Chef John Tesar Opens KNIFE Italian in Dallas

The steak-centric chef behind KNIFE hones in on Italian food and drink at his new restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, with seafood, pasta, pizza, amaro, and, of course, steak.

By Richard Martin

11:15 AM EDT on March 20, 2024

Pasta dish at Knife Italian. — KNIFE Italian opened in Dallas this week with a mix of pastas, pizzas, and chef John Tesar’s signature steaks.

It’s no surprise that John Tesar’s newest Dallas-area restaurant has a big steak on the menu. This is, after all, the chef who wrote a masterful cookbook on the subject, and the man whose Knife pretty much sets the standard for steakhouses not only in Texas but nationwide, with an emphasis on dry-aged steaks. At Knife Italian, which opened in the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, this week, Tesar’s meat skills are on display in a 48-ounce Bistecca alla Las Colinas, carved tableside.

RELATED: Read Appetito's interview with John Tesar about Knife Italian and more.

Instead of another steakhouse, however, Tesar has added a new concept to his Knife brand, going all-in on Italian. The restaurant’s menu showcases a creative take on Italian cuisine, with housemade pastas including lobster agnolotti, oxtail ravioli, and goat cheese mezzaluna; Neapolitan pizzas; steaks and seafood mains; and Italian wine and amaro lists.

The inspiration for Tesar’s Italian turn comes partly from his Knife and Spoon restaurant in Orlando, Florida, which earned him a Michelin star in 2022. That restaurant features a few pasta dishes, as well as the dry-aged steak program that made his Dallas original a destination. Tesar has also noted that his New York City upbringing is an influence on his latest venture.

Chef John Tesar opened KNIFE Italian in the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas this week.

The restaurant features a whimsical, colorful décor created by Schoos Design, a Los Angeles-based hospitality design company known for memorable interiors at hot spots like Tao Las Vegas and O-Bar in West Hollywood.

Dining room at Knife Italian — Schoos Design created the colorful interiors at KNIFE Italian.

Knife Italian’s family-style dishes and bold presentations will likely get the most attention as diners discover it, but Tesar and his team have put extensive thought into the beverage program. The cocktail list includes a clever mix of Italian and Texas touches in drinks like the Savage Gringo, with Campari, Sombra Mezcal, coffee-infused dry vermouth, Cinzano Bianco, and absinthe.

The restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and diinner.

4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75038, 972-717-2420, @knife_Italian, knifeitalian.com

Richard Martin

Richard is the co-founder, managing editor and publisher of Appetito. He is also co-author of the new books Preserved: Condiments and Preserved: Fruit, former U.S. editor of La Cucina Italiana, and he was editor-in-chief of the website Food Republic and the magazines Manhattan, Miami, and Complex.