Stars Of Italy

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Between a delightful mix of romantic restaurants, authentic pizzerias and exquisite wineries, Grapevine’s dining scene has always been bursting with exciting options. At the bustling Italian restaurant Stellini Trattoria, all of these elements come together under one roof.

Opening in December 2019, Stellini Trattoria is owned and operated by local couple Mitch and Donna Wegner, who have parlayed more than 15 years of dining industry expertise into a winning concept. With twin patios, a central bar area and a modern classic dining room that can seat up to 60 people, Stellini Trattoria embodies a casual yet elegant aesthetic perfect for date nights and social gatherings.

“We try to stay in that midpoint of old-school with a nicer presentation,” Mitch says. “We’re not trying to be super formal, but we also want to be more than just another pizza place.”

With the name translating to “little stars,” Mitch says a fusion of Italian-Texan cuisine has always been at the heart of Stellini Trattoria.

“We took everything that we would have made in Italy and just used Texas ingredients to bring it all to life,” Mitch says. “That’s kind of what our overall arc is.”

Diners can immediately taste that blend of flavors in its house-made meatball mix, which uses brisket and pork shoulder in lieu of ground beef. Far from the only shareables that are readily available, its appetizer menu also includes coccoli bites that sandwich whipped ricotta and prosciutto de parma together between two layers of crispy dough, as well as creamy polenta topped with grilled prawns and pancetta. Its take on calamari steak is also just as good as the real thing, with the squid pounded out until it’s flat, breaded and fried before being served alongside charred artichokes, garlic and crispy spinach.

Stellini’s pasta and pizza are also made from scratch, with spent grains provided by the Hop & Sting Brewery Co., which lies just across the street. Its traditional bianco pizza is lovingly layered with oregano, fresh mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheese, while its margherita pizza piles on the basil and olive oil for a richer flavor. Its 8-ounce filet is complemented with a delicious parmesan black truffle gnocchi, and if you have a taste for seafood, its jumbo diver sea scallops are pan-seared and served with a generous helping of creamy fontina polenta and smoked paprika butter.

But as one would expect from any Grapevine-based hotspot, the restaurant’s most notable aspect by far is its vintage wine selection. Featuring nearly 100 varietals from wineries in Italy, France, South America and even Africa, Stellini’s wines are carefully curated and extremely rare. The crown jewel is its consigliere list, which features the finest bottles from Champagne, France and Napa, California. But the rest of the menu is just as impressive with its own mix of beautiful blends, chardonnays and cabernet sauvignons.

Stellini Trattoria is such a hit with wine lovers that it won an award of excellence from the Wine Spectator Awards each of the three years it’s been in business, highlighted alongside other notable restaurants such as Calabrese, Truluck’s and Del Frisco’s.

“We specifically try to partner up with wineries and distributors that carry a smaller portfolio,” Mitch says. “A lot of the bottles we carry aren’t widely available and have very limited retail presence. They’re wines that you can’t find easily somewhere else.”

When you’re ready to wine down, dive into Stellini’s dessert menu, which has several small-batch favorites to fall in love with. The fried zeppole is sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar and served with a trio of sauces, while the cannolis give you the crunch you desire with a soft chocolate chip ricotta cheese filling. And its gelato trio with chocolate, raspberry and vanilla flavors makes for the perfect pairing.

Stellini’s offerings don’t stop at the menu. Every week brings with it a new house-made special, making sure Stellini’s cuisine always stays fresh and up-to-date.

“We’ve cultivated quite a community here in Grapevine,” Mitch says. “There’s always something new going on at Stellini Trattoria.”