan cream sauce with prosciutto, radicchio, and spinach. The chicken parmesan came with capelinni pasta, capers, garlic, lemon in a fresh tomato sauce. Service was faultless. Décor could be more "trattoria-like" (which accounts for my not giving them a perfect score) but go for the food rather than the ambience and you won't be disappointed. On-site parking.

We wanted a quiet place to celebrate two birthdays in our group of friends so after doing some research, I reserved a table for 6. I was honestly surprised for the coziness of the place, it felt like we were in the comfort of our house. We were seated at the very back of the restaurant to which I felt a little nervous because of the reviews saying the service is slow, but on the contrary, we were super happy because our waiter was very attentive, giving us time to decide, and checking on us continuously. We ordered the fresh salad, the octopus and the calamari as an appetizers and everyone love it! I had the salmon, which I thought it was fantastic, I had a little bit of the corn risotto but I didn’t like it as much, I though it was under seasoned but the texture was correct and it was very fresh. Then I had the tiramisu, which is my favorite dessert of all times so I have eaten many, and even thought this was not the best I had, it’s in the top 10. We also ordered the sorbet, which was fantastic, and the cannolis, that we shared and loved. The chef came and visit a little bit asking how was everything and also to wished us happy birthday, which I found very neat, since we didn’t say anything there, but when I did the reservations, I put down celebrate birthdays as the reason we were going. The tiramisu and the sorbet were given as a birthday present! I will come back for sure and recommend this place to friends.

We haven't yet found a really great Italian restaurant in Austin. ASTI is rather small, with an open kitchen (which is a plus), and seating that is quite tight. If you're not careful, you could almost be bumping elbows with the people at the table next to you. Not a place for a romantic meal and no ambience to speak of. The focaccia was quite good; would have been even better had it been warm. The entrees came literally within 5 minutes of ordering---this is the kind of turnaround time I expect at Whataburger, not at a good "sit down" experience. Everything comes VERY FAST and the server is more than attentive---pushy is the only way to describe it. As soon as you finish your entree, the plates are swept away and the dessert menu is shoved into your hands, and the server hovers over you waiting for the order. If we were ever to try this place again, we would consciously space out each phase of ordering and "drag our feet a bit" in order to have a more relaxed meal. On the other hand, with so many choices in Austin, why should we have to work so hard? Disappointed with the service, but the food quality was good, though not outstanding. Perhaps this would be a better choice for business lunches. Doubtful that we'd return. Seems well suited to local neighborhood patrons who can just walk over from their homes.

We arrived at this cute east side staple of austin to a fairly empty dinner crowd. We were sat quickly and the waitress was very nice and polite. Somewhere between the ordering of our food and the actual arrival though we became forgotten about and couldn’t get a drink replenished or dishes picked up to save our lives. It really wasn’t that busy and we could see our waitress wondering around but she seemed to always circumvent our table. In the end I think we had a restaurant manager start taking care of us and a Hispanic busser who definitely didn’t understand our need for a drink refill. Haha. Overall a nice restaurant but disappointing experience

There used to be lots of great restaurants in Austin where one could go to catch up with friends. Now there are lots of trendy restaurants that are so loud you have to text the person across the table because they are so loud. This noise seems to be cultivated, because there is thumping bass coming out of speakers and hard surfaces everywhere to ensure that everyone else's conversation in the restaurant ends up in the middle of your table. And then there is Asti. It's a wonderful neighborhood trattoria that is quiet enough to have a great conversation. But quiet isn't the only thing required to enjoy your friends at dinner: great food, wine, and service are also essential, and Asti has all of those too. I work at UT-Austin, and this has been my go-to dinner places for colleagues, friends, and visitors for over a decade. The consistency is nothing short of amazing, and at least part of the reason is probably that the owner is usually around keeping an eye on things. All of this at a reasonable price. Try it and you will be hooked.

Simply awesome...and the owners are great people. Make sure to thank Emmit for your meal.

In Austin on business I was taken here by some friends who live locally. It's a fairly compact but bustling restaurant (which could be cosy if the air con wasn't so cold!) with friendly and efficient staff. Our meal was great - the beet and watermelon salad was amazing (doesn't sound like it should work, but it does) and my gnocchi was the best I've ever had. Definitely worth a visit. I'd be a regular customer if I didn't live 5,000 miles away!

I LOVED this restaurant, and my meal! I was in Austin for a roommates reunion, and wasn't sure why they selected an Italian Restaurant in this foodie town. But smack me upside the head, this was like dining in Italy. My Fried Carciofe (artichokes) were excellent, and when I shared the generous starter the carciofe had my roommates groaning with pleasure too. I ordered a favorite Italian dish - Paglia e Fieno pasta (green & white pasta, 'hay and straw') - pasta cooked perfectly al dente, sauce exquisite, just the right amount, when so often American Italian restaurants think more is better, with a perfect balance of butter, cream, Parmesan. Oh to go back there again and delight in my dinner!

We recently had dinner at this local Hyde Park eatery, and enjoyed our meal immensely. Melissa, our server, was excellent! She was very friendly and made us feel right at home. She made some menu recommendations and was very enthusiastic about the dining choices. We started with the fried calamari, which was hand-breaded in semolina flour and was crispy and delicious. It was served with a roasted tomato aioli. We also ordered the stuffed mushrooms, but they were soggy and bland (our only disappointment). The Caesar salad, with the optional white anchovies, was beautifully presented and was tasty. We also enjoyed the mixed green salad with apples and gorgonzola crostini. For our entree, we split a mozzarella/tomato pizza, and it was nicely cooked and very satisfying. For dessert, we had the house-made gelato with amaretto cookies, and the star of the show, the affogato. This was warm, house-made beignets with vanilla bean gelato...and a shot of espresso! I poured the espresso over both the gelato and the beignets, and enjoyed one of the finest desserts I have ever had! Asti has its own pastry chef, and it shows. The food, excellent service and comfortable atmosphere combined to make Asti a future "go-to" restaurant. HINT #1: They can accommodate large parties (up to 36) in a room in the back, and will offer the party a fixe-price menu. HINT #2: Come for just the affogato; you can't go wrong! HINT #3: They are closed on Sundays. Enjoy!

Fantastic food and fun decor. Every course was great. That is hard to do.

Homemade pasta that’s delicious. Generous portions. Attentive service. Nothing fancy, just plain, great food. Wine and beer only.

We loved the Rigotoni Amertriciana (sp?) with Asti sausage. The sauce is so fresh! The artichoke was a delight and the sauce spectacular. Wonderful and friendly little restaurant. We will go there again on our next trip!

I haven't visited Asti in almost ten years, but thought I'd bring some out of town friends there for good food and nice atmosphere. I remember Asti as having reliably good food. Bit really, what a completely disappointing meal. Our dishes were way over-salted and lacking in flavor, finesse and imagination. Nothing popped or impressed -- and this was the opinion of four people. Well, the bread was good. Atmosphere is still nice, the service good. But what's the point of a restaurant with mediocre food? Based on tonight's meal, i would not return.

Ordered out food for 6. Around $150. Food was ready for pick up at 6:40. Restaurant not busy. The two women that were around the reception desk could have cared less whether I was there or not. They barely looked at me. They were chatting with male servers. I asked if the order had been double checked since everything is boxed up. One look disinterested, and the other one looked insulted. I thanked them - no response. I tipped someone. I said goodbye and no response . Too bad because the food is good. Lots of amazing restaurant choices in Austin. The receptionists can make or break at restaurant.

Wife and I had a great time and an excellent meal. The pasta dishes are prepared perfectly. The focaccia was fresh and soft. Pizza was thin on crust and thick on toppings...all very tasty. Wife and I are very particular regarding dinner out. If we're gonna pay for a sitter to have a meal, it better be a good meal. Asti fit the bill. We will be back, and often.

From our reception/seating to getting our food was an excellent experience. Food and service was exceptional. Would definitely eat here again.

Yummy out of the ordinary Italian food. The restuarant is cute, looks like a fancy diner. The food was delicious, a little but pricey though.

Ambiance left a lot to be desired. Tables so close together, hard to get into bench to sit. Asked for another table. Seated next to food prep and order area. Service great. Some things good: calamari, saffron risotto. Some unfinished: beet salad seemed thrown together without thought, choc cannoli tasty but nothing to help with overwhelming choc taste. Bad: bistro steak fatty, small, rare. Overall fine but won't go again.

3 for dinner without having prebooked and were seated immediately. Pizza was only so-so but risotto and linguine dishes were very good indeed. Comprehensive wine list from which to choose.

Love this place … another really good meal, although the mussels were just okay. Some decent size, plump, and juicy. Some tiny and taste was a bit off. Great artichokes. Calamari is best in town, fried, tasty, and a treat. The stuffed mushrooms are a must try dish. Tasty, large latte. Delicious vanilla gelato. Great venue, very cozy. We need to go more often. Friendly server. Thanks Nicole …

Even though today Italian restaurants are serving the finest pizzas and so many other finest dishes, Italian food might be simple, nice and inviting. Because of that, I hate when I review an Italian restaurant below the average, especially when the restaurant has nice atmosphere, friendly crew and a nice host, as Asti has. Is good to arrive at Asti and be gracefully welcome, as normally happens. But, food also has to be good. Yesterday, the special of the night was Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Mushrooms; I grew up in Brazil eating gnocchi, I have Italian background, so, is easy to me to identify when is it well made and when is not. Consistency definitely is something important on this dish. If the gnocchi is heavy everything is lost. So, last night the main component of my dish was extremely heavy and gummy. Maybe is my last time there. Two months ago I went there for dinner and my dish was good, but too small for a main dish, that will be perfect in Italy where your dinner is not only in one dish. Anyway. Food is not exactly bad on Asti, but, based on my last two experiences, Is good to have low expectations about your dish.

We have been to Asti several times. It is a nice neighborhood restaurant, cozy and clean, and the service is very friendly. The menu has a nice range of foods - pizza, pasta, vegetable sides, and fish and chicken dishes. We had the calamari as a starter and it was good, with a nice side sauce (I had to ask for more sauce, as it was a tiny amount). My husband ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara, which was $17. Here is the strange thing about this restaurant: although we paid $17 for this dish, and although pasta is very cheap, the serving size was small. I ordered the seafood risotto for $29. It was expensive but the waiter assured me it had been on the menu for 29 years so I thought it was going to be excellent. What I received was a $4 dish. There was no risotto - only about 1/4 cup of rice. A handful of seafood. Overly salty tomato sauce. I had to ask for more risotto just to see what it looked like and to balance out the salty sauce, since there was so little of it on the plate. It was beyond disappointing and I don't think Asti knows what risotto is. It's a special rice, not regular rice. They must be betting that their customers don't know the difference. In summary, the value is not good for the expensive price. Go somewhere else for better food and better value.

I have lived in Austin all of my life, and Asti is my very favorite restaurant! The food is always fabulous and the wait staff is very friendly and professional. I would recommend Asti for any occasion!

My husband and I came during COVID for his birthday. We sat on the patio and had a wonderful time. Our waiter was very kind and accommodating - we felt safe the entire time. The food was delicious - I had the bolognese and the salad special. We will definitely be coming back many more times.

We ate here last week and the food was superb! Recommended to us by our B&B innkeeper at The Adam's House, we enjoyed the food that was suggested to us by our server. She was so right in her ideas! All of the menus selections looked very tempting. Our food was very tasty and beautifully presented. On our next visit, we will go back! Nice vibe, too!

Six of us gathered for dinner - several with food restrictions (vegetarian, dairy allergy, no red meat) - no problem finding a variety of great food for dinner. We all enjoyed our meals in a delightful place, where we could actually have a conversation!

Ate here with my daughter on their 17th birthday. Seated promptly, table for two by the front window, next to the room partition, which gave this long, rather narrow venue a cozy feel. Server very friendly, nice smile, and knew the menu. Started with a complimentary prosecco for the bday evening. Nice touch. Shared a white bean dip, accompanied by crunchy bread and lettuce, which was smooth and had a nice amount of garlic. My daughter had a gluten free pasta with ricotta cheese (I think). I sampled the pasta, which was delicious. My seafood and risotto was perfect. Lots of clams, muscles, squid, and 4-5 good size shrimp that were cooked exactly right, in a slightly spicy sauce/broth. Decaf coffee was excellent too. At just under $60, an excellent meal at a reasonable price. I'll be be back to this Hyde Park restaurant.

Happy to return to Asti....From the starters ( we chose the artichokes, and the white bean purée), through finish ( mini beignets and espresso gelato), everything was prepared with fresh ingredients and care. Lovely, subtle atmosphere. Three of us split the trout ( delicate), a bowl of pasta (yum) and 3 sides ( char grilled) kale, spinach and green beans.... Our server recommended an excellent wine and served our dessert with a birthday flourish! It was a perfect !

I was disappointed. The menu, while creative, is small. My mussels were fine, nothing extraordinary. The spaghetti carbonara was poor. The pasta was overcooked and there was no flavor. Does not live up to Zagat recommendation.

This is not a fancy restaurant, but I had higher hopes for the food. Not saying it was bad, though. The wine list was very good and my two guests enjoyed the offerings. My wife tried the grilled kale salad but said its overwhelming "licorice" flavor was too much for her. She did thoroughly enjoy her tomato pizza. My seafood and saffron risotto could have been made better had the chef spiced up the seafood a bit more. The risotto was a bit on the dry side. Nonetheless, the place was packed, so they are obviously doing something right.

The place is cozy and perfect for a romantic dinner. There are only a few tables and this makes the restaurant an ideal place to a quiet dining experience. It is maybe a little bit pricier than the average, and we did not have wine...the pizza was great but too small and the pasta topping was too thick and couldn't finish it. The creme brule was delicious.

Fourteen of us, including two kids, had a wonderful time. We were at a long table in the back, which was perfect. The food was great, as was the service.

As part of a brief overnight trip to Austin, my partner and I visited Asti for dinner. This was our first time eating here, and certainly won’t be the last. Located in an eclectic area just north of the UT campus, Asti is a wonderful, relaxed place with a unique vibe. Servers are friendly, efficient and not overbearing. The menu choices are varied and should appeal to anyone. The Milanese Pork Chop was a generous serving as was the Saffron Seafood Risotto. Asti offers a small but diverse dessert menu, both our items were excellent. Free parking is available in an adjacent lot or on street. Don’t miss this little gem nestled in the neighborhood north of campus.

Situated in Hyde Park, residential area full of studious collegians and yuppies, this restaurant tries to offer a touch of Italy to the neighborhood. Bring money. My salmon dinner cost $20 but it was very nearly worth it. Good-size portion served with spinach and white beans, marinated fried tomatoes. Tasty. Wife enjoyed her clams. Noodle dishes are good. Prices are a tad high. Watch out for the cheese board appetizer--$14--for some hard goat cheese, nuts, stuffed dates, crackers. Even our server was not sure what the distinctive cheeses were. You're paying for the exoticism. Unfortunately, the very good food here is offered in the corner spot of an old building which fits nicely into this somewhat run-down and bit dilapidated neighborhood. Maybe it's just OLD. That's okay if you don't insist on upper-end decor.

This neighborhood Italian restaurant was a bit of a disappointment after the brilliant recommendation we received from our innkeeper. The "Porcini Risotto" was lacking both flavor and mushrooms. The salads were also nothing special. However the "Orecchiette" with home made pasta, sausage and broccoli rabe, was very tasty.

Small Italian restaurant with casual, friendly atmosphere. Nice selection of options on the lunch menu. Generous portions considering the very reasonable prices. Everything we tried was very good.

In an area north of UT, this small restaurant has super friendly staff. The decor is pleasant, and the menu reasonably focused. Unfortunately, it has a very limited bar menu (including the lack of a Negronis during Negroni week!). The wine list was good, With a reasonable selection and range of prices. An amuse bouche was a nice gesture, but the olives and anchovies tapenade had far too much garlic in it to be pleasant. The spaghetti carbonara was, unfortunately, too salty to be pleasant. Service was excellent throughout, and it would have been an excellent meal had the food matched the level of the service.

Asti has been located in the Hyde Park section of Austin for what seems like well over a decade. The food is reasonably priced Italian/locally sourced eclectic, and the menu, though not extensive, is well chosen. The wines are reasonably priced, though one can BYOB for a $15 corkage. The friendly owner is usually on premises and closely supervises the kitchen and waitstaff. While crowded on weekends, we can usually find a table.

Spectacular Italian meals! Servers and staff are among the best there is. Great place for a casual dinner and even better for a special occasion. Highly recommended!

What a great night! Our son lives across Duval from the restaurant, and this was a birthday night for three of my family, total five for dinner, reservations for 6:30. Very friendly staff met us at the door and seated us at a nice table. Great atmosphere. Don, our incredible waiter, served complimentary bruschetta with the water, while he guided me through the wine list. Chose a very reasonable Italian red after expertly assessing our desires. Well done, Don. We had the Seafood Risotto, the Lasagna, a Spaghetti Carbonara, and a Sausage Pizza, sharing bites all around. Not a stinker in the bunch - expertly prepared, well presented, and professionally served. For dessert, we shared a tiramisu, a ricotta brulee, and a chocolate cannoli. Perfect ending to a great meal. Thank you for a great birthday, Asti! The Beards, Houston, Texas

What better place to go on "date night" than out for Italian food? We'd heard many good things about Asti . . . so, off we went. Let me start by saying that a reservation for two should not be hard to accommodate . . . I HATE restaurants that take too many reservations and leave you in the bar with the $10 drinks to "wait" for your table. Next, we ordered a couple of appetizers . . . only to have only one delivered. I will give them a "thumbs up" on the mussels in tomato broth, but beyond that it was downhill. The second appetizer never appeared and there wasn't even an apology! The next course arrived about 35 minutes later and let me be specific . . . the Amatriciana was written on the menu and given a detailed ingredient list which matches what "should" be in this decadent sauce. I received something so FAR from the description that I even asked the waiter if I had gotten the WRONG dish by mistake. The HUGE chunks of carrot and celery kind of threw the whole dish and there wasn't even a HINT of guanciale! Oh, and did I mention that cold pasta isn't my favorite? This was a horrible experience . . . and then we got the PLEASURE of paying the bill! I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone who really "knows" Italian food . . . this isn't even close!

The owner, chef, Chef Fox, seems to always be there. The food changes with the seasons; it is very creative in food combinations and so delicious.

Being a person who will go out of her way to avoid a chain dining experience I happily came upon Asti. I was greeted very warmly from the minute I entered the door. I have a son who lives in this area of Austin so we decided to try their happy hour menu as it was too early for dinner. Wow!! What a great menu- the fried artichokes were amazing and the presentation was beautiful. The pizzas are thin crust and are so tender it is probably like the pizza served in heaven!! Ciabatta bread is made in house and is NOT to be missed. So buttery and tender it almost floats away. My son and I were so impressed we ended up lingering and he ordered dinner. There are entrees for vegetarians that are as beautiful as any of the meat entrees. We finished our evening with a fabulous dessert of pans cotta that was fabulous. The next time you are in Austin and want to feel the vibe of an old and historic neighborhood coupled with that good old Texas hospitality you really must try Asti.

Even though this restaurant is not near our house we continue to come back for the atmosphere of a cool local place with great food and reasonable prices. The menu is small but there is always something for everyone in our family. On our most recent visit we had the duck which was outstanding. The service is always good as well.

Tried Asti on a busy Friday night. The restaurant was packed, which was a great sign. Our waiter was diligent and thoughtful but was struggling with an overworked kitchen. The octopus was so salty, the pizza was a bit overdone and everything came out pretty slowly. The owner did proactively fix our experience, which makes me want to try them again when they're not so busy. It has great reviews and an awesome location so I want Asti to work!

We were in the neighborhood and checked out several local eateries and decided to give Asti's a go....very,very glad we did. After having been seated by a very personable host and co-owner of the restaurant, we were greeted by a wonderful wait person who provided very friendly and excellent service for our dinner. She told us of the daily special of locally sourced lamb chops with carrot puree and a tasty kale side (believe me when I say I'm not normally a fan of kale...but this was an exciting rendition...as was the entire dish). We also had a delicious dish of meatballs with polenta and house made ricotta....again, everything had great flavors and texture. I should also mention that our starters of frito misto consisted of a tasty variety of vegetables (asparagus,fennel, artichoke,onion and lemon aiolii)...and a fine montipulciano wine by the glass. A fine meal, prepared by a fine chef! An excellent neighborhood discovery.