There are a ton of places to eat if you are in the DFW area, but here’s one you HAVE to try. Spezzo is a new fast casual Italian restaurant that is located at Plano’s Preston Towne Crossing shopping center at Park and Preston (right by the Trader Joe’s for those of you that navigate by stores like I tend to 😉 ).
Tom Fleming is Spezzo’s menu architect. Chef Fleming earned his superstar status with his contributions to local institutions like Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Riviera, Mediterraneo, Lombardi Mare, Lobster Ranch, and his own Crossroads Diner. With Spezzo, he’s captured the essence of rustic Italian with a contemporary flair. Authentic Italian flavors, served in a fast-casual, friendly Texas setting.Spezzo’s décor is fun and inviting. A bit like a diner set up, where you can see the fresh foods behind the glass. The lit up sign board, panel shutters over the bar and the dried herbs and flowers hanging from the ceiling give it a unique flair that is pleasant to dine in.The staff was great as well! Smiley, happy, and ready to serve whatever you needed. One could say they were attentive to us because we were there for a comped media meal, but we saw this same service given to the other patrons in the restaurant while we were there, so I would say it’s just the way they do business and it was refreshing.
The food was SO good and the presentation of it was spot on.. The ingredients were fresh and you could tell everything was made in a scratch kitchen. And even with that, our order was filled quickly, we were actually surprised at how quickly it came. What you’ll find most amazing is that the prices are good, significantly considering the quality of food you are receiving.
We started with the Calamari which is quickly fried and served with Marinara & Spicy Garlic Aioli. It was delicious. Then I had the Zucchini Cakes. They are crispy and layered inside like a casserole. You can choose a sauce and I had the Lemon Butter sauce with them. I have to tell you it was the most amazing way I’ve ever eaten zucchini, they were perfectly done.My husband is a creature of habit and predictably orders the same thing at certain restaurants. When it’s Italian he orders Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. Lucky for him that was Spezzo’s special menu item for the day we ate there. They were kind enough to leave out the mushrooms for him when making it too. Seeing as he always orders the same thing, he can compare from one establishment to another rather well. The Spezzo meal was in his words “to die for.” ‘Nuff said. Both the meals came with a side Caesar salad which was fresh, crisp and tasty.
On first glance the plates look small, but you soon realize that you are getting a generous portion of food when you put your fork down and feel stuffed and there is still some on your plate 🙂
The icing on the cake? The Gelato. Be sure to leave some room for a scoop or two of it. You will not be disappointed. They have a pretty good selection of flavors. My husband had the chocolate chip and I had some of the pistachio and white chocolate & raspberry. We both loved it!Everything about our experience at Spezzo was wonderful. It was our first time here and the food was great and we left happy and satisfied. I’m glad we decided to take them up on the offer and give them a try. We’ll be stopping by whenever we make our Trader Joe’s run 😉 It’s definitely worth a visit to Spezzo!
Spezzo Italian is located at:
4901 W Park Blvd Ste 521
Plano, TX 75093
HOURS
Daily 11AM – 10PM
Happy Hour: 3PM – 6PM