by Steven Doyle
We discussed Taverna Pizeria and Rissoteria moving a mere few city streets away to Knox some time ago, but the actual transition from one restaurant to the other took a record breaking 36 hours. The new digs for the Lombardi Family Concepts is now officially open on Knox, nestled gently to its sister restaurant, Toulouse.
“Taverna has become a Dallas favorite, and the new Knox Street location right off the Katy Trail will allow even more people to enjoy Taverna,” said Alberto Lombardi. “I look forward to seeing all the familiar and new faces at Taverna’s new home.”
Elements signature to Taverna will be present throughout the new restaurant, as the interior design reinterprets the feeling of the former location. Taverna’s burlap acoustic panels have been redesigned and installed at the new location. In addition to new pieces, artwork from the original Taverna has been re-framed and incorporated into the new space as well. Guests will also recognize the Taverna tablecloths, which are hand-blocked in Italy, specifically for the restaurant.
Taverna’s new dining room will be similar in size as the Armstrong location, allowing the space to maintain its intimate trattoria atmosphere with “tight knit” seating. A larger, climate-controlled patio will allow guests to enjoy the street front space year-round. The new dining room will seat 54, and the outdoor patio will allow for 40 to dine al fresco.
Do not look for many menu changes, but the staff will be enjoying a larger and updated kitchen.
There are still other locations for Taverna in Austin and Fort Worth. Other Dallas restaurants operated by Lombardi includes Toulouse Café and Bar; Bistro 31; Lounge 31; Cafe des Artistes; Penne Pomodoro at Lakewood, Preston and Forest, and Snider Plaza; Sangria Tapas y Bar.
