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  • Via Emilia - The Woodlands

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Reserve at Via Emilia - The Woodlands

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Via Emilia - The Woodlands
Via Emilia - The Woodlands

Via Emilia - The Woodlands Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://viaemiliarestaurant.com
  • Email: enrique@viaemiliarestaurant.com
  • Phone: (281) 465-9555
  • Hours of Operation:
    Lunch: Monday - Sunday: 11:00am - 3:00pm
    Dinner: Monday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Smoking Area (patio only), Takeout, Wine
  • Entertainment: Via Emilia features live music Wednesday through Saturday 6-9pm.

Getting there

  • Cross Street: The Woodlands Parkway
  • Parking: Public Lot
A word from Via Emilia - The Woodlands
Named after an ancient Roman road that spans from Rimini to Piacenza, Via Emilia Italian Restaurant is known for their house-made pastas, braised meats, seafood specialties, and delicious desserts. The family-owned restaurant served Houston diners for over 13 years before moving to their current… location in the Woodlands. We welcome you to experience the most authentic northern Italian cuisine in the Woodlands - no passport required.Continued
Foodspotting photos
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food
Diner Reviews
  • "This was our second visit. The food was again inventive and delicious. We had Prosciutto with Mozzarella and Funghi Ripieni for appetizers. Both were so good. For entrees we had Lasagne, Linguini with clams, and Chicken Parmesan. We all agreed they were the best we've ever had. Stromboli for dessert-pure decadence. This has now become our favorite restaurant in The Woodlands. As a bonus, both times we have spent less than we always did at our previous favorite."
    Dined on 4/13/2014
  • "We have frequented this restaurant several times now with consistent results. The only time we left feeling slightly disappointed was when we got a fairly new waiter on an extremely busy night. Otherwise we have nothing but good things to say. Bryan, is by far one of our favorite waiters. He has a detailed description of every menu item and offers up some fabulous wine pairings and recommendations. The lobster stuffed ravioli and the lamb shank are my favorite entrees. And desserts... I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. The chocolate cake, sorbet, lemoncello cake, crème brulee…and the list goes on. One of our all time favorite Italian places!!"
    Dined on 4/13/2014
  • "Once inside Via Emilia, one can easily forget the shopping center environment outside. The owners have done a masterful job of decorating and accessorizing the motif so as to replicate an authentic Italian atmosphere. The service is a notch above the those restaurants in The Woodlands that portray their belief that they are the 'upper crust'. The wine selection can make one dizzy without a sample so wine lovers can feel at home. Non-oenophiles can enjoy a well made cocktail or ice cold beer. The food maintains the expectation. It is prepared timely, served hot and satisfies multiple senses at once. Perhaps not as important to some, but the value is quite good at Via Emilia."
    Dined on 4/6/2014
  • "What great service! Great food. Can't find anything wrong with this place. Highly recommend."
    Dined on 4/2/2014
  • "What a surprise to find a restaurant in a strip center that was elegant and delicious. The waiter was helpful and attendant but not overwhelming. An intimate atmosphere coupled with great food was a pleasant surprise. We had the braised veal and seafood pasta special. I definitely recommend the chocolate soufflé cake, its worth every calorie!!! We will be going back!"
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "We have been here many times, each time our meals are wonderful and the service is lovely."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "Via Emilia has the most amazing food. Great every time. Having been dining here since the restaurant was on 1960!!"
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "A touch of old world charm. Via Emilia offers impeccable service, elegant and classic Italian dishes with fine wine to match and delicious desserts worth saving room for. The perfect Saturday night dinner in The Woodlands!"
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "What a great last minute pick Via Emilia turned out to be. On a spur of the moment surprise celebration we decided to give It a try and are so glad we did. Reservations were easy to make right on the restaurant website. We arrived early and had A glass of champagne at the lovely bar which gave us a good view of the restaurant. what a beautiful restaurant. It has a high end Downtown feel to it. We were seated after a 15 minute wait and greeted promptly by our waiter. We Enjoyed a Caprese salad, pasta Carbonara and Salmon dish and bread pudding for dessert. I highly recommend this beautiful Restaurant and look forward to returning soon."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "The food in this restaurant is one of the best authentic italian places Ive been to."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "I can't believe I let an op slip through the cracks to rate my favorite restaurant. Yes I said it - my FAVORITE. I used to complain about not enough unique places in The Woodlands to eat. Boy did this fit the bill. The Woodlands begged them to come! And they did - yeah! And it's near my house - yeah again! It is busier all the time - but that's a good thing! I recommend a reservation on any given evening."
    Dined on 6/20/2013
  • "Why cook when this place is up the road? Healthy choices, fair prices, fun waiters, and the owner works his tail off keeping everything in order."
    Dined on 7/7/2013
  • "Count the ways: Via Emelia salad Pear w/ Goat Cheese Avocado Salad Minestrone Onion Soup Pasta al pesto w/ shrimp, chicken or plain. Braised pork (stinco - what a name!) Snapper! Lasagna! Steak!!! BREAD PUDDING! TRES LECHES! It is always hard to narrow it down when you love everything!"
    Dined on 7/21/2013
  • "It was disappointing to me to find that either Open Table or Via Emelia is no longer accepting reservations for 1 on the app. I don't like to lie so I will no longer be putting in for "2" when there is just "1" (like I did today). I can understand possibly it is not worth it to the restaurant - but for some of us who frequently dine alone - it feels a little like being left out :-("
    Dined on 8/26/2013
  • "September at Via Emelia requires light pasta - don't see it your way? Ask the chef to make you a special order - name your veggies - gluten free? no problem! They have GF pasta. Off menu is a pleasant challenge here. They aim to please."
    Dined on 9/20/2013
  • "How did I forget to rate my favorite restaurant back in October? It's always great - and being as it was just getting cold outside, I is a good guess that I had the amazing onion soup (that I always call French Onion Soup and they politely restate it is the "Onion Soup" since it is not a french cafe lol) Whether we are in for a full course or for a light fare - we are treated like royalty - even in our jeans and polo shirts."
    Dined on 10/16/2013
  • "Tonight we were as late as ever - ten minutes before closing. But no worries. The food was still fresh and delicious. The wait staff still evenly paced and courteous. I am always pleased with Brian and Stephen - they are always so excited about the menu and specials. You would think this is their own restaurant. They take personal pride in the presentation, the taste, the compliments to dinner - and never seem in a hurry for you to leave. They are like family!"
    Dined on 3/9/2014
  • "Had to duck in and out quickly this visit - never feel bad about asking them to hurry. Waiters are most accommodating and the soup and salads and pasta dishes can always come quickly. Wait staff is always concerned about meeting your expectations. They are the bomb!"
    Dined on 2/8/2014
  • "I love bringing friends here and impressing them with the quality food, service, and experience. I have never left anyone underwhelmed with their visit. It is a sure thing!"
    Dined on 2/5/2014
  • "Great evening! Every request was honored. The service and food was great. Thanks!"
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "The food was good. For the three of us (without alcohol or dessert), the tab came to about $115 (pre-tip). The wait staff was friendly and eager to help. The place was clean and quiet. The quiet might have been due to it being around 7PM on a Sunday. It took forever to get food though. We spent nearly two hours there, mostly waiting. On a personal note, the wait wasn’t unbearable as it the restaurant was quiet and we had an opportunity to talk as a family and the wait staff keep letting us know that we hadn’t been forgotten. I might go there again should I have some time to kill and someone special to kill it with."
    Dined on 3/2/2014
  • "Very good service and food offerings. I recommend."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "My husband and I like to eat here because the food is great and all of the staff are wonderful! You can dress casual or dress nice...whatever your occasion may be. It's also a great place to go with friends!!"
    Dined on 2/13/2014
  • "Other restaurants in The Woodlands try to pass off "authentic Italian" but this establishment is the real deal - bringing honest, true to the heart Italian cuisine to your table with striking authenticity at affordable prices. Everything is made fresh in the kitchen from family recipes using fresh ingredients. The wine selection is excellent as well. The kitchen is small, so be prepared to wait for your meal. The only off-putting part of our experience is the location. Considering the available land space in the Woodlands, we were surprised that the restaurant was in a shopping mall. We would have preferred a stand-alone structure which would further enhance our dining experience. Nonetheless, it was very pleasant once inside."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "We came here because I was searching The Woodlands for a restaurant that serves traditional escargot, and there are very few. Via Emilia has it and did not disappoint. It was great, and my husband's Prosciutto e Mozzarella was also very tasty. The Ravioli Osso Buco was so scrumptious it just melted in my mouth. My hubby's Saute di Gamberoni was a delicious take on plain shrimp and pasta. The service was excellent, and our waiter was helpful with a wine choice. I can't wait to go back-I am taking my mom this week for half-price Italian wine Wednesdays."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "The food is the star at this restaurant - don't be swayed by any off the menu items or specials: twice now we 'took the bait' and the standard-on-the-menu-tried-and-true items are best. For the location and ambiance, this place is a bit pricey, but the food is outstanding. Bite the bullet and visit. Best kept secret in the BACK of the Woodlands. Only two quality restaurants in this area. Don't miss it"
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Wait, wait, wait. Been here many times and the food is good. This time a disaster. Great waiter,but a very slow kitchen and the noise level was ridiculous. Need to find a new favorite."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Having lived in Rome for almost 10 years, it was refreshing to find such authentic flavors and enjoyed every moment of our experience at Via Emilias."
    Dined on 2/13/2014
  • "This was dinner celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. We had eaten at this restaurant once before at its previous location and were favorably impressed. This occasion was excellent. Our impressions were totally favorable in all respects. Food was delicious; the service was impeccable. The experience capped a great day for us."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "Food and service were some of the best I've experienced in The Woodlands!"
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "The man who greeted us was rude. The veal shank was fatty. The pork medallions were salty. The mashed potatoes were bland. Not impressed."
    Dined on 2/16/2014
  • "This place its a great place to go with your significant other. If you are looking for a special romantic place with great food this is it."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "Great ambiance, excellent food at very decent prices and excellent service. Have no complaints"
    Dined on 2/13/2014
  • "We decided to dine at the last minute late Saturday night. We ran into some friends and the staff flawlessly put us together. Food was great, especially the waiter's recommendations! We will make this a regular spot to enjoy! Great service, Great food, Great experience!"
    Dined on 2/8/2014
  • "THIS IS A NICE RESTAURANT TO HAVE LUNCH AT WHERE GREAT QUALITY FOOD IS SERVICE AND YOU CAN HAVE A NICE GLASS OF WINE."
    Dined on 2/4/2014
  • "Well - ok it is Italian - BUT they have the most awesome French Onion Soup - aka - Onion Soup - anywhere. It is perfect and they are not stingy w/ the onions. The Via Emelia salad is our favorite in The Woodlands - no kidding. We have several favorite waiters here. They have been here for a long time. They are like family."
    Dined on 2/2/2014
  • "We love Via Emilia! The food is always excellent. No other Italian restaurant even comes close! We miss the old restaurant though. Wish they would open another one in Vintage Park or Champions Village."
    Dined on 2/1/2014
  • "We live in the neighborhood and never had tried the place. I tried the date appetizer which was good. I took off the bacon because I thought it could crispier. I had the house salad. I loved the dressing which was simple, light and refreshing....if a dressing can be refreshing?? For dinner I could not decide between the lasagne or linguini with pesto. I chose the lasagne with the waiter's confirmation that it was very good. I did not like it. There was a taste in there I did not like and could not identify. So my husband switched with me and I ate his spaghetti. That was better. We may go back again."
    Dined on 2/1/2014
  • "Great menue selection and each course was excellent. My date had sea bass which was some of the best I have ever eaten. The rack of lamb was very tender and jumping with garlic and rosemary. We shared an avocado salad featruing a nice tart vinegarette which is just the way I like them. I will be back!"
    Dined on 1/31/2014
  • "My favorite is the ossobuco and I keep comming back for that, they got a great wine list and piano music, it is one of the best places in The woodlands area with a great service"
    Dined on 1/31/2014
More reviews ›
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • Houston Winners
  • Italian
  • The Woodlands Winners
  • Best Overall
  • Best Ambiance
  • Best Food
  • Best Service
  • Fit for Foodies
  • Neighborhood Gem
  • Notable Wine List
  • Romantic
  • Special Occasion
Learn more ›