Calabrese is a culinary pillar of the Southlake community, offering a delectable spread of authentic Italian dishes curated by Chef Luciano from Viczena, Italy. With two gardens, one behind the restaurant and one in Roanoke, Calabrese uses the freshest herbs to create savory pestos, sweet mojitos, and much more. But their commitment to freshness doesn't stop there. "In-house, we make all of our pasta, butcher our own meats, and spend more in freight than we do in rent getting the seafood delivered," says Shawn Horne, "Director of Good Times and Leisure" at Calabrese.
Chef Luciano sources ingredients from all over Italy and spares no expense getting items delivered swiftly and accurately. Committed to the philosophy of serving the highest quality ingredients, the Calabrese staff strives to use the best ingredients, produce, meats, and seafood, all prepared with techniques authentic to true Italian cooking.
For anyone who has yet to set foot inside the restaurant, Shawn suggests the following menu items to create a memorable meal. "I would start with the Zafarana and the Burrata. Order the Hearts of Palm salad and our Caesar for the second course. Then, try a pasta course to share for the third course. For the main course, order the Branzino, the Cernia (Sea Bass), or the OssoBucco. For dessert, I suggest a frozen tiramisu cocktail, limoncello, the Capo amaro from Calabria, the Kimbo coffee experience, and the Bombolini's (Italian donuts with creme anglaise and nutella.)"
It's not just the menu and ingredients that are high-caliber at Calabrese: the community culture at the restaurant is a large component of its long-lasting success.
"Oscar Renda, the owner, is the reason we are all here," says Shawn. "He is the most generous, thoughtful, and humble owner I have ever met. His love of food and knowledge of the traditions, culture, and history of Calabria is unmatched. During the pandemic, he did not let anyone go. Oscar supplemented the employee's income, fed everyone every day, and was our biggest supporter during those times. He is the best owner anyone of us has ever worked for. We owe it to him to make this the best restaurant in DFW."
In addition to taking care of its incredible staff and serving the local community, the leaders of Calabrese strive to care for the global community through its sustainable practices.
While the majority of restaurants are notorious for waste, Calabrese "makes all of our own stocks; we do trash can audits, and recycle our cooking oil into biofuel," says Shawn. "Sustainability, recycling, upcycling, and "Snout to-Tail" are all components of our culture at Calabrese." While most fine dining establishments focus their main dishes on steak or fish exclusively, Calabrese offers incredible Vegan options to accommodate all customers. Try their Vegan Squash Spaghetti or Vegan Italian Sausage Pasta dish for a fresh alternative. These are satisfying, full meals, unlike most places that simply offer Vegan sides and substitutions rather than an entire entrée.
Even the seat of its iconic decorative Vespa perched above the center of the dining room is decorated with reclaimed corks, letting nothing go to waste.
The leaders at Calabrese are beyond grateful to be based in Southlake because of the town's strong sense of community, family values, and charity. "Southlake looks out for their own," says Shawn. "We feel that it is not only our duty, but also our responsibility to give back to this wonderful community. We currently support nine local charities and support/donate to all of our Police, Fire, and First Responder members of our fine community."
Come to Calabrese for family dinners in the dining room, or host your next shower, birthday party, wedding reception, or any life gathering in one of its three private event spaces.
"During the pandemic, the owner supplemented the employee's income, fed everyone every day, and was our biggest supporter during those times. We owe it to him to make this the best restaurant in DFW."