Before today, I wasn't familiar with Sapori Italian Roots or the food truck that came before the brick‑and‑mortar, but I had the chance to experience it while celebrating my mother's birthday -- and it turned out to be such a lovely surprise. From the outside, the restaurant is unassuming, but inside it's a comfortable, modern‑ish space that feels welcoming the moment you sit down. Our primary server was JJ, and he was fantastic. The other server working during opening also kept an eye on our table, which made the service feel genuinely attentive without ever being intrusive. JJ started us off with warm focaccia served with herb‑infused olive oil, and it set the tone for the rest of the meal: simple, thoughtful, and delicious. While we looked over their perfectly right‑sized menu, we began with the Burrata Caprese. It was a wonderful starter -- fresh, creamy, and a great way to taste their avocado pesto, which added a bright, unexpected note. For entrées, one of our party ordered the Rigatoni Alla Vodka with chicken instead of the house‑made sausage, and the others chose the lasagna and the spinach ravioli. I tasted everyone's dishes and each one was genuinely delicious, but my own order -- the wild mushroom risotto from the Cicchetti menu -- was the standout for me. The rice was fully imbued with deep mushroom flavor, packed with real chunks of mushroom, and cooked to that perfect al dente texture that makes a true Italian risotto so satisfying. Earthy, rich, and beautifully executed. The portions are huge -- all four of us took food home, and some of us will easily get two more meals out of it. Because we were celebrating a birthday, we were treated to a complimentary order of the cannoli, which was crisp, creamy, and a sweet finish to a wonderful lunch. Sapori is one of those places where the service elevates the food, and the food elevates the service -- both were outstanding. I absolutely recommend trying Sapori Italian Roots and experiencing their delicate pasta, deep Italian flavors, and warm hospitality for yourself. read more

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The focaccia bread was not it--very dry and crumbly. The gnochetti with chicken, however, was absolutely delicious and honestly some of the best pasta I've ever had. The cannoli was disappointing, and since I love tiramisu, I probably should have gone with that instead. The restaurant itself is very small and doesn't have the best layout, but I have no complaints about the customer service. I can't emphasize enough how incredible the pasta was--an easy 10/10 and one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. Unfortunately, the appetizer and dessert just didn't live up to the same standard. read more

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A rustic Italian eatery in the heart of downtown Austin. Maybe the interior and details are not as good as a fine-dining restaurant. But for the price, this place provides foods with quality beyond expectations. The hand made pasta is cooked to a level that fits their robust and vivid sauce perfectly. The garlic and herbal flavors in their red sauce is fantastic. Maybe the menu is a bit short, maybe the parking situation can be tough, but you should not miss this place. Btw, shout out to Micheal for providing great service, introducing their menu smoothly. Definitely going to visit this place again. read more

Delicious authentic Italian food I came during happy hours and the price is right very decent. The service is great. I love the ambiance read more

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We stopped by here on a whim after a road trip from Mission, Tx and we do not regret our decision for one bit! I am not a huge lasagna person but decided to give this one a shot and it was more than delicious! The sauce was a little cold on the outside but that can always be fixed. Service is amazing and our waitress was very attentive. Price is fair for the portions you get! We couldn't finish the lasagna between two people but sure enjoyed every single bite! read more

The food was great, and the customer service was excellent. It took a little while for the food to come out, but everything was made from scratch and tasted amazing, so it was definitely worth the wait. My son absolutely loved the spaghetti, and even though I was already full, I still managed to finish all the calamari because it was so good. The sauce with the calamari tasted very fresh and added a lot of flavor. The restaurant was quite busy, which shows how popular it is. I would definitely come back again to try more dishes. read more

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Great tasting food and friendly staff. Highly recommended. Quick service and energetic ambience. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Bread and Olive Oil- loved it! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

It is a lovely Austin spot for relaxed, memorable, Italian meat. atmosphere feels warm and welcoming with a thoughtful balance of comfort and polish that works equally well for a date night or dinner with friends the menu highlight classic Italian flours with refined touch and the dishes will carefully crafted overly complicated. Services are attentive and friendly throughout adding to the easy-going experience a great choice when you're looking for quality, Italian food, inviting ambience and restaurant that feel special without being stuffy. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Amazing service and amazing food! Famous for their Rigatoni à la vodka and the Gnocchita pesto read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Rigatoni à Rigatoni Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Whenever I'm traveling yelp is my go to for good eats recommendations and Sapori did not disappoint. I came with my 2 year old. Let's just say the bowls were devoured. We had the fried burrata, Caesar salad and the rigatoni alla vodka. So good and flavorful. I loved the sauce, noodles, and sausage in the pasta. This meal tasted homemade and not just a cream added to a simple marinara sauce. I passed on the extra parmesan cheese. The food did it need it. Here for a conference and told everyone who asked for food recommendations to try this place. This was my 1st food stop from the airport! It was worth it. Staff was great and super attentive. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Side Caesar salad and fried Burrata. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I've been here twice and the food is always amazing. Cooked fresh to order. Service is speedy and just as amazing as the food! This is hands down one of the best Italian spots in Austin! I will be back for sure! read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Rigatoni Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had the Rigatoni Alla Vodka, fantastic. Pasta was excellent. Sauce great. Portion was healthy. The meal began with Baratta. Perfect. A side order of meatballs. Eh. As for the red sauce, it's sweet. I'm not a fan of sweet sauce. When back in town for another overnight, I could see myself returning. I'll skip the meatballs next time. A choice for there was a lot of food. read more

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This place is amazing! The owner and chef are from Italy so you are getting quality food without all the frills. It is casual dining. They do have a Happy Hour menu which they are in the process of updating. The staff was amazing. Tim explained the menu so well and gave excellent recommendations. He was so nice and checked on us regularly. They have fresh oil with herbs for the table to enjoy with some delicious focaccia. The caprese burrata is so good, especially with the bread. The seafood mushrooms were amazing. I don't know what sauce they use, but I could eat it by itself. The rigatoni alla vodka is their signature dish and for good reason! It is amazing! The pieces of sausage are pretty big and packed with flavor. The pasta was cooked to perfection. This was my favorite. The fettuccine Alfredo was my husband's favorite. It is made to order so you know it will always be fresh. It is super creamy and full of flavor. We got it with chicken which was still tender. The portions are great for sharing and will leave you full. We came back the next day to try the tiramisu which is so creamy and perfect. Mike was great and fun to talk to. This is now one of our new go to places in Austin! read more

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I was holed up at a nearby hotel to do some meetings with TDLR and my wife found this place on line. It was not just a meal -- it was an experience. Our waiter here conversed with us in a meaningful way and I believe this is how they operate here. Even the owner came by to greet us and talk at length. We sat near the kitchen (which I enjoy) allowing us to watch the food preparation. Now, onto the food! We were given delicious bread with seasoned oil to get started on. I ordered a bowl of their seafood bisque soup and a Caesar salad with chicken. The portions were just huge and I had to take 75% of the salad home. We've told all our friends about this place and we're hoping to return soon with a group and share the love. read more

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The wife and I alternate date nights/weekends. We set at least one day or series of days to go out and have a good time. Each month the other person plans the date. I had October and found this Italian place purely by luck. It used to be a food truck and only recently got a storefront. We booked a reservation for 4 pm as the show we were going to later was around 6 so we wanted time but reservations are not required. The place is small so it may fill up so heads up. It didn't while we were there but it was never empty. The staff was friendly, fast, and easygoing. As it was our first time they let us know the food like the sausage and meatballs are made in house and they had a special cocktail currently. The menu was small but varied. Our server was very nice, I believe her name was Robin, but I may have that wrong. I am awful with names, she was there Saturday, brown or black hair, glasses, grey jeans or pants at 4 pm. She was great. The food arrived quickly and was very good. It was quiet and they had lots of wines to choose from, again there is limited seating but it never felt crowded or like you were boxed in, the room was large enough to offset that, they have small tables, booths, and a large table or two for families or groups. I got the classic Spaghetti and meatballs, they then put on parmesan cheese until you tell them to stop. It was great, the meatballs were fantastic and the sauce was good. The meal was filling, even more so with the bread they supply at the start of the meal. SHANA SAYS: This is currently the very best authentic regular person Italian food to be had in Austin! No one should expect high end, but they *should* expect, and will receive, excellent homemade pastas, sausages, and meatballs. I had the Rigatoni Alla Vodka and it was fantastic. My husband liked the sausage more then his meal by a bit. Also great service in a clean, comfy atmosphere. You do have to go into another part of the building walking past the kitchen. There is signage but you leave the restaurant, go into the lobby of another building and around a corner then down a hallway. It is a trip but the bathrooms are clean. Just know to give yourself time. I hope more people support and go here, as I said they had people the whole time we were there, one other couple, a family came in, a group of friends, they stayed steady and I was happy to see that. I hope they make it and people support local! read more

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Let me preface this by saying, I love food. I have eaten at so many places, cheap to expensive, and enjoy every cuisine. I never get substitutions. I just love food. So believe me when I say, damn. This food was atrocious. Like. Saddeningly bad. While the sauces were relatively good, every other aspect of the three dishes we ordered were so bad. The pasta was grainy and turned to paste in me and my partner's mouth and whatever they put in that firm brick of lasagna was reminiscent of play-doh. And the FLAVORS clashed on EVERY single DISH. No dish could tell what it wanted to be. I will say though, our server was very kind, and the ambiance was simple but not in a bad way! The food though (;-;) damn. My partner threw up afterwards and I was about ready to join him. Perhaps they recently underwent new management but steer clear guys! I wish the service staff the best though! read more

The fried calamari was crispy and the red sauce made it perfect. My ravioli was recommended by our waitress and I added sausage and was amazing. Their rigatoni à la vodka was their most popular. However the sauce tasted the same as my ravioli but both really good read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Fried calamari - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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First of all.... This place is amazingly DELICIOUS!!!! At first it was packed from wall to wall but the wait was not bad at all and well worth it... the place has a nice cozy family style feel. Everybody was super nice! The food was A-h-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!!!! read more

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Busy Friday night, the host was able to seat us immediately. We were pleased with the service and the food did not disappoint us. We split a side salad and enjoyed the restaurant made focaccia bread with it. I had the Rigatoni Vodka. It was a tad spicy for me but it was delicious and I enjoyed it. My wife had the Gnocchi with marinara sauce. She too thought it was spicy but that due to the fact that we both grew up with traditional Italian sauce. The atmosphere is lively and vibrant. Next time we will be sure to make a reservation and not chance being unable to get a table. read more

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Service, amazing! Food, amazing! I went here with coworkers after a long day in town working and we all loved it! That says something when the entire group loves their food. Great wine selection too. And the hospitality is something many businesses lost the art of but not this place! I hope to visit Austin again just to go here! read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Caprese salad, so delicious!! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's tiny and downtown so expect parking to be a nightmare. Or park somewhere far and take a stroll. The parking is pretty pricy nearby so the farther the better. It's small inside, I'd consider it a little cramped. There is seating outdoors for those who don't want to be cozied up with their dinner companions. Expect a wait since the space is so small, and the wait is worth it! The servers are nice and fast and are great at navigating the small walking spaces with ease. We received plenty of water refills and friendly smiles. The food is good! My hubs loves coming Sapori, and he's in the area more often than I am so he ventures here on his own some times. I thoroughly enjoyed the risotto and arancini. I clearly had too much rice that night, but they were both so good that I'd do it again. Hubs enjoyed them along with his sausage and pasta dish. read more

Austin, Tx. We had a great dinner here. One of the things I like was a total lack of pretension. Just a casual come as you are welcoming space. Said space is well appointed but some tables are too close together. The host was kind to give us a four seater that was spaced well apart from the others. Everyone here was over the top friendly and helpful. The chef likes to bring the dishes to the table himself. He is the only one who is a bit stoic and has no time for idle chit chat. While waiting for food to be prepared, a great warm bread with a side of olive oil and spices is served. So good. For starters we ordered the meatballs, a classic version that I loved. Good size too. Also a large serving of Burrata Caprese. The tomato's were delightfully fresh. I ordered Rigatoni alla vodka, a great dish. The presentation appears small but it will fill you up for sure. There are thin slices of a spicy sausage in there with the fresh homemade pasta and the great sauce. We also had a Mista salad with shrimp added. Wow, there were a lot of shrimp in a huge bowl of greens that was impossible to finish. The server will come over and grind as much Parmesan over any dish as you want. It was perfect on the meatballs and rigatoni. For dessert was one of the best tiramisu's ever. Unusual serving presentation, in a glass, but outrageously good. Bold flavors and a decent portion for two. We had a latte to wash it down. The espresso had a great rich semi bitter taste. It reminded me of Illy espresso. I walked back to the kitchen area which is wide open for observation and watched the pasta maker guy run the machine, very interesting how much hand work goes into making the various pastas. We were not drinking alcohol, but they made sure we had plenty of water. Good thing too, two hours after leaving I was very thirsty. The spices perhaps? read more

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Pro-tip: the bathroom is detached and shared with the main building. Easy to get to, so don't be afraid to ask staff for directions! Service is fabulous, from the moment you leave to the moment you make your order, enjoy your food, and leave. Ambiance is fun and simple. Nothing too fancy, but welcoming nonetheless. The food is okay. Perhaps I had higher expectations due to other reviews. I went with the Vodka pasta. The pasta does seem house-made, but the sauce seemed overwhelmed with oil. I also tried the chicken parm, and it was okay. Seemed overcooked, and the sauce was ordinary. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Indoor seating - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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A lovely and fresh dinner! It was veryyy warm and bit of a tight squeeze inside but the food was all worth it Service was amazing. read more

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If you love Italian. This is a mist. Ethan did an exceptional job of making our experience over the too. The pasta is made fresh daily as well as the bread the Alfredo sauce Again if you like the feel of a Italy, this is a sure must experience. read more

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The only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5, it was so loud inside. They need to acoustically treat the small room. With that being said, OMG! I haven't done the yummy food dance in my seat in sooooo long! Wow I was looking, for the record I am still looking, for a memory of the Italian restaurants I worked at in Beverly Hills back in the 90's.. I was not expecting a modernization of what I was looking for! The Risotto was full of flavor! The Lasagna , I have no words! Everything was fresh and homemade! I noticed they didn't have salt and pepper on the table , a bold choice and I was not disappointed! We will be back, I just may need to bring my earplugs.. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Casa Salad , Risotto, Caprese , and Caeser Salad - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Meh. Service great. Food mediocre. Didn't finish my salad or entree. The marinara sauce is sweet and not hearty tomato. Wife's lasagna was the winner of our meals. Still a sweet marinara. Sugary. Maybe a sweet pomodoro style. Too sweet. Again , great service. read more

Sapori Italian Roots is a pretty inconspicuous place serving up some pretty good pasta. When you first walk in it doesn't feel too far removed from an extremely generic modern spot but I let their food speak for itself, and man it did. We made a reservation to beat the Saturday evening rush. The service was good and the waiter was friendly and very attentive. We ordered and got our food about 10-15 after so the timing felt right. Touching back to the food, they start you off with table bread that is pretty unique. It has a different texture and strong herby flavor to it, which is delicious. As for the pasta itself, we ordered the fettuccine alfredo and rigatoni alla vodka. The flavors of the pasta were amazing. The fettuccine Alfredo was creamy and cheesy, a good combination of flavor and texture. The rigatoni alla vodka was a standout, absolutely delicious with the rigatoni cooked perfectly and the vodka sauce bursting with flavor. We were highly impressed. Altogether, Sapori Italian Roots is the best Italian food we've had since moving down to Austin. The staff is great and the food is even better. We would recommend this for a hearty dinner if you're in the downtown area or in a rough spot after happy hour on 6th. read more

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I'd had my eye on this place for a while, and I'm so glad I finally got to try it! We kicked things off with the house focaccia -- flavorful and herby, though I do wish it had been a bit warmer and softer. The Caesar salad was a solid classic, crisp with plenty of Parmesan. For the mains, we split the fettuccine with shrimp and the penne alla vodka. The fettuccine was rich, creamy, and loaded with perfectly cooked shrimp. The penne alla vodka was packed with flavor and had a nice little kick to it! The portions were generous and perfect for sharing. Service was fantastic -- super attentive, and the food came out impressively fast. Definitely a spot I'd recommend 100%! read more

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I liked Sapori, but I didn't love it. I thought it would completely knock my expectations out of the park, but it was okay. Staff is really friendly, and they were able to comp a dessert because they asked me to move to accommodate for a larger party. The calamari is delicious, and my friends and I were talking about how it's probably one of the best calamari in Austin. The pasta itself is just okay. I would say it's very well cooked, but there's something lacking in every pasta that we tried? I was definitely slightly disappointed by the pasta. Also, the free bread is so not good :( Also really disappointed by the bread. read more

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Decent Italian food, convenient location near the Paramount. We went into Sapori about 6:00 on Saturday before a show at the Paramount. It was crowded and we didn't have a reservation so they sat the two of us at a counter facing the street. The service was friendly and fairly prompt, especially given that the restaurant was crowded. We ordered the fried calamari to start. It was good, nicely crisp and hot. For dinner, we shared a small Caesar salad and the rigatoni alla vodka. The small salad was big, plenty for two people. It was your average Caesar, good but nothing special . We would have liked to have anchovies on it but they didn't have them. We weren't thrilled with the penne alla vodka. It had sausage and a lot of garlic that really overpowered the normally more delicate flavor of a vodka sauce. We didn't finish it because it was really heavy. I personally wouldn't make a special point to go back to Sapori. Other items on the menu may be better and others in the restaurant seemed to like what they were eating. It just didn't make a strong impression on me compared to other Italian restaurants I like better. read more

Fresh made pasta & focaccia, delicious! The minestrone soup was also great, as was the service. Nice ambiance and good selection of vegetarian options. read more

Had the pleasure of eating here today and I was not disappointed, amazing food and friendly knowledgeable staff, service was great. Please try the tiramisu!! read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Gluten free homemade pasta?! Can I get a heck yeah?! Not on the menu, although they do have AMAZING gluten free penne pasta. Their rigatoni allá vodka was on point and honestly some of the best pasta I've ever had! Great sauce. We also had their Cesar salad and I'm just gonna assume that dressing was fresh and homemade too by the taste! read more

The wait time is a bit long, but for the quality of food and service, it is worth it! This is a scratch made kitchen, from their own signature oil to warm bread and pasta, it did not disappoint. Service was able to create me the Gnocchetti dairy free! This environment is family friendly, warm and just like eating at mom's house. read more

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The food was honestly terrible, and I left extremely disappointed. After reading all the positive reviews, I was really looking forward to eating here, but unfortunately, the experience was nothing like I expected. The bread was disgusting and unlike any bread I've ever had before. The oil and spice mixture served for dipping had absolutely no flavor. We ordered the bruschetta, which came with the same bread, only "fried"--or, more accurately, burned. I ordered the chicken parmigiana, and the chicken was overcooked and extremely tough. The pasta had a strange taste and reminded me of a paper bag or cardboard. The food left such a horrible taste in my mouth that we ended up stopping somewhere else for dessert just to get the taste out. I truly don't understand the positive reviews and would not return. read more

First off, the service here is phenomenal. It was our first time here, and our server did a fantastic job introducing us to Sapori and giving us recommendations. Everything here is made in-house, and you can definitely tell from how fresh the pasta and sauces are. They give complimentary bread and olive oil (win!). We ended up ordering the calamari and the chicken fettuccini alfredo. From the first bites, both dishes were amazing. I'm more of a tomato-based pasta sauce girl, so after my alfredo cravings were satiated, the dish got quite heavy. But if I was a die-hard Alfredo fan, this dish would knock it out of the park. The calamari was well seasoned, but a bit too seasoned because after a while it was too salty. The marinara dip that came with it was top tier though. Overall, Sapori is worth a visit if you're craving Italian. They do a good job at taking care of you and offer fantastic handmade pasta. Parking is going to be tricky as it is downtown. read more

Sapori Italian Roots - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great service and the food was yummy...they have their own version of sprite and Mexican coke that was not the best but our waitress was friendly, food came out within a reasonable time and the ambiance is nice (it's small but welcoming) read more

Bread was meh, seafood bisque very good, fresh burrata was meh and even a little bitter (not bc of vinegar), lasagna too thick and meh, cheese ravioli ok. read more

I'm an Italian food enthusiast. The fried burrata was delicious. I didn't like the ravioli at all. The cannoli was ok. No, they didn't charged me for the ravioli because they asked me if I wanted it to go and I said no thank you I didn't like it, which was very sweet of them. I only ate one ravioli and half trying to give it a chance but it was a big no no for me. But my favorite part was the customer service and the wine. The ambience was great too. Ps. Please do something about that ravioli read more

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