Back in the day I was a super fan of one dish at Enoteca Vespaio. And I went to EV because I don't eat dinner. Never made it to the dinner only side on Congress. Saddened that it closed eventually for another concept. Well, those folks moved west. To the famed cursed restaurant row of 290 west inbound to Dripping Springs. Gave Vespa Rossa some time to grow but eventually called in a togo order from my desk in Driftwood. Vittles procured; headed back to eat in my office. The dish in my focus is the Pork Saltimbocca. Thin cutlet of pork, prosciutto, spinach, crispy sage, lemon butter sauce. That lemon though. Charred and sprayed the dish like an old Red Lobster commercial. Sat down and I could barely cut the pork with a real knife! HORRIBLE! Went back online and found a pic of the original dish versus what I was about to throw away. Did a collage; sent it to the email address. No response whatsoever. Called the restaurant and complained. Refunded. Well, I decided to try again. This time visiting the restaurant and sitting at the bar with Erin. Didn't like the bread service even at the $4 price point. Redemption came in the form of a Melon Salad on special. Both our entrees which included the Saltimbocca were good; will be back to try again. read more

See all

We dined with friends a couple weeks ago. Service felt rushed by our waitress - she kept coming back to the table and asking "are you ready to order?" Ambiance is fine - if we had littles the outdoor space would be nice for families that bring kids. Food - I had the chicken Parmesan. The piece of chicken was a very generous portion / although lacking flavor. The side of pasta with it you might as well have served it with just butter and Parmesan because whatever they called a sauce didn't taste like anything. My husband had a wedge salad which wasn't like a classic wedge. He also had the Cacio e Pepe pasta - again lacked flavor and didn't seem fresh. I looked at the reviews before going and in all honesty we wouldn't have chosen to dine here based on the reviews if it weren't for the friends we were going with. They suggested going and had been before. Won't go back again. read more

Been here a few times and wanted to wait to review. Overall we enjoy it. Upon arriving, it is typically clean. We like to sit outside to watch our toddler play on the playscape. Service is either slow or fast, depends on the day. They give a lot of gap time before checking on you usually. Food can be back and forth. We really enjoyed a special they had the other day which was like a prosciutto and Cesar salad flat bread sandwich. Overall the staff is kind, it's clean, and somewhere to burn toddler energy! read more

Vespa Rossa - Special prosciutto and Cesar salad flat bread - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

I had high hopes for this place because their menu looked amazing and the outdoor space for the kids is so cute. Unfortunately, we were very underwhelmed and shocked about the prices. I ordered chicken Parmesan for $26. The taste of the breading was good, but the chicken was incredibly thin -- so thin that there was actually more breading than chicken. My husband said his lasagna was "okay." I liked the marinara sauce. Then my husband ordered chocolate mousse for dessert -- it came in a clear plastic cup! Overall, I think the prices here are unjustified. A disappointing experience :( read more

Vespa Rossa - Chicken Parmesan -- chicken cutlet is so thin it's barely visible. - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

Before even talking about the food or drink... I'm frustrated at all the typos on the menu. I can't imagine opening a restaurant in the modern day and not taking a few minutes to proofread your menu before printing copies. The pasta was very salty and it came out alarmingly fast. Like less than 5 minutes after I ordered. Unfortunately that's a red flag too. Yeah there are many things about this place that feel like this restaurant exists to make money rather than serve good food. And presumably there are plenty of other restaurants where that's also true, but they fake it more effectively than Vespa Rossa. read more

This is a great spot in Drip! The menu is substantial, the quality of food is very good, and the service is great. The brisket suppli was okay but the chicken parm was very good and they split it for us, which was ideal. The space is quaint and there's a great outside option with playscape as well. Definitely recommend! read more

Vespa Rossa - Chicken parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

See all

We love eating at Vespa Rosa! The atmosphere and the service are great and the food is incredibly good! Generous portions and perfectly seasoned, just really great Italian comfort food. We've been at least a dozen times and have never been disappointed. read more

The food was very good. The menu was sufficient to support a group with different taste buds. The prices were reasonable. My choice of the lasagna was good, they offer both vegetarian and meat. The service was great. We had Callie checking on us frequently and making sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant was clean. There is sitting inside or out. Dislikes/Questionable: There was a charge if you wanted bread with your meal. Of course it wasn't much, but felt it should have been included with the entree. Then add, additional charge for more bread. I would return and recommend other to come check it out. read more

See all

Excellent chef, with good food and great service. That said, the decor in this place is really offputting for an Italian restaurant. Their original restaurant was upscale, but this looks very thrown together. Table tops with large checkerboard pattern, deer antlers all along the wall with art from spaghetti westerns. It just doesn't work! read more

Just saw this place driving by and we tried it out! Food was pretty good and they have great drinks. I tried the Lemoncello Marg (yum) and the hot honey pizza. They have a great outdoor play area for kids and misters for the Texas heat. Staff was also very friendly! read more

What a great restaurant addition to drip! Love the shaded outdoor space to kids. Full bar for adults. Nice secluded private dining space for more formal dinners and an overall open dining room. I loved the energy here. You order at the bar and your food is delivered to you. The fountain drinks are self served. The service missed a mark and they made it right! We really enjoyed our lunch here, my partner and I shared an Italian sub. The entree is plenty of food for two. After ordering at the bar, our food did not make its way to us for well over 15 minutes. After flagging down one of the many staff members and questioning where they were on the order, it was found that the sub had been finished but the ticket didn't have the correct table number. The manager/owner was very apologetic and offered us a complementary dessert. Im looking forward to bringing my kids here for a nice Italian fare! read more

See all

Nice environment with really good service. We began with Margaritas and Mexican Martini's. They were prepared well. We started with Cheese Suppli appetizers. Really outstanding! R and C had Chicken Parmesan. J had Rigatoni and Meatballs and I had Waygu Beef and Pork Bolognese. The entree's were plentiful and had good flavors. R and I brought home leftovers--we thought both tasted much better the following day. It's as if the flavors need time to integrate. R is allergic to pork and doesn't care for beef, so her options were limited. We will give another visit to explore the menu. read more

See all

Excellent food! Everything is very flavorful and rich! I do wish the lasagna portion was bigger, as I was still hungry after. The outside seating is very nice and shaded with mini heaters and blankets. Outside is pet friendly and overlooks the playground. The service was great and we even tried their banana tiramisu, which was really good! Definitely unique! read more

Echoing others here, parking situation isnt the greatest. Tried the pizza here twice and it didn't hit the mark. The honey one, crust was so thin and soaked all the toppings fell off...even when we requested well done. No one eats pizza with a fork come on now! Waygu ravioli flavor got lost soemhwhere. Calamari was good! What they have going for them is a nice ambiance, playscape for families. Service is attentive Hopefully in time they refine their dishes. read more

See all

The best bolanaise we've had around Dripping. They also have a really yummy Cache Pepe (I may be spelling this wrong) add grilled chicken. Wow read more

Hailey was such an incredible server. She was very attentive and super helpful! The chicken parmesan was phenomenal. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be. 10/10 food, service and atmosphere. Can't wait to come back with our families when they comevisit read more

Vespa Rossa - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

What an absolute delightful time at Vespa Rossa in Dripping Springs. 2 adults, a toddler and baby - 3 apps, 2 kids orders, 2 entrees, and a bottle of wine, plus tip: $150. Reasonable. The brisket cheddar ravioli, calamari and ribs were delicious. I ordered the salmon dish which was perfectly seasoned and cooked, and accommodated my dairy allergy. My husband devoured the chicken parmesana. The kids' meals were basic but just fine. The atmosphere was incredibly pleasant - drinking a bottle of Barolo while our daughter played on the expansive playground. Staff was attentive and checked in often. Such a nice evening, we enjoyed every minute and will be back. read more

Overpriced, salty and average. First and last visit to Dripping Springs. Had to ask for sugar/cream for coffee. Tight budget, I guess. read more

We have desperately needed a good Italian restaurant in the area. (I know about the Belterra Italian joint that's twice the cost and fractional quality, hence why I said "good.") It also has a great outdoor kids' play area. The only reason I didn't rate Vespa Rossa five stars is because of a couple main growing pains that can easily be improved upon: - Better gate setup to corral the kids by the dangerous parking lot; and by the dangerous highway - Outdoor service Expect to walk a bit unless you get lucky with parking. The current ordering situation is no better than Cafe Java before. Look forward to coming back! read more

Had lunch here yesterday-service very poor, even though almost empty at noon, ordered chopped salad to share and waitress delivered Caesar salad, had to ask for sweet n low twice for my ice tea. Chicken pesto pizza was terrible-so greasy that toppings did not stay o crust, which was very soggy! Doubt I'd ever return‼ read more

We live a stop light away and was hoping we'd have a fabulous place open. We went for HH and really enjoyed the calamari. Service was good. But have not gone back for dinner. Why? There are so many negative reviews and I don't like that the manager never responds. Why not, or fire him! If this is owned by a restaurant group, why no response and settle for mediocrity? The local comments are also mixed at best. I hope they can change the reputation and recover!! read more

The food is delicious and the service from Carlos was excellent! We hope to go back and enjoy the golden hour. There are so many desirable things to try so we hope to be back soon. The Shrimp Piccata and Chicken Parmesan were delicious! read more

Vespa Rossa - Chicken Parmesan with vodka and marinara sauce - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

My husband and I decided to try Vespa Rosa, finally. The food was ok but not exceptional. We had risotto balls filled with cheese they were very bland. I ordered a glass of wine too. We ordered before 5:00 Pm and expected the Happy Hour discount. But our bill reflected the whole price. We did not complain as were we simply seeing what this place was like. I had the salmon. It was undercooked and definitely not worth $34. My husband had a cheese pizza with mushrooms and sausage. The mushrooms were CANNED and the sausage had no flavor. The crust was nice. Not fluffy or light, but had good flavor. Based on our experience we will not return. Our meal was not worth the $100 it cost us. The waitress was very sweet and attentive. I gave only positive feedback for her. read more

This place just opened and WOWI!!!!! The food is phenomenal. My father was a pilot and his favorite food was Italian. He would have loved this place! I have traveled extensively and been too so many Italian restaurants all over the globe. Let me just say this is some of the best Italian food I've had hands down! The establishment is also super cute and the staff are all very nice. If I could give this place 10 stars I would. Do yourself a favor and go check this place out you won't be disappointed! read more

Vespa Rossa - Chicken Parmesan with sautéed spinach. amazing - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

I'm hoping we caught them on a bad night. It's Friday & they were highlighted on the news for Foodie Friday this morning. The hostess was shocked saying they were never that busy, they were short staffed & out of silverware so we'd have to wait. Wait was a short 5 minutes but we immediately noticed the place was LOUD inside. Patio wait was 30-40 mins (obv b/c more tolerable). We sat inside & next to an incredibly drunk, loud, obnoxious group that had been cut off. But even after they left it was extra noisy. Calamari appetizer tasted good but was clearly the scraps. Tomato soup was delicious but menu is wrong - there's no grilled cheese but instead they are large croutons. The rest of our food was ok but nothing to write home about, Overall I was really disappointed in spending $100+ for three people to not enjoy it. read more

Wow, love this place! Amazing outdoor space, play area is perfect for kids and families. It's order at the bar and pick your own seat style, so if you're going with a large party and/or kids I recommend getting there early to accommodate - especially on a weekend! When we arrived they had changed their open time for dinner service to accommodate a private event, and they were welcoming of us using the play space (we had 6 kids with us) while we waited for them to open. It was difficult to choose what to order - the menu selection is wonderful. My husband and I split the chicken parm, and I was surprised that it came with vodka sauce rather than marinara sauce of some sort. Not bad, but not my favorite. The bread for the table was soft and delicious. Portion size for the cacio e pepe is very small - plan on getting something else if you choose that dish. Kids meals are substantial. I took a bite of my son's burger and it was delicious. My only real complaint is that I went in to order a to-go dessert and they took my phone number, I assumed to text me when the food was ready to be taken to go. That was not the case and 20 minutes later I walked in and it had been sitting there waiting for who knows how long. I wish there had been communication from the person taking orders on what to do - either to wait at the bar or wait for a text. That being said - the banana tiramisu was to die for and I can't wait to eat it again. read more

Vespa Rossa - Kids butter noodles - menu says shells but it came out as this noodle - Italian Near Me - Dripping Springs, Texas

See all

This restaurant is really cute. Loved the cheese suppli, chopped salad + the chicken Parmesan. Seriously ate every bite..with wine of course. The tables right by the playground were a perfect set up for families; not only pasta for kids but also chicken nuggets + fries. How' can you go wrong! Service was spectacular too. We will be back read more

The food was fresh and delicious. The casual atmosphere isn't indicative of the quality of food. Jenna the bartender was incredibly personable and helpful. The specialty drink Vespa was great! The salmon a la plancha was great and the potatoes were perfect. All of us enjoyed our dishes. Fred did a great job taking care of us. We'll be back! read more

The best way to start a long weekend! If you find yourself in Dripping Springs do yourself a favor and come by Vespa Rossa. Order the Pork Belly Porchetta and drink it down with a Vespa. Seriously this was such a perfect spot The food was delicious, great service and the kids got a whole playground to run around! read more

The Smoked Chicken was very tasty! Will test drive the Lasagna next time!!!! The owner was very nice and attentive to my needs. I am happy that it is nearby as I live a mile away. read more

First, let me preface this with the fact that I really, really want to love this place, because there are not a ton of options out this way. The food was actually pretty tasty and our server, Stephanie, was excellent but that's where it all ends. 1) The interior with checked red table tops reads more like a Shakey's Pizza than a decent restaurant. 2) There is a playground out back, so this signals family friendly which I have no issue with. However, the noise level and amount of kids running around inside and screaming was incredibly unappetizing. This takes it from Shakey's down to a Chuck-E-Cheese (minus the cool animatronic entertainment...). Not really the restaurant's fault but still. 3) After realizing that there was noise dampening material under the tables we were wondering if that's why everyone was shouting, but not sure. Could definitely use an acoustic analysis. 4) The food came out a little too fast. It's not always a bad thing but we had only a few sips of our cocktails, and the entree salad came out before the appetizers and so on...so, basically got cold. Felt very rushed. In a nutshell, the food was decent but the ambience/environment was terrible. Don't go for a date night, but if you want to dip in with your sweats and Uggs/flip flops for a quick bite, or bring the little league team, that's more like it. Just remember your noise canceling air pods... read more

Hour wait, no patrons even in the place. We were told they were short staffed. Like what?!?

First, food ordering rediculous. Lines out front door Second, noise level. You had to shout to order your food. Couldn't figure out why so noisy inside. Ears went numb Third, ran out of pizza on a Friday night Fourth, veggie parm not crispy as described Fifth, chicken parm was a fried out breaded chicken with a slab of mozzarella cheese melted over it. Very disappointing and too expensive for quality of food in an atmosphere you could go deaf in. read more

Really wanted to love this place, but our experience today was not great. Our server, who never even bothered to introduce himself was MIA for most of our meal, barely said a word to us, had to flag him down to order, get up and ask for a box and our check, and the bread we ordered as an appetizer with our caprese salad showed up with our pizza, and it was cold and wasn't focaccia as advertised. The smoked chicken pesto pizza was really the only redeeming quality of our experience. I'm not saying we'll never give it another chance because the other servers around us did seem more capable, but today's experience was a huge let down read more

The food was really good. We got the calamari that came with two sauces. We ordered the focaccia bread. It was just white bread like. The olive oil with seasoning was in a bowl that was too deep to get to the seasoning and herbs. I think it would easier to dip if it was in a shallow plate. The wedge salad was really good. The brisket ravioli was something we've never tasted and they were delicious. We also had the vegetarian Parmesan with pesto and pasta. So delicious. The service was so attentive and great. The ambiance is family friendly. We enjoyed our time there. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Was hesitant to try based on other reviews but had family visiting and wanted a kid friendly spot. Everyone liked the appetizers and entrees, great service and kids loved the play area. Good when you need a laid back spot for the whole family. read more

We found this new gem after we did a tasting at Deep Eddy and loved it! Our server, Fred, was so incredibly friendly, and explained the menu in detail since it was our first time. The tomato basil soup was so delicious! Hubby had the smoked prime rib which he felt was a little dry, however he used some soup for a dipping sauce and it was amazing. Thanks Fred for a wonderful evening. read more

This place is great, such a family oriented restaurant. The servers always make us feel like we're at home, & our daughter gets to play at their playground & make random friends. Very convenient & clean. Would recommend 100% read more

Was very disappointed in there Capri salad. The cheese was rubbery could hardly swallow it. Over a bed of packaged lettuce. We ordered chicken Parmesan which wasn't bad the spaghetti was tasteless that accompanied the dish. Will not return. read more

Amazing! Chef Ryan has created a welcoming Italian restaurant to Drip area with incredible food.