Trips to Italy may be pricey, but residents of Lakeway don't have to travel far to find authentic Italian cooking.

Carmela's Pizza & Pasteria is a family-owned and -operated restaurant with a mission to make the owners’ big Italian family even bigger by sharing home-cooked recipes.

While Carmela's Lakeway spot opened in 2021, the Dripping Springs location has been around for over 10 years.

Quote of note

“When customers walk in, they can tell us about their day, have a glass of wine, and we joke around with them, listen to them. Those little moments can mean a lot,” co-owner Robin Lieberman said. “We want them to feel like they are coming over to see family.”


The backstory

Fated to become best friends, Lieberman and co-owner Josephine DeLooze met at Rocco’s Italian Grill in 2008, where the two bonded over tales of their recent travels to Italy. Now, the inseparable pair runs the Lakeway restaurant together.

“We see each other every day from 6:30 a.m., and it never gets old,” Lieberman said. “She does all the cooking, the recipes, and I do all the front-of-house stuff, wines, greeting customers. ... She’s the yin to my yang.”

For DeLooze, the restaurant business has always been a family affair—she often works alongside her daughter Miranda DeLooze and her niece Carleen Rubio, who owns Cafe Logo.


What’s in a name

Carmela's gets its namesake from DeLooze's mother, whose recipes appear throughout the menu.

What's on the menu

The dinner-only menu comprises well-known Italian staples with personalized twists, such as the Lasagna Al Forno made with Carmela's signature marinara sauce, Mama Carmela’s Verona Chicken and Veal Osso Bucco.


There’s also a sizable seafood section on the menu that includes Creamy Tuscan Blackened Salmon and Shrimp Italiano served in a caper-artichoke cream sauce.

On top of a variety of hand-selected wines, patrons can enjoy unique Italian-themed cocktails, such as the Nutty Naples Martini.

All of the dishes are cooked fresh every day, and despite inflation, Lieberman said they've vowed against cutting down on quality when it comes to sourcing ingredients.

“Nothing gets microwaved here,” Lieberman said. “You won't find these flavors at a chain.”


Looking ahead

As colder weather arrives, DeLooze said she plans to add more hearty soups and meats to the menu.

Additionally, the pair hope to ramp up their catering and private party services to form more connections within the community.

Carmela's Pizza & Pasteria