Sometimes, you just have to go old school.
I had planned this week to review a promising new restaurant that I recently saw in my travels around the area. Turns out, it’s so new that it’s not even open yet. Searching for a Plan B, I struck upon Corelli’s Italian Cafe, the long-time restaurant on Highway 6 in Sugar Land.
I’m not entirely sure when Corelli’s first opened, but it’s been around at least since the mid-1990s, when I was going to college and waiting tables at another restaurant just a stone’s-throw away. That spot has gone through a couple of iterations since, but Corelli’s is still going strong. But Sugar Land (and the surrounding area) has grown a lot in that time, and I figure there are many newcomers who haven’t experienced it yet.
Corelli’s puts a big emphasis on atmosphere. A green-red-and-white-striped awning welcomes you indoors, where you’ll find a something of a hodgepodge of styles. In some spots, stone-like facades call to mind an old farmhouse in Tuscany, while another wall is covered with old Italian movie posters.
When we arrived at lunchtime, the place was packed, speaking to the restaurant’s strong popularity over the years. I briefly checked out the outdoor patio with vine-covered overhangs that actually felt somewhat cool in the blazing heat. Not enough to entice us outside though, and we wound up sitting in the bar area. The sound system plays a mix of classic and popular Italian songs, a few opera arias, and popular songs by the likes of Dean Martin and Louis Prima, with a couple of samples from the soundtrack of The Godfather thrown in for good measure.
Atmosphere goes a long way, of course, but a good restaurant also needs to have good food. And Corelli’s definitely delivers on that score. The menu features all the different kinds of dishes you might expect, from antipasta to insalata and zuppa to pizza to classic pasta dishes and seafood, veal and pork dishes. There’s also a very nice wine list.
I went with one of my standbys, the shrimp florentine, while my dining companion had a large salad. There had been a technical mix-up with my order, which took longer to arrive than it should have. But the staff was very accommodating, and there were no hard feelings. The shrimp florentine was excellent, with a sauce that had just the right amount of tanginess to it.
Whether you’re a longtime area resident who’s known of Corelli’s for years or a newcomer who’s never tried it, a visit to the venerable restaurant is well worth considering.
Corelli’s Italian Cafe
Address: 3229 Highway 6, Sugar Land
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday
Entrée prices: $14.50-$24.95
Kid-friendly: Yes
Alcohol: Yes
Senior discount: No
Healthy options: Yes
Star of the show: Chicken Florentine
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars