Impero Italiano: Authentic Italian Cuisine & Desserts in Houston

went to an Italian place and honestly, I really liked it! The food was amazing — the pizza was incredible, and the pasta was delicious too. Everything tasted so fresh, and the place itself felt super cozy. The only thing I didn’t love was the tiramisu; it didn’t seem very fresh and tasted like it had been in the fridge for a few days.

Found this place by chance. We dropped my daughter off at Memorial City Mall to hang out with her social group; decided to eat lunch on that side of town. The first place was closed due to a power outage...a google search of restaurants in the area and scrolled down the list. We are now really glad that the first restaurant was closed. We chose to share a pizza. These pizzas are not the "trendy" picks that show up on other pizza restaurant menus. Sapore di Mare is delicious. They do have multiple pasta dishes to chose from on the menu. Ordered 2 desserts, the Tiramisu and the Cassatina Siciliana. If you like Tiramisu, theirs is good. The dessert winner is their Cassatina Siciliana. It you do not like really sweet, order one of their espressos to drink with it. We live in the greater Houston Heights so, yes, Impero Italiano is a drive for us, but one we will be now be making, it is that good. Make sure you read their Impero House Rules in the back of the menu...we will be back to soak in their atmosphere.

I had a wonderful experience at Impero Italiano. The place is small and cozy, with a warm, family atmosphere and a touch of tradition. Since I love gnocchi, I decided to order it on my first visit, and it was the right choice; I enjoyed every bite. I also ordered their homemade limoncello, which was good. My godson really relished every piece of his pizza. The service is special, they give you time to order and enjoy the food. I recommend visiting and giving it a try. I'll definitely be coming back soon. There are still many dishes on the menu I'm eager to sample. Grazie

Took my son and one of his friends along with my two daughters to celebrate his 12th birthday. We weren't able to make a reservation ahead of time so I was worried we would have trouble getting a table. From the time we walked in, we felt so welcome. Fortunately after a brief wait we were seated at one of their cute car tables. Our waiter was also the assistant manager and was so attentive. Bread and drinks were served promptly and every member of the staff we interacted with was so friendly. We ordered Caesar salads , my daughters ordered fettuccine alfredo and bolongnese , my son and his friend ordered the pepperoni pizza and I couldn't resist ordering the parmesan cheese wheel pasta which was made tableside. Everything was incredibly delicious and flavorful. I also had the Il Padrino which was very good. After our meal we ordered gelato and I let the staff know it was my son's birthday. They brought out his dessert with a little candle and sang him happy birthday in English then in Italian. It was such a wonderful experience and we can't wait to go back. It felt like having dinner at your extended Italian family's home and when I told as much to our server, he was so sweet and thanked me because in his words family means so much to them. I just can't say enough about how lovely it is to experience this level of wholesomeness today! Book your reservation ASAP!

Good home made Italian food. Great atmosphere, it's like stepping into another world so many cool things to look at. Food is delicioso and I can say the pasta is light different from so many other typical Italian food places, you can tell it's home made same with the bread. Didn't appreciate them running out of some dishes a few hours after opening but I will be back to see if thats a trend.

Great place tucked away in a center off Memorial parkway in Houston. The staff speaks English and Italian. Wife and walked in and was greeted with smiles and hello. We were seated promptly. Drink orders followed, while we were looking at the menu and art work inside the restaurant. Wife ordered the Margarita Pizza and Ingot the Carbonara. Both were great. The basil and mozzarella both tasted fresh. The crust was nice and toasty with a nice rise to it. The Carbonara was nicely flavored with a nice amount of Parmesan cheese. The bacon and pancetta was not over powering the flavor in the dish. Wife and I shared a Tiramisu. I think I just found the best Tiramisu in Houston. The Mascarpone was light, fluffy and perfectly blended. The lady fingers were soft and fresh with a nicely flavored espresso. You gotta try this, recommend getting your own though.

This restaurant is delicious!!! I friend recommended and let me tell you, it was like being back in Italy. We order a pizza and a spaghetti with pork. Both were amazing. We definitely adding this place to our favorite restaurants in Houston. The service was also great. Andrea, was very cordial and attended to my wife and I promptly and always with a smile. As I said: Delicious!!

What a fun and entertaining atmosphere. So vibrant and colorful. The car/ tables are awesome. The food is fantastic and delectable. Authentic Italian at its best. It was a bit disappointing that the cheese wheel was not available during our visit but our other food was fantastic. From fettuccine alfredo to chicken picatta and the order of baby octopus did not disappoint. My only disconnect was the service doesn't seem to be very accommodating. While the bread is complimentary, the dipping oil and spices was quite bland and certainly not enough offered. The menu stresses no substitutions of any kind and there is a page of restaurant policy and rules for families with little children. It just seemed stark and rigid. Somewhat uninviting. That being said, the food is something to be very proud of and the restaurant worth the visit for the atmosphere.