Restaurant combines traditional Italian with local twist

Gerald and Suzy Freeny opened Bellini's Texas Grill, a Texas-Tuscan fusion restaurant, in November to offer diners a few of their favorite things.

The restaurant offers a blend of Texas classics and Italian favorites.

"We wanted to be more of a neighborhood restaurant, not just an Italian restaurant or a burger place," Gerald Freeny said.

Divided into two main areas, the restaurant allows customers to sit in a Tuscan-themed dining area with brightly colored walls inspired by Italian architecture, or they can choose to dine near the Texas-styled bar that features big-screen TVs along with 25 beers on tap as well as a full bar.

"We tried to create a courtyard feel [in the dining room]," he said.

The rooms are separated by a wall of open windows that can be sealed with shutters to turn the bar into a private meeting area.

Although there are big-screen televisions in the bar area and a 120-inch projection screen that drops from the ceiling in the main dining area, Freeny said he wanted to create a place for families to dine without the distraction of TVs throughout the restaurant. He said the big screen only comes out for big sporting events.

He brings more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant business—18 of which were spent with Austin-based Mangia Pizza.

"We've wanted to do a restaurant for a while now," Freeny said, adding that the couple had looked into opening their own spot on four different occasions. "This is the first time the stars aligned."

Having lived in the area for nearly seven years, the Freenys decided to open their restaurant in Cedar Park to help fill a void in the city's food offerings, he said.

"We saw a need for a full menu that offered different things," Freeny said. "There were limited options out here."

The couple's love of Italian food helped inspire the menu that ranges from Southern favorites such as fried catfish and chicken-fried steak to traditional dishes such as pasta and pizza.

"We love Italian food and have been to Italy before," he said. "We loved the colors and flavor and fullness of the food there."

The Freenys hired chef R.J. Spade to help round out the menu and help run the kitchen.

The menu, full of unique options, includes spaghetti tacos on the children's menu and potato-chip nachos as an appetizer. Bellini's also offers a selection of gluten-free options, such as a thin-crust pizza, hamburger buns that can be served with any burger or sandwich, and brownies.

"My sister has celiac disease, and we know how hard it can be to find stuff she can eat," Freeny said.

Along with gluten-free brownies, the restaurant offers a variety of dessert options from gelato to buttermilk chess pie and pecan pie cobbler.

Owner recommendations

• Blackened catfish ($8.99)—Served with diner's choice of two sides
• Texas-Tuscan wood-fired pizza ($14.49)—A thin, crispy crust covered in tomato sauce, breakfast bacon, pepperoni, mini meatballs, red onions and fresh tomatoes, and cooked in a wood-fired brick oven
• Chicken-fried steak ($10.99)—Steak hand-breaded with Bellini's Texas Grill homemade breading and served with choice of two sides
• Hamburger ($5.49–$10.99)—Owner Gerald Freeny recommends any of the restaurant's signature burgers
• Gourmet BLTA ($7.49)—Bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and avocado served on toasted wheatberry bread

Pizza

Bellini's Texas Grill offers three types of pizzas cooked differently with a variety of toppings.

• Wood-fired: A thin, crispy crust is covered with light ingredients and cooked in a wood-fired brick oven. The brick oven is not fired Mon.–Thu. before 5 p.m.
• Thin-crust: A thin, buttery crust is served with a medium load of toppings.
• Deep-dish: A buttery deep-dish crust is served with heavy toppings. The deep-dish can take up to 30 minutes to prepare depending on size.

Bellini's Texas Grill, 12800 Parmer Lane, Ste. 202, Cedar Park, 528-8558, ww.bellinistexasgrill.com

• Sun.–Thu. 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m.,
• Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
• Brunch Sat.–Sun 11 a.m.–2 p.m.