When Reza Faridi sought to relocate his restaurant, Verona, from Southwest Austin’s Oak Hill neighborhood, he said he made a good choice with the eatery’s new site in the middle of Lakeway.

“The people here could not be any better at supporting all the local businesses,” Faridi said.

Verona Ristorante Italiano opened at the Lakeway Commons shopping center in March. It offers traditional Italian food in an environment intended to be full of Old World charm.

Faridi said he finds decor for the establishment at antique stores to make the look and feel of the restaurant more inviting.

“We wanted a place for the family to come for a celebration, and to be kid-friendly,” he said. “Then, at night, we’ll dim the lights to make it more of a romantic feel.”

The menu is inspired from Faridi’s travels to Italy while he was a student living in Norway. He said he loves to continue to study Italian cuisine and be creative with the dishes.

“[Verona] is traditional Italian food that you might find in places like Chicago and New York,” Faridi said.

The most popular dish at the eatery is cannelloni (beginning at $15.95 to market price), which can be made vegetarian or with beef or fresh jumbo lump crab meat, and stuffed with mushrooms, baby spinach and artichokes, he said.

Tender, pounded veal can be found in dishes such as Scallopini di Verona ($19.95), which is sautéed with mushrooms, garlic and capers, and served in a white wine sauce; and Scallopini alla Marsala ($21.95), with mushrooms and Marsala wine sauce. Verona also offers gluten-free pasta and bread upon request.

The wine selection is also a big draw to the restaurant, Faridi said, with more than 40 different wines.

“People in Lakeway know their wine and are very particular about the high-end wine they want,” he said. “My goal is you want people to be satisfied and get more for their money. If customers are happy, I’m happy.”

Verona Ristorante Italiano
900 S. RR 620, Ste. C108, Lakeway
512-288-3800
www.veronaustin.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. noon-9 p.m., closed Mon.