The concept was ambitious and a bit far out: a white tablecloth Italian steakhouse with live music and a view of the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa on the city’s far North Side.
Less than eight months after opening, Ravello Italian Cuisine anchors a still-in-development TPC Town Plaza, draws most of its customers from the neighborhood that surrounds the hotel resort and sells more seafood than steaks.
“Our signature dish is a pan-seared pesce con burro al limone,” said Miguel Saiz, Ravello’s director of operations. The monk fish entree, sauteed in olive oil, is also a bestseller.
The dining room at Ravello Italian Cuisine, located at 4272 TPC Parkway, on Aug. 6, 2025. Credit: Albert Villasana for the San Antonio Report
“We are branded as an Italian steakhouse,” Saiz said. “But we have a wide variety of seafood — from fresh oysters to halibut and salmon to scallops and langostinos. We bring in fresh seafood twice a week and fillet them. We are a scratch kitchen as well.”
The new restaurant is preparing for Restaurant Weeks, a two-week culinary event that begins Saturday, featuring pre fixe menus and discounted prices at a variety of local dining spots across the city.
Sponsored and organized by Culinaria, Restaurant Weeks runs from Aug. 9-23 and supports local eateries during the back-to-school lull of summer.
“We exist to drive revenue to restaurants during downtime,” said Suzanne Taranto-Etheridge, Culinaria President and CEO. “Restaurant Weeks gives chefs and restaurants a chance to showcase their best.”
A variety of pasta dishes are available during this upcoming Restaurant Weeks at Ravello Italian Cuisine. Credit: Albert Villasana for the San Antonio Report
Taranto-Etheredge said at least 165 establishments have agreed to participate in this upcoming Restaurant Weeks. The event’s website does not yet include all of them, she said, adding that many more are expected to join the list.
Participating restaurants offer three-course meals, starting at $20 and capped at $55. Drinks are not included.
“The majority of people are happy,” Taranto-Etheredge said, noting some customers complain about limited parking at some venues. “What makes me laugh is the calls we used to get every year. People would call and say, ‘I had a tomato dish at so and so’s Restaurant Week menu. Do you know what it is?’ We used to take menus down after Restaurant Weeks. But now we leave them up.”
Ravello’s pre fixe dinner menu features an appetizer choice of bruschetta or chilled avocado soup and an entree of cacio e pepe with shaved black truffles or veal osso buco with saffron risotto. The dessert option is limoncello tiramisu or affogato. Price: $55.
During Restaurant Weeks, Ravello diners may also select entrees from the regular menu.
“Our best-selling pasta is the rigatoni piccante,” Saiz said. “The rigatoni and pan seared pesca battle each other for the top dish sold.”
The Rigatoni Piccante is a featured pasta dish during Restaurant Weeks at Ravello Italian Cuisine. Credit: Albert Villasana for the San Antonio Report
Husband and wife owners Erick and Dina Martinez are new to the business. They opened Renzo’s Trattoria e Pizzeria on Loop 1604 in September 2023 and Ravello’s, a “brother restaurant,” on TPC Parkway in December.
Brandon Manning serves as executive chef after previous stints at J-Prime Steakhouse and Tardifs.
Ravello is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and offers brunch on Sunday at 11 a.m. The restaurant features Happy Hour prices from 4-7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and live music on Friday and Saturday from 6-9 p.m. and during the Sunday brunch from 12:30-3 p.m.
“Service, food, ambience and decor is important to us,” Saiz said. “But what’s more important is bringing people together. We have two or three families, mostly neighbors, that come in and sit together at one table as a party of 10-12. What makes Ravello different is our ability to connect with the community.”
Dining and Cooking