A local fine dining Italian restaurant, Acquario Italian Restaurant, has opened a sister location after three years of operation in Keller.
Two-minute impact
Acquario Italian Restaurant offers a wide variety of Italian dishes with cuisine that mixes inspiration from coastal Italy and Texas, according to its website. Some menu items include filet mignon, braised short ribs and appetizers such as the carpaccio di manzo, which comes with thinly sliced filet mignon and shaved parmesan cheese.
Acquario Italian Restaurant opened in October 2023, co-owner Elda Rata said, and quickly gained popularity with the community.
“We grew up so rapidly. We won awards without even knowing that we were nominated,” Rata said.
Meet the owners
Elda Rata has lived in the Keller area for three years. She is a corporate lawyer, but her husband has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years.
Nino Rata had the vision of operating a fine dining restaurant in Keller, while she offered her legal expertise, Rata said.
With a community-driven style and family friendly city in a moment of crucial growth, Rata said they saw a demand for fine dining restaurants in the city.
“[Nino] knew the community, he knew the vibe, and he knew what was needed here,” Rata said.
Before you go
Acquario Italian Restaurant now has a sister location open along Keller Parkway.
“We wanted to bring a different concept to the city. The community has embraced us so well that we wanted to continue to contribute to the growth here,” Rata said.
Acquario Pizza Pasta Bar opened March 2 with a more casual dining concept. Rata said residents can decide which restaurant to attend based on their mood or the occasion.
Corporate or business meetings might be better at the first location, but a family gathering might be better at the new restaurant, she said.
Rata said the culinary vision for the second restaurant is mainly led by chef Gimmy Piperku, who has a commitment to traditional technique and authentic flavors with fresh ingredients imported directly from Italy. Piperku is a world champion of the Caputo Cup, an annual pizza-making competition held in Naples, Italy.
“If they can’t go to Italy, they can come here. It is the most authentic spot that provides Italian dishes,” Elda said.
Dining and Cooking