A new spot off U.S. 290 in Dripping Springs brings a family-friendly dining option to the Texas Hill Country.
AUSTIN, Texas — If you live in Dripping Springs, you know exactly what a vespa rossa, or red wasp, can do. But this Vespa Rossa is one you want to encounter.
It’s not a stretch to say this new Italian restaurant off U.S. 290 is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. And it’s all thanks to owners Daniel Brooks and Ryan Samson – the creative minds behind Austin favorites like Licha’s Cantina, Chapulín Cantina and Vespaio Restaurant.
“I think what’s special about our relationship is that we really see eye to eye with everything,” Samson said.
“All of our ideas, we seem to just bounce off each other and the chemistry works,” Brooks said.
The restaurant’s wood-fired pizzas range in flavors from hot honey salami to smoked chicken pesto. The pastas are made in-house from scratch, and if you’re really hungry, you can try a serving of the chicken parmesan.
Brooks says they’re always working the smoker.
“We are using some Texas smoking techniques and incorporating them into our fresh pastas and Italian recipes,” he said.
The chefs smoke the brisket that goes onto the pizzas and into the ravioli. Brooks’ favorite dish is the pork belly porchetta sandwich.
“We put a pinwheel of the smoked porchetta, honey dijon mustard, some arugula, caramelized onions and provolone cheese. Every bite is a delicious one,” he said.
Samson says the restaurant sources its proteins and flour from local farms. For example, the wagyu beef that goes into the smashburger and Bolognese come from Peeler Ranch in Bastrop.
Whether you’re stopping in for a pizza, settling in for a full dinner or bellying up to the bar to grab a frozen limoncello margarita, Vespa Rossa is shaping up to be Dripping Springs’ newest go-to hangout.
Vespa Rossa is located at 3779 U.S. 290 in Dripping Springs. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is also offering Christmas dinner specials that are enough to feed six to eight people.
Dining and Cooking