CIAO, BELLA
A trip to Italy is closer than you think
Sassetta’s first iteration was in the Design District—a beloved spot tucked away at the end of the Dallas Decorative Center. After a brief closure during the pandemic, the restaurant moved downtown to a buzzy, livelier home at The Joule hotel.
Of course, this is only interesting if you like creative, modern Italian dishes, handmade pastas, pizza, wine... Otherwise, it's probably not your thing. But, if you're down with bucatini, you'll feel an angelic sense of elation heading into the new space designed by local ELLE Decor A-Lister, Jean Liu. The eclectic space fuses contemporary design with artisan-crafted elements like the custom-glazed il Buco Vita dishes and hand-blown, winged wine decanters. (Even the uniforms have been sustainably sewn by hand in Milan.)
The design star is undoubtedly is the wall art—an abstract representation of the rolling hills and peaked mountains surrounding the restaurant's namesake town in Tuscany. It's a specially commissioned piece by de Gournay, the British interiors firm that's world-renowned for its hand-painted wall papers and textiles.
You can practically feel your spirits lift once you step inside—and we haven’t even gotten to the cocktails yet. Ah, the cocktails. They’ve got your classics: bellini, negroni, aperitivi for days... But don’t sleep on
their more creative libations. Ask your server about the seasonal, large-format cocktail served in il Buco Vita’s handblown, winged, and busty “Goddess” decanter. Currently, it’s white sangria with chenin blanc, white pear, white cranberry, strawberry, blueberry, and mint.
So when it comes to the space, the design, and the cocktails, it's check, check, check. But what about the menu? Sassetta’s inventive menu reflects Tuscany’s geographic location in the heart of the Mediterranean with influences and flavors from Spain, Southern France, and Northern Africa.
While the technique and seasonal ingredients come from a fine dining approach, nothing feels fussy. Menu stars include housemade semolina pastas, impossibly puffy-chewy-crispy-crust pizzas, and small plates perfect for a happy hour nosh. Stop in for date night, cocktail hour, or buy out the restaurant for a private event. A presto.
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The Details: Sassetta, 1530 Main Street. Complimentary valet at The Joule with validation. Click here for menu, hours, and more.