Carmela's Dripping Springs

This restaurant is a gem in Dripping Springs. Located next to a texaco gas station, the food here punches well above its weight. My wife and I go here fairly often and can speak firmly that the food is consistent and authentically Italian. It's not spicy as you'd expect in an Italian restaurant. The bread is really good and pairs well with the house dipping sauce. I would recommend getting a glass of wine to go with it. The portion sizes are plentiful so much so that we always have leftover to go for the next day. The servers provide excellent service. Recently, we walked in during a weekend dinner rush, but were promptly seated and our server checked in on us frequently while the food was being prepared. I would like to thank the team for building a good and reliable small business.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Please save your money and time and go elsewhere. We picked up this past Saturday a gluten free penne dish and it was so overcooked the pasta disintegrated into mushy mess and was just awful. Barely edible at best. Sauce had no flavor and chicken like rubber. It cost us 30.00. The man working phone and/or manager refused to give us any sort of discount rather offering us a TEN dollar gift card for next time. Thank you but in this economy 30.00 is extremely important to myself and family. If you refused to refund us then at least give us the 30.00 credit. I will not be supporting this local eatery anymore. Food was gross. Unpleasant experience.

Food: 1

Service: 1

Carmela's has been the place to be for around 20 years. We've been going there since the sisters owned it. I believe the ownership changed recently but the menu, food quality and the atmosphere hasn't changed much. That's why we love it. The food isn't spicy and honors true Italian authenticity. We have just about tried everything on the menu. Their pizzas are the best in town. I love the baked white fish. We usually get spaghetti and meatballs when we bring the grandkids. They love looking at the desserts in that cabinet in the cornet but usually get the chocolate cake. Almost everything in the dessert cabinet is so good. This is one of those places where the food is worth the price.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had dinner here last Friday, our 2nd time. Our first experience was semi okay (it was the Fettucine Alfredo), reviews remained good so we tried it again.
Boy, did they hire a new cook, cause if you want authentic Italian food, don't go here. I had the Rigatoni Bolognese and my friend the Spaghetti & Meatballs. The first was a bland dish that did not taste fresh and neither looked fresh!! When it arrived at my table my excitement dropped like a stone cause it looked like it came right out of the microwave, both the pasta and the cheese. Don' t have prove of that, but thats how it looked unfortunately.
My friends dish did not look great either. He gave me one of his meatballs, no taste or texture wse, seems like factory produced and bought in bulk, I could not even finish it. On top of that, his Spaghetti was so wet and watery, when it was served to our table the waitress even spilled a lot of juice on the floor right before she put it on our table. Even after loosing that spare water, it still kept dripping and floating in watery tomato sauce and wet spaghetti. Yak.
Our 3rd friend had a salad, the Spinach Salad that comes with almonds, goat cheese, and strawberries. All the strawberries were still frozen!!!. Imagine that. Not fresh, right out of the deep freeze. Its time that Gordon Ramsay stops by and rejuvenate the menu and staff again cause they lost their pride in cooking. Sorry. We still tipped out waitress 20%, she did all she could.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

If I had to pick my favorite Italian place in the world, it would be Carmela's on Hamilton Pool. The pizza and pasta is always great. My grandkids love the cheese pizza and spaghetti & meatballs. The prices have gone up a bit lately but the food is worth every penny. Genuinely, the most authentic Italian food I have ever had.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is hands down the best Italian spot in Dripping Springs. The pepperoni pizza has the perfect thin, crispy crust, and the rigatoni bolognese is incredibly rich and authentic. The warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel right at home the moment you walk in. We went in on a busy Saturday but our server was attentive and helped us pick the perfect wine to pair with our meal. We will definitely be back every chance we get—five stars all the way!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had an extremely disappointing experience from start to finish. The service was virtually nonexistent, and our food took an unreasonably long time to arrive at the table. When it finally came out, several items appeared spoiled and were clearly not fit to be served.

What made the situation even worse was the complete lack of hospitality and accountability. No manager ever came by to address the issues or check on our experience, despite the serious concerns with the food quality. To add insult to injury, we were still expected to pay for food that should never have been served in the first place.

A restaurant can recover from mistakes when there is urgency, professionalism, and genuine customer care — unfortunately, none of that was present here. Between the poor service, unacceptable food quality, lack of management involvement, and overall absence of hospitality, this was one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had. I would not recommend this restaurant based on our experience.

Items in question Spinach Artichoke and Mama Carmela's Verona Chicken. I only wish the food looked this appetizing when it was delivered to our table.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

This restaurant is absolutely worth every penny. The handmade pasta is cooked to true al dente perfection, the portion sizes are generous rather, and the taste rivals plates I've paid double for elsewhere. The young staff treats you like family while delivering fine-dining professionalism, and every ingredient tastes like it was sourced with genuine care. If you want authentic Italian craftsmanship without compromise, this is where your money belongs. Will be coming back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We've dined at Carmela's off and on since they first opened. The menu has never changed that I've noticed, and now the quality seems to have taken a dive over the last year. It's now off my list even though it's only 5 min away.

Staff is kind but the music felt like I was in a techno club…food was meh, may come back only for appetizers. $18 for a Cesar salad with breaded chicken…its was drenched in dressing making it inedible. The breaded chicken was cold, not frozen but I certainly expected it to be at least warm. Overpriced for the quality in my opinion.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 5

I hate to write a bad review, but this food was really bad. We paid over 60 dollars for 2 entrees and mozzarella sticks and it was almost inedible. I’m disappointed because I love supporting local spots, but for that price, I can’t recommend anyone spend their money here.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 2

Haven't eaten here in a while. Got pepperoni pizza. Very disappointed. Cheese was awful.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 5

Carmela’s Dripping Spring is the real deal! From the moment we stepped inside, the cozy, warm atmosphere—soft lighting, and that heavenly aroma of pizza and simmering sauces—made us feel right at home in a little slice of Italy. Their thin crust pizzas are absolute perfection: crisp, charred edges with a chewy center, topped with vibrant tomatoes, creamy fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil, and just the right smoky depth that only a blazing oven can deliver—no soggy spots, no skimping, just pure balance and flavor in every bite. The handmade pastas are equally stunning, like the rich, slow-cooked Bolognese clinging to wide al dente ribbons and the bright, garlicky penne all vodka. What seals the deal is the exceptional service—our server was warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate, perfectly pairing our dishes with a spot-on Chianti and even surprising us with dessert at the end. Add it all up—unbeatable pizza and pasta, heartfelt hospitality, and an inviting vibe—and Carmela’s isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience we’re already counting down to repeat. Mangia bene!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

What a disappointment! The food was bland and they used the thinnest pieces of chicken they could find. The prices we way too high for the small amount of food that we got. The wait staff was good but they felt like it was their third day on the job. This place seems to have an ego that it doesn't deserve. My brother said that the one in Lakeway is better.What a letdown. I had heard so much good stuff about this place, but then we get overpriced, small portions, of bland food with sad pieces of meat in them.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 4

Carmelas has got to be the longest lasting good restaurant for Drippin folks along with Thyme and Dough. Consistently great food and service. It goes unnoticed I think because of its location on a small strip of spaces shared with a gas station/convenience store. Family owned. At the corner of RR12 and Hamilton Pool. We have never been dissapointed with their food, desserts, drinks and wine selection.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5